Who should be allowed to choose answers for Q&A?

TappedOut forum

Posted on Feb. 26, 2015, 5:38 p.m. by Tyrannosary

I have noticed that no matter who answers questions first on this website or how good the answer is it always will say that it is approved by Epokalyptik. I know that the person who asked the question can change the person who answered it but I still think this is wrong. I don't think the question should be "answered" unless the person who asked the question decides for themselves, not the automatic choice of Epokalyptic and then whoever the questioner picked. Let me know what you guys think about this down below.

JA14732 says... #2

It's because he's like a level 9001 judge or something. So he knows the answer to almost every rules question and he approves when it's right or explained best.

February 26, 2015 5:40 p.m.

Epochalyptik says... #3

You could at least do me the favor of spelling my name correctly if you're going to criticize me.

I suppose you're not aware that 70% of questions are never marked as answered by the OP. I have to go back and clear all the unresolved questions.

And when I select my own answers, they're generally the first and/or most detailed answers provided. If I think another user might have provided an equally acceptable answer, then I leave it up to the OP and provide a reminder that the OP needs to select an answer.

Now, you're welcome to provide an example of a question for which you think I selected my own answer and shouldn't have. Let me know when you do.

February 26, 2015 5:43 p.m.

Tyrannosary says... #4

First of all there is only level 1-5 and then level E judges. Second of all it should be the questioner who selects which person answered their question not someone else who answered it. If Epokalyptik is the only person that can choose his answer to be the one the questioner likes best shouldn't everyone else get this feature?

February 26, 2015 5:44 p.m.

JA14732 says... #5

Woosh.

And you're criticizing one of the major mods of the site, who responded above you.

February 26, 2015 5:45 p.m.

Jay says... #6

Tyrannosary, Epoch is a just and benevolent leader. Do not raise his ire over petty insolence.

February 26, 2015 5:46 p.m.

Tyrannosary says... #7

I asked whether Thrumming Stone's ability could repeat its ripple effect multiple times and I accepted someone's answer then later I noticed it was changed to it being answered by you. I thought this was fishy because every other person I saw on that page also had their questions answered by you.

February 26, 2015 5:46 p.m.

Tyrannosary says... #8

I don't care whether Epochalyptik is a moderator or not, I knew he was one due to all the questions getting "answered by just him.

February 26, 2015 5:49 p.m.

asasinater13 says... #9

epochalyptik takes care of clean up for the website, making sure everything gets posted in the right spot, ebing someone who he chose an answer for, it was a resolved question I forgot to select as resolved, I don't feel like it's relevant to the people he does it to, because he does it when they're forgetful. if he ever has a specific case where it's bothering someone they could always repost the question, or post in the forum (I'm unsure if a resolved question can be commented on) about a specific case, and I'm sure it isn't some intentional ego-trip.

February 26, 2015 5:49 p.m.

Tyrannosary says... #10

I do not see how insolence plays into this since I am not being insolent to anything, I just don't think it should be allowed for Moderators to choose their own answers as the selected one, I think it should be up to the person who asked the question.

February 26, 2015 5:51 p.m.

JA14732 says... #11

Sounds like you were just annoyed that your answer got changed, which doesn't really matter in the end. Was your question answered? Yes? Move on with your life and don't complain about it.

February 26, 2015 5:52 p.m.

Link to the thread in question.

I took the liberty of reselecting the answer. Again. Don't change it.

I'll reproduce the answers here for the benefit of those reading:

Question:

If I cast a Shadowborn Apostle from my hand and use Thrumming Stone's effect and cast another shadow born apostle, would I get to use thrumming stones ripple 4 effect again?

Answer 1:

I don't see a reason why not!..

Answer 2:

Yes

Answer 3 (mine):

Ripple causes you to cast the revealed card(s) if it/they have the same name as the original spell. Because ripple triggers on cast, it applies also to the cards you cast from ripple's resolution. You can "chain" ripples into one another as long as you keep revealing cards that have the same name as each other.

Now, you're welcome to tell me that Answer #2 is worth selecting. And I'll exercise my license to disagree with you.

I choose the most complete and correct answer to the question. When multiple answers of similar quality are provided, I select the first such answer. I've chosen another user's answer many a time.

February 26, 2015 5:53 p.m.

Tyrannosary says... #13

I don't mind him/her answering questions, but I do have a problem when he chooses his answer. Even if other people do answer before him.

February 26, 2015 5:53 p.m.

Here is the Thrumming Stone question: click this

As you can see, the first 2 responses were "yes" and "I don't see why not". Then Epochalyptik actually wrote an in- depth answer which clearly resolved the question. So stop hating.

February 26, 2015 5:54 p.m.

And if you'd like to propose a solution to OPs not coming back to select their own answers, go ahead. It would save me some time each day. But until then, I will continue to choose answers that properly and completely address our users' questions, regardless of whose answers they are.

February 26, 2015 5:54 p.m.

Oh shoot as I was typing this Epoch put it up.

February 26, 2015 5:54 p.m.

Tyrannosary says... #17

Yes he did go indepth, my problem that I have is that I chose the second person as my answer and I noticed that later on Epochalyptik changed my selection to his after he answered

February 26, 2015 5:56 p.m.

Jay says... #18

I just wanted to say "insolence" haha. But seriously, I don't think it's a big deal. Answering questions doesn't get you anything, except, what, TappedOut points? I don't think anyone is in a position to usurp Epoch's spot at #1 anyway, so it's inconsequential.

February 26, 2015 5:58 p.m.

So if someone writes a single-word answer such as yes or no without providing a rule/reason, that is sufficient?

February 26, 2015 5:59 p.m.

Jay says... #20

Also, I like how the title of the thread is like a tabloid tell-all haha. Classic.

February 26, 2015 5:59 p.m.

Tyrannosary says... #21

That's my point. would he really be at #1 if it wasn't for him selecting his own answers as the ones approved?

February 26, 2015 5:59 p.m.

JA14732 says... #22

Just stop. He's explained himself and you're just wasting your time debating a point which means absolutely nothing in the end and won't get changed. We aren't going to have a revolution over this. We aren't going to support you through this. Our leaders aren't going to change the website for you. Even if you sacrifice 500 goats in their name.

February 26, 2015 5:59 p.m.

Please inform me why it's an issue that I reselected a more detailed and complete answer.

February 26, 2015 6 p.m.

I summon Ohthenoises to bring the Drew Carey pic of Tappedout points!

February 26, 2015 6 p.m.

Tyrannosary says... #25

Yes I know this, I only created this to see what everyone else's opinions were about this

February 26, 2015 6 p.m.

Jay says... #26

...yes, he would still be at number 1. He single-handedly trudges through mountains of digital shit and vomit daily to upkeep the website.

And also, even if he was #10000 he would still have just as much influence. He's a bona fide mod. Rank means nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch.

February 26, 2015 6:01 p.m.

And if you really suspect my rank is due to me selecting my own answers, please look around the site and provide some evidence for your contention.

February 26, 2015 6:01 p.m.

JA14732 says... #28

I love how he mentioned that Epoch's at #1 like it matters.

Where the hell's OHTHENOISES when you need him?

February 26, 2015 6:02 p.m.

Never mind i'll do it:enter image description here

February 26, 2015 6:03 p.m.

Tyrannosary says... #30

I have no idea how rank works on this website, but I would prefer it if the people got to choose who answered their questions, if they choose your answer then thats fine i dont have a problem but dont just pick your own answer when there are other people who answered the question

February 26, 2015 6:05 p.m.

yeaGO says... #31

I think changing the answer that the questioner selects kind of removes a lot of the point, or I guess the intended point, of the section. And what's the benefit? The more detailed answers are still around for people to explore and I think people are likely to read them all anyway (I do).

The original idea was that questioners could reward an answerer they felt was best. Its pretty qualitative and certainly prone to mistakes. I based it off of stackoverflow, which was a kind of cool way to game-ify the problem of getting questions answered.

While points don't really matter, its true. But points are fun!

February 26, 2015 6:07 p.m.

NTPYTO says... #32

Tyrannosary you should honestly just let this go. You asked a question, Epoch gave the best answer, the end. Nothing else matters. Epoch's a good mod, and he didn't do anything wrong here.

February 26, 2015 6:10 p.m.

Tyrannosary says... #33

thank you YeaGo, I agree points are fun, its impossible to get any if Epochalyptik keeps getting them. I don't mind if he answers questions but when he selects his own questions as the answer (even if they are good) thats when i have a problem

February 26, 2015 6:10 p.m.

JA14732 says... #34

Listen to yeaGO, he knows what he's talking about. Hell, he designed almost all of this site.

Just because you got your answer changed you're angry that it removes your ability to choose. However, the answer you selected merely said "yes." It didn't explain WHY Ripple works, all it does is answer your specific question. And it's a good question to allow people to be able to find the exact reason why, in the rules, Ripple works.

BTW, my opinion about this is that you're over-reacting and crying about something that doesn't need crying about.

February 26, 2015 6:11 p.m.

ChiefBell says... #35

It's crap for the most part though because people regularly select the wrong answer and epoch has to come and correct it and change it. I definitely agree with him having the power to change it because he's about the only person that actually knows what they're doing..... The person who's most qualified to answer the question should select the answer, not the questioner. In almost all cases it's him.

February 26, 2015 6:11 p.m.

Tyrannosary says... #36

All I am saying is what's the point of the "select who answered your question" feature if its always Epochalyptik since he can choose his own answers regardless of who the person that asked the question picked.

February 26, 2015 6:13 p.m.

I'll say this once more. I will select the most appropriate answer to the question. If you're capable of doing that on your own, then I'm fine with that. It saves me a small amount of time. But if you aren't, I'll do it for you. This goes for anyone who posts anything in the Q&A. And, of those people, many don't even return to select an answer.

@yeaGO (who posted while I was typing the above paragraph): The point of "marked" answers should be to identify the most correct and appropriate answer provided to a question. Those involved in the discussion at the time are obviously aware what answers were given when and in what way, but people who stumble upon the page after searching the site or Google should have some kind of way to identify the most appropriate answer given.

I'm going to be fairly blunt about usability here: You have a great opportunity for a site feature to build reliability and functionality. Don't waste it on a pat-on-the-back reward. The OP can offer a thank-you that serves that exact purpose.

February 26, 2015 6:13 p.m.

@Tyrannosary: I don't know if you picked up on this or not yet, so I'll be curt. I pick the best answer. I don't give a single care in the world for who provided that answer. Nor do I care who asked the question.

I'd appreciate it if you stopped trying to make it look like I always pick my answer all the time always forever and never let anyone else into my clubhouse.

Thanks.

February 26, 2015 6:15 p.m.

Ohthenoises says... #39

February 26, 2015 6:16 p.m.

Unforgivn_II says... #40

Holy shit man, its clear no one agrees with you. Stop repeating yourself.

Also, successful troll is successful.

February 26, 2015 6:18 p.m.

Ohthenoises says... #41

I was driving. Sorry.

February 26, 2015 6:18 p.m.

ChiefBell says... #42

Exactly. Selecting the right answer is to reward the person who contributes the most knowledge. It's not the case that only epoch gets to use it, but it is the case that most of the time he offers the most knowledge. Tyrannosary you're conflating two points. It's not that he chooses himself every time regardless of what's said, it's that he's the only one that answers things adequately. You're sort of missing the whole point.

Besides letting the asker pick the right answer is fairly stupid anyway because they necessarily lack the proficiency to choose an answer - because they asked the question in the first place. Allowing the asker to choose is like crowning a prince of fools - you're still under qualified. On the other hand allowing someone who actually knows what they're doing to pick the answer makes far, far more sense.

February 26, 2015 6:20 p.m.

yeaGO says... #43

Epochalyptik I think its a good hope, what you say about the "opportunities" for the Q&A, but I don't really think the numbers are really backing that up because that section is unique among this site only in that it slowly seems to be dying. It peaked back in Nov 2013. Now, it may be that objective fact in that time has increased 4x, but I think it hardly matters if fewer and fewer people are relying on it as a resource, either for asking questions or answering them.

February 26, 2015 6:23 p.m.

To be fair, in the cases where OPs do pick answers for their own questions, the answers are usually the best available. The community has gotten much better about policing inaccuracies in the Q&A in the four years I've been contributing. In some cases, though, I do end up reselecting a more appropriate answer.

February 26, 2015 6:23 p.m.

pskinn01 says... #45

The question and answer forum is meant to educate. While a yes or no may answer the question, a detailed statement as to why would help educate the OP and anyone else that reads it later so that they won't have to ask similar questions in the future about other cards.

February 26, 2015 6:24 p.m.

yeaGO says... #46

pskinn01 who held a gun to your head to stop reading past the selected answer?

February 26, 2015 6:25 p.m.

Decreasing use is not an excuse for improper application. It's still there, and it's still a resource.

I know the feel-good conversation has come up before, specifically in relation to upvotes on decks, but marking an answer as "accepted" has an actual significance to it because a rules question necessarily has a right answer.

February 26, 2015 6:26 p.m.

WicKid52 says... #48

Tyrannosary: point aside, Epoch doesn't have to do this much. He could just as well say "I'll let them fend for themselves" and put down two-word answers, but he doesn't. Once you put that much effort in, then should you criticize.

February 26, 2015 6:26 p.m.

Ohthenoises says... #49

It's like the anti vax movement.

Here are 99 scientific journals published that refute that autism is caused by vaccines: "No, you're wrong!"

Here is 1 tabloid that says that there is a link between the two: "HA! SUCK IT SMARTY PANTS SCIENTISTS!"

In my opinion, the most correct and consice answer should be selected. Otherwise someone is going to get confused if they find it on the Google: "Why is the wrong answer selected?"

February 26, 2015 6:27 p.m.

Tyrannosary says... #50

In that case I believe others shouldn't be allowed to answer questions, otherwise they should make it so that only moderators can choose what the best answer is. If you think the OP is going to pick the wrong aswer then why do you give them the feature to choose?

February 26, 2015 6:30 p.m.

This discussion has been closed