Ability to "Like" Forum Posts (NOT Wolves or Profiles)

Hi devs!

I think it would be great if we were able to like the forum posts of other members.

Often I want to engage with another post, but I don't exactly want to comment on the thread itself—take for example, the "gift the wolf above you" thread. Someone commented on how they liked my profile picture, and I had no way to say "thank you" unless I double posted to say it (which would interrupt the game). I could have messaged the member, but with my social anxiety, I really hate messaging. This problem could be easily fixed by adding a little like button!

Other examples of where a like button could be used are:

• Showing support for game development changes without having to post on the thread (many people often have nothing to add the idea other than 'support' anyway)
• Supporting a pretty stud
• Supporting an artist or writer who is showing off their work
• Liking your friend's funny meme
• Showing you read & understand a change in the rules of a thread or otherwise
• Thanking someone for a really generous gift
• Showing support for a cute thread starter
• Generally just spreading love
• And so much more!

I feel like the ability to like posts can open up a ton of community togetherness, as well as give more options to us nervous or antisocial folk who don't want to message other members. Please note that I am NOT looking for a dislike button—only a like button. Where like buttons promote positivity, dislike buttons promote negativity. We don't need one of those.

In order for my idea to get added to the game, I think a like button could be coded beneath the message button and the post button (in the empty space below the user's tag). This button would not show up on your own posts—only other members' posts. It could be clicked to apply a like and clicked again to remove a like; clicking once could notify the user, ie. "ExampleUser [#12345] liked your post [ID]!", and clicking again would remove this notification as if it were never there (which would make it less awkward if you clicked the button on accident, of course). Also, no matter how they work, like notifications should be easily removed and should have the option to be turned off completely if desired.

Thank you for considering my suggestion!

Additional suggestions and/or concerns:

• Buying Likes — A problem arose on another site where people were buying likes. After looking into it, I've noticed these likes were being purchased for a specific purpose (ie "beating deities"). I do not think wolves or profiles should be able to get likes! Only forum posts should get them. Liking a post should not boost a thread/wolf/player in any way, nor should it be used as a feature in the game itself. If someone likes your post, it should just be because they liked your content, not that they're trying to achieve a goal. Please disallow begging for or purchasing likes.
• Toggling Visible Likes — Similar to the "anonymous" checkbox in the Christmas gifting mechanic, likes could have an option to be anonymous. If you don't want people to see that you liked a thread, you could toggle it off!
  

Partial support. I like this suggestion a lot because it allows people with social anxiety (such as myself) show appreciation for something with a simple click of a button without having to fully interact with someone else but on the other hand, a problem I see arising would be the wanted items stockpile (or wherever it would be most suitable) being spammed with people buying likes; something similar happened on this other game called Flight Rising and I would not want it happening here because I feel like that would take away from the whole liking because you genuinely like something concept.

Buying likes? I have never heard of that, but I guess it could be avoided by just making a rule that disallows buying likes. I don't think that's a very smart way of utilizing a feature like this 😂

@greahound

Oh, I misread this as liking wolves instead of forum posts, sorry about that! Well, in that case, I do not think the buying likes thing would be an issue so full support! ❤️

No worries, I understood! I added a note at the bottom saying that liking wolves or players themselves should not be a feature, and purchasing/begging for likes should be disallowed ^^

I 100% support this feature, although there could be some negatives from it. Most outcomes seem positive though!

If a likes system was added, I think it should remain anonymous. Say an unpopular opinion or controversial post was created. If names were visible for this, members could potentially target the users who liked that post. Along with this (while I'm sure this won't happen), people who like rule-breaking posts (ex. targeting users, calling staff out, harassment) could potentially be warned by staff and/or targeted too. This was prominent on another shut down site I was one, ironically with Grea. For this reason, I suggest any likes are anonymous (at least to regular users).

TL;DR: Support, but keep it anonymous. 

P.S. hey grea! funny to see you here. it's orion/star :p

Oh hey!! Weird seeing you here x) I think an option for anonymous votes would be a good idea! Maybe there could be a way to toggle it on and off? Like a checkbox? I'll add this suggestion to the first post when I have some time !!

Oh I mean toggling on/off if you want it to be anonymous! So I could like a post (like yours), and you could see it was me, but if I toggled the anonymous option then you wouldn't be able to see who I was.

Alternatively, maybe only the person whose post you like can see it? So if I liked your post, you could see the like, but no one else could :think:

Ah alright! I think that makes more sense. :0