Claimed:Activity and the VHLM: Part 3 - High Score List! [6/6 FINAL]

[AIM-11 134]

 

Somewhere there's a score being kept, so you have an obligation to live life as well as you can, be as engaged as you can. - Bill Murray

 

As we move along in our series on Member Activity and the VHLM, it's time we come to one of the real big reasons why people stick around - that of Scoreboard Watching.  Obviously, since this is a player creation sim league, the main drive for any member is to try and make the most bad ass player that they can.

 

That player might be a goon who racks up fights in his quest to Bob Probert the rest of the league, or perhaps the goal is to become a shot blocking and bodychecking demon on the blueline. Whatever the end goal is, one thing is certain:  VHLM members want to keep track.

 

Nowhere has this been more highlighted than with a young member named gorlab, whose player, Jody 3 Moons, missed out on the chance for VHLM accolades or awards, due to a recent trade and some missed games when his player was not instantly put into the sim for the next set of games.  While the situation is really not one that can be remedied for gorlab, it does make it clear how closely members watch the performances of their players.

 

Armed with this knowledge, how can VHLM GMs, or others in the league, do a better job of keeping player advancement and accomplishments front and center so that VHLM members can feel encouraged by what is going on with their player?

 

 

1) Create non-VHLM player related achievement lists and challenges.

 

While my computerized memory may be failing me, I seem to recall long-time VHLM member, diamond_ace, having a sort of high score list, or achievement list, in his team locker rooms.  Even if I am misremembering here, I still think this would be a fantastic idea.

 

Some things that could be tracked are posts per week, practice facility posting streaks for how many weeks in a row they have posted there, points earned from Prediction Games, or times you have posted immediately after Victor has posted. 

 

The challenges could be silly, or perhaps even nonsensical, but for many members, these types of mini-games could be a real driver of activity. Knowing that their player may be a third line grinder in the VHLM and stands little chance of winning any individual awards can be extremely demotivating for new members.  However, if little awards or weekly achievements were posted in the VHLM locker rooms, it could be the difference between a new member sticking it out, or quitting when they feel like they will never make it to the level of greatness that they feel they should instantly attain.

 

2) Focus on a large variety of VHLM player related stats.  Not just the well known ones.

 

For most VHLM members it can be extremely daunting to see a 4th generation player with 300 points, just kick the ever-lovin' bejeesus out of the league.  When you're still finding your way around the league, and unsure of how to even make a proper player, at times it can feel easier to just eventually give up.  Often times the only ones who receive attention in Media Articles, or Magazines, are those who are scoring lots of goals, or posting godly save percentages. The VHLM could potentially retain more of their new members by broadening the scope of what sorts of awards are offered to VHLM players.

 

At a youth camp I worked at for many years, we would always give out awards on the final day to people for the most random crap.  Perhaps it was for the individual who had the most painful looking wakeboard accident, or maybe to the girl who was able to make the most amazing food art at the end of every meal.  It didn't really matter what it was, except it highlighted the skills or talents of someone who normally would get no attention,

 

What if we gave out awards in the VHLM for the widest variety of penalty types taken in a season, or the highest amount of shots blocked per minutes played for anyone who does not play top five ice time on their team?  These awards may seem silly, but they also can give newer members a chance to see their name in the running for something that they normally would have no shot at.

 

The beauty with this idea is that the possibilities really are only limited by the imagination and could become a really fun part of the league moving forward.

 

Conclusion

 

There is a good chance that an extremely high number of new members are the types of people who are motivated by high score lists, achievements, and statistics.  Currently the VHLM really only awards members who really stand out in the more traditional areas - goal scoring, passing, penalty minutes, goaltender wins etc.  If the VHLM were able to expand on those areas to include more of the fringe players in awards ceremonies, as well as encouraging VHLM GMs to come up with more creative and exciting locker room activities and challenges, then there is a chance we could increase our new member engagement by at least a little bit.  The work would likely be worth it.

[gorlab 4,321]

Are you actually Jack Crasher?

[KitRas 188]

Are you actually Jack Crasher?

this

[Victor 10,940]

More little 1 TPE unofficial VHLM awards could probably be a thing.

Are you actually Jack Crasher?

You are talking to Dougie Daniels, the pioneer of gay VHLers (with the exception of James Bencharski).

[gorlab 4,321]

Can I get that in the Queen's english, Vic my boy?

[Molholt 2,185]

Content: 3/3 - I love the creativity in finding new ways to spur activity. Not every player in this league can lead the league in goals or assists. Great work. 

Grammar: 2/2 - Works for me. 

Appearance: 1/1 - Looks good, although one image was broken for me. 

Overall: 6/6

[James 77]

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