This means that you should theoretically still be able to accumulate rep, so you'll be able to post links eventually. I've upvoted your posts in this thread and will try and remember to do so in the upcoming mafia game.

Can we also take away the plus button and reset everyone's rep to zero? I'd prefer to have the minus button but if people can't stand the downvote bots that's understandable.

Why are we resetting everyone to zero?

It's nice to be able to express thanks for a good/funny/helpful post. No reason to remove the ability to be positive.

I've always felt the best setup for a forum to handle this is an Ignore feature, where you can put a certain post, thread, or poster on ignore. That way the thing continues to exist for others to see, but you don't have to see it personally. Best for everyone.

Since we don't have that here, or a ton of other options, I think you're going to continue to have stress between people over various issues.

nah
just remove it

It will be possible either way. Problem is, that now it is not equally simple use positive and negative evaluation. Since there were requests to remove negative, what is understandable due to some trolls on forum, it should be fair and both should be removed. Current situation shows, that one way is preferred. World is not only positive and if we will have simple way how show, that we like something, but there will be no exactly simple way to show opposite, results will be always biased. There are still people who remembers, that they were allowed to agree or shut up. So this unpleasant situation is alarming.

That's not feasible for many. I've seen one account that exceeded -4000 reputation. I suggested setting negative reps to 0, if downvoting is removed.
Removing the link posting restriction would also do the trick, if that's easier to implement instead. Though that arguably can still serve a purpose, since brand new accounts that want to spam at least aren't able to post links.

Hah. That should get me a few 1000 rep points back, 2014 alone should do the trick. :)

Seriously though, I'm not sure what's the better path here. Not posting links is a spam measure, and the number of users hit by downvote bots should (hopefully!!) be in the dozens.

Maybe an individual solution can be found.

I was thinking the same thing too, but like Ice_Mage said, it won't be feasible for many. It'd be a much better and more complete solution if GOG figures out resetting the rep (and honestly I don't want GOG going down the route of uprepping ourselves instead of fixing things :P)

That said, thanks for the boost up. Hopefully I get out of that mess in the mafia game (assuming I survive D1 (oh sweet jolly joy (fuck))).

Yes, they need that limit of 5 REP or whatever it is, to limit what spam accounts can do.

As for ignoring or hiding a specific user's posts, that can be achieved through two scripts that I am aware of. They are limited though, in the sense that they don't target just a post, but every post by a specific user on the forum page you are viewing ... but not on other pages for that thread unless you view them also. They are only hidden from you, no-one else, and only while you view that page.

When I say ignore or hide, it is not completely so. You can still see that the user has posted, and still click on the button (link) to reveal the post content. And someone else can quote a hidden post, so it would be visible to you anyway in that instance.

There is another script that will nuke instead, so you don't even see the placeholders and the reveal buttons, but once again quoting by someone else gets around that.

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Personally I don't agree with negative REP (downvoting) at all. In fact I don't agree with upvoting either, though at least that is a positive action. I have always been more in favor of a LIKE or THANKS option, especially if hovering indicates who did that, which saves on the need to do a reply post. REPORT on the other hand is vital to the good running of any forum, especially with a large forum where you cannot expect just a few mods to stay on top of everything.

Upvoting like Downvoting can be very misleading, so I have never put much stock in them, especially when they can be so easily abused, which was the case here, and still is for upvoting.

I'd much prefer if upvoting was only tied to those who helpfully replied to a question in the forum, especially about a game. That is really the only scenario that makes sense to me as useful. Upvoting a post because the poster said something you like, has very little value outside of stroking that posters ego. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with that, just that it doesn't really serve any other useful purpose ... other than you might make a friend.

As far as downvoting goes. Yes it might be useful to indicate who are the bad eggs at the forum, but that can be so subjective at times, and can suffer from bias and abuse. I personally prefer to judge each poster myself, with little input from others. If someone is truly bad, that is usually pretty obvious or time will make it clear.

In any case, a reply post can be more helpful than a negative vote, which could be quite meaningless.

Something like "why are you always a troll" for instance, would be more revealing for others than a downvote.

This idea of balance might clash with the simple psychology of social media. The iron rule of the internet is that people are ten times more likely to express disapproval, given the chance, than approval. So a community in which you can so easily express disapproval will always be a cesspool of negativity. It's simple math.

And gog.com has, for more than a decade, been my number one example of that mechanic plunging a community into the abyss of negativity, hate, mistrust, and bullying.

I really, really hope they can still turn the situation around.

If I understand the allusion you are making, I think it's a ridiculous comparison to make. I really don't see the issue with making it easy to express positivity.
Vainamoinen does a good job of explaining it.

Curiously that's how i thought the points earned from getting achievements on the 360 would work, you'd turn them in and get either a game or DLC/unlocks for being an avid player. Obviously i was wrong.

I'd assume that bots are using API calls and hiding the button doesn't remove the API call...

I Think your perceptions are skewed by the bots but I haven't been on this forum or even GOG long so I'm probably wrong.