The only problem with currency is that new users would get credits without being able to debit. littlebirdie (hope you're healing, btw, we miss you), for example, has earned 9 badges, and only the ability to give out one, which she has done. I suppose maybe she's an extreme example, however, and that doesn't happen too often.
That's fine- it's not a bartering currency. It's a reward currency. littlebirdie is a great, extreme example. If she has 9 badges before she ever finishes a hubwheel, that's awesome- and she will probably finish hubwheels much faster than most people will. But if there's something she really wants to badge then she has to earn that wheel. I don't think that:
badges gained + wheels filled - badges given
is what should be next to your hubwheel. I think that:
wheels filled - badges given
should be. And your badge wheel should count badges earned, as it always has. Right now the Hubwheel is two things- an indicator of how long until you're able to badge again next to a vanity counter of how many spins you've gone through. I think that it's a problem that I want to get to a 3 on my hubweel for no reason. I would rather only look up there when I see a post I really want to be able to badge, to check how many badges I can give out and how close I am to earning another one.
Interesting. We have discussed recently, a "Zen" option, where the users will have a toggle in their controls that when "on" the majority of statistics currently displayed will be hidden. What do you think about that?I think that it's a problem that I want to get to a 3 on my hubweel for no reason.
That'd be something. I'd still like to know if I can badge things, though. Zen mode is a nice idea. I'm not sure how many people (%-wise) will actually use it. I think some will, but points and gamification are very powerful. I can't even honestly say whether or not I'd use it. I do love me some data.