Clan challenge progress
Welcome Brother Sonny. We've been expecting you.
Long and oftimes arduous has the path been, but finally I stand upon the threshold of the Halls of the Deathly and gaze upon it's wonders as it commences it's secrets to reveal.
So are you five gonna call yourselves the Pentagram?
Also I think I found a potential criterion for that fifth clan Daniel and Ben have discussed the possibility of: completing one of each clan list. If they already discussed that and decided against it, nevermind then.
So are you five gonna call yourselves the Pentagram?
Actually, Rex, there are 4 of them, so how about the Extreme Foursome?
Also I think I found a potential criterion for that fifth clan Daniel and Ben have discussed the possibility of: completing one of each clan list. If they already discussed that and decided against it, nevermind then.
For the record, Ben & I have had no discussion around allowing a fifth clan. I'm not a fan of it personally as I think it reduces the effectiveness of the clan concept.
Also I think I found a potential criterion for that fifth clan Daniel and Ben have discussed the possibility of: completing one of each clan list. If they already discussed that and decided against it, nevermind then.
For the record, Ben & I have had no discussion around allowing a fifth clan. I'm not a fan of it personally as I think it reduces the effectiveness of the clan concept.
I read something here about it. That's not the kind of thing my mind would make up. When I see it I'll let you know. But it surprises me that you never had a "discussion."
So are you five gonna call yourselves the Pentagram?
Actually, Rex, there are 4 of them, so how about the Extreme Foursome?
Right I miscounted. You say Extreme Foursome, I think Extreme Dinosaurs. :P.
EDIT: It was in the FAQ under Can I change my clans or join more than 3? I think, however, it's something that only people with the special privilege of whoever finishes whatever criteria needed for it would actually go through, so it wouldn't steer too far from the main point, especially since most people aren't progressing through the lists at a fast pace, what with aforementioned "other albums" needed to listen to between all of the different events and threads people take active interest in already. I mean, you'd basically have to prove that you're EXTREMELY DEDICATED in order to accomplish it, so the idea of actually warranting that fifth clan would be at least more than twice as challenging as getting the fourth clan.
I read something here about it. That's not the kind of thing my mind would make up. When I see it I'll let you know. But it surprises me that you never had a "discussion."
Ben & I certainly discussed what the maximum amount of clans would be right at the beginning of the Academy website if you wanna get technical but we decided that it wasn't a good idea to go above four. In fact, I wasn't even too keen on allowing a fourth if I'm being completely honest but I ended up caving in the end. Since that time we've only responded to people's enquiries about whether we'd consider allowing a fifth but it's never been something we've seriously considered up until now.
I read something here about it. That's not the kind of thing my mind would make up. When I see it I'll let you know. But it surprises me that you never had a "discussion."
Ben & I certainly discussed what the maximum amount of clans would be right at the beginning of the Academy website if you wanna get technical but we decided that it wasn't a good idea to go above four. In fact, I wasn't even too keen on allowing a fourth if I'm being completely honest but I ended up caving in the end. Since that time we've only responded to people's enquiries about whether we'd consider allowing a fifth but it's never been something we've seriously considered up until now.
Well if the final decision is that there will only be four, I'm cool with that too.
I think the more clans we allow people to join, the more we lessen the value of the clan system in the first place. I like knowing that the Clan Rating for an album is the result of site members that really care about, and are potentially quite knowledgeable about, that style of music. That becomes less likely once people are members of more than half the possible clans.
On the one hand, the point is extremely valid. On the other hand, the Academy aspect IS about learning. Both have their pros and cons, but sticking with five clans DOES feel a little excessive.
But I just thought of something. What if there in fact is some kind of reward for completing one list from each challenge? And then I thought: ranking system. I mean, the ranks don't actually come into play as a militant thing in the long run, but the idea is a lot of fun if you do it right. No need to replicate the following example, but on my first forum, there was a level system ran by accumulating points for more priveleges. On that forum, it allowed for more priveleges per user, but I don't think we need to go that far. If the academy thing is just for fun, then I say "honor rolls for fun." Wikia / Fandom does that a lot, and I even designed badges for a couple of wikis.
Obviously, the ranking system would be acquired by how many clan challenges you complete. I mean, it feels to early to put into practice now, but it would be fun to try and work for cooler titles... assuming the coding makes it plausible.
I must admit that I have considered attempting other clan challenges just for the fun of it and I did make an aborted attempt on one of the Guardians challenges (which I may yet revive). Apart from anything else, they are a good way to get into less familiar genres as they tend to include releases that are important to the genre as well as being of a high quality. I found the Death Metal challenge to be extremely rewarding and I learnt quite a bit about the genre whilst doing it. I think there is sufficient satisfaction in completing one for it's own sake.
I seem to remember an early conversation when a merit system was dismissed as being distracting and causing a tendency amongst some people to "mine" rewards.
I have just noticed that the Atmospheric Sludge challenge is under the Infinite yet the bands are also under the Fallen, even though there is no genre on which the Fallen members can vote. Do these releases need to be removed from the Fallen altogether and does atmospheric sludge need to be uncoupled from sludge metal?
I must admit that I have considered attempting other clan challenges just for the fun of it and I did make an aborted attempt on one of the Guardians challenges (which I may yet revive). Apart from anything else, they are a good way to get into less familiar genres as they tend to include releases that are important to the genre as well as being of a high quality. I found the Death Metal challenge to be extremely rewarding and I learnt quite a bit about the genre whilst doing it. I think there is sufficient satisfaction in completing one for it's own sake.
I seem to remember an early conversation when a merit system was dismissed as being distracting and causing a tendency amongst some people to "mine" rewards.
Distracting how?
I must admit that I have considered attempting other clan challenges just for the fun of it and I did make an aborted attempt on one of the Guardians challenges (which I may yet revive). Apart from anything else, they are a good way to get into less familiar genres as they tend to include releases that are important to the genre as well as being of a high quality. I found the Death Metal challenge to be extremely rewarding and I learnt quite a bit about the genre whilst doing it. I think there is sufficient satisfaction in completing one for it's own sake.
I seem to remember an early conversation when a merit system was dismissed as being distracting and causing a tendency amongst some people to "mine" rewards.
Distracting how?
Because the point of the site is not to accumulate rewards that create a "hierarchy" as is rife on metal archives.
I must admit that I have considered attempting other clan challenges just for the fun of it and I did make an aborted attempt on one of the Guardians challenges (which I may yet revive). Apart from anything else, they are a good way to get into less familiar genres as they tend to include releases that are important to the genre as well as being of a high quality. I found the Death Metal challenge to be extremely rewarding and I learnt quite a bit about the genre whilst doing it. I think there is sufficient satisfaction in completing one for it's own sake.
I seem to remember an early conversation when a merit system was dismissed as being distracting and causing a tendency amongst some people to "mine" rewards.
Distracting how?
Because the point of the site is not to accumulate rewards that create a "hierarchy" as is rife on metal archives.
I mentioned that the hierarchy wouldn't actually mean anything but just be for fun.
I must admit that I have considered attempting other clan challenges just for the fun of it and I did make an aborted attempt on one of the Guardians challenges (which I may yet revive). Apart from anything else, they are a good way to get into less familiar genres as they tend to include releases that are important to the genre as well as being of a high quality. I found the Death Metal challenge to be extremely rewarding and I learnt quite a bit about the genre whilst doing it. I think there is sufficient satisfaction in completing one for it's own sake.
I seem to remember an early conversation when a merit system was dismissed as being distracting and causing a tendency amongst some people to "mine" rewards.
Distracting how?
Because the point of the site is not to accumulate rewards that create a "hierarchy" as is rife on metal archives.
I mentioned that the hierarchy wouldn't actually mean anything but just be for fun.
It is certainly something you can bring up with Daniel and Ben, Rex. I don't care either way personally, I only brought it up to illustrate that a conversation had already been had.
I guess the "titles" would only measure how much "studying" we've done in our own clans. Actually, a way to maintain clan integrity would be to make sure certain titles pertaining to completing outside list (meaning lists outside your clans) could NOT be achieved until you've completed a certain number of challenges from your own clans. Obviously, completing ALL of them would have to be avoided considering that some clans have far more challenges than others. The Sphere's industrial metal would need more challenge lists. I can probably make a cyber metal one, but there aren't enough bands for New Dutch. Of course, melodic metalcore and deathcore lists for the Revolution will be easy. There's plenty of that going around.
I think the current clan system works fine. Simple reward from Metal Academy is not how many clans I end up with or not but how much new music I discover from the site as a whole (yes, a lot of it gleaned from the challenges section but also the feature releases and playlists give me plenty to run at as well).
I think the current clan system works fine. Simple reward from Metal Academy is not how many clans I end up with or not but how much new music I discover from the site as a whole (yes, a lot of it gleaned from the challenges section but also the feature releases and playlists give me plenty to run at as well).
I agree, which is why I think encouraging people to complete more challenges from their own clans would be a good idea. I mean, once you complete three, there's little motivation to complete others.
Personally, I'd like to see people taking whatever they like from the Academy so I wouldn't want to offer upgraded statuses to those that see merit in completing the clan challenges when there are so many other ways to contribute to the site. In fact, I'd argue that bringing new members to the site, regularly contributing to the forums, helping to close out Hall of Judgement submissions & participating in the monthly playlist & feature release activities all bring more to the wider community than progressively completing clan challenges in isolation. Besides, I'm not sure I'd be comfortable with individuals holding higher statuses than others on the Academy given that our original intent was to create an elitist-free environment where everyone is treated equally.
Personally, I'd like to see people taking whatever they like from the Academy so I wouldn't want to offer upgraded statuses to those that see merit in completing the clan challenges when there are so many other ways to contribute to the site. In fact, I'd argue that bringing new members to the site, regularly contributing to the forums, helping to close out Hall of Judgement submissions & participating in the monthly playlist & feature release activities all bring more to the wider community than progressively completing clan challenges in isolation. Besides, I'm not sure I'd be comfortable with individuals holding higher statuses than others on the Academy given that our original intent was to create an elitist-free environment where everyone is treated equally.
I repeat: They aren't really "higher status." They'd only be a measurement of how many clan challenges you accumulate. On Metal Forum, there's a rank status but nobody ever brought it up on the forums. It doesn't really feel important as it was more of a "way to go for getting this far" kind of thing, like a special cutscene from a Metroid game. It was just there for fun, same as the badge system on Wikia. Now I don't know how it works on Metallum, but if there's one thing I do know: this community cannot be compared to them because we're nowhere near as stuffy. Honestly, if you're gonna gloat about it, chances are that the rest of the community will make fun of you for it. Metal Archives is... special. And this is coming from the autistic one. Normal metal websites like this, Metal Forum and Metal Music Archives don't need to worry about it.
I guess the "titles" would only measure how much "studying" we've done in our own clans. Actually, a way to maintain clan integrity would be to make sure certain titles pertaining to completing outside list (meaning lists outside your clans) could NOT be achieved until you've completed a certain number of challenges from your own clans. Obviously, completing ALL of them would have to be avoided considering that some clans have far more challenges than others. The Sphere's industrial metal would need more challenge lists. I can probably make a cyber metal one, but there aren't enough bands for New Dutch. Of course, melodic metalcore and deathcore lists for the Revolution will be easy. There's plenty of that going around.
Melodic metalcore has already been done, unless you want to expand on that: https://metal.academy/lists/single/56
Cyber metal and deathcore would make some great subgenre challenge lists, though there probably would only be enough for one list per subgenre. I would definitely like Deathstars in the former and Lorna Shore in the latter.
And this is coming from the autistic one.
You're autistic??? I thought I was the only one here! High-5!
You're autistic??? I thought I was the only one here! High-5!
Mermaidman and Barnacleboy UNITE!
Here we go, a deathcore challenge list.
1. Rareform – After the Burial (Rerecording)
2. Lorna Shore – Pain Remains
3. Born of Osiris – The Discovery
4. Deformity – Murder Within Sin
5. Morser – Two Hours to Doom
6. Shadow of Intent – Melancholy
7. Fit for an Autopsy – The Sea of Tragic Beasts
8. All Shall Perish – Awaken the Dreamers
9. Xibalba – hasta la muerte
10. Humanity's Last Breath – Valde
11. Whitechapel – The Valley
12. Veil of Maya – The Common Man's Collapse
13. The Acacia Strain – Wormwood
14. The Red Chord - Fed Through the Teeth Machine
15. Carnifex – Slow Death
16. Methwitch – Indwell
17. Suicide Silence – Suicide Silence
18. Despised Icon – The Ills of Modern Man
19. Thy Art Is Murder – Hate
20. Rings of Saturn- Lugal Ki En
21. Chelsea Grin – Desolation of Eden
22. Venom Prison – Samsara
23. Kardashev – Liminal Rite
24. Brand of Sacrifice – Lifeblood
25. Infant Annihilator – The Elysian Grandeval Galèriarch
Solid list, Rex! One question though; the 2005 Suicide Silence EP or their 2017 album? The latter has their controversial one-time switch to full-on nu metal.