Articuno's point system

Due to the number of people registering and not doing anything productive (a plague passed through PKMN.NET to curse those that have officially left), the Sky Temple of Lugia and Articuno (Visimar Colwa Gerantul won a competition to rename the site) have decided to enact a point system. Blegh. As of now, many sections are now closed to people on the lower hierarchy of the viewer demographic, now called leechers.

I will tell you now that I am not happy at all with this decision. I realise that the administration thinks it a good way to encourage participation, but I beg to differ; in my honest opinion, the point system will be counterproductive. Viewers come onto the site to get fast content, and the amount of content afforded members that have just registered is laughable (I still have zero despite regular attendance) enough to have the site rejected. The amount of people that have attained the level at which they can access most of the content at this time, also, is very small and the site's not exactly in the inner circle of a famous Internet society (we've been shunned by PKMN.NET, which would have been a respectable benefactor had I not stood off with them), which means that it will be hard for the site to gain members — people will come, be turned away by content barriers, and discommend the site to others.

I will say this for the site, however: They're beginning quite an industry since they've decided to scrap the conventional 'walkthrough' format of most videogame websites, and ever since people have from before the point system have been spreading the Sky Temple's message about, a small number of wholly fanatic sites have sprung up. For example, Ashyboy.com, a site by Serebii.net member Toto, is dedicated to Toto's infatuation with the Pokémon animé's protagonist, and it's been getting rave reviews. (I doubt if the site was directly influenced by Articuno and Lugia, but the word has certainly gone about.) All tainted, though, by something Novell BorderManager would consider an idol.

Just my thoughts for today.