confused by the internets

[ratcreature]

Can anyone explain this deviantArt Llama Badge thing to me? I understand that they were first introduced as some April Fools feature, so I took no real notice, but now they seem to have stuck around and mutated.

Initially I thought they were to be used like LJ's virtual gifts or something, but when I clicked on the llama icon there seems to be some Llama Badge trading game somehow connected to this new dA point system? and different badges and/or upgrades one milestone llama numbers are received? And by now I've gotten three Llama Badges (admittedly very few in what seems to be this framework since on some profiles the number of badges ranges well into the triple and quadruple digits) from people I don't recall interacting with, so I'm wondering whether people give these randomly or something? Or maybe instead of a fav'ing as feedback? Am I supposed to do anything with them in this badge trading game when I receive one?

Comments

[omens]

It's not really a game but I think some people see it as a competition? So you'll get strangers giving you a llama in hopes that you'll return the favour. I just ignore drive-by llamaing, but then.. I'm not much of a team player. :-p

[ratcreature]

So you can give unlimited numbers of these llama badges to others for free with some kind of llama button? I had thought you passed on ones you already had or needed to buy them with points/money to get more or something.

[omens]

yeah, the "give" button at the top-right of any profile page.. you're not collecting the varieties but you "level up" to them when you collect enough.... then your llama gets a cape.. or a hat, maybe... IDK. So you can feel awesome about the prestige of having a super llama. Or a ninja llama, apparently.

[ratcreature]

Ahh. I think I understand it now. It's kind of a mix of virtual gifts with the games like these tiny dragon egg pictures some people are into, that change and hatch and stuff the more people see and click on them, only here the gift button eventually makes your llama change.

I'll just go back to ignoring these then, if I don't disrupt anything for others by inaction.

[astridv]

I have no idea, man. I keep getting them, and always from people whose usernames I've never seen before. I'm as puzzled as ever.

[ratcreature]

With omens explanations and poking around some I think I now understand how this works in general with the badge collection towards llama upgrades, but it puzzles me as well, that I don't understand how the llama badge givers pick me, when I don't participate in the trading nor have given any myself. I mean, one I got from someone who also fav'ed one of my pictures, but the other two I don't think I've ever seen the user names before. Maybe they do it through the "random deviant" viewing to spread the net of mutual llamafication wider than the immediate circle. I think you must do that to collect thousands of them to get to highest scores I've seen so far.

[draigwen]

Mine seem to be either from people who fav something, or not long after I've uploaded someone. The OH tends to get more, and since he uploads more, it does make sense that it might be people seeing you on the home page or something like that. The whole thing bemuses me too, but since it costs nothing I tend to give llamas back. I figure it can't hurt and it might even bring people back to look at your profile in future.

[ratcreature]

Hmm.I hadn't thought of it as potential promotion venue, but I guess it could be.

[takemyrevolution]

I have been wondering that, myself. I've received two llamas this week from people I don't know and I'm a bit confused about the whole thing.

[ratcreature]

Yeah, it comes across as very random if you didn't pay attention to this scoring with the llama upgrades that makes people want to get a lot. I mean, I think the first time it changes with ten llamas, so if you just have a couple you don't necessarily notice what the point might be of wanting to get many. And then the higher levels need like thousands of them, so the people really into it try to get as many involved as possible, and apparently gift a lot of llama badges, so that anyone ends up with at least a couple of random ones thrown their way.

[hsavinien.livejournal.com]

From what I can tell, people seem to be using them as a "you are cool and I like you" thing. *shrug*

[ratcreature]

That may be true for some, but it's not the whole picture. In the DW version of this post I got some comments and I think I've figured out why you also get the llama badges from random people. There is some sort of competition to get as many as possible, also the badges upgrade (ninja llama, wizard llama etc etc), and for the higher levels you need thousands of them. So that is why people really into these trade for them with the points, and give llama badges out en masse also to random people in hopes that some might give badges in return, and try to get as many involved as possible, so anyone ends up with at least a couple of random ones thrown their way.

[hsavinien.livejournal.com]

Ah. Meh, internet social cred...

[jesterroyale.livejournal.com]

I have no idea. I just give one back to whoever gives me one.

[ratcreature]

Heh, you are nicer than me. That will make the collectors who hope to upgrade their llama happy.

[secretrebel.livejournal.com]

I had no idea about any of this but it sounds fun.

[ratcreature]

The idea with the updating badges is quite fun. It's certainly better for display than the times LJ offers free v-gifts and the profile of really popular people are then crowded with a gazillion snowflakes or cookies. And I guess the collection/trading aspect makes for a fun game for some.

OTOH it also has something of a "popularity meter" contest that feels a bit divisive, because it's not as if the average dA user (i.e. not one of the hugely popular posters) has much chance to get 7,500 llama badges for a "wizard llama" badge even if you liked the llamas (e.g. my statistics tell me that in the bit over a year I've had only ca 2,100 page views on my dA account in total). Not that you can't sort of "rank" from viewing/watching/fav statistics who's popular anyway though that's more work popularity, because someone can have a single very popular piece that got lots of links and exposure for some reason and otherwise be really obscure, or have a mid-high level of consistent views for every piece or be very social on dA etc.