With the recent firmware update 3.57 seeing the introduction of badges, I felt it was best to inform the community what these badges can say about them. Who else should inform the community but the voice of the community himself.

The avatar has always been an integral part linked to a user's posts, it allows the community to quickly determine the user's history of quality posts or their method of posting. e.g. When you see the avatar of Amp316 or Ghost of Rubang you can expect a quality post, however with the recent introduction of badges. The value of the avatar will quickly diminish.

The type of console badges that are displayed under your avatar can determine:

• If you will be taken seriously - You could have a Ps3 and Psp badge displayed under your avatar, and post something positive in the Nintendo section. Regardless your post will not be taken seriously nor will you be acknowledged. However had the user posted the same post in the Sony Section, he will be saluted from every corner.
• It can showcase whether or not your a fair and balanced poster, which I will go into detail later in the article.
• How long you will survive on VGchartz, if underneath your avatar are the badges off all the consoles available including handhelds you will most likely enjoy your stay here at VGchartz
• The type of badges that are found under your avatar can also determine whether or not you will be promoted to Moderator which i will go into detail later in the article.

The badges can also become a dangerous weapon. Let me give you an example:

Peter is a  &  owner, he always seen posting in the Nintendo forums. Early on he was a very good Nintendo poster, always fair and balance in his posts. Peter however has been undercover, to the community he's known as Peter the Nintendo Fan but in reality he works for the Sony Section of the forums. Not only has he won over the Nintendo crowd, he has the Nintendo badges to prove it. Peter just blatantly begins trolling anything Nintendo, how do you stop someone that is a Nintendo Vetaran loved by the community. The answer is you cant!

One can use the badges as a method to deceive the community, it wil be difficult to ban someone who is trolling the console he allegedly owns.

What the badges mean in detail:

  -   -

You are known to only post in the forums of the console you own, from time to time you can be seen to have a battle with your fellow neighbour. You are someone who represent his console respectfully, passionately and accurately. You light up the forums with your heated debates/argumens these console owners hard to come by.

 -  -

You are as neutral as they come you own all three consoles, you're never seen having an argument over which console has the best games you're too busy playing them. Your posts whether postive/negative are always much appreciated by the community, you are seen posting in the big three forums regularly. You're a great asset to the site.

You're a huge RPG fan, you're the apprentice of RPG historian BengaBenga. You will one day jump in and purchase a ps3 but at the moment you dont have the funds nor the experience to make that jump. You're hoping that KH3 will be released for the Wii but you are wrong! From time to time you play Pc games, but that's just to keep you going until you make you're Ps3 purchase.

You have a great back ground in gaming, you dont post often but the times you do post it's quoted by at least 6 members. You're highly respected and revered within the community, you can be seen occupying a staff job at VGchartz or are about to be promoted to Moderator.

You're an extremely dangerous poster with year of experience in gaming, anything you say immediately becomes fact however absurd it may be. You have unparreled level of fame over the youngsters, your are known in the community as Gaming Historians. You dont post more than twice a month, you have at least 4 sticky threads under your belt. These console owners are dying breed.

I hope this guide will help you, Megaman.2. out

Four things.

1) I am glad that you wrote this thread. If you didn't, I would have had to and my version would've been much more angry sounding than yours.

2) I got rid of my badge. I don't have to show what team I play for and have someone already have a preconceived notion about what type of a person I am according to the color that is under my avatar.

3) Thanks for saying that you expect a quality post when you see my avatar. That comment is greatly appreciated.

4) Fantastic thread. Keep up the good work.

You make a good point the badges could potentially divide the community.

What am I

And I am?

Madskillz already made the same thread in fewer words:
http://www.vgchartz.com/forum/thread.php?id=89766

@Darth & Trw0o - you dont like to be labeled to a particular group, your the smart ones

Locked?

Unlocked?

What happened?

Seriously though. Someone will automatically take Person A's side over Person B's because they have a gold star and not a black dot. The whole thing is just rated R for Ridiculous.

Thanks for the update, Megaman.

I'm PS3 PC PSP, what does that make me?