I'm of the opinion that you can't adequately quantify somebody's reputation on a forum with upvotes and downvotes. While some more adult-oriented communities (such as a camera forum I frequent) are able to have a system like this without it being abused, I've never seen it result in really meaningful ratings that are indicative of those peoples' overall reputations.

Some of our members who behave most immaturely have been around the longest. In fact, most of the people who caused problems and made a joke out of the rep system the first time we tried it were long-time members.

I won't lie, I have a low opinion of the maturity of this community as a whole, which is proven time and time again to be accurate. So in designing new features, I think in terms of worst case scenarios: will the lowest common denominator side of the community abuse this new feature? With this suggestion, it's hard for me to see how it wouldn't result in people making frivolous posts just to get their vote in. We already have a major problem with people posting just to (needlessly and harshly) criticize somebody else's ideas, I don't want to add new features with precautions designed in such a way as to encourage that.

I think we should just give out free rep points, let the greedy folks fight each other to the death to get the most points while the rest of us watch.

I'll go make the popcorn.

I think it has been mentioned before but a reputation/'liking' system for only the releases forum could be useful in highlighting good film reviews and reviewers, and as a result encouraging more film reviews. Such a system would have to only have upvotes though to avoid any conflicts.

I'm definitely against a reputation system for the rest of the forums though. For the reasons that the previous attempt failed as well as the simple fact that it really isn't necessary. If you browse these forums enough you don't need a score to tell you who's credible and who's a nutter...

That sounds like a good compromise. Kickstarter to cover part of the cost perhaps?

I'm not too keen on the idea of a rep system. From some other communities I've been on, like BZPower, they start to cause some problems (then again, BZPower isn't the friendliest site on the internet). Even on Wikia, people start using their number of edits as a kind of rep system, thinking that the more badges you get for editing, the more 'important' a user you are and (I'm not even kidding) some started creating false edits because their standing as a high rep member meant they were 'allowed' to (flawed logic).

"Nothing goes down 'less I'm involved. No nuggets. No onion rings. No nothin'. A cheeseburger gets sold in the park, I want in! You got fat while we starved on the streets...now it's my turn!" -Harley Morenstein

When we did have a rep system, it was an absolute joke. No one took it seriously, some people conspired with their friends to boost them to the top/bottom rep and it was, as a whole, distracting and unhelpful. Although, to the community's credit, there wasn't any elitism off the back of it.

Rep in Releases only wouldn't be a bad idea (much like deviantArt's 'This review is Fair/Unfair' voting), but I never want to see the old system return. Unless it's April Fools Day.

Having to put some effort into the system seems like a pretty decent safeguard to me. That definitely sounds better.

@Hazzat I don't remember the old system, but it sounds like a dark time. Releases forum only could work, though.

"Nothing goes down 'less I'm involved. No nuggets. No onion rings. No nothin'. A cheeseburger gets sold in the park, I want in! You got fat while we starved on the streets...now it's my turn!" -Harley Morenstein

A review isn't really the place for constructive/destructive criticism IMO. We may have to write some explanation of that. Not that you can't offer any critique in a review, but generally reviews should be written with the audience of potential viewers who might watch the film in mind, as opposed to being foremost aimed at the person who made the film.