This wont apply to me shortly since ill only be sticking around to see any replies to this, but i just want to point out the obvious, and that is that this is a very broken system that heavily favours reddit-style ass-kissing (i've always had a hunch ex or even current reddit moderators have also infested this site, but now i am sure of it) which is just absurd, for obvious reasons. The only way merit is created is by these meriter members, right? and they are completely unbiased, impartial, and dont engage in favouritism is any way? can i see the proof that anything has been done to ensure these things dont happen? When someone gives you merit, you can send half of it to someone else. ok, can you do that at any time or just at the point in time you've received it? the answer to that question is likely irrelevant because either way the glaring issue is still very much visible: if people need merit to level up, who the hell that wants to rank up is going to actually send half of it to someone else? very few, guaranteed. another major overlooked issue, and this one is likely the biggest one, is that people will obviously only merit you if they agree with you. you could make a very detailed post or make a very good argument to something someone has said, which ive done many times, but if the other people that view the thread in the short time following you posting (because i doubt people merit posts from ages ago) dont agree with you (even if they are certainly, verifiably wrong), well guess what? thats right, no merit. this is classic reddit fuckery, the primary thing ruining that site is exactly what will result in the end of this site, and it will be a deserved downfall, if it hasnt already begun. i only found this site by chance after all, never heard of it other than 1 comment i read on askgamblers.com, so its probably dead already.  there are several other issues but im wasting my time saying anything so ill just leave it at that.

The merit system has its shortcomings, but you clearly haven't understood the system at all. It would be better for you to read the thread again.
April 05, 2025

This wont apply to me shortly since ill only be sticking around to see any replies to this, but i just want to point out the obvious, and that is that this is a very broken system

In addition to activity, everyone now has a merit score, and you need both a certain activity level and a certain merit score in order to reach higher member ranks. The required scores are:

Rank	Required activity	Required merit
Brand new	0	0
Newbie	1	0
Jr Member	30	1
Member	60	10
Full Member	120	100
Sr. Member	240	250
Hero Member	480	500
Legendary	Random in the range 775-1030	1000

You get merit points when someone sends you some for one of your posts. Additionally, when someone sends you merit points, half of those points can be sent by you to other people.

Certain users are designated as "merit sources". They can create new merit out of nothing, up to a limited number per month (which differs per source). I will not be posting a definitive list of merit sources (so that people don't bug them too much), though you'll soon figure out who they are if you pay attention.

There is currently no such thing as a "demerit". I'm hoping that the positive merits alone will be fine. I could add demerits pretty easily later on if necessary, though.

I'm hoping that this system will increase post quality by:
 - Forcing people to post high-quality stuff in order to rank up. If you just post garbage, you will never get even 1 merit point, and you will therefore never be able to put links in your signature, etc.
 - Highlighting good posts with the "Merited by" line.

While we will not be directly moderating this, I encourage people to give merit to posts that are objectively high-quality, not just posts that you agree with.

Do not beg for merit excessively.

Useful infographics

Forum users have helpfully created some infographics to explain the merit system:
paxmao's infographic
ibminer's infographic
8Habits's infographic
JetSet11's infographic
zentdex's infographic
alia_armelle's infographic

If you want to be a merit source:

 1. Be a somewhat established member.
 2. Collect TEN posts written in the last couple of months by other people that have not received nearly enough merit for how good they are, and post quotes for them all in a new Meta thread. The point of this is to demonstrate your ability to give out merit usefully.
 3. We will take a look at your history and maybe make you a source.

I am especially eager to have merit sources in sub-communities such as the local sections.

Trivia:

For current members, your initial merit score is equal to the minimum required to your rank. Of that, a certain amount (less than the usual half) is spendable. The spendable amount was calculated based on your current rank and the number of activity points you earned in the last year. A Legendary member who hasn't posted in the last year would still be Legendary, but would not have any spendable merit.

If someone sends you 1 merit, the 0.5 sMerit is not wasted; it is just not shown until you get another merit point.

There are stats here, and you can find someone's merit summary by clicking the "merit" link on their profile.

Still no higher rank after Legendary which is a shame as that’s something I think that would be a good addition. It’s fairly easy to become a Legendary Member within, let’s say 5-6 years.

I think we need something for the >10,000 Merit Received and >4000 Activity crew, something that takes more than a decade to achieve.