Suggestion: Replying to Responses

[NanaNoire]

I think it'd be wonderful if you can give a sort of feedback, whether positive or negative to the responses that you get, to show your appreciation and to let them know that you've read their responses? Right now we only get a sticker, to show that they've read your response, but I hope there's something more that you can do with it. Maybe have a 10 words limit box, or a set of options that you can choose? Like, "Thank you for replying" or, "Good day".

[ak-ryuu]

It would change the game into a different game though.

As it is, for me, the whole point is being kind to others *without anything back*. We get a sticker (and don't know for which response) and this is really the maximum we should get. Any more of a feedback and I would stop writing letters or paper planes because it would stress me out and make me anxious.

Not saying it's generally a bad idea, only that it fundamentally changes the game (being kind *just for being kind*), and it would no longer be for me. Maybe there are others like me, then it might not be a great idea to deviate from the original design. Maybe the majority does want a different game, then it might be best to change it, I don't know.

I just don't want "the other side of the coin" unheard, especially since the game as it is now -- kindness for the sake of being kind, not for the sake of being praised for being helpful -- is so precious.

[Laurisol]

For me it's very important to at least know which letter I got the sticker for. A short response would be even better. Call me a selfish prick, but I lose motivation without it :D.

I want to know if I'm being helpful. Or understand better how to be more empathetic from the feedback.

[ak-ryuu]

If something like this is implemented, how about letting the writer of the letter decide whether they accept replies or not? That way the recipient knows if a reply is wanted and will be seen, and can write one if they so wish, if the sender sent their letter as response-accepted.

And if the writer wants to stay true to the original intent of just being kind without a reply, they can send their letter one-way-only, and if the recipient is thankful, they can send their thanks to the world in a paper plane.

Caveat that any kind of short response of course opens more ways to two-way communication, which the dev wants to avoid for very good reasons.

[NanaNoire]

Wow XD, I'm getting two conflicting responses. I do understand the part about the responses having no strings attached, but I empathise more with Laurisol, where I lose motivation easily if I don't even know if I'm being useful enough. I need to the sense of appreciation and validation.

I think this could be an incentive for people to write more wholehearted responses? Cause I get responses where I get advised to just take drugs to enjoy my life more.

[NanaNoire]

Limiting the option sounds like a good idea, and what I meant by replying to responses is just giving a one time feedback, and you can't really interact with it anymore. It's a one time off.

[gbabs]

You could default to the way it is now, but allow each player to decide. I too want more feedback. I feel like I've written at least 100 replies by now, but I have no way to know. I wasn't counting, I was focused on writing something of quality. BUT I also get motivated by a counter, even if I'm writing full pages to each person with full effort on my part... still even a counter would help me. haha I'll keep writing responses into what feels like a murky swamp of love like it is now, but it'd be even better for me with some metrics. Thanks for making this, I can't call it a game.

[ak-ryuu]

If the dev chooses to implement something, I just hope they find a way to have it all be optional.

I understand some people want or need the feedback, or as recipients want or need to thank the writer specifically.

But as a writer, I emphatically do not want any feedback, or I would not write in the first place -- I want to write freely in an attempt to be kind, not with the constant thought of "will the recipient write me a nice reply?" in my head.

As a requester, I also do not want kind words from people who want feedback for what they wrote. I appreciate kind words with no strings attached, I do not want to have to feel indebted to the writers for taking the time and energy to write. I do feel thankful, but I don't want to feel forced to write a reply.

And lastly, as somebody looking at the game, I can only reiterate how precious it is now. Kind words for the sake of being kind, anonymously, into the ether, send or receive, no strings attached, not for the sake of getting a reward (other than a sticker that you don't even know which message it was for) or getting positive feedback for something you wrote. Just kind words by themselves. If you feel thankful and need to tell somebody, send a paper plane into the kind world out there.

(But again, just my opinion about the game *as it is now*. Things can change, and that's fine, and in the end, it's the developer's decision, and they will have to know how they envisioned the game and how far they want to stray for it to appeal to most players.)

[gbabs]

There is something magic about the choices made here. It feels strange, like it's not supposed to work, but it does.

[NanaNoire]

I like to be anonymous, but I also appreciate receiving validations for the things I've done. And I do understand that some people might not like that, so having the option to switch the reply function on and off would be optimal in my opinion.

[gbabs]

I have to say, the reason I want feedback is that my goal when writing is not just to be supportive. I feel like one has to meter the response one is writing so that it has a good chance to land. I'm no pro, I need feedback to improve that. Especially with such little information about the person or how to make it land. It tends to cause one to need to be way generic, too surface level. It is quite the challenge right now. I like it.

[Laurisol]

I second mindmatter, I want to hone my skill, incidentally, I'm studying to become a therapist :D.

[Trinq]

What about having more stickers and using them for responses like emojis? Like there could be a hugging sticker, a crying sticker, things like that. That way you can show some kind of response to that person without breaking the current idea of the game. I just want to be able to get across a specific emotion to someone as an acknowledgement of their letter.

[anxietycrossing]

I think it would be nice to have additional feedback options available. Especially knowing which responses you gave earned stickers, as it is great to know that you have helped someone, and with what issue etc.

[ZAToM]

Originally posted by ak-ryuu:

It would change the game into a different game though.

As it is, for me, the whole point is being kind to others *without anything back*. We get a sticker (and don't know for which response) and this is really the maximum we should get. Any more of a feedback and I would stop writing letters or paper planes because it would stress me out and make me anxious.

Not saying it's generally a bad idea, only that it fundamentally changes the game (being kind *just for being kind*), and it would no longer be for me. Maybe there are others like me, then it might not be a great idea to deviate from the original design. Maybe the majority does want a different game, then it might be best to change it, I don't know.

I just don't want "the other side of the coin" unheard, especially since the game as it is now -- kindness for the sake of being kind, not for the sake of being praised for being helpful -- is so precious.

good point, first i thought it would be nice to have prewritten mesasges or just a thank you or a heart or a smiley (just one these things would be enough) to respond

but if you have to opt in that the best possibilty i think

[Chickie]

Originally posted by Laurisol:

For me it's very important to at least know which letter I got the sticker for. A short response would be even better. Call me a selfish prick, but I lose motivation without it :D.

I want to know if I'm being helpful. Or understand better how to be more empathetic from the feedback.

I agree with this, it would be a bit more personal.