Pirate The World - Online Adventure Game

I would like to see a formal, anonymous voting option with the game area, where the poll is fully-explained, but discussion is not allowed. Discussion can take place in the forums. Right now, there are a lot of people who never come in the forums until it's too late and a few people can sway votes or changes to their side.

This might be a good place to see if the players--all the players--want a change to the game. The proposed change can be explained thoroughly (without giving away equations) and ALL of the players will be required to know about it and have a chance to read it. No one will be able to claim ignorance of a new feature or change unless they voted without reading the poll.

My idea is like this:

1. The admins create an official poll.

2. When we, the players, log into the member's area, we are well-informed that there is a new poll available. The "Start Game" link is changed to read "Start Game (5 Times Left)" or something, meaning that you can start the game five times before it PREVENTS you from playing the game until you vote in the poll. This will ensure that everyone at least votes, even if their vote is "abstain".

3. The voting process can go on for some period of time, like a week. This should give plenty of time for almost everyone to log in, read the poll, know what is being proposed, and vote or abstain.

4. On the voting page, the poll or proposed change, when it would go into effect, and all of the possible vote options are explained. For each poll, the option to "abstain" is offered. Abstention means that you read the poll and don't care what the outcome is. If you don't care what the outcome is, then you obviously won't want to complain about the change later. If you vote against the change but are outvoted (possibly by something more than a simple majority), then really can you argue when most of the players in the game are against you? Yes, you can, but that's what the forums are for, right?

I'm going to put a poll on this just for the irony.

You could also have a history of the past "referendums" or whatever you want to call them, the results of the vote, and what actions were taken on them.

It would be like a real democracy!