750 Words V2: Product Decisions
Feature
How it works in V1
Proposals for V2
Entry Points
These are used to give the site some ability to track activity across time and across people. It’s not really useful as a leaderboard because a lot of people are going to be tied for first place. That’s intentional. I don’t necessarily want to encourage people to work harder than they need to just to get to the top of a leader board.
Entries get “points” based on an obscure logic that’s loosely based on how points work in bowling. 

Determine “base” points:
  • If an entry has between 100 and 750 words, it gets 1 point + the points from yesterday’s entry (if yesterday was still in the same month). 
  • If an entry has 750 or more words, it gets 2 points. 
  • If an entry is on a streak of 3 or more days, it gets 3 points.

Determine “carryover” points:
  • If an entry has over 100 words, and they wrote an entry yesterday, add the “base” points from the previous day to create this entry’s total points (if it’s in the same month).
  • If an entry has 750 or more words, also add the “base” points from 2 days ago (if it’s still in the same month) 

Based on this logic, an entry can receive between 0-3 “base” points, and up to 6 more “carryover” points, for a max of 9 points.
Option 1: 
  • Keep it exactly the same

Option 2: 
  • Do something else
  • Figure out what that is.
Badges
There are a lot of badges and many of them have mysterious conditions for being earned. That’s intentional. There should be more badges and more mysteries.
Streak badges are pretty self-explanatory. Write a bunch of days in a row.

Flock badges are pretty self-explanatory too. Write a lot of words.

Behavior badges are less so.
  • Cheetah: write fast (under 20 minutes) 10 days in a row.
  • Hamster: write 10 days in a row with no distractions (a distraction is when a minute goes by with no writing, before you get to 750 words).
  • Turquoise horse: complete a monthly challenge.
  • Patron: donate to the site. 
  • Inspired writer: leave a note of inspiration for others.
  • Early rooster: complete your words before 10am 10 days in a row.
  • Night bat: complete words after 10pm 10 days in a row.
New badge ideas:
  • Badges for longer streaks, more total words, etc.
  • A badge for having an account on v1.
  • Lifetime member badge.
  • Badges to mirror the streak badges but more about total days instead of consecutive days.
  • A gold star badge that people can earn and award to each other for whatever reasons they want.
  • Badges for hitting different goals than just 750 words/day.
  • Badges for the contents of writing (like writing a lot about various themes).
  • For writing on mobile.
  • So many more

New badge features:
  • A way to archive badges so they can be re-earned.
  • Pick a “primary” badge to feature with your profile.
  • Some badges that only unlock after getting another badge (like the Phoenix).