I tried using User Badges 7.x-3.2 and like its potential, but I think it has room for improvement. Here is how I think it should work for better user experience:

1) Text badges need to be supported. Just look at my attachment with an avatar & a test user badge ("A") based on Author Pane. I don't know of one major forum software that uses two pictures to represent a user in one block. It's typically an avatar & custom title ("Administrator", "Moderator", "VIP Member", "Subscriber", and so on). D6 version looks like it's well under way, but not D7.

2) A separate block using Views with user badges also should be supported. After looking at a couple of somewhat related issues (1 & 2), I was inspired to compare Foursquare to Stack Overflow, and they're pretty similar.

I'll immediately start using this module once text badges are supported. Then if anyone else thinks the block feature should also be supported and gets the ball rolling, I'll happily beta-test it. My use case for this module is very similar to Foursquare & Stack Overflow, so if user badges can work based on roles, Rules & User Points, that would be awesome. Thanks for your consideration.

CommentFileSizeAuthor
User Badge.png34.32 KBjay.lee.bio
#1 Foursquare User Badges.png166.71 KBjay.lee.bio
#1 Stack Overflow User Badges.png142.88 KBjay.lee.bio
#5 vBulletin User Badges.png25.43 KBjay.lee.bio

Comments

jay.lee.bio’s picture

jay.lee.bio commented
StatusFileSize
new Stack Overflow User Badges.png142.88 KB
new Foursquare User Badges.png166.71 KB
jay.lee.bio’s picture

jay.lee.bio commented
Title: Text Badges & Block? » Text Badges & Views Block?
Issue summary: View changes
jay.lee.bio’s picture

jay.lee.bio commented

After doing some more research, here are some related modules worth mentioning: Achievements, Achievements Rules & Achievements Views

It also looks like User Badges can be used for text badges & Achievements can be used for the block. I'll check back if I find more information.

shabana.navas’s picture

shabana.navas commented

Thanks for bringing this up. We are definitely planning some big changes for User Badges and hopefully, we can implement your ideas when implementing these changes. I am hoping to get started on this as soon as I finish a couple of things that need my attention at the moment.

jay.lee.bio’s picture

jay.lee.bio commented
StatusFileSize
new vBulletin User Badges.png25.43 KB

After doing some more research, I found a major forum software (they're using vBulletin 4.2.2) that uses two sets of pictures (an avatar & multiple user badges) to represent a user in one block. Maybe it's a hack, but it's so far the best instance of what I'm trying to do that actually looks pretty good.

I'm not sure what I'll eventually use (Achievements is known to be difficult to install), but I think I've done enough research to get something going for myself. I'll report back when I have something live.

jay.lee.bio’s picture

jay.lee.bio commented

FYI, text badges are now possible via 7.x-4.x-dev (https://www.drupal.org/node/2301303, #4). Thanks to everyone that made this possible.

shabana.navas’s picture

shabana.navas commented
Status: Active » Fixed

Glad to hear!

jay.lee.bio’s picture

jay.lee.bio commented

And a block using Views can also be sort of accomplished via Author Pane, which I'd be happy to test out.

P.S. Shabana, I think Kporras07 wants to hear your feedback on this: https://www.drupal.org/node/2402265, #1

Status: Fixed » Closed (fixed)

Automatically closed - issue fixed for 2 weeks with no activity.

jay.lee.bio’s picture

jay.lee.bio commented
Version: 7.x-3.2 » 7.x-4.x-dev

Actually for #8, it's actually accomplished via the user profile page. And as for Author Pane, it can be configured via settings (of User Badges) to show the highest level badge, which is exactly what I wanted. :)