Community
Forums, Camp, and XP
Connect with touring professionals, share knowledge in the forums, build your crew in Camp, and grow your reputation through the XP system.
Forums
What are Forums?
Forums are SoftPatch's discussion boards, organized by category — setup and configuration, tips and tricks, troubleshooting, and more. Share gear knowledge, ask questions, and build your reputation as a trusted professional.
Organized by Category
Threads are grouped into focused categories so you can find (and contribute to) the conversations that matter most to your specialty.
Share Knowledge
Post questions, share solutions, and discuss techniques with other touring professionals from around the world.
Build Reputation
Every thread and reply earns XP. Helpful answers get upvoted, boosting your standing in the community.
Browsing
Browsing Forums
The forums categories page shows all available categories with the thread count and latest thread in each. Click any category to see its threads.
Categories Overview
Each category displays its name, total thread count, and the most recent thread so you can jump into active conversations.
Thread Listings
Inside a category, each thread shows the title, author, reply count, and vote count so you can gauge activity at a glance.
Posting
Creating Threads
Start a new discussion by clicking the New Thread button inside any category. Add a title, write your body content with markdown formatting, and optionally attach tags or link related entities.
Rich Content
Thread bodies support markdown so you can format text, add code blocks, and include links to external resources.
Earn XP
Every thread you create earns +50 XP, contributing to your rank progression and community reputation.
Tags and Entities
Optionally tag your thread or link it to specific gear, spaces, or services to help others find relevant discussions.
Engagement
Replying and Voting
Share your expertise by replying to threads and use votes to surface the most helpful content.
Reply to Threads
Add your knowledge to any thread. Replies support markdown formatting. Each reply earns +25 XP.
Upvote Helpful Content
Upvote posts that provide useful information to push them higher. Receiving an upvote earns the author +10 XP.
Downvote Unhelpful Content
Downvote responses that are off-topic or inaccurate so the community can focus on quality answers.
Bookmark Threads
Save threads you want to revisit later. Bookmarked threads are easily accessible from your profile.
Moderation
Thread States
Threads can have special states managed by moderators to keep the forums organized and productive.
Pinned
Important threads pinned to the top of a category. These stay visible regardless of age or activity.
Locked
Threads that no longer accept new replies. The existing discussion is preserved but the conversation is closed.
Hidden
Threads removed by moderators for violating community guidelines. Hidden threads are not visible to regular users.
Camp
What is Camp?
Camp is your professional network on SoftPatch. Build trusted crews by connecting with other touring professionals you know and trust. Your Camp connections are a signal to the community that you vouch for each other professionally.
Professional Trust Network
Camp is not a social follow system. It is a mutual connection that represents real professional trust between touring colleagues.
Build Your Crew
Connect with lighting directors, audio engineers, riggers, video techs, and other professionals you have worked with and trust.
Connections
Connecting with Professionals
Send connection requests from any user's profile page. The other user can accept or decline your request.
Connection Flow
Send a request from a user's profile. The other user receives a notification and can accept or decline. Both parties must agree for the connection to form.
Two Tabs
The Camp page has two tabs: My Camp (your accepted connections with profile info) and Requests (pending incoming and outgoing connection requests).
Blocking
You can block any user. Blocked users cannot send you connection requests or interact with you on the platform.
Professional Trust Signal
Once connected, Camp members appear in your My Camp tab. Camp connections are visible on your profile as a signal of professional credibility.
Network
Your Camp Network
Once you have accepted connections, your Camp becomes a curated list of professionals you trust. Camp connections appear on your public profile and signal to others that you are an established, connected professional.
My Camp Tab
View all your accepted connections with their profile photo, name, specialty, and bio. Quickly access their profile or listings.
Credibility Indicator
The size and quality of your Camp network contributes to your overall reputation on SoftPatch. More connections from respected professionals means more trust.
XP and Reputation
Earning XP
SoftPatch activities award experience points (XP) that accumulate over time. XP reflects your engagement and contributions to the community.
| Activity | XP Earned |
|---|---|
| Create a forum thread | +50 XP |
| Reply to a forum thread | +25 XP |
| Receive an upvote on a post | +10 XP |
| Publish a listing | +50 XP |
Ranks
Rank Progression
As your XP accumulates, you progress through ranks that appear on your profile. Higher ranks signal consistent community engagement and trustworthiness to other professionals.
Newcomer
Just getting started on SoftPatch.
Founding
Active participant contributing to the community.
Expert
Established professional with consistent engagement.
Veteran
Highly respected community member with deep contributions.
Legend
Top-tier status recognizing exceptional community leadership.
Tracking
XP Widget
The XP widget in the sidebar gives you a quick overview of your progress without leaving your current page.
Current XP
See your total accumulated XP at a glance, updated in real time as you contribute to the community.
Current Rank
Your current rank is displayed prominently so you always know where you stand in the community.
Next Tier Progress
A progress indicator shows how close you are to reaching the next rank, keeping you motivated to contribute.
Join the Community
Start engaging with touring professionals in the forums and build your professional network in Camp.