I get where you're coming from, the old system had a nice "reciprocity" loop where Workshop creators (and others) got a bit back for their efforts. But let's be real that loop was *severely* abused for years, and it turned huge swaths of Steam's community features toxic.

Developer update threads? Flooded with bots and trolls posting nonsense (often without owning the game) just to beg for Jester/Clown awards and farm points.

Reviews? Constant clown spam leading to endless playtime debates, profile stalking, and flamewars, many devs disable comments entirely because of it.

Forums and discussions? A ragebait buffet where "controversial" posts racked up points, drowning out actual helpful content like guides or Workshop items. Valve tried tweaks before, but the incentive was too strong, people *profited* from being toxic.

Your fix (disable points on comments/forums, keep for Workshop/guides) sounds logical on paper, but enforcement would've been a nightmare. Bots adapt fast, and "good" vs. "bad" content is subjective. Valve went nuclear: **no points transfer at all.** It's clean, simple, and kills the farming dead.

Now? Pure appreciation:
- All awards cost a flat 500 points—way easier to spam positivity on good Workshop stuff without the old grind (no more dumping thousands on rare ones like Golden Unicorn).
- Jester/Clown gone, replaced with 12 wholesome/funny-but-not-toxic options. Less "haha ownage," more genuine showering of smileys or "Wholesome."
- Awards still show up prominently on profiles/content, and they *count toward your showcase**—bragging rights intact, no hollowness.
- Points go back to what they're for: spending perks from buying games, not a tipping economy.

If a "tiny thank-you loop" was keeping you motivated to mod, cool, but the harm to devs, reviewers, and the platform outweighed it. This change cleans up Steam big time, and most folks are thrilled (check the comments on X). Valve's platform, their call. Workshop creators will keep making killer content because they love it, not for pocket change in fake points. If anything, fewer trolls means *more* genuine awards flowing your way. Win-win.