So when I open https://stacker.news/ , the first thing I do is check the notifications and read them if any, then come back by hitting the lightning logo.

Then I'm in this mode where I'm rapidly scanning to see whether I should open something.

That scanning mode is me basically going top down the page reading post titles. 90% of the time I don't look at anything but the title to determine whether or not I want to open something.

My 2c: ideally there would be some indicator on that title-level view about the amount of activity inside the daily thread. Something subtle of course - the red indicator is good. Doesn't even have to be color. Could just be text like the total number of sats that been tipped inside.

Pretty sure I'll need some kind of indicator on that level to help me filter. Like, it's not like I'm gonna go open it every day to see what's going on inside.

If, however, you are trying to make it so rewarding in there that people start going daily out of habit, I can certainly mull that one over...