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Cold_Brains
Village Dweller
Joined: 09 Jan 2002
Posts: 23
Location: Sydney, Australia |
| Proposal: Let's review the Reviewers.... |
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Since RPGdot provides links to so many game reviews by so many sites, maybe we should have some kind of RPGdot user system which reflected which reviews from which sites we liked (eg thoughtful, mature, clearly played the game properly) and which ones we felt were a disservice to role playing and gaming generally (Gamespy are you listening?). I'm surely not the only one who finds my blood pressure gently lifting skywards from some of the idiotic reviews of Gothic 2. So.....
Proposal: Every review that gets linked to from here has a 'rate this review' poll attached. At the end of the month/year we could then see how they ranked.
Perhaps RPGdot could include in its awards categories something like 'Best/Worst RPG review', 'Best/Worst games/rpg review site overall', etc.
We could vote and discuss which reviews and reviewers we liked, and which ones were clearly written by MTV addled 12 year olds.....
I just feel there is such a huge discrepancy between good reviewers and bad ones out there, and it's time they got some feedback in some way that gave them a taste of their own medicine (good or bad). 
Anyone have any thoughts on this? |
Sun Feb 01, 2004 3:51 am |
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Remus
Overgrown Cat
Joined: 03 Jul 2002
Posts: 1657
Location: Fish bowl |
It is not practical since most gaming sites and reviewers has their own criteria when evaluating, not to mention a review of particular game review is just another opinion or perspective which usually self-serving. What's more, i can see a lot of flame wars coming and wasting a lot forums space...
In fact, i think different opinions is good. It would be bad if everyone has same perspective and opinion, unable or refuse to see things from other way around...
However, some factual mistakes will always exist but those mistakes are easy to spot and no need to make them controversial - such as a quick save option exist while the reviewer says it didn't.
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Last edited by Remus on Sun Feb 01, 2004 4:23 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Sun Feb 01, 2004 4:12 am |
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Cold_Brains
Village Dweller
Joined: 09 Jan 2002
Posts: 23
Location: Sydney, Australia |
Ah, but you see these are more than just 'opinions'. These are touted as 'reviews'. If you 'review' something, then you have a *responsibility* - to play the game properly, to know what you're talking about, etc. Some of these game sites make a lot of money from reviews which RPGdot links its readers to. And besides - what's wrong with some discussion and criticism of reviewers, of the media itself? Are they that sacred? Remember - I'm also talking about rating good reviewers highly... |
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Sun Feb 01, 2004 4:18 am |
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Remus
Overgrown Cat
Joined: 03 Jul 2002
Posts: 1657
Location: Fish bowl |
quote:
Originally posted by Cold_Brains
Some of these game sites make a lot of money from reviews which RPGdot links its readers to.
I have seen many these kind of accusations and i didn't deny that they exist but please supply them with clear proves and evidences and specific sites so that everyone here can avoid those said websites.
quote:
Originally posted by Cold_Brains
And besides - what's wrong with some discussion and criticism of reviewers, of the media itself? Are they that sacred?
No, they are surely not. But i often saw the so called criticism often turned into wasteful flame wars and childish accusations instead of contributing to anything that useful...
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Sun Feb 01, 2004 4:34 am |
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corwin
On the Razorblade of Life
Joined: 10 Jun 2002
Posts: 8376
Location: Australia |
I see some merit in the suggestion. If enough people give a numeric rating to a review, then it should balance out. There are some reviewers I respect because their tastes mirror mine, but there are also some I respect because they try to be fair to their preferences, even though I don't agree with them. Needless to say there are plenty who should be shot!!  Bottom line; unless the management is opposed to the idea, could it hurt to trial it for a set period of time. Then the concept could be reviewed by the admin to see if it worked. This site is not known for its flame wars, and our mods are not known for their patience with flamers. I think it could work here.
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If God said it, then that settles it!
I don't use Smileys, I use Emoticons!!
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Sun Feb 01, 2004 7:04 am |
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Dhruin
Stranger In A Strange Land
Joined: 20 May 2002
Posts: 1825
Location: Sydney, Australia |
I'm not so sure about it. Different people would apply scores for varying reasons: fans (or detractors) of a game may vote a certain way regardless of the quality of the article. Others may vote because it's too long, too short, not funny, funny or just because it's Gamespy. I realise much of this will even out with enough numbers but how long before someone says the review scores are skewed (just like the Top 100)? And I'm not sure the data would tell you anything you can't figure out for yourself.
It seems to me we have an under-utilised resource as it is: the news comments (that end up in the forum). I say "under-utilised" because it's clear to me that we have many visitors who read our news without making comment -- and many members who don't read the news!
I notice this most often when someone does make a comment. Often I post news about a dreadful review that goes without a single comment...but if someone does make a comment - BAM! Everyone comes out of hiding to add their say. I presume this is because many members don't know about it until someone else starts the process and then they see it in the forums - and non-members seem more likely to comment if someone else has already done it.
So, there's already a system (albeit not a numerical rating) which only gets used occasionally. Other, smaller sites I visit have comments for nearly every newsbit and often it runs for pages. The bottom line (for me personally): if you have something to say about articles - say it! 
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Editor @ RPGDot |
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Sun Feb 01, 2004 8:19 am |
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corwin
On the Razorblade of Life
Joined: 10 Jun 2002
Posts: 8376
Location: Australia |
Dhruin, the tricky bit with News Comments, sees to be that you have to initiate them from the News Page!! (Strange that ) As you pointed out, many visitors come straight to the forums and miss the news. Once someone has posted a comment, then they see it. Perhaps you could make the post automatic, but sometimes I look in 'News Comment' see it's full of Red with lots of little zeros and I panic and switch to another forum!!  I usually post my news comments from the news page which I try to read twice a day. Keep up the good work there guys, it's appreciated.
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If God said it, then that settles it!
I don't use Smileys, I use Emoticons!!
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Sun Feb 01, 2004 11:23 am |
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Cold_Brains
Village Dweller
Joined: 09 Jan 2002
Posts: 23
Location: Sydney, Australia |
I can fully understand the editorial team's reservations at trying this out. And I agree that the news comments are under-utilised (though Corwin makes a good point on that). But perhaps there's another way to make something constructive from what I'm sure many people feel.
How about maybe a dedicated forum - 'RPG reviews and review sites'.
Or how about 'RPG Review-Watch' - an occasional article rounding up the best and worst reviews of the month. (inspired, as my fellow Australians here might recognise, by our 'Media Watch' program)....
I'm just thinking out loud here. You know that feeling you get when the news links a review which trashes a great game in the stupidest possible way. And you just feel.... powerless. Sure you can put a comment on it like 'idiot', but where does it lead in terms of the overall picture? And the same goes for those occasional brilliant gems of reviews (eg that one just the other day at EBDIS of Fallout BOS - great little review, very funny stuff - yet that same site also published one of the worst reviews ever, of Gothic 2 - different reviewer).
I do think that some kind of dedicated review-critiquing facility on this site may be a revolutionary thing, and is worth thinking about.... |
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Sun Feb 01, 2004 12:07 pm |
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