Gamingforce Interactive Forums
85240 35212

Go Back   Exploding Garrmondo Weiner Interactive Swiss Army Penis > Garrmondo Entertainment > Video Gaming
Register FAQ GFWiki Community Donate Arcade ChocoJournal Calendar

Notices

Welcome to the Exploding Garrmondo Weiner Interactive Swiss Army Penis.
GFF is a community of gaming and music enthusiasts. We have a team of dedicated moderators, constant member-organized activities, and plenty of custom features, including our unique journal system. If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ or our GFWiki. You will have to register before you can post. Membership is completely free (and gets rid of the pesky advertisement unit underneath this message).


[General Discussion] Best review scale?
Reply
 
Thread Tools
Hindman
Good Chocobo


Member 3792

Level 15.57

Mar 2006


Reply With Quote
Old Feb 12, 2007, 02:29 PM Local time: Feb 12, 2007, 12:29 PM #1 of 25
Best review scale?

My site staff has been wondering lately, what's the better review score scale? x/10 or x/5?

Right now, we use /10, but not in the same way other site use it. We've seen it as a waste to throw away half of the scale (most places, anything below a 6 is pure garbage, and there's no difference between a 5 and a 1), so used the mathematical average of 5 for our "average" game.

It seems like it works well enough for us and the readers who actually try to understand it, but sadly, this is the internet, and not everyone reads the "Verdict" underneath where it says the final word like "Great" or "Average" or "Classic" or what have you. And I'd assume even less people actually click "See our review criteria" before bitching about what seems like a low score.

Would an 0-5 score scale, sticking to (presumably sticking to 2.5 as the average) lessen the misunderstandings and decrease the complaints, do you think?

What do you see as the pros and cons of each scale?

Feel free to also express other ideas and why you think they'd possibly be good.

Jam it back in, in the dark.
Skexis
Beyond


Member 770

Level 34.03

Mar 2006


Reply With Quote
Old Feb 12, 2007, 02:54 PM Local time: Feb 12, 2007, 02:54 PM #2 of 25
I used to wonder all the time why movies were on a 4 star system, but when you make it concise, I guess it helps some people draw a hard line between the cream and the curd.

Of course, if you don't have a long-running understanding with your readers, they might balk at a 4 or 5 star system. I.E. "Who is this guy, and what's an 'average' game for him?"

10 star systems help to do away with some of that, and I personally prefer a more detailed score. It's not going to be objective, by any means, but I feel that the more specific the score, the more specific the reviewer has to get to justify it.

There's nowhere I can't reach.
Domino
-


Member 1180

Level 28.87

Mar 2006


Reply With Quote
Old Feb 12, 2007, 03:10 PM Local time: Feb 12, 2007, 09:10 PM #3 of 25
I prefer a percentage scale myself. I feel that it is more precise that a /10 or /5 rating system, that is unless the /10 system allows for marks such as 8.2, then it is just as good as the percentage system.

I also feel that the reviewer should break down each element of the game (graphics, gameplay, sound, etc) and mark these each with a score of it's own, something like Gamespot do.

I also like the way that Gamepot sums up it's reviews with a information box at the start of the review that covers the best and worst points in a nutshell.

Most amazing jew boots
Hindman
Good Chocobo


Member 3792

Level 15.57

Mar 2006


Reply With Quote
Old Feb 12, 2007, 03:18 PM Local time: Feb 12, 2007, 01:18 PM #4 of 25
Thanks for the 2 posts so far.

Domino: we break ours down in a way you suggested, I think. Here's one of our reviews. Tell me if it's what you had in mind:
http://www.rpgland.com/games/marvelalliance/review.html

Side: our 1-10 scale goes in .5 incriments. When we just barely started doing reviews, we'd do all decimals, but it got tedius trying to figure what separated a 7.3 from a 7.4, so just simplified it a tid bit.

How ya doing, buddy?
Domino
-


Member 1180

Level 28.87

Mar 2006


Reply With Quote
Old Feb 12, 2007, 03:53 PM Local time: Feb 12, 2007, 09:53 PM #5 of 25
Yeah that's the sort of thing that I was on about. The review seems to cover all the important elements of a game, and has the summary points nicely laid out in a system that is clear and easy to understand. I like it.

Just a suggestion though. How about having the overall score at the top of the page next to the game title, or at least on the same row as the title, while keeping the summary of points down the bottom of the page.

The score at the top of the page will then give visitors to your site a quick indication of what you thought of the game, rather than having to scroll down to the bottom of the page just to see what score the game got.

I was speaking idiomatically.
speculative
Hard to believe it was just 5 seasons...


Member 1399

Level 25.03

Mar 2006


Reply With Quote
Old Feb 12, 2007, 05:10 PM Local time: Feb 12, 2007, 04:10 PM #6 of 25
Thanks for the 2 posts so far.

Domino: we break ours down in a way you suggested, I think. Here's one of our reviews. Tell me if it's what you had in mind:
http://www.rpgland.com/games/marvelalliance/review.html

Side: our 1-10 scale goes in .5 incriments. When we just barely started doing reviews, we'd do all decimals, but it got tedius trying to figure what separated a 7.3 from a 7.4, so just simplified it a tid bit.
That seems like a good system. To make it more immediately apparent that 5 is an "average" score how about putting a line right above the reivew #'s box that has a scale from 1-10 and lists 1 as painful, 5 as average, and 10 as the crowning ultimate achievement in gamingdom or some such thing... When I see a 1/10 scale on a gaming site I assume that few if any games ever get 5 or below, even if they are horrible.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?
"We are all the sum of our tears. Too little, and the ground is not fertile and nothing can grow there. Too much – the best of us is washed away…" - G'Kar
electric_eye
PIMPLE


Member 7372

Level 18.98

May 2006


Reply With Quote
Old Feb 12, 2007, 05:31 PM Local time: Feb 12, 2007, 11:31 PM #7 of 25
I write reviews and I use a system which has a rating x/5 where x is a positive integer.

I've never liked percentage systems. Rating a 98% seems odd that it be 2% away from supposed perfection, but take a game call it A which scores 90%, I tend to find I in comparison to others, it's hard to put a finger on why it should score 40% more than that or 7% less than that one. Personally I can't use it. Five suits me fine.

FELIPE NO
Kaphwan 86
Punt-a-bitch


Member 365

Level 13.52

Mar 2006


Reply With Quote
Old Feb 12, 2007, 06:05 PM Local time: Feb 13, 2007, 01:05 AM #8 of 25
As long as it isn't 5 star bullshit or anything with letters, it's good. I prefer percentage scale myself.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?
Hindman
Good Chocobo


Member 3792

Level 15.57

Mar 2006


Reply With Quote
Old Feb 12, 2007, 07:12 PM Local time: Feb 12, 2007, 05:12 PM #9 of 25
II've never liked percentage systems. Rating a 98% seems odd that it be 2% away from supposed perfection, but take a game call it A which scores 90%, I tend to find I in comparison to others, it's hard to put a finger on why it should score 40% more than that or 7% less than that one. Personally I can't use it. Five suits me fine.
Right, but, like I said:
Quote:
our 1-10 scale goes in .5 incriments. When we just barely started doing reviews, we'd do all decimals, but it got tedius trying to figure what separated a 7.3 from a 7.4, so just simplified it a tid bit.
We covered that for the most part.

Jam it back in, in the dark.
Chaotic
Waltz of the Big Dogs


Member 633

Level 45.75

Mar 2006


Reply With Quote
Old Feb 12, 2007, 07:59 PM #10 of 25
I use the 10 star scale doing reviews... It just gives you a little more to say as opposed to the 5 star scale.

That seems like a good system. To make it more immediately apparent that 5 is an "average" score how about putting a line right above the reivew #'s box that has a scale from 1-10 and lists 1 as painful, 5 as average, and 10 as the crowning ultimate achievement in gamingdom or some such thing... When I see a 1/10 scale on a gaming site I assume that few if any games ever get 5 or below, even if they are horrible.
Since when was 5 average? I always drew the line at 7... I wouldn't play alot of 5/10 games...

Gamespot Wii Reviews

Would you honestly play some of those games at that rating?

How ya doing, buddy?
TheKnightOfNee
Rope Snake


Member 9705

Level 32.27

Jul 2006


Reply With Quote
Old Feb 12, 2007, 08:09 PM #11 of 25
Since when was 5 average? I always drew the line at 7... I wouldn't play alot of 5/10 games...
This was mentioned as a problem with the /10 system in the first post.

5 is average because it's halfway to 10. Or at least it should be, but for whatever reason, a lot of places now use 7 as average, like Gamespot. If 7 is average, then anything 5 and below is crap and interchangeable, and essentially your scale just goes from 5-10. And in that case, a /5 system is what it pretty much is.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.
electric_eye
PIMPLE


Member 7372

Level 18.98

May 2006


Reply With Quote
Old Feb 12, 2007, 08:21 PM Local time: Feb 13, 2007, 02:21 AM #12 of 25
Right, but, like I said:

We covered that for the most part.
Sorry for repeating what you said.

I modeled my ratings from a PC games mag can't remember which:
5 - Classic, rare, near-perfect
4 - High quality, succeeds in most areas
3 - Flawed but successful development
2 - Suffering from problems
1 - All wrong

I find this seriously makes it easier for me.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?
Summonmaster
The best exploding rabbit user there is.


Member 695

Level 43.57

Mar 2006


Reply With Quote
Old Feb 12, 2007, 08:28 PM #13 of 25
I really like the /10 scale, especially when decimals are involved, but the point about 7 being average makes me think about that. Any game that is less than 7, I probably would not buy, or even try. However, I don't like the /5 scale since 3/5 is average, but you can't really tell if it's slightly above average (since 4 makes me think it's a good game, and 3.5 still gives the impression of average), or on the lower end of it. Breaking down by components is definitely a great way to go and do it, but overall I think I would go with the 10 scale still. Most games should never have to deviate from 7 much, and you can really justify the bad ones, however low their score maybe. In addition. good games don't seem to need as much explanation with descriptions as bad ones do.

I was speaking idiomatically.
speculative
Hard to believe it was just 5 seasons...


Member 1399

Level 25.03

Mar 2006


Reply With Quote
Old Feb 12, 2007, 08:29 PM Local time: Feb 12, 2007, 07:29 PM #14 of 25
Since when was 5 average? I always drew the line at 7... I wouldn't play alot of 5/10 games...
Exactly, which is why I agreed with the original poster:

When I see a 1/10 scale on a gaming site I assume that few if any games ever get 5 or below, even if they are horrible.


What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?
"We are all the sum of our tears. Too little, and the ground is not fertile and nothing can grow there. Too much – the best of us is washed away…" - G'Kar
electric_eye
PIMPLE


Member 7372

Level 18.98

May 2006


Reply With Quote
Old Feb 12, 2007, 09:22 PM Local time: Feb 13, 2007, 03:22 AM #15 of 25
I really like the /10 scale, especially when decimals are involved, but the point about 7 being average makes me think about that. Any game that is less than 7, I probably would not buy, or even try. However, I don't like the /5 scale since 3/5 is average, but you can't really tell if it's slightly above average (since 4 makes me think it's a good game, and 3.5 still gives the impression of average), or on the lower end of it. Breaking down by components is definitely a great way to go and do it, but overall I think I would go with the 10 scale still. Most games should never have to deviate from 7 much, and you can really justify the bad ones, however low their score maybe. In addition. good games don't seem to need as much explanation with descriptions as bad ones do.

I can see what you mean. Games that score 5 I think I would keep and usually I would love to play it again. For 4 it's good that I would finish the game at least once. Three is where I enjoy it but maybe I get bored, consider it for trade-in, 2 is bad, 1 a disaster.

FELIPE NO
Summonmaster
The best exploding rabbit user there is.


Member 695

Level 43.57

Mar 2006


Reply With Quote
Old Feb 12, 2007, 09:39 PM #16 of 25
I can see what you mean. Games that score 5 I think I would keep and usually I would love to play it again. For 4 it's good that I would finish the game at least once. Three is where I enjoy it but maybe I get bored, consider it for trade-in, 2 is bad, 1 a disaster.
Exactly my thoughts if I ever see a 5 point scale used, although for personal enjoyment, I need those excess numbers as a point of comparison. Well. not like I let exact numbers sway my thoughts. I look for key gimmicks of a game that are mentioned and how I personally picture them being used. Surprisingly enough, one of my favourite things to do is to read bad reviews and see exactly how 1/10 is justified by the reviewer.

How ya doing, buddy?
Omnislash124
Currently Playing: Phantom Brave


Member 2043

Level 29.93

Mar 2006


Reply With Quote
Old Feb 12, 2007, 09:47 PM #17 of 25
I'd go with the x/10 feature because there's a clear low point (1), middle point (5), and high point (10). It's also akin to a x/100 system, which is what I'd use, if your x/10 uses the tenth place. But it hardly matters as long as you have a convincing text body to back up your rating.

As scores go, it's all about first impression.

The problem with the x/5 scale is that there's not as much room for differentiation, IMO. I'm not that picky when it comes to games, but a 4/5 and a 5/5 are more or less the same to me. They both represent great games. Hell, even a 3/5 would stand as a decent game. Personally though, a rating of a 2 or lower registers as awful in my opinion.

With a x/10 system, I see anything above 8 as a damn good game. Anything from 5 up to 8 seems pretty decent at first glance. Anything below 4 would register as a bad game when I first see it.

Most amazing jew boots

Anime FTP
Server Status: -XP MODE-
Anime - PM Request
AnimeOST - PM Request
JackyBoy
A Cinnamon Role?


Member 2219

Level 13.14

Mar 2006


Reply With Quote
Old Feb 12, 2007, 11:32 PM #18 of 25
I say do away with numbers completely and use language to convey the score. Numbers are far too ambiguous and easily misinterpreted. It's too difficult to understand how 7.8 is superior to 7.3 or an 85% over a 79% because numbers themselves just don't carry enough information.

Let good argumentation be the decider.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

You're staring at me like I just asked you what the fucking square root of something.
NES Oldskooler
Faust


Member 768

Level 10.31

Mar 2006


Reply With Quote
Old Feb 12, 2007, 11:58 PM Local time: Feb 12, 2007, 05:58 PM #19 of 25
Over the past while I've been finding that I usually only play games that receive good reviews or are made by developers I like. Once I got my PS2 modded, I tried out a lot of games that I'd normally ignore, but found a few that I was genuinely impressed with, despite their flaws.

Since everyone values aspects of games differently, I figure the simplest review score would be out of three:

Buy it
Try it
Avoid it

I'm thinking of avoiding reviews entirely these days, and making my opinions on games based on previews and developer logs. It makes things more interesting.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.
electric_eye
PIMPLE


Member 7372

Level 18.98

May 2006


Reply With Quote
Old Feb 13, 2007, 09:24 AM Local time: Feb 13, 2007, 03:24 PM #20 of 25
Exactly my thoughts if I ever see a 5 point scale used, although for personal enjoyment, I need those excess numbers as a point of comparison. Well. not like I let exact numbers sway my thoughts. I look for key gimmicks of a game that are mentioned and how I personally picture them being used. Surprisingly enough, one of my favourite things to do is to read bad reviews and see exactly how 1/10 is justified by the reviewer.
Yeah I guess I'm not one to compare games against each other, five is enough to give me peace of mind. So far in my games log I don't think I have given a 1/5 score to any game, I haven't played too many bad games but I can't really vision how bad a game must be for it to score such a low mark.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Last edited by electric_eye; Feb 17, 2007 at 05:24 AM.
nuttyturnip
Soggy


Member 601

Level 52.11

Mar 2006


Reply With Quote
Old Feb 13, 2007, 10:08 AM #21 of 25
The problem with using 5 (out of 10) as an average is that most sites don't. I like the gamerankings.com links on some sites, that give you the average score from all of the review sites. If one site gives it a 5 and another gives it a 7.5, and in spirit they mean the same thing, it's going to drag down the overall score for a game. Personally, I prefer a percentage.

I was speaking idiomatically.
Hindman
Good Chocobo


Member 3792

Level 15.57

Mar 2006


Reply With Quote
Old Feb 13, 2007, 12:35 PM Local time: Feb 13, 2007, 10:35 AM #22 of 25
Since everyone values aspects of games differently, I figure the simplest review score would be out of three:

Buy it
Try it
Avoid it
Well, the danger a media outlet gets into there is that somewhere, someone's going to take that recommendation and regret it. Even a big fan of, say, the RPG genre is going to have at least a handful of games that get near-universal praise, but just aren't Example Gamer's cup of tea. The "buy it/try it/avoid it" is generally what one tries to describe in the text of the review.

Giving it an 8.5/10 is one thing, but telling someone to straight up spend their money on it is a somewhat different territory.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?
TheKnightOfNee
Rope Snake


Member 9705

Level 32.27

Jul 2006


Reply With Quote
Old Feb 14, 2007, 12:08 AM #23 of 25
The problem with using 5 (out of 10) as an average is that most sites don't. I like the gamerankings.com links on some sites, that give you the average score from all of the review sites. If one site gives it a 5 and another gives it a 7.5, and in spirit they mean the same thing, it's going to drag down the overall score for a game. Personally, I prefer a percentage.
But even with percentages, you get people who review things with 50% as average, and other people who review things with 70% as average. Obviously, every source for reviews is going to have a different scale, and the best way to go about thing would be to learn the scale of the source you are viewing before trying to follow their advice. Or, actually read the article included with the number.

FELIPE NO
zzeroparticle
Shinkai fanatic


Member 715

Level 21.86

Mar 2006


Reply With Quote
Old Feb 14, 2007, 12:59 AM Local time: Feb 13, 2007, 10:59 PM #24 of 25
But even with percentages, you get people who review things with 50% as average, and other people who review things with 70% as average. Obviously, every source for reviews is going to have a different scale, and the best way to go about thing would be to learn the scale of the source you are viewing before trying to follow their advice.
Instead of putting a numerical rating, why don't game review sites just use a descriptor for the rating and avoid the confusion of deciding on what number represents an average? Seems like that's the easiest solution that allows for the greatest amount of clarity.

So instead of rating something X/5, and declaring some arbitrary number to be "average" they can use a scale that says something like: Masterpiece, Excellent, Good, So-so, Bad, Awful, Complete Garbage.

I'm aware that rpgland uses that in their verdict section, but more people will notice the numerical value and ignore the verdict altogether, which makes me in favor of removing numerical scores altogether. People put too much of their decisions into the raw number as opposed to figuring out what the number actually means.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?
My spheres of activity:
Anime Instrumentality Blog - Latest Music Reviews: Gundam Unicorn Soundtrack | Kampfer Soundtrack
Eminence Online (anime music reviewer) - Latest review: Noir Original Soundtrack
The Nihon Review - Latest review: Taisho Yakyuu Musume
Shiny McShine
Well, heilo there!


Member 460

Level 13.91

Mar 2006


Reply With Quote
Old Feb 14, 2007, 06:17 AM Local time: Feb 14, 2007, 04:17 AM #25 of 25
I am particularly fond of the 1-5 scale, with .5 numbers also being used. I don't like anything that has to do with partial numbers unless it's half, such as 9.2 or 3.8.

Jam it back in, in the dark.
Reply


Exploding Garrmondo Weiner Interactive Swiss Army Penis > Garrmondo Entertainment > Video Gaming > [General Discussion] Best review scale?

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:25 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.