Psion
Adventurer
Publisher Jim Ward takes exception to reviewers in his latest "900 words" article.
http://fastforwardgames.com/900/900_29.htm
So, what do you think?
http://fastforwardgames.com/900/900_29.htm
So, what do you think?
Are reviewers evil?
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DonAdam
Explorer
If his company didn't consistently receive low reviews, I doubt he would have written the editorial.
As far as having had to playtest it...
If that's important to people, most reviewers indicate whether it is a playtest review.
Furthermore, you can tell huge disparities in balance by simply looking. Why? Because balance is about opportunity cost. When you create a feat or item that does something better than the core rules with no corresponding cost, I know that it's unbalanced, because balance is relative.
If you are going to do so, come out and admit that you're either going for a different balance or that you're attempting to correct a hole in the core rules.
So review on, Psion, review on.
As far as having had to playtest it...
If that's important to people, most reviewers indicate whether it is a playtest review.
Furthermore, you can tell huge disparities in balance by simply looking. Why? Because balance is about opportunity cost. When you create a feat or item that does something better than the core rules with no corresponding cost, I know that it's unbalanced, because balance is relative.
If you are going to do so, come out and admit that you're either going for a different balance or that you're attempting to correct a hole in the core rules.
So review on, Psion, review on.
Desdichado
Hero
I think he makes some good points, speaking generically. Certainly things to think of.
Other than that I can't comment; I haven't had enough interest in anything they've done to even look at the reviews, much less the products!
They just haven't pushed my buttons somehow.
Other than that I can't comment; I haven't had enough interest in anything they've done to even look at the reviews, much less the products!
They just haven't pushed my buttons somehow.
Voadam
Legend
Jim Ward:
--If you haven't at least tried one of the magic items, monsters, spells, or character classes presented in a product you shouldn't be reviewing that product. If you want to say that you don't need to play a product to review it, let me tell you that all of the Movie, Book, and Computer Game critics of the world (and myself) are laughing at you.--
I feel fine reviewing stuff I have read and thought about but not used directly in a game. As a player and not currently DMing I can not use that much stuff but I still feel competent to analyze and evaluate the worth of stuff that I read.
How many monsters out of a monster book do you need to use before you should be able to review it? All of them, one? You can see from reading whether stats are done right, the concept appeals to you etc.
--If you haven't at least tried one of the magic items, monsters, spells, or character classes presented in a product you shouldn't be reviewing that product. If you want to say that you don't need to play a product to review it, let me tell you that all of the Movie, Book, and Computer Game critics of the world (and myself) are laughing at you.--
I feel fine reviewing stuff I have read and thought about but not used directly in a game. As a player and not currently DMing I can not use that much stuff but I still feel competent to analyze and evaluate the worth of stuff that I read.
How many monsters out of a monster book do you need to use before you should be able to review it? All of them, one? You can see from reading whether stats are done right, the concept appeals to you etc.
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JacktheRabbit
Explorer
Hey Jim.
A little bitter are we?
"If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything."
Poor Jim. If this was the case then they would not be reviews. They would be ADVERTISING. There is a difference though Jim cannot tell the difference because he is mad that his poor products are lambasted by reviewers.
Jim here is a little hint for you. The people who review your products DO READ them. They give them poor scores because you barely understand the rules and most of us wish we could have back those stolen hours we wasted reading your products.
A little bitter are we?
"If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything."
Poor Jim. If this was the case then they would not be reviews. They would be ADVERTISING. There is a difference though Jim cannot tell the difference because he is mad that his poor products are lambasted by reviewers.
Jim here is a little hint for you. The people who review your products DO READ them. They give them poor scores because you barely understand the rules and most of us wish we could have back those stolen hours we wasted reading your products.
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Ruined
Explorer
I think Ward has some valid points, namely in regards to sloppy critique writing, unquantified points, and reviews done without playtesting.
But then, I think he undermines the point of his rebuttal by his very attitude. Hmm, a lightbulb joke about all reviewers. Nice way to lump everyone together while he complains about someone saying "products from this company are typically poor".
I think he needs to realize that while the medium we're interested in is worthwhile and very creative, it is also very counter-culture. There are plenty of paid book reviewers, movie reviewers, etc. We don't really have that luxury in our medium. Just because some of our reviewers don't get paid to do this doesn't mean their opinions are any less valid. They're spending their time to review this material, something just as important to me.
You'd think in the time of Open-Content where anyone can start up and publish, smaller companies like Fast Forward would be more favorable to independant reviewers...
But then, I think he undermines the point of his rebuttal by his very attitude. Hmm, a lightbulb joke about all reviewers. Nice way to lump everyone together while he complains about someone saying "products from this company are typically poor".
I think he needs to realize that while the medium we're interested in is worthwhile and very creative, it is also very counter-culture. There are plenty of paid book reviewers, movie reviewers, etc. We don't really have that luxury in our medium. Just because some of our reviewers don't get paid to do this doesn't mean their opinions are any less valid. They're spending their time to review this material, something just as important to me.
You'd think in the time of Open-Content where anyone can start up and publish, smaller companies like Fast Forward would be more favorable to independant reviewers...
roytheodd
First Post
At Steve Jackson's d20Weekly.com, they had an open call for reviewers and they gave some really stiff guidelines on what a review should look like and what it should cover. Mr. Ward and d20Weekly both touched upon a lot of the same subject when it comes to what a review is all about. Perhaps it's time for the online community to mature a bit to fit the role it wants to fill. Preach on Ward!
Oni
First Post
Sounds a bit bitter to me. Bad reviews come about for a reason. Plenty of books out there get good reviews, so why not others. Logic tells me that they simply did not come up to the same standards. If a company has a history of bad products then they are going to be fighting an uphill battle to prove they can produce a good one, they should have thought of their company's reputation when they started turning out drek in the first place. I recognize the fact that reviewers are individuals that have individual taste and that this may reflect on the product they are reviewing, and so I usually read several reviews on the same product if I can. If I go out and find five reviews on the same book and they are all consistantly low, this doesn't say to me all these reviewers where trying to look cool by trashing this book, it says to me that the book has serious problems that were universal in the eyes of the reviewers.
I would suggest that instead of blaming reviewers for poor sales that companies take the time to make a better product and improve their reputations.
I would suggest that instead of blaming reviewers for poor sales that companies take the time to make a better product and improve their reputations.
Mathew_Freeman
Adventurer
Reviewers are not evil.
However, people who claim to be reviewers who don't read the entire book, don't write reviews backed up with quotes/text, who mindlessly slag off everthing they see, or who make other basic reviewing errors, are evil.
As I rarely read any of the reviews, I am explicitly not talking about anyone in particular.
My strategy when thinking about buying a new D&D book is to ask around in the Hivemind thread and see if anyone else I know has the book and liked it, or to buy books that I've consistenly read about in ENWorld threads.
However, people who claim to be reviewers who don't read the entire book, don't write reviews backed up with quotes/text, who mindlessly slag off everthing they see, or who make other basic reviewing errors, are evil.
As I rarely read any of the reviews, I am explicitly not talking about anyone in particular.
My strategy when thinking about buying a new D&D book is to ask around in the Hivemind thread and see if anyone else I know has the book and liked it, or to buy books that I've consistenly read about in ENWorld threads.
Numion
First Post
Weeell, it's always more fun to read the 1/5 and 2/5 reviews than those 5/5 reviews. I guess they intrest also in the same way as you really can't look away from a car crash..
Having said that, the reviewers at ENWorld aren't too harsh. 3/5 ('average' score) isn't really average, but below average.
Having said that, the reviewers at ENWorld aren't too harsh. 3/5 ('average' score) isn't really average, but below average.
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