[Contest, ENPub] Elements of Magic review contest - now over

[Wasgo]

However, I am eager to 'clear my name.' If you were already a little interested in the book, I could send you a comp copy now, and if you think it genuinely deserves a 4 or a 5, you could buy a copy for yourself. Would that be fair?

To be honest, without having read it, I'd guess it probably is a good book. I don't think the reviews will change that. The basic problem was, that by putting a deadline and offering a prize on a first-come, first-serve basis, the reviews are probably biased upwards a bit. That being said, I doubt the bias is going to stop many people who want it from buying it. Essentially, the only people it might effect, are the ones who buy based from reviews, read the message boards, and concern themselves about bias. I'm guessing this is a small amount of your market, especially given this thread only has 900+ views, many of which I'm sure don't care or are repeats.

In the end I wouldn't bother trying to clear your name, they're just points to consider for next time. As it is, I won't be buying it, but that's more because I just had to do my taxes today. Ouch.

 

[RavenProject]

To be honest, without having read it, I'd guess it probably is a good book. I don't think the reviews will change that. The basic problem was, that by putting a deadline and offering a prize on a first-come, first-serve basis, the reviews are probably biased upwards a bit.

I thought exactly the same. The heavy advertising on the ENWorld news page is something I can understand even if I do not like it. ENWorld is a great place and thus the owners should be able to generate some revenue with it. No problem. However, the competition seems a bit problematic to me and deliberately forcing people to post exaggerated reviews. I don't question the quality of this product but you said youreself, RangerWickett, that the reviews were generally very positive and you sounded a bit surprised.

But why should the competition compel people to write positive reviews? Simply because posting a rave is a lot simpler and faster than truly reviewing a product in-depth and most of the time, the flaws of a product can not be seen on the surface. If they could, then the designer would have corrected them in the first place. So, if someone tells me I'd get a free book for simply reviewing another book and that only the first 5 reviews win, then what kind of a review would I most likely write?

Anyway, I might even buy it to prove myself wrong.

 

[Verequus]

I feel to need stating the following:

[P]osting a rave is a lot simpler and faster than truly reviewing a product in-depth and most of the time, the flaws of a product can not be seen on the surface.

That's not the kind of review I wrote - my points of critique haven't been only on the surface. My name isn't in vain in the credits on the first place - I've spent a lot of time to find flaws and potential abuses. One example? Cantrip effects have now to be paid in combined lists (with some exceptions). Without that, you could have Evoke [Element] 0/Evoke[Alignment] 0 with all lists except Evoke Life and make 24d6 damage.

 

[PugioilAudacio]

First, while I may have reviewed it a little hastily - I still really do think the product deserves what I gave it. While I could have taken more time to express my thoughts a little clearer, I did not bias my review based on the contest. I still believe it is a very good product, but that it is:

A. Ambigous in many places. and
B. It gives a sense of not being entirely complete.

This second issue will probably resolve itself in the second installment of this product. But, again, I feel this system has real promise and that it deserves the rating I gave it (4 out of 5). The contest affected my clarity (a little), not my rating.

 

[RavenProject]

I didn't mean to attack or offend any of the reviewers. I simply wanted to point out the perils of first-come, first-serve contests in combination with product reviews. Because I do not own a copy of the product in question I can't really judge the reviews. But one thing I do know. For me, the value of reviews associated with such a contest do weight less than other reviews.