Reviews, more wanted

[Zaukrie]

I really like to look at the reviews before I buy something. Now, I know I've never posted one so I'm as guilty as the rest of you. How can Morrus get more reviews on line? Or, why don't you post reviews?

 

[Crothian]

I'm not critical enough enough I will find a way to use everything I buy. I'm starting a modern day horror d20 game Friday, and I'm still going to be using bits and pieces from over a dozen fantasy d20 products. I'm not one of those people that complains about books. I actually find it a challenge to make it work for my game. I love the new options and the character additions (feats, prestige classes, skills, magic, etc). I don't mind things that people call "broken" or Shafted". I'm a fairly intelligent DM, and if something doesn't work in my game it's my failing and not the products. I've seen many good books get lousy reviews because of bad DMs and stupid PCs.

edit: Fixed spelling errors for EN

 

[EricNoah]

I personally never feel like putting in the effort, to be honest -- it's quite a lot of work to do a good review (a big thanks to all who do so). There's sort of this unspoken rule that the reviews should be somewhat lengthy/substantial. I could easily write up a couple of short paragraphs with some pros and cons and give it a rating but that's probably not very helpful to anyone. Plus I may be in a somewhat unique position where a review, good or bad, from me could be somehow taken as more than what it really is.

I am considering doing WotC reviews because WotC has been so great about keeping me in the loop with products etc. Not sure how helpful that would be. But if there's any company that would be "least effected" by a review from me it would probably be them.

 

[EricNoah]

I'm a fairly intellenge DM

Are you, now?

 

[BiggusGeekus]

II am considering doing WotC reviews because WotC has been so great about keeping me in the loop with products etc. Not sure how helpful that would be. But if there's any company that would be "least effected" by a review from me it would probably be them.

Good luck!

I'm honestly not sure that I could summon up the intellectual honesty to objectively review a product from a company that has been nice to me.

"Hey Biggus Geekus!", they say in my imagination.
"Yes, Milla?", I reply. Please understand that in my imagination Milla Jovivich is a WotC product developer.
"Have a free copy of our book. You can review it on ENWorld if you like."
"Um ... sure ... Milla.", and then I promptly give a glowing review for Hennet's Big Book of Buckels because I don't have the heart to tell Ms. Jovovich that she messed up all her CRs.


That being said, I'd love to see more reviews of the d20 PDFs.

 

[CRGreathouse]

I may be in a somewhat unique position where a review, good or bad, from me could be somehow taken as more than what it really is.

That's easy - post under a pseudonym. Unless you already do...

I personally never feel like putting in the effort, to be honest -- it's quite a lot of work to do a good review (a big thanks to all who do so). There's sort of this unspoken rule that the reviews should be somewhat lengthy/substantial. I could easily write up a couple of short paragraphs with some pros and cons and give it a rating but that's probably not very helpful to anyone.

I feel for you. I've been meaning to post reviews of the Manual of the Planes, Gar'Udok, Bodies & Souls, and a few others, but haven't gotten around to it - I have half-finished reviews on my hard drive. Even once I've finished them, though, I know I'll hate them and not want to post.

 

[Scott814thmpco]

Hi-
like many things in life, reviews are something that are to be taken with a grain of salt.
Silver age sentinals recieved lukewarm reviews but I thought the game was fantastic. Usually after buying a product I'll look up the review on that product just to see what the other guy had to say.
Dungeon World also was met with a lukewarm reception but I like it. Its a great way to humble high level characters who buy the farm but want to get back into the fight so put them through dungeon world which is their last grasp at life.
And with many of the reviewers getting free stuff from these companies, I would say their reviews of most products are now suspect.


Scott

 

[JoeGKushner]

Well as one of the people who does reviews I can say that I feel I'm not baised for or against publishers that send me stuff. I mean let's be serious. It's not lots of money they're sending. It's a book that ranges from $6-$40 dollars.

I normally only do reviews for products I receive though for a one reason.

Time. If someone from OGX wants me to review product Y, someone from OgreCave product Z, and a publisher product R, am I going to take the time to review a product I bought myself? Nope. Not going to happen.

Now and then I get the time to do a review of a product I've bought and those I'll usually send in to Pyramid, Gaming Frontier or D20Weekly but this is rare.

One thing that does amuse me though are companies that think you "owe" them because they sent you a product. "I can't believe you gave our product a 3 rating when we sent it to you!" or "I can't believe you told people they should see if they could get it on sale!" See my first note above. It's a book, not a car, not a 56" plasma television. It's a book.

As far as Dungeon World... I thought it lacked organization, needed better art, and still didn't quite mesh 100% with D20 rules as found in most fantasy settings. Good ideas and could be the start of a great setting. I'm thinking about linking that with Oathbound.

 

[der_kluge]

I don't write reviews for two reasons -

A) I write for MEG/TG so any review I did would be seen as biased as it would be (possibly) coming from a writer of a competing product
and
B) I would only write reviews for products that I purchased myself, so if I purchased it myself, chances are I'm going to like it anyway, so it would be kind of self-defeating.

 

[mmadsen]

Silver age sentinals recieved lukewarm reviews but I thought the game was fantastic.

Could you point me toward some of those reviews?