What's wrong with ratings nowadays

[Black Ninja]

After suffering through this for a long time, I have finally decided to make my rants public. This may offend some people, but that's life.

1.) [GRAMMAR] For a very long time, the spelling and grammar on reviews has been degrading. It is now so big a problem that you usually can't tell what people are even trying to say.
Here's a prime example:

Hhmm... This is an very strange boss. Also, he doesnt hurt you! that's bad for an boss. They are bulded to KILL an rabbit! Also, he can't die! Well he can but thats only with an Laser-Shield!

Now, not only is the spelling bad, but the grammar is bad to the point where you can't even understand what the poor soul who wrote it is trying to say. This is just one example out of many. For Heaven's sake, people, if you're going to write a review, make it understandable! No, I don't mean to slave over missing apostraphes or anything, but that it's not fair to the rest of us if you make your review with no grammatical structure.

2.) [FACTS NEEDED] This one is a bit more of just my opinion, but I think there's a serious problem with people giving facts to back up their statements in reviews. I mean, look at this:

Wow. Highly cool. (:
The spaceship level is so incredibly cool that it's scary. (:

Does that tell anything about the level's eye candy? Does it say WHY the spaceship level is so incredibly cool? No. All it says is that this person ejoyed the level. While it's good to know an individual's opinion on a level, I personally like to know WHY the individual enjoyed it. That could just be me.

Fun quotes from reviews (no names attached to prevent flaming)

"Overall - good for your first try. You'll get higher rating in part 2, if you remove things that make me confusing."

"Ok, long time ago I reviewed a level."

"COOOOL! HOW U CAN DRAW SO GOOD WITH MSPAINT.EXE???"

[Violet CLM]

As I was telling you, I don't really think the second one is as much of a problem as you make it out to be. Your review quote comes from early 2001 or somewhere around then. Average review length and detail has gone up significantly since then...

...although I must admit overrating has also gone up significantly. DOWN WITH OVERRATING, UP WITH TRAFTON!

[Risp_old]

Yeah. DOWN WITH THE '7.0 = average' SYNDROME!!!!!!!

[Trafton]

After suffering through this for a long time, I have finally decided to make my rants public. This may offend some people, but that's life.

1.) [GRAMMAR] For a very long time, the spelling and grammar on reviews has been degrading. It is now so big a problem that you usually can't tell what people are even trying to say.
Here's a prime example:
There's one big reason that grammar is a problem in the reviews of today. It's because most reviewers now are new to English. This is not their fault, but does not prevent them from creating quality reviews, either.

Now, not only is the spelling bad, but the grammar is bad to the point where you can't even understand what the poor soul who wrote it is trying to say. This is just one example out of many. For Heaven's sake, people, if you're going to write a review, make it understandable! No, I don't mean to slave over missing apostraphes or anything, but that it's not fair to the rest of us if you make your review with no grammatical structure.
See the above comment.

2.) [FACTS NEEDED] This one is a bit more of just my opinion, but I think there's a serious problem with people giving facts to back up their statements in reviews. I mean, look at this:
The example you sited is from ages ago, as Unknown Rabbit said. Back then, that was considered acceptable. This is the sort of thing that is intolerable not to have, but is often missing (facts, that is).

Does that tell anything about the level's eye candy? Does it say WHY the spaceship level is so incredibly cool? No. All it says is that this person ejoyed the level. While it's good to know an individual's opinion on a level, I personally like to know WHY the individual enjoyed it. That could just be me.
Oftentimes, people review a level pack that has already been adequately reviewed because they have played it but feel that writing an essay review would be pointless. Again, this is an old example. On a specific note, I'd assume the space ship would be cool because it was a space ship.

Fun quotes from reviews (no names attached to prevent flaming)
Unfortunately, a quick Google search pretty much reveals who said these. Next time, try to provide general "what-if" examples, not specific references.

"Overall - good for your first try. You'll get higher rating in part 2, if you remove things that make me confusing."
I could not find this on J2O. However, it is still a somewhat decent review, although a quick one. It states what is wrong with the level, says it is good for the first try, and expresses the author's abilities. It is not fantastic, but not dismal either. Other than the part about making the author confusing, that is.

"Ok, long time ago I reviewed a level."
I could not find this one either. Was that the entire review? Context would be helpful.

"COOOOL! HOW U CAN DRAW SO GOOD WITH MSPAINT.EXE???"
This is the sort of review that causes problems, and this one definitely is not appropriate, especially when you consider the tileset used was definitely not made in MSPAINT.EXE. I removed the rating.

A similar topic was posted <a href=http://www.jazz2online.com/jcf/showthread.php?threadid=9257>here</a>. You can find my full thoughts there.

~ Traft

[Newspaz]

As FQuist has told you before. You're all free to think up a working reviewing system for J2Ov2.

[MoonBlazE]

http://www.jazz2online.com/jcf/showthread.php?threadid=9257 =OOOO

[Dusk]

"enjoyed"

As for that reviewing system, how about letting people rate reviews? Something like "Good" or "Bad", which would affect the influence of that review on the total score. A highly appreciated review would be "worth more" that way, partially solving the problem of over- and underrating.

[EDIT] Due to popular request you can now read the exact same suggestion in <a href="http://www.jazz2online.com/jcf/showthread.php?p=193092">this thread</a>.

[Stijn]

How about reading the "Suggestions for J2Ov2" topic in the Forum feedback forum?

[Fawriel]

Minus points for everyone whose rating was deleted. Plus points for reviews a moderator found significantly good.

Things like this usually work for anybody.

PS: Flash, the guy in your sig stole my quote. =P

[Ninja]

Remember the days of J2C/DJ/UJ when users didn't have a say in the rating? =P

(And those sites all had really sexy dark backgrounds.)

[Stijn]

Yeah, but you're in real trouble if the staff is full of n00b reviewers then.

[Lark]

In J2C, you either got *, **, or ***. It didn't tell you much of anything. I hope the new rating system isn't like in J2C. I have an idea for the rating system, anyway. I'll PM Fquist some time.

[Trafton]

In J2C, you either got *, **, or ***. It didn't tell you much of anything. I hope the new rating system isn't like in J2C. I have an idea for the rating system, anyway. I'll PM Fquist some time.
It won't be like that. ;-P

Also, why don't you simply suggest it in the J2Ov2 Suggestion thread in the Feedback forum? That's what it's for.

~ Traft