The Stakes... here's why your vote matters

[digitalpress]

The GRAND PRIZE is a damned spiffy Sega Nomad in its original box, with a selection of games deemed "review worthy" by the DP staff. SECOND PLACE gets a brand new Space Invaders Collection Pack (2003) (http://www.digitpress.com/reviews/spaceinvaderscoleco.htm) for ColecoVision. THIRD PLACE gets a Sniderman Productions' "Thriftin'" card game. First, second and third place also get a DP T-Shirt (http://www.digitpress.com/shirts.htm) and psychOpedia (http://www.digitpress.com/psychopedia.htm) as well.

EVERYONE who enters and gets a "thumbs up" review (you don't have to win, place or show) gets a 6-issue subscription to Digital Press (http://www.digitpress.com/join_us.htm). That's just our "thank you" for playing and taking the time to enlighten the gaming community :)

NOTE: I re-formatted the reviews to our "style" and did basic spell-checking but very little grammar correciton. I tried to leave the reviews as intact as possible.

So VOTE on as many as you can! This contest will run awhile, so take your time and enjoy them.

If you'd prefer to read the reviews and come back here to critique later, there is a single page index of all the entries here:
http://www.digitpress.com/reviews/contest/

[digitalpress]

The GRAND PRIZE is a damned spiffy Sega Nomad in its original box, with a selection of games deemed "review worthy" by the DP staff. SECOND PLACE gets a brand new Space Invaders Collection Pack (2003) (http://www.digitpress.com/reviews/spaceinvaderscoleco.htm) for ColecoVision. THIRD PLACE gets a Sniderman Productions' "Thriftin'" card game. First, second and third place also get a DP T-Shirt (http://www.digitpress.com/shirts.htm) and psychOpedia (http://www.digitpress.com/psychopedia.htm) as well.

EVERYONE who enters and gets a "thumbs up" review (you don't have to win, place or show) gets a 6-issue subscription to Digital Press (http://www.digitpress.com/join_us.htm). That's just our "thank you" for playing and taking the time to enlighten the gaming community :)

NOTE: I re-formatted the reviews to our "style" and did basic spell-checking but very little grammar correciton. I tried to leave the reviews as intact as possible.

So VOTE on as many as you can! This contest will run awhile, so take your time and enjoy them.

If you'd prefer to read the reviews and come back here to critique later, there is a single page index of all the entries here:
http://www.digitpress.com/reviews/contest/

[Jorpho]

...I find myself at something of a loss as to what to say. Is there a site somewhere with good sample critiques? ;)

[Jorpho]

...I find myself at something of a loss as to what to say. Is there a site somewhere with good sample critiques? ;)

[Flack]

Do we just publicly respond with our vote? I'm afraid if I comment on someone's review it might influence other people's votes.

Also, I take it it would be ungentleman-like to vote on one's own reviews?

[Flack]

Do we just publicly respond with our vote? I'm afraid if I comment on someone's review it might influence other people's votes.

Also, I take it it would be ungentleman-like to vote on one's own reviews?

[Flack]

Joe, the screenshots have stopped working in many of the reviews.

[Flack]

Joe, the screenshots have stopped working in many of the reviews.

[digitalpress]

Joe, the screenshots have stopped working in many of the reviews.

Example? I see the box art from Paradroid is missing and I know why that is, what other screenshots "have stopped working"?

It could be that you were on during a maintenance moment. When things get shuffled around in new folders like these have, there are very brief moments where the old file is removed and the new file replaces it - that would be a span of several minutes tops.

Barring that, have you tried refreshing your browser?

[digitalpress]

Joe, the screenshots have stopped working in many of the reviews.

Example? I see the box art from Paradroid is missing and I know why that is, what other screenshots "have stopped working"?

It could be that you were on during a maintenance moment. When things get shuffled around in new folders like these have, there are very brief moments where the old file is removed and the new file replaces it - that would be a span of several minutes tops.

Barring that, have you tried refreshing your browser?

[Flack]

It was probably just a maintenance moment. Three in a row (Defender, Road Trip, and one other one) all had pictures missing. I went back to see which ones they were and they're all working now.

I give the maintenance a 3/10 for taking down pictures while I was reading reviews, but a 10/10 on recovery. :)

[Flack]

It was probably just a maintenance moment. Three in a row (Defender, Road Trip, and one other one) all had pictures missing. I went back to see which ones they were and they're all working now.

I give the maintenance a 3/10 for taking down pictures while I was reading reviews, but a 10/10 on recovery. :)

[NoahsMyBro]

I've already reviewed 2 or 3 reviews, but from here on out I plan on not reading other critiques until after I post mine. I don't trust myself to not be influenced by what was already written.

If you think your opinions may be swayed by what others have said before you write your critiques, I recommend you also delay reading other people's reviews until you've written yours.

Just a suggestion, though. I don't think this thing should be too heavy-handed.

[NoahsMyBro]

I've already reviewed 2 or 3 reviews, but from here on out I plan on not reading other critiques until after I post mine. I don't trust myself to not be influenced by what was already written.

If you think your opinions may be swayed by what others have said before you write your critiques, I recommend you also delay reading other people's reviews until you've written yours.

Just a suggestion, though. I don't think this thing should be too heavy-handed.

[Lady Jaye]

Hey Joe, when's the limit date/time to submit criticisms of reviews?

Next weekend? In too weeks? We gotta know! :D

[Lady Jaye]

Hey Joe, when's the limit date/time to submit criticisms of reviews?

Next weekend? In too weeks? We gotta know! :D

[digitalpress]

Hey Joe, when's the limit date/time to submit criticisms of reviews?

Next weekend? In too weeks? We gotta know! :D

No deadline yet. Once this forum's activity dies down I'll assume everyone who's going to particpate has participated. I won't let it run forever, so at the very latest we'll have things closed in four weeks.

[digitalpress]

Hey Joe, when's the limit date/time to submit criticisms of reviews?

Next weekend? In too weeks? We gotta know! :D

No deadline yet. Once this forum's activity dies down I'll assume everyone who's going to particpate has participated. I won't let it run forever, so at the very latest we'll have things closed in four weeks.

[lendelin]

Reading through the reviews and the evaluations, I must say, GREAT job! I'm impressed. I wish I've had the time to submit one of my own.

I didn't evaluate the reviews so far, so I hope the following advice doesn't come over as hyppocritical. (I'm sorry, but I got just finished with lots of grading, and if you grade a lot, damn, you're glad you don't have to grade anymore :) I hope I'll find the energy and time to grade most of the reviews.)

Reading through the evaluations, here are some hints to avoid mistakes:

1. Put a WALL between you and the review! Develop a very cold and distant view in order to evaluate what's in front of you.

2. It doesn't matter if you like the game or not, it doesn't matter if the game reviewed is good, mediocre, or bad. You evaluate the review itself, the game reviewed is absolutely unimportant.

3. Don't speculate who might have written the review. The author is for an objective evaluation completely unimportant. Never give speculative sympathy points, as a rule your speculation is wrong anyway.

4. Don't let the grade points of others influence you, give the points YOU think are justified.

5. If you know the game reviewed, imagine and assume you don't know it at all!! Go after the review under the assumption you know zilch, zero, nada, about the game.

6. Here are some guidelines/questions regarding evaluation after you read a review:

- did you get an impression what kind of game it is?

- was there useful background information, intelligent groupings into a genre, or comparisons to other games which were helpful?

- is the review well structured? Did it focus on important aspects, was it redundant, or too short? would have the review profited from shortening it or giving more information?

- is the amount of description and analysis well balanced?

- if evaluations were given in the text, did the reviewer give you convincing reasons for his/her evaluation?

- are the overall scores given consistent with the review content?

- was it a smooth, entertaining read, or hard to read? Did the reviewer develop clearly the points made, or are you confused?

- are there surprising thoughts or original approaches, and are they convincing? did something change your outlook on a specific game or genre based on the review?

[digitalpress]

Thanks, lendelin! Those are excellent points and surely will come in handy for those who haven't voted yet. The contest is really "just underway", after all :)

Good stuff.

[o2william]

I've been enjoying reading and commenting on this board. So far this contest has been very informative and instructive, not only about games but about the process of writing itself. However, there is one aspect I feel compelled to comment on. As I've been reading through the various review reviews, I've noticed a great deal of criticism being leveled across the board. "Duh!" you may say, and right you'd be, but I wanted to make sure that people don't take all this criticism the wrong way. After reading many reviews (I admit I haven't read all of them), I can tell there are several first-time or inexperienced writers who submitted entries. To that I say: bravo! It takes guts to open up your work to public scrutiny like that, especially when you know that your writing skills may not be that strong. Hell, it takes guts even if you're confident in your writing. People just love to pick things apart.

It seems to be human nature to seek out negatives rather than positives when crtiquing. I think you'll find in both the game reviews and in the review reviews that more effort is expended in describing what went wrong with the work rather than what went right. I know I've been guilty of this when writing my reviews. Unfortunately, this tendency sometimes makes a review seem harsher than it really is. So I urge you inexperienced writers not to become too disheartened by the criticism of your work.

It's difficult to write effectively, and that's why so few people do it. I've worked in publishing, and I've seen plenty of lousy pieces, many of them penned by professionals who write for a living! Plus, even the best writers commit the occasional grammar error or write an awkward sentence or two -- that's why there are professional editors. So don't feel too bad if your review receives a lackluster score. Even if you can only write reasonably well you'll still be doing better than most people in the world. So far, I've read precious few reviews that seemed irredeemably bad, which is a good thing. I'd hate to see anybody walk away from this contest convinced that he or she can't write. Anybody can, with enough practice.

Write on!

</soapbox>

[Jorpho]

Sensible advice indeed. I kind of feel like I'm grading papers for Video Game Critiquing 101 sometimes.

I hope more people join the party here.