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Prevent rating a new release for two weeks.
Abrahmm
Member Posts: 2,448
I think a big problem with the current game rating system is that games are available to be rated immediately after they release, even though this isn't ample time for people to actually play through the game and get a decent feel for how the game actually is. What results is all of the fans of the game giving it really high rating right off the bat without actually playing it, and then the game is rated much higher than it deserves. I think you should prevent people from rating a game until at least 2 weeks after it releases.
Tried: LotR, CoH, AoC, WAR, Jumpgate Classic
Played: SWG, Guild Wars, WoW
Playing: Eve Online, Counter-strike
Loved: Star Wars Galaxies
Waiting for: Earthrise, Guild Wars 2, anything sandbox.
Comments
I vote for a month actually. Another possibly good thing would be to reset the ratings every few years.
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A work in progress: (Update: 08/09/10)Easily find your favorite type of MMO
i like both ideas in general. Hold off ratings for 1 month after release, OR just reset the ratings after 6 months of launch.
Playing: EVE Online
Favorite MMOs: WoW, SWG Pre-cu, Lineage 2, UO, EQ, EVE online
Looking forward to: Archeage, Kingdom Under Fire 2
KUF2's Official Website - http://www.kufii.com/ENG/ -
15 minutes.
15 minutes is all it takes to log in and tell whether things are right or things or wrong.
15 minutes.
15 minutes is all it takes to log in and tell whether things are right or things or wrong.
After playing a game for only 15 minutes, you haven't the slightest clue as to whether it's any good. That's enough time to tell if it runs on your computer, and perhaps if you like the graphics, but that's about it.
I concur with the original point of this thread. Resetting ratings after a while would work, too.
15 minutes.
15 minutes is all it takes to log in and tell whether things are right or things or wrong.
After playing a game for only 15 minutes, you haven't the slightest clue as to whether it's any good. That's enough time to tell if it runs on your computer, and perhaps if you like the graphics, but that's about it.
I concur with the original point of this thread. Resetting ratings after a while would work, too.
Wrong-o. In 15 minutes, I can tell the following:
1) If the game is too linear (i.e., forced tutorial, overly quest-laden)
2) If the animations are clunky, how well combat and spells perform
3) If the game is buggy overall.
4) Graphics quality.
5) Whether the music is good (i.e., Everquest) or sucks (i.e., Vanguard)
6) Basic estimate of whether the game is populated (i.e., are there other players running around).
About the only thing I cannot tell in the first 15 minutes is end-game (of course) and crafting. You really don't need long to get some basic feel for a game after logging in.
Those who tell you that you need to play until level 40 before basing an opinion are the same folks who tell you that you're a fool for playing a game to level 40 that you didn't like. It's a no-win situation.
Track Record:
I knew in 15 minutes that Everquest would be good, that WOW would be passable, that DAOC would be a fine game, that Shadowbane had performance issues but an innovative design.
I also knew in 15 minutes that Asheron's Call 2 wasn't going to make it, that WAR sucked, that AOC sucked in a legendary way, that Everquest 2 was very flawed, that Vanguard would thin out very early.
I could just tell. Of course, I have decades of gaming experience, but I do not need to log in for very long before I has a pretty good idea where a game is or should be going.
I would favour a bit of a delay before rating is available (though one thing I will say, a few of the early ratings may come from people who were in closed/open beta stages, and therefore DO have longer playing experience, though admitidly not with the release code)
I think a complete reset every so often though would be a bad idea. Say someone rates a game a day before the reset, they've got to do it again only a day later, if they notice it's reset even.
I'd suggest individual ratings having an expiry, say 3 months or so, and issue a reminder when your rating is due to expire, something like "3 months ago you rated x MMO with a rating of 8, if you wish your rating to still contribute to this game, you will need to re-visit the page and re-rate it, giving you the chance also to revise this based on your more recent experiences. If you chose not to re-rate x MMO, then your rating will no longer count to it's overall reputation"
I think this would be a more fair system, as it makes the rater (ratee, one who rates, whatever...) aware of what's going on.
I also think the number of votes cast should be highlighted a bit more, as at the moment you only see it if you go into the overview for the rating. I believe that should be shown aswell on the front page for the game, and on the game list, possibly as a sort option even if possible, to show the game with the highest rating per person.
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Currently playing: Rift
former player of: DAoC, Everquest 2, Guild Wars, SWG (pre-NGE), WoW, Warhammer online, LotR:O
+ 1
I think this is a good call to delay for 1 month, I also think that gaming magazines need to look at them self as they always offering high rating in return for financial reward. I have stopped buying these magazines due to the bullshit they often give for games.
I would also like to see this gaming system upgraded to give a further detailed reason why a game excels or not, for example Graphics, game play, Customer service, crafting, customisation and anything else which the game provides to give the potential customer a full detailed understand as to what they will letting them self into should they part with their money.
I also feel that the pre-order should come under closer scrutiny and that this can have a major in pact into people buying the game in advance to get an early start. The people in the early start programs are often the folks on the front line and we need them to be as honest as possible here to help the person holding off buying a game until they are sure or feel confident that the game meets their minimum expectations, this will save many gamers from wasting both time and money.
Bandit
Asbo
15 minutes.
15 minutes is all it takes to log in and tell whether things are right or things or wrong.
After playing a game for only 15 minutes, you haven't the slightest clue as to whether it's any good. That's enough time to tell if it runs on your computer, and perhaps if you like the graphics, but that's about it.
I concur with the original point of this thread. Resetting ratings after a while would work, too.
Wrong-o. In 15 minutes, I can tell the following:
1) If the game is too linear (i.e., forced tutorial, overly quest-laden)
2) If the animations are clunky, how well combat and spells perform
3) If the game is buggy overall.
4) Graphics quality.
5) Whether the music is good (i.e., Everquest) or sucks (i.e., Vanguard)
6) Basic estimate of whether the game is populated (i.e., are there other players running around).
About the only thing I cannot tell in the first 15 minutes is end-game (of course) and crafting. You really don't need long to get some basic feel for a game after logging in.
Those who tell you that you need to play until level 40 before basing an opinion are the same folks who tell you that you're a fool for playing a game to level 40 that you didn't like. It's a no-win situation.
Track Record:
I knew in 15 minutes that Everquest would be good, that WOW would be passable, that DAOC would be a fine game, that Shadowbane had performance issues but an innovative design.
I also knew in 15 minutes that Asheron's Call 2 wasn't going to make it, that WAR sucked, that AOC sucked in a legendary way, that Everquest 2 was very flawed, that Vanguard would thin out very early.
I could just tell. Of course, I have decades of gaming experience, but I do not need to log in for very long before I has a pretty good idea where a game is or should be going.
Ehh.... I can see where you're coming from... You can definitely get an overall "first impression" of what the game is like, but you only know how it is at the very beginning.
MMOs can and, in many cases, do tend to evolve and expand as you progress through the game. The first levels are usually made deliberately more "limited" or "streamlined" to help ease new players into it.
For example... FFXI has recently added new player tutorials to the game that are very linear and deliberate in how the player is guided through them; there's even a little bit of "hand-holding". However, once you're done with them and into the full game, it's an entirely different experience. All hand-holding disappears and you're left to make your own way the same as everyone else. The new player experience, aside from being optional, is in no way representative of the rest of the game.
I think this is why even gaming magazines and sites will wait a while before giving an actual review, or will come back and do a "revisit" of it at a later date.
I do agree a sort of "lock-out" period would be appropriate. I would say a month would be good, since that's usually the amount of time people will say is reasonable to wait before seeing how a MMO is really doing.. People will vote with their wallets, after all, and once that free month is up, people are going to know whether they enjoy it enough to keep playing, or whether it falls short of earning their subscription dollar.
and the cash shop selling asphalt..." - Mimzel on F2P/Cash Shops
The problem with MMORPGs is that by their very nature they are constantly evolving. I agree, it is not fair to judge a game of this type based on a few hours play. Additionaly, playing the initial stages of the game may not be indicative of the entire experience (i.e. AoC and Tortage). MMORPGs should be re-rated every year or so, depending on content, patches and other factors. They do not remain static like the majority of single player games, they evolve over time (for better or worse).
First impressions mean everything to an avid gamer, I seriously can't count the amount of games I've tried and within the first 20-30 minutes ended up uninstalling it. Screenshots and videos don't do justice really until you have had your hand in the game, just because you haven't seen the whole game doesn't mean you can't tell if it's going to bomb or not.
The rating system is all opinion based anyways, if someone doesn't like the game, even if you make them wait 2 weeks after release to rate it, they are still going to rate it bad.