Valve Turns Game Recommendations Into Steam Reviews

[thiosk]

This system is the least susceptible toro test review bombing. So I tentatively support it.

 

[hickwarrior]

Well, this is still open to abuse, but as the article stated, we should see how steam will deal with it.

As others have pointed out, reviewing games can be quite subject, so I'm happy to see the numerical system gone. If you truly want to give it a score, put it at the top of the review. If I would give a review a score, I would use apples to reference pears in my own secret scoring method, that may or may not make sense.

 

[GundamSentinel]

And honestlyit's good to hear what other people who bought it and perhaps even your friends have to say about it.

Particularly this. I don't much care what random people have to say about a game. But I do like to see the experiences of people I know and of whom I have a decent idea what they like and dislike, and how their preferences correspond to mine.

Then again, recommendations already exist anyway.

 

[Kahani]

And honestlyit's good to hear what other people who bought it and perhaps even your friends have to say about it.

I think this is the most important point. Far too many people love to just jump on bandwagons and hate on things, or more rarely the opposite, simply because everyone else is regardless of whether they've actually played it, and often before it's even been released. Knowing that reviews are from people who have at least played the game, and being able to see how much they've played it as well, means you can at least take them a bit more seriously.

 

[shadowmagus]

And honestlyit's good to hear what other people who bought it and perhaps even your friends have to say about it.

I think this is the most important point. Far too many people love to just jump on bandwagons and hate on things, or more rarely the opposite, simply because everyone else is regardless of whether they've actually played it, and often before it's even been released. Knowing that reviews are from people who have at least played the game, and being able to see how much they've played it as well, means you can at least take them a bit more seriously.

This was my thoughts on the review system as well, and is certainly the most positive point of the update. When I read a review, I can see how much time you have put (if any) into the game or if you are just jumping up and down like a rabid chimp because you don't like the developer, for example.

 

[WhiteTigerShiro]

5 star system plz.

I mean, it'll still be a case of 90% of everyone giving it either 5-stars or 0-stars, but at least then we're trying to have some sort of legitimate scoring system.

Actually, I think YouTube ended their 5-star rating system for that very reason. Too few people would actually vote 2-4 stars to make it worth having them there, so they just boiled it down to "Did you like it? Yes/No".

 

[Scorpid]

Steam reviews need to stay scoreless, as there's already a god damned metacritic link on the store pages for MOST games.

EDIT: I figure it's worth noting that I made this statement as a means of saying Steam Reviews were the 'one' thing that still required people to actually put words to their thoughts about the games they played... And they don't need anything beyond the words, because ANY semblance of a rating/score/approval system can be abused WAY too god damned easily. Look at Amazon and the reviews for Battlefield 4. MOST of them are 'RARGH, THIS DIDN'T WORK ON DAY ONE THEREFORE IT'S A SHIT GAME FOREVER EVEN IF IT GETS PATCHED AND IT'S NOT LIKE EA IMPLEMENTED A REFUND SYSTEM SO I CAN GET MY MONEY BACK THEREFORE I WILL CONTINUE TO BE ANGRY!!'

It just gets EXTREMELY tiresome wading through the reviews that either are bursts of excitement about a game or unfiltered rage towards it, both rarely encompassing anything more than the illiterately written babbling of fucking morons, JUST to get to someone who ACTUALLY detailed their likes and dislikes with a game. I'm not asking for a college thesis here, just a few fucking sentences about what you did and didn't like about the game! And if you can't put your thoughts down in a review then why the fuck are you reviewing it in the first place?

Of course, this is where people claim the rating/approval/score system comes into place but like many others will probably say, if you can't back up your rating/approval/score with GOOD reasons, then shut the fuck up and don't bother.

tl;dr: I just get tired of seeing actual reviews with some real detailed explanations and effort put into them that DO help my decision on purchases getting pushed down to the bottom by people who think shitting out a sentence or two makes a 'review'.

I don't see it happen with like, other products, it's mostly rampant in video game reviews and it needs to fucking go away.

Yeah user reviews that are split like that are pretty dumb BUT this will finally (hopefully) put scores to games like Towns and War Z /infestation: Survivor Stories, those steam market pages will finally give some warning to some spur of the moment shoppers when those pieces of shit are on sale for 75% off...

 

[Scorpid]

Steam reviews need to stay scoreless, as there's already a god damned metacritic link on the store pages for MOST games.

EDIT: I figure it's worth noting that I made this statement as a means of saying Steam Reviews were the 'one' thing that still required people to actually put words to their thoughts about the games they played... And they don't need anything beyond the words, because ANY semblance of a rating/score/approval system can be abused WAY too god damned easily. Look at Amazon and the reviews for Battlefield 4. MOST of them are 'RARGH, THIS DIDN'T WORK ON DAY ONE THEREFORE IT'S A SHIT GAME FOREVER EVEN IF IT GETS PATCHED AND IT'S NOT LIKE EA IMPLEMENTED A REFUND SYSTEM SO I CAN GET MY MONEY BACK THEREFORE I WILL CONTINUE TO BE ANGRY!!'

It just gets EXTREMELY tiresome wading through the reviews that either are bursts of excitement about a game or unfiltered rage towards it, both rarely encompassing anything more than the illiterately written babbling of fucking morons, JUST to get to someone who ACTUALLY detailed their likes and dislikes with a game. I'm not asking for a college thesis here, just a few fucking sentences about what you did and didn't like about the game! And if you can't put your thoughts down in a review then why the fuck are you reviewing it in the first place?

Of course, this is where people claim the rating/approval/score system comes into place but like many others will probably say, if you can't back up your rating/approval/score with GOOD reasons, then shut the fuck up and don't bother.

tl;dr: I just get tired of seeing actual reviews with some real detailed explanations and effort put into them that DO help my decision on purchases getting pushed down to the bottom by people who think shitting out a sentence or two makes a 'review'.

I don't see it happen with like, other products, it's mostly rampant in video game reviews and it needs to fucking go away.

Yeah user reviews that are split like that are pretty dumb BUT this will finally (hopefully) put scores to games like Towns and War Z /infestation: Survivor Stories, those steam market pages will finally give some warning to some spur of the moment shoppers when those pieces of shit are on sale for 75% off...

 

[Strazdas]

Because we need more "10/10 cant wait to buy it" reviews....
Then again, if they only allow a person to write the review after he has actually played the game, and then shows how much he did, that could be an improvement. OF course some people will AFK and all, but still sort out at least some fake reviews.
I wouldnt give much hope to the upvoting system. where i saw it implemented in thigs like comments it was always somone saying something "Funny" (not actually funny) recieving +1000 likes, somone making a reasonable review - downvoted by people who disagree.

 

[Slash2x]

Valve Turns Game Recommendations Into Steam Reviews

each review lists how much time the reviewer put into the game, reinforcing their positive or negative opinions.

Annnnnd I am sold. So basically a way to see if somone played for 10 minutes and quit or if they have 8+ hours in the game. You play for 10 minutes I could give a shit less what your thought on the game are. You really play the game and invest some time in it then I might see some value in the game.

 

[Qvar]

So, now that the novelty has wore off, what do you think? Do you find them useful? Are they gamed?
For what I've seen with the reviews I've written myself and the ones I've read, this man

I wouldnt give much hope to the upvoting system. where i saw it implemented in thigs like comments it was always somone saying something "Funny" (not actually funny) recieving +1000 likes, somone making a reasonable review - downvoted by people who disagree.

was totally rigth, sadly. You write a negative review about a game generally acclaimed? Totally "not useful". You write two lines of "great game! buy it!" for a very popular game? 95% positive feedback, congrats, your useless review is now at the first place for everybody to see. Well maybe not totally. If nothing else, at least it shows the percentage of people who liked the game (except me. I'm downvoting all those even if I do agree with the "review").

 

[Strazdas]

(except me. I'm down-voting all those even if I do agree with the "review").

But then you become part of the problem, as you yourself are using the system in unintended ways and trying to game it. This will not solve the problem. People taking the system seriously and using it correctly would. I believe in leading by example and i try to be as fair as possible to these reviews. (and other downvoting systems, though on some sites as simple comments as "thanks" is supposedly acceptable. sigh. I actually got in trouble once for downvoting too many "thanks" and "Great" comments.)

 

[Qvar]

But then you become part of the problem, as you yourself are using the system in unintended ways and trying to game it. This will not solve the problem. People taking the system seriously and using it correctly would. I believe in leading by example and i try to be as fair as possible to these reviews. (and other downvoting systems, though on some sites as simple comments as "thanks" is supposedly acceptable. sigh. I actually got in trouble once for downvoting too many "thanks" and "Great" comments.)

Well, what would you consider a useful review? I consider useful one that explains the pros and cons of the game, what the game is actually about, and the genre and gameplay style of it. If it just contains "Yes totally worth it" don't consider it's of any usefulness for anybody trying to decide if they should buy it. Thus I downvote.

 

[Strazdas]

But then you become part of the problem, as you yourself are using the system in unintended ways and trying to game it. This will not solve the problem. People taking the system seriously and using it correctly would. I believe in leading by example and i try to be as fair as possible to these reviews. (and other downvoting systems, though on some sites as simple comments as "thanks" is supposedly acceptable. sigh. I actually got in trouble once for downvoting too many "thanks" and "Great" comments.)

Well, what would you consider a useful review? I consider useful one that explains the pros and cons of the game, what the game is actually about, and the genre and gameplay style of it. If it just contains "Yes totally worth it" don't consider it's of any usefulness for anybody trying to decide if they should buy it. Thus I downvote.

I have misunderstood you then. I thought you said your downwoting all reviews just for the sake of it instead of based on their value. comments that are "Yes totally worth it" i dont even consider "Reviews". We are in agreement here it seems