What Our Review Scores Mean

teebeeohh

New member
Jun 17, 2009
2,896
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i love that this system actually uses the whole spectrum.
and i will refer to this as the "chungus-scale" in the future.
 

medv4380

The Crazy One
Feb 26, 2010
672
4
23
Teoes said:
Hopefully this'll start to get it through certain skulls that 3.5 stars =/= 70%. This is not a linear scale in that sense. That they should read the text of the review rather than focusing solely on the number at the bottom.


..who am I kidding?
3.5 stars equals
7 out of 10
Half a star equals 1 point
There are 7 half stars in 3.5
7 out of 10
equals
70%


Also 3.5 stars / 5 stars equals 0.7 which is 70%

Please, Please, Please consult your Algebra Teacher, or College Professor is you don't understand.
 

Teoes

Poof, poof, sparkles!
Jun 1, 2010
5,174
0
0
medv4380 said:
Teoes said:
Hopefully this'll start to get it through certain skulls that 3.5 stars =/= 70%. This is not a linear scale in that sense. That they should read the text of the review rather than focusing solely on the number at the bottom.


..who am I kidding?
3.5 stars equals
7 out of 10
Half a star equals 1 point
There are 7 half stars in 3.5
7 out of 10
equals
70%


Also 3.5 stars / 5 stars equals 0.7 which is 70%

Please, Please, Please consult your Algebra Teacher, or College Professor is you don't understand.
I think you have not understood the points of the article. I suggest you re-read and note my statement that the Escapist star system is not a linear scale in that sense. Algebra has little to nothing to do with it.
 

Johnny Novgorod

Bebop Man
Legacy
Feb 9, 2012
18,465
3,005
118
I'll say it, I'm not a big fan of Sterling. Pundits (i.e. people with opinions about everything) don't impress me, let alone smug pundits (not an insult - he's smugly acknowledged his smugness). Then again I'm not a big fan of centralized power. I've been noticing lately the staff is getting reduced while a chosen few remain in charge of an increasing percentage of the place. Sterling and Chipman have how many shows again? All I'm saying is it doesn't do a lot of good for diversity of opinion. They could use some new blood. But whatever, it's just my opinion. Congratulations.
 

medv4380

The Crazy One
Feb 26, 2010
672
4
23
Teoes said:
medv4380 said:
Teoes said:
Hopefully this'll start to get it through certain skulls that 3.5 stars =/= 70%. This is not a linear scale in that sense. That they should read the text of the review rather than focusing solely on the number at the bottom.


..who am I kidding?
3.5 stars equals
7 out of 10
Half a star equals 1 point
There are 7 half stars in 3.5
7 out of 10
equals
70%


Also 3.5 stars / 5 stars equals 0.7 which is 70%

Please, Please, Please consult your Algebra Teacher, or College Professor is you don't understand.
I think you have not understood the points of the article. I suggest you re-read and note my statement that the Escapist star system is not a linear scale in that sense. Algebra has little to nothing to do with it.
I understand it just fine, but you should realize that 70% means exactly the same thing to every student as it does to Jim. Though I suspect Jim was a little more accepting of D grade 3/5. They may be passing, but they aren't really acceptable to most.
 

ExtraDebit

New member
Jul 16, 2011
533
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After a few disconnect from the reviewers I don't really come here for the reviews anymore, but good to know anyway.
 

josemlopes

New member
Jun 9, 2008
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0
I dont think setting a star system with a description for each result being set in stone is that great of an idea. You can have a 2 star rating game (by following those descriptions) that shines in a particular area but is terrible at some others, if you dont care for the parts the game is terrible at then all you have is an opinion for a great game (basicly all niche games fall into this).

And you should know this as you love some rather niche games (the quirky kind).


I made a topic not long ago about the way people interpreted reviews and how it was key to know if the tastes of the reviewer matched the tastes of the consumer.
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.832634-Knowing-your-reviewer#20345190

I guess it was well received and to be honest I think its something that people dont take much into account (even though its important as hell).


In the end I think a clear summary on how the reviewer felt about the game making clear where his perspective is coming from is a lot more important then a score.

For example, if a review for Battlefield 4 is made by a guy that doesnt care for multiplayer he really needs to make that clear because you know that a lot of readers do care for the multiplayer and that review wont be aimed at them, its still a valid review for people that only care for singleplayer but for the rest it needs to be clear as water where that perspective is coming from, otherwise they will think the game (multiplayer included) sucks for the wrong reasons.
 

TheMemoman

New member
Mar 11, 2013
130
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0
Dear Jim,

Let me get to it right away: Just don't get carried away by one aspect of the game that particularly irks you in a way that makes you overlook all the human effort and other overarching achievements of the program. After all a game is a computer program that is trying to convey emotion, and while both seem to be on different lobbies in the human brain and popular opinion, both are incredibly hard work.

I've seen some of your reviews where you get fixated upon a particularly jarring aspect that jumps at you, that while valid, eloquently expressed and cleverly mocked, it eclipses the rest of the experience (and review) and polarizes the final score. It makes for good, quality comedy and fanboy-ism fuel for the comment section's witch burning, but not so much for a compelling review in terms of garme jurnalizm.

I'm a big fan of your Jimquisition video-column, your opinions are well versed and intelligently presented. I've always liked the way you side with consumers over corporations, even with low income consumers rather than rich gamers that can have it all. You've always stuck with the people, and that's the main reason I'm a fan of your editorial. You seem to be morally righteous and unfaltering, and that is admirable. My small caveat with some reviews is that sometimes they feel a bit too passionate and not as fair as they could be. That is something to consider for a review editor.
 

Zenron

The Laughing Shadow
May 11, 2010
298
0
0
*begins chanting*

Jim! Jim! Jim! Jim! Jim! Jim!

(Congrats by the way, I'm sure you'll bring a lot to the reviewing on this site).
 

BrotherRool

New member
Oct 31, 2008
3,834
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0
I'm really looking forward to this, the Escapist reviewing always did a pretty decent job, but mainly in the more 'If it functional? Is it fun?' style of things (indie games being the big exception). I'm hoping you'll be the perfect guy to bring in that touch of personality/insight that might make them more unique
 

puff ball

New member
Mar 14, 2011
167
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0
hes not the reviews editor the escapist wants hes the reviews editor the escapist needs. it seems the expo was a potent of things to come when i close my eyes i can still hear the crowd chanting his name Jim! JIM!! JIM!!!!!!
 

saxman234

New member
Nov 23, 2011
93
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0
Wonderful first article on the escapist. I always loved your reviews on Destructoid, and this will continue onto the Escapist. Will it be slightly weird for you going from the 20 point scale that Dtoid had with the .5s to the 10 point scale that Escapist has? Anyways, excellent news that you are here!
 

Jimothy Sterling

New member
Apr 18, 2011
5,976
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I don't have a HUGE amount of time to address everything right now, sorry. The week has been hectic, as I am sure you can understand. To briefly answer a couple things:

1. The scale is not up for debate at this time. I know this system works. :)

2. Yes, I will be writing reviews. My first review for the site will be Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus.

3. The Jimquisition persona is a exaggerated portrayal of myself. Those of you worried based on only seeing my videos will learn that game critic Jim is a lot less about the smugness and much more about the games. Game reviewing is what I do. I don't fuck around with it.

Thank you for the warm welcome, most of you! <3
 

Grethiwha

New member
Nov 8, 2013
1
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I register to the Escapist today for you Mr. Sterling!

I look forward to reading your reviews with my eyes some more.
 

hentropy

New member
Feb 25, 2012
737
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It would be nice if there were no review scores in general, but I guess I understand the business side of things and the need to do it from that angle.
 

Jimothy Sterling

New member
Apr 18, 2011
5,976
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hentropy said:
It would be nice if there were no review scores in general, but I guess I understand the business side of things and the need to do it from that angle.
It is not a need for me. It is a want.

I use scores because I like them, not because I have to use them.
 
Dec 16, 2009
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Jimothy Sterling said:
What Our Review Scores Mean

A brief explanation of The Escapist's five-star review scale.

Read Full Article
good luck Jimothy. Hope your stint on the Escapist is long and fruitful.

Edit. Any chance you could convince the powers that be to create a mobile Escapist website with SD video that doesn't require Flash?
 

SonOfMethuselah

New member
Oct 9, 2012
360
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Congrats, my good man. Super happy that I'll still be able to read your reviews, although it'll take me a little while to get used to seeing them here, rather than on Destructoid. :p