Reviews - ASAP or Gathered?

Reviews/Previews - As soon as possible or gathered?

  • I'd like to know about every single one asap

    Votes: 8 50.0%
  • I'd prefer to have them gathered a little

    Votes: 8 50.0%

  • Total voters
    16

Kordanor

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While you can just skip news you are not interested in of course I think "clutter" news make it a little harder to find the "real news". Currently a lot of the news are reviews/previews and links to other sites and their opinions about the game. And while I think it's nice to have them, I think it's getting a little cluttered.

In addition it also splits up conversations.
My impression about review-news is that lots of comments in these threads are not directly related to the review posted but about "meta topics" considering the game - or own opinions of the game. And I think it would be constructive to "gather" these conversations a bit instead of spreading them out over multiple threads.

So I think an alternative would be to gather review news a bit.
This would also give a better overview about the game. So if you only check one of the review news and the game gets a 6/10 you might get a different impression than when there a 5 reviews with a range from 6/10 to 9/10.
Not everyone will check each and every news.

There are of course multiple ways to do it. For example there could be a Review/Preview Roundup day, which is the only day when reviews are posted (maybe different for each game or different for each category of game?).
Or there could be a number of reviews which must have been gathered before a news is written about it (like no news without 3-5 gathered reviews depending on the "size" of the game as a Avadon will not cause as many reviews as a Skyrim)
There are probably other possibilities. But I think you get my point.
And of course there are exceptions. Like the first review of the game or the first preview.

But maybe I am completely alone with this opinion? Maybe you want to know about all Reviews as soon as they are posted? Tell us :)
 
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Actually posting single newsbits for every review is quicker than collecting and summarizing many. If Couch or another editor does it, it's a bonus.

If you would like to see such things we need volunteers to do it.
 
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Also, reviews come out at different times and on different days, etc. If we hold off for a few days to wait till we have several, other people will complain we're not posting about 'reviews' quickly enough!! We can't win. :)
 
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Well, I'd call it constructive feedback instead of whining.
But when I thought about a "I couldn't care less option" it was already too late. Or at least I don't see a way to add options.
 
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I am quite fine with the current mix of immediate and gathered review posts. Having done more than my share of stuff here and elsewhere through the years, I do not underestimate the amount of work required along with doing everything else to maintain an actual life.
 
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I think every single review/preview when it arrives makes more sense. But what I'd do would be to create a separate section just for those - and refer to them in a single sticky in the news section, perhaps with an "update timestamp" or whatever.

Maybe that would bother fewer people.

Discussions related to the reviews/previews would be contained in the separate section, so as to be less visible among the other news bits.
 
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I think it's just fine the way it is and I appreciate the effort of the staff to aggregate some of the reviews. Makes it much more easy and convenient to get an overall idea about the quality of a game.
 
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@DArtagnan
That would also be a cool idea. But that would basically mean two news sections. Question is if the page can be adjusted that easily.
 
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I like the gathered approach. I usually don't buy games as soon as they release, so timing isn't important to me. It is nice to see a few different reviews and scores at the same time in the same thread, though. I like it.
 
The poll is missing an option for "Please stop whining."
I agree with you Korplem. :highfive:

Unless Mrtrhos tells me otherwise I will continue to post as I do. This thread was only started by Kordanor based on a response from me in another thread.:roll:
 
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I agree with you Korplem. :highfive:

Unless Mrtrhos tells me otherwise I will continue to post as I do. This thread was started by Kordanor who for some reason has a problem with me personally.^^

I think you do an outstanding job, Couch! I don't mind what way reviews or whatever are posted, it's all good to me. Keep up the good work!
 
And I am getting tired of being accused.

I already sent you a PM some weeks ago which you seem not to have read.
 
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Personally, I'd prefer fewer articles of better quality and pertinence than many articles running the entire gamut. But obviously, filtering takes time as well.
 
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I thought I would share a little insight on how I gather the news.
1. I search over 100 hundred sites that includes two link sites.
2. I look for keywords like RPG, Action, or Kickstarter, and others.
3. I bookmark the links.
4. I check my email for submitted news, and Kickstarter updates.
5. Post the news-bits (Takes the most time)
Now it takes me 2-3 hours a day filtering out stories, and just posting them. So tell me were I can find more time to read them all, and add more features.

I will admit a few bad articles still make it as I'm only one volunteer doing the work. I do as well as I can, and I think some of you are just to demanding.

Also the key word here is I'm doing this all for free on top of my demanding job in real life. Now I hope this was insightful.^^
 
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2-3h a day? Ouch.
But my complaint is not about the "quality" of articles but about the proportion of kind of articles and the "spread" of threads. One bit of news versus 3 opinions about games from major and minor sites (exaggerated, don't count)
I mean of course the alternative of bundling them is to only post reviews from a couple of known sites (don't ask me which). Well, essentially you already do that. Can't remember that a polish or so review was linked ;)
This would probably even reduce the amount of work.
 
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Notice the list is shorter today only two previews. Now I can't promise anything for everyday because news is lite on some days, and I will post them if I have to.;)

I talked enough for today. Back to lurker mode now.:shh:
 
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I thought I would share a little insight on how I gather the news.
Now it takes me 2-3 hours a day filtering out stories, and just posting them. So tell me were I can find more time to read them all, and add more features.

I will admit a few bad articles still make it as I'm only one volunteer doing the work. I do as well as I can, and I think some of you are just to demanding.

Also the key word here is I'm doing this all for free on top of my demanding job in real life. Now I hope this was insightful.^^

Is that all and here I thought it was actual work.;)

Don't worry couch, I think most here know and appreciate all you do.:)
 
Don't worry couch, I think most here know and appreciate all you do.:)

+1

I like the plethora of news in the front page and always find something interesting to read… :)
 
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Frankly, I don't care how Couch or any other editor does this. It is his time and he does it not for himself but for all our visitors. He should go with whatever is easier and/or faster for him.

The news editor does not allow for collecting news and saving newsbits to modify them and to be send out at a later time, which again is a reason to do it as it is done.

Posting news takes a lot of time and the only thing you receive as a news editor here at the Watch is the satisfaction you get out of doing this for our readers and their positive feedback.
As this is highly inefficient, I propose that people who have issues with how news is posted take it up with me and discuss that with me. I think that is far more efficient.

To conclude I want to say that I have enormous respect for what Couch does and how he does it. I know how much time this takes and I wish I could throw some benefits towards him to underline how important his work is and how much it is appreciated.

Go, Couch, Go!!!
 
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