Official Reviews

[ShadowMarth]

Just to recap, official reviews are meant to be made only be official reviewers and ones that were requested by a mod. So, all others should be posted in the Member's Review section correct? Please take more time in checking these facts before posting "Official Reviews" in the future. After a lengthy PM and shoutbox conversation with Euan on the subject after he broke that rule in posting his review in the Official section, when it should have been in the member review one, he seems to think that saying that it was for the good of the site was justification. I thought that was the mod's job? I don't intend a flamewar with euan or anyone, I'm just trying to settle the matter of official reviews once and for all.

[Euan]

Look guys, why the hell are we denying ourselves one more official review which then, when people log on, can make them more impressed?

All it's doing is helping the site, nothing less, nothing more.

[ShadowMarth]

Because it's NOT an official review. Whether you believe it's helping the site or not, it's not your job to do so. There's a member's review section for that express purpose, so all can have theirs seen.

As I said, I'm not here to argue. It's up to the mods to decide on the issue, just like with who does official reviews.

[touchds]

Please can you guys use this thread to decide on what you want from the boards policy of reviews.

I want to get a majority feel for what is needed.

Questions to resolve between yourselves will be
- Do we need official reviews and members reviews forums?
- Can anyone ask for a review to be submitted to 'Official Reviews'
- What is the criteria for an official review
- The frequency you want reviews to appear.

and anything else you want to confirm with eachother.

[Euan]

But the members reviews section doesn't really help the site. Look, why the hell are we denying ourselves one more review? Fair enough, if you think it's crappy and not good enough, but I haven't heard anyone say that yet, but if it's an OK standard, decent length, and reviews a game which hasn't been reviewed before - just why the hell not?

[Euan]

I think we need official and members reviews forums, BUT, I think if a game hasn't been reviewed by anyone, and hasn't planned - as well as being a decent standard - then why isn't it being put up? It helps the site in ways, as well as filling in gaps which many people have left for - I know of one example of a guy who just looks at the front page and has a look at the news (THAT IS ALL) who has began not doing that because of how little the reviews are updated. Not a great loss, you may say, but he has a valid point - this board needs more official reviews.

Criterias for official reviews - decent standard, covers a game which has not been reviewed before. Maybe we should have a 'reviews committee' who judge whether or not a review from a member should go in the members reviews or official reviews and if members, explain possible reasoning why (without being too harsh).

Allen - have a look at Improvements which is lower down the page on TouchDS.com board. Maybe I am just one member, but there are my opinions on what could be improved.

[ShadowMarth]

I've been over this. Quality, number of reviews, none of this matters in this discussion! The only thing that matters is that you broke rules in doing it. Had you contacted mods and asked to have it done as an official review, we'd not be having this discussion. I'd have no problem with it then.

Also, if that wasn't the rule, then once again, why do we have a member's review section? I myself posted a YTAG review many months ago, and I was perfectly content to put it in the member's review section. Why? Because I'm a MEMBER. Sure, we could have used an official review, and had I been requested to do so, I'd have lengthened it and made it better to step up to the standard. But I wasn't, and there was no problem from me. We still don't have a YTAG review, so even though it could use it, I didn't usurp power from mods in order to fix that.

We're arguing in circles here, just wait for the mods to continue.

[Euan]

Why doesn't quality etc matter? If the reviews are good and cover a game that has never been done before, whether it's written by Allen, LKR or a bloody alien, it should be up there. We're not exactly spoiled for reviews, so it should be up there. I'm not just saying this for me either, I'm arguing for everyone.

[Lkr]

euan, you aren't a staff member, therefore you shouldn't be posting in the Official Review thread without contacting Allen or Chuddy about making it Official. The few crap reviews I've done are on my site which can be viewed, but is no longer updated, or the MEMBER REVIEW section, because like Shadow said, we are MEMBERS not the STAFF MEMBERS who make the OFFICIAL reviews. Also, Shadow, there is no rule unless I can see a link, and Euan what you did was just plain wrong.

[ShadowMarth]

Originally Posted by touchds

Please can you guys use this thread to decide on what you want from the boards policy of reviews.

I want to get a majority feel for what is needed.

Questions to resolve between yourselves will be
- Do we need official reviews and members reviews forums?
- Can anyone ask for a review to be submitted to 'Official Reviews'
- What is the criteria for an official review
- The frequency you want reviews to appear.

and anything else you want to confirm with eachother.

-Yes, that way it's easy to get only quality reviews for official, and for the members to be able to voice their reviews easily.
-I suppose, but I would prefer if it required a direct request, not just a review when posted
-Approved by mods, prefferably more than one, and supported by the site as our one-and-only official review for the game.
-Depends on games coming out.