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[Shard]

In order to sell games for the long haul, the game has to be in the store. A good review can keep a game in a store longer, which can lead to more sales.

Bad reviews won't do a damn thing to the latest 50 cent game, but they can keep a small niche game in stores for a longer period of time, which will lead to more sales. Maybe a bit less than "kill", but it could lead to less.

Still waiting on the Castlevania: DoS reprinting.

 

[snatches]

I can say that I hate Super Smash Brothers Melee, but if you asked me to review it, I'd probably give it at 7/10 at least. Why? Because nobody who pays $4.99 for a magazine cares that Drinky f'ing Crow demands that every fighting game play like VF4 and that he utterly despises the Nintendo mascot roster.

I really hate to say it....but this is easily the post of the ****ing thread. GO DRINKY

 

[Drinky Crow]

Where'd I say "Gaffer audience," Mister Misconception?

****, I don't even regularly post here any more, and I certainly don't consider myself part of the GAF community.

 

[Tieno]

fallout, the day I care what a couple of thin-skinned messageboard jockeys think about my posting style is the day I buy a ****ing Wii and jerk off into a plush Kirby.

hawt!

 

[fallout]

fallout, the day I care what a couple of thin-skinned messageboard jockeys think about my posting style is the day I buy a ****ing Wii and jerk off into a plush Kirby.

:lol Fair enough. Was just checking.

 

[Robert Ashley]

In order to sell games for the long haul, the game has to be in the store. A good review can keep a game in a store longer, which can lead to more sales.

Bad reviews won't do a damn thing to the latest 50 cent game, but they can keep a small niche game in stores for a longer period of time, which will lead to more sales. Maybe a bit less than "kill", but it could lead to less.

So, do you think a reviewer should take into account the effect they will have on the sales of a game when they score it?

 

[Reilly]

fallout, the day I care what a couple of thin-skinned messageboard jockeys think about my posting style is the day I buy a ****ing Wii and jerk off into a plush Kirby.

If ZD was smart, they'd hire Drinky ASAP.

 

[Kittonwy]

Why have multiple magazines if they all provide the same content and opinions? Why not just combine them into one magazine and call it "The Ziff-Davis Videogaming Circlejerk"? Hell, why even have multiple reviewers per game? Why not fire all the writers save one, and have him review every game?

The point of multiple reviewers is to AVOID situations like this, where one esoteric and distinctly minority voice has a little too much say. How happy would some of you monocle-wearing porkchops be if Parish's NSMB score had appeared in EGM as well some mythical Official Nintendo Magazine? How happy would you schweinhunds be if I was the only person reviewing Unlimited SaGa as a 9/10 for all of the magazines under a publisher's banner?

I bow to your wisdom, Drinky!!!

 

[-Rogue5-]

Here's another misconception. EGM isn't written for the GAFer audience... You guys already know EVERYTHING anyway, right?

If anything that makes it worse, as the casual gamer or younger audience won't take notice that all three outlets' reviews were done by the same person (who, in this case, didn't like the game). They read OPM see a bad review, read EGM see a negative perspective, glance at 1up see a third harsh review and think, "three reviews say it's bad... this game probably blows." Meanwhile they were all written by the same person. Naw Meen?

 

[zabuni]

I am dumbfounded as to why you keep responding to me like this but okay!

He made a broad generalization about message board posters that I thought was inaccurate and called him on it, I don't quite follow where you're coming from... But yes I see what you're saying and I don't disagree with you so... yay!

Ah, my bad.

 

[chespace]

If ZD was smart, they'd hire Drinky ASAP.

All you n00bs have no idea that Drinky used to write for ZD.

 

[Drinky Crow]

I freelanced for ZD back in the Playstation 1 era. They were good chaps in those days -- and many still are -- but I wouldn't do it again. I do a little freelancing for CGM these days, but as with ZD, I did it more out of respect for the person that asked me rather than any desire to do "games jounalism." It's a low ****ing art, and I'm only mediocre at it to boot.

Second of all, NONE of you would want me on ANY masthead. I actually asked CGM for the chance to scuttle Nintendogs as the throwaway Wal-Mart bargain rack crap it was, and they wisely laughed in my face.

 

[Greenpanda]

Here's another misconception. EGM isn't written for the GAFer audience... You guys already know EVERYTHING anyway, right?

See, that's the point, though. People on GAF may know that the same hack "journalist" wrote a review in all three issues because it's been discussed so much here, but many other people won't. ZD's limp-wristed masturbatory "policy" means that a non-GAF audience is going to see the same crappy review three times and, having not read the GAF threads, think that three different people wrote it.

edit: -Rogue5- OTM.

 

[kenta]

So, do you think a reviewer should take into account the effect they will have on the sales of a game when they score it?

I think you're missing his point. People were saying this has an effect on sales, people were saying no it doesn't, so he tried posting some sort of evidence that yes, it could potentially have an impact on sales.

 

[White Man]

I freelanced for ZD back in the Playstation 1 era. They were good chaps in those days -- and many still are -- but I wouldn't do it again. I do a little freelancing for CGM these days, but as with ZD, I did it more out of respect for the person that asked me rather than any desire to do "games jounalism." It's a low ****ing art, and I'm only mediocre at it to boot.

Second of all, NONE of you would want me on ANY masthead. I actually asked CGM for the chance to scuttle Nintendogs as the throwaway Wal-Mart bargain rack crap it was, and they wisely laughed in my face.

What about that time ZD made you review Cosmic Race for 6 different publications?

 

[ZeoVGM]

why the **** do people care about this? why is there an almost 8 page thread on one person's opinion? if gamespot and ign give it a bad or even jsut mediocre review, will people still be calling out Parish?

it's probably a) not as great as some people say and you're blinded by nostalgia, and b) not a bad game like Parish thinks

this would make it somewhere in between!

how about you like the game if you like it and stop caring about what some guy in a magazine says?

it could get all 9's and 10's and it would still sell badly in america anyway. really, the high majority of people who ARE going to buy UGnG are not going to change their mind because of game reviews.

 

[snatches]

A bad review will lower the rankings at sites like Gamerankings. Three reviews, three times as much. Gameranking's scores are used for large stores, like EB and Bestbuy, to determine how many games will be purchased for the initial run.

I can tell you first hand that this is the biggest load of shit I've ever heard. Those retailers forecast purchasing anywhere from 45-60 days before a games release 100% of the time. Retailers and distribution are 100% not affected by review scores.

 

[Shogun]

God this is pathetic. You should just start a seperate thread where you can take out your hatred for Parish and his review of your childhood.

Skip already said he's trying to figure out whats best to do in terms of PSM. As for 1UP and EGM, thats an established policy, I know it's at least a few months old because I remember looking at an EGM a few months ago and seeing a 1up review.

The reasoning for that policy is pretty clear, to reach people in one medium that you don't in another. Not every gamer has the internet, and the ones that do don't always frequent 1UP. To help spread the 1up brand, and to give a sample of what you will find on 1up, they give one of their three reviews, EGM being the only gaming periodical with three reviews to my knowledge, to a guest 1UP editor. It's standard crossbranding.

Do I think that the PSM review is a good idea? No and neither does skip.
Do I think that the review is right? I don't know as I don't have the game, but based on other peoples opinions, no I think it's a bad review.

That being said quit pissing and moaning about how their is some unfair agenda against your game, and the stupid theory that Ziff Davis is pushing it. The only one who hates your game is Parish.

 

[Drinky Crow]

Thanks to my efforts, the brilliant Cosmic Race has gone down as an abomination! TAKE THAT, INNOVATION!

 

[Robert Ashley]

I think you're missing his point. People were saying this has an effect on sales, people were saying no it doesn't, so he tried posting some sort of evidence that yes, it could potentially have an impact on sales.

OK. So, should people who write about games care that they have an effect on sales?

 

[jgkspsx]

I can say that I hate Super Smash Brothers Melee, but if you asked me to review it, I'd probably give it at 7/10 at least. Why? Because nobody who pays $4.99 for a magazine cares that Drinky f'ing Crow demands that every fighting game play like VF4 and that he utterly despises the Nintendo mascot roster.

Isn't this exactly the reviewing principle that caused the Game Informer Paper Mario 2 scandal a few years back?

 

[vitaflo]

A bad review will lower the rankings at sites like Gamerankings. Three reviews, three times as much. Gameranking's scores are used for large stores, like EB and Bestbuy, to determine how many games will be purchased for the initial run. This will determine how many copies will be in stores.

This is also one of the reasons Game Rankings is destroying the entire gaming review system of every publication. Every person bitching about lopsided review scores and screwed up scoring systems can trace the problem right back to Game Rankings.

Why are games basically only given scores from 6-10? Game Rankings. Why are there no 5 star systems (with no half stars)? Game Rankings. It's the bane of the video game review score system.

 

[snatches]

OK. So, should people who write about games care that they have an effect on sales?

no. and anyone that says so here will have a flame war jihad placed on their stupid ****ing head.

 

[-Rogue5-]

OK. So, should people who write about games care that they have an effect on sales?

No. But they should care of potentially robbing a gamer from an experience they may like... Nostalgic or otherwise. The only people getting crapped on from this situation are the subscribers/purchasers of EGM and/or OPM as they're the ones dishing out cash and getting the same viewpoint (paying twice for, essentially, the same thing).

 

[Greenpanda]

why the **** do people care about this? why is there an almost 8 page thread on one person's opinion?

well, if ZD is to be believed, it's actually three peoples' opinion

 

[chespace]

Isn't this exactly the reviewing principle that caused the Game Informer Paper Mario 2 scandal a few years back?

I was kinda thinking the same thing.

Reviewing for a perceived audience rather than for your own likes and dislikes of the game.

 

[Drinky Crow]

Yeah? And now it's causing THIS scandal -- Parish can't eject an apparent personal preference for controllable jumping arcs and diagonal support in his platformers long enough to evaluate the game in its proper context.

 

[Kittonwy]

Isn't this exactly the reviewing principle that caused the Game Informer Paper Mario 2 scandal a few years back?

I think he meant reviewing for the audience based on more objective merits and not just looking at the game from a purely personal standpoint, ultimately whether he enjoys the game or not is purely subjective, but the review isn't intended for Drinky only, but the a broader audience, whether the game is at a certain level of quality tends to be based on more objective criteria.

 

[Shard]

This is also one of the reasons Game Rankings is destroying the entire gaming review system of every publication. Every person bitching about lopsided review scores and screwed up scoring systems can trace the problem right back to Game Rankings.

Why are games basically only given scores from 6-10? Game Rankings. Why are there no 5 star systems (with no half stars)? Game Rankings. It's the bane of the video game review score system.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_Creep

 

[cheekymunky]

9.5/10 for all your posts in this thread.

 

[kenta]

OK. So, should people who write about games care that they have an effect on sales?

Again you're missing the point. The people are upset because a game that they feel is great and likewise deserves great sales now has the potential to sell much more poorly because of one person combined with (what some would consider) an oversight by Ziff-Davis and/or the 1UP Network.

I don't think it has anything to do with what a reviewer should or shouldn't keep in mind when reviewing a game, but it sounds like you're trying to trap me so I'll just drop it

No. But they should care of potentially robbing a gamer from an experience they may like... Nostalgic or otherwise.

Now this I disagree with. He wrote his opinion and that's what we expect of him.

 

[-Rogue5-]

9.5/10 for all your posts in this thread.

ONLY 9.5? 9.65 AT LEAST.

 

[snatches]

No. But they should care of potentially robbing a gamer from an experience they may like... Nostalgic or otherwise. The only people getting crapped on from this situation are the subscribers/purchasers of EGM and/or OPM as they're the ones dishing out cash and getting the same viewpoint (paying twice for, essentially, the same thing).

Seriously. Who the hell would subscribe to both OPM and EGM? Any tech dinosaur that has 2 mag subs and counts on only those opinions to spend his money has bigger problems than missing out on whatever game started this discussion in the first place.

 

[Zenith]

I probably should have said "as much as possible, while still retaining their own unique identities and strengths."

You still have yet to say how they will do this.

 

[Robert Ashley]

Yeah? And now it's causing THIS scandal -- Parish can't eject an apparent personal preference for controllable jumping arcs and diagonal support in his platformers long enough to evaluate the game in its proper context.

That's total nonsense. You can't evaluate anything outside your own perception of it. If you can't stand the way it handles, you don't enjoy it. If you don't enjoy it, you say so.

 

[-Rogue5-]

Seriously. Who the hell would subscribe to both OPM and EGM? Any tech dinosaur that has 2 mag subs and counts on only those opinions to spend his money has bigger problems than missing out on whatever game started this discussion in the first place.

The same person that wouldn't notice that both reviews were written by the same person and hence think three different places think the game is garbage.

 

[snatches]

The same person that wouldn't notice that both reviews were written by the same person and hence think three different places think the game is garbage.

and you are defending this idiot?


YOWZERS

 

[UncleGuito]

BURN THE WITCH!!!!

Spoiler

this whole fiasco reminded me of the holy grain for some reason.

 

[Drinky Crow]

That's total nonsense. You can't evaluate anything outside your own perception of it. If you can't stand the way it handles, you don't enjoy it. If you don't enjoy it, you say so.

Awesome. I *hate* the DS touchscreen! Now I'm justified in giving EVERY DS touchscreen game at LEAST a 4/10! (I'm gonna LOVE reviewing Wii games.)

****, I hate the controls in Madden games, too! They're completely overengineered and counterintuitive, even if they are ARE all built on a set of accepted controls for that game series! 4/10!

(you people just walk into this.)

 

[Ponn]

Seriously. Who the hell would subscribe to both OPM and EGM? Any tech dinosaur that has 2 mag subs and counts on only those opinions to spend his money has bigger problems than missing out on whatever game started this discussion in the first place.

Because you can get them both with free subscriptions

 

[snatches]

Awesome. I *hate* the DS touchscreen! Now I'm justfied in giving EVERY DS touchscreen game at LEAST a 4/10!

****, I hate the controls in Madden games, too! They're completely overengineered and counterintuitive, even if they are ARE all built on a set of accepted controls for that game series! 4/10!

(you people just walk into this.)

oh shit Drinky has a point and he's running with it


RUN FOR YOUR LIVES

 

[MarvinTacoma]

Is it really so hard to believe that someone could not like a G'nG game?

 

[UncleGuito]

Awesome. I *hate* the DS touchscreen! Now I'm justfied in giving EVERY DS touchscreen game at LEAST a 4/10!

****, I hate the controls in Madden games, too! They're completely overengineered and counterintuitive, even if they are ARE all built on a set of accepted controls for that game series! 4/10!

(you people just walk into this.)

That is exactly right. If you're close minded about it, you'll never enjoy it.

I do disagree with the idea that they let single writers publish articles on multiple outlets. It doesn't seem right.

 

[snatches]

Because you can get them both with free subscriptions

anyone savvy enough to get 2 free subs would no better than to believe a couple reviews at face value and determine his purchases based on them

 

[Drinky Crow]

Is it really so hard to believe that someone could not like a G'nG game?

I can easily believe it.

Hell, I hate Madden games. Do you want me to review the 2007 installment? I also loathe the concept for the Wii controller. Would you like me to cover the Wii launch lineup? 'cuz I'm GAME.

 

[-Rogue5-]

and you are defending this idiot?

Just because you can take advantage of somone, doesn't mean you should.

Plus the topic is if it undermines ZD's credibility, and your comment proves it does (even if it's only a little).

 

[UncleGuito]

I can easily believe it.

Hell, I hate Madden games. Do you want me to review the 2007 installment?

I've believed that Halo has been overrated since it came out. If I were to review Halo 3, I CANNOT deny that I would rate the game lower than what I would have if I didn't share those beliefs- even if the outcome of the review was generated subconsciously.

 

[Robert Ashley]

Awesome. I *hate* the DS touchscreen! Now I'm justfied in giving EVERY DS touchscreen game at LEAST a 4/10!

****, I hate the controls in Madden games, too! They're completely overengineered and counterintuitive, even if they are ARE all built on a set of accepted controls for that game series! 4/10!

(you people just walk into this.)

Seems logically sound to me, though I haven't met anyone who hates the idea of a touchscreen.

 

[Kabuki Waq]

but isnt it better than having a fanboy reviewing a game and giving it 10?

 

[Ponn]

anyone savvy enough to get 2 free subs would no better than to believe a couple reviews at face value and determine his purchases based on them

Is it really that hard to believe that someone glancing through both of those magazines and seeing the low score wouldn't just write the game off? How many times in IGN and Gamespot threads on GAF alone do you see people see two 7's from both of them and go "Oh well, so and so game is not on my get list anymore". Do you really keep track of each and every reviewer for magazines? If someone grabbed a copy of EGM right now and read the scores could you ramble of the names of the reviewers without looking?