I’m living for all these “reviews” of #Threeforged games, many of which involve snap judgments and don’t actually say anything helpful about the game in question. Granted, there are a lot of good first impressions out there, but some of these people are just like “Oh, I read this one sentence I disagree with and then bailed.” Really? Thanks for your insight, homeboy.
As an aside, I’d like to point out we’re actually playing the games we choose to discuss.
Yeah, I’ve struggled with what and how much to say in reviews. So far, I’ve been focused on pieces that I liked and what I wished there was more of.
I’ve tried to stray away from really obvious problems, especially when it was related to editing. I’ve also tried to stay away from outright negative comments, or overt rewriting the game in the review.
Most of this format came from the thought (possibly misguided) that the people most interested in reading my review would be the people who worked on the game. I don’t want to discourage anyone, especially when they did something I didn’t do (I didn’t participate in the writing portion). Maybe I should change my perspective, and expect others would read my reviews for information about the game in question.
Yeah, I’ve struggled with what and how much to say in reviews. So far, I’ve been focused on pieces that I liked and what I wished there was more of.
I’ve tried to stray away from really obvious problems, especially when it was related to editing. I’ve also tried to stay away from outright negative comments, or overt rewriting the game in the review.
Most of this format came from the thought (possibly misguided) that the people most interested in reading my review would be the people who worked on the game. I don’t want to discourage anyone, especially when they did something I didn’t do (I didn’t participate in the writing portion). Maybe I should change my perspective, and expect others would read my reviews for information about the game in question.
Yoshi Creelman I think yours have been pretty good. So have Robert Bohl’s and a few others. But many of them are not thoughtful at all, or they’re just taking cheap shots in some attempt to appear “very informed” about roleplaying games. It’s really hard for someone like me to witness, because the whole animating force of The Gauntlet is that we actually play games in an effort to honor the work a designer has done. And we certainly don’t discuss a game until it has hit the table (Blades in the Dark being a rare exception). Ultimately, I realize the constraints of the contest require the reviews take place in this manner, but it really bugs me when someone isn’t even trying to respect the work that went into a game.
Yoshi Creelman I think yours have been pretty good. So have Robert Bohl’s and a few others. But many of them are not thoughtful at all, or they’re just taking cheap shots in some attempt to appear “very informed” about roleplaying games. It’s really hard for someone like me to witness, because the whole animating force of The Gauntlet is that we actually play games in an effort to honor the work a designer has done. And we certainly don’t discuss a game until it has hit the table (Blades in the Dark being a rare exception). Ultimately, I realize the constraints of the contest require the reviews take place in this manner, but it really bugs me when someone isn’t even trying to respect the work that went into a game.
Yeah, I avoid being that guy by only critiquing games I like, and by trying to write my comments such that I’m never rude and try to triple-check my critiques for accuracy, or at least note my limited memory on the matter.
Yeah, I avoid being that guy by only critiquing games I like, and by trying to write my comments such that I’m never rude and try to triple-check my critiques for accuracy, or at least note my limited memory on the matter.
Yoshi Creelman I have enjoyed reading yours. It’s really bizarre to read what people think of the games I worked on.
I have read a few rule sets (6 or 7), but have restrained from “reviewing” any since I haven’t played them. Should games only get reviews if they get played or is reading enough?
Yoshi Creelman I have enjoyed reading yours. It’s really bizarre to read what people think of the games I worked on.
I have read a few rule sets (6 or 7), but have restrained from “reviewing” any since I haven’t played them. Should games only get reviews if they get played or is reading enough?
Oh, I would love to play all the games, if for no other reason to see how wrong I was when just reading them. But alas, my “reviews” are of the text opposed to the game.
Oh, I would love to play all the games, if for no other reason to see how wrong I was when just reading them. But alas, my “reviews” are of the text opposed to the game.
I wish I could give these a go as so many have interesting mechanics which I’d like to see in action. At the moment my weekly group’s wrapping up a campaign in time for October when one of my player’s emigrates. Hopefully then I’ll be able to test out the mechanics of the games I’m intrigued by.
I’ve been finding that even in games where I’m not keen on the setting or there’s stuff missing, there are some really interesting ideas.
I wish I could give these a go as so many have interesting mechanics which I’d like to see in action. At the moment my weekly group’s wrapping up a campaign in time for October when one of my player’s emigrates. Hopefully then I’ll be able to test out the mechanics of the games I’m intrigued by.
I’ve been finding that even in games where I’m not keen on the setting or there’s stuff missing, there are some really interesting ideas.
I just posted one of the troubling “reviews” on this thread, but then deleted it, because I realized I was only posting it as an act of revenge against the author, who came after me this morning in a Public thread. I think my original criticism is a fair one; it’s really shitty for people to take a dump on someone else’s game without having played it, or even given it the courtesy of a proper read-through. And even then, I’m not sure it’s appropriate to frame such thoughts as “reviews,” regardless of content, when they are most certainly not that. At best, these are “first impressions” of games.
I just posted one of the troubling “reviews” on this thread, but then deleted it, because I realized I was only posting it as an act of revenge against the author, who came after me this morning in a Public thread. I think my original criticism is a fair one; it’s really shitty for people to take a dump on someone else’s game without having played it, or even given it the courtesy of a proper read-through. And even then, I’m not sure it’s appropriate to frame such thoughts as “reviews,” regardless of content, when they are most certainly not that. At best, these are “first impressions” of games.
After the contest is over, we should have a “mean things said about my game” contest. I don’t want to brag, but I’ve got a really strong entry in that category!
After the contest is over, we should have a “mean things said about my game” contest. I don’t want to brag, but I’ve got a really strong entry in that category!
Daniel Lewis Oh, I do, too! I kind of deserve it, though, because my heart wasn’t really into my Stage 2 and Stage 3 games. They deserve all the (legit) criticism they get.
Daniel Lewis Oh, I do, too! I kind of deserve it, though, because my heart wasn’t really into my Stage 2 and Stage 3 games. They deserve all the (legit) criticism they get.
I don’t think anything too toxic has been said about the games I worked on yet, but mostly cause they haven’t gotten a ton of reviews
I don’t think anything too toxic has been said about the games I worked on yet, but mostly cause they haven’t gotten a ton of reviews
David LaFreniere Mine haven’t gotten much attention, either. One of my games was one of Robert Bohl’s favorites for awhile, but then it got pushed further and further down the more games he read, haha.
David LaFreniere Mine haven’t gotten much attention, either. One of my games was one of Robert Bohl’s favorites for awhile, but then it got pushed further and further down the more games he read, haha.
One of my games is the #1 pic on a reviewers list. We’ll see if that holds up
One of my games is the #1 pic on a reviewers list. We’ll see if that holds up
Oh god, I hadn’t even thought about the post-contest analysis. I can’t wait to see what happens there. I have no horse in this race but it’s been constantly fascinating to experience.
Oh god, I hadn’t even thought about the post-contest analysis. I can’t wait to see what happens there. I have no horse in this race but it’s been constantly fascinating to experience.
Jason Cordova – Sorry, that means I really liked it though!
And this post is what made me start calling my shit “critiques.”
Jason Cordova – Sorry, that means I really liked it though!
And this post is what made me start calling my shit “critiques.”