Rating system overhaul

[Rayek]

Reading through the new rating system and comments so far there is 1 key point I'd like to reinforce:

 

The 3 hour time limit

 

The percentage of ratings to actual feedback/endorsements is already very low. This deters another percentage of endorsers...in some cases those who really like the mod...try to endorse....can't...then never come back to do so. I bet that percentage is pretty substantial too. Is it really that important that an endorsement is 100% justified? If endorsements were coming in droves for all mods...sure. But that's not the case.

 

3 hour time limit = less endorsements overall = less feedback to a modder = less motivation for modders to continue their work.

 

More positive feedback is always better for a community, limiting it in any aspect I think is a mistake.

 

I know the intentions behind this are good, but I'm commenting as I do believe this will hurt/not help.

 

Not to sound all dismal though...the new rating system I like overall...I think it gives mod seekers much more visibility and takes out the subjectiveness of the 1 - 10 to a more even keel. I do appreciate this site and all the work the moderators put in to keep it going. Thanks for that :D

Edited July 11, 2009 by Rayek

[Sarya]

I think the new system is a bit too primitive to fulfill all the required functions of ratings... but it is likely much easier to maintain, more fool-proof and offers more protection from flame. So it maybe far from ideal, but at least answers the current needs of the community and eliminates the worst problem. Still, allowing comments for negative ratings would be good, the system simplifies finding actual flame among ratings anyway - no longer any need to look through all of them (which is thousands for top mods), just minuses. Besides finding a problem report attached to a rating is now simpler than looking through all of the topic for one comment. Not everyone PMs authors with problems.

[Hateful_kat]

When you browse the modlist, you can't see how well a mod is rated. It just shows that red ribbon followed by "endorsements", but doesn't say how many.

See picture:

http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/7949/88114578.jpg

 

Also, from what I understand, you have to download the mod to be able to rate it?

That limitation is poor.

What if there are visible flaws to a mod from the very images the author uploads (low poly, bad textures, etc)?

You're forced to download it if you want to rate it, or should you just point them out, without negative impact?

 

It is my opinion that the previous system was better than this one, at least at the state this is in.

[buddah]

When you browse the modlist, you can't see how well a mod is rated. It just shows that red ribbon followed by "endorsements", but doesn't say how many.

See picture:

http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/7949/88114578.jpg

 

Also, from what I understand, you have to download the mod to be able to rate it?

That limitation is poor.

What if there are visible flaws to a mod from the very images the author uploads (low poly, bad textures, etc)?

You're forced to download it if you want to rate it, or should you just point them out, without negative impact?

 

It is my opinion that the previous system was better than this one, at least at the state this is in.

 

 

I posted this in the staff forums that the endorsements do not show on the profile page.

 

Also the reason the endorsements were separated from the comments was to be able to remove one without removing the other.....the rating might have been removed due to irrelevance while the comment had weight and merit.

 

Buddah

[alexandersig]

Hateful_kat:

 

Let me get this straight.. you think it's BAD that people CAN'T rate mods even though haven't tried the mod? Well that's just ridiculous, you shouldn't rate a mod solely by the screenshots.

 

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I do agree (with another user) that the top 100 is too much of a popularity contest now

 

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Please use pm's for this, or you are setting yourself up for martyrdom.

Buddah

[Offkorn]

Still, allowing comments for negative ratings would be good, the system simplifies finding actual flame among ratings anyway - no longer any need to look through all of them (which is thousands for top mods), just minuses.

 

While I agree that the "I won't Endorse this because of x" should likely be attached to a comment along with the Endorsement option, I don't think it should be attached quite yet.

 

There may still be a Moderator or two around who isn't fully familiar with the new system and may be a little too quick to remove any comment that criticizes a Mod (even constructively), and since one of the preset options is "It doesn't fit in to my personal tastes or beliefs"... well, that could cause some trouble on that front.

Edited July 11, 2009 by Offkorn

[SillyKristy]

I've tried twice now over the course of about 5 hours to endorse a mod. I keep getting this error:

Our records show you recently tried to rate this file but couldn't either because you hadn't downloaded the file or because you were trying to rate the file too soon after downloading it. There is a 15 minute cooldown on rating files after this point. Please come back and try to rate this file again after 15 minutes.

I initially tried to endorse it before I downloaded it because I had downloaded it previously (before this new endorsement system went into place) but never rated it. Naturally I got the "you haven't downloaded this file yet" error. Then I tried to rate it but I neglected to ensure 3 hours had passed so I MIGHT have tried to rate it before 3 hours had passed, I'm not 100% certain. But now, it's been 5 hours 30 minutes (according to Firefox I downloaded it at 8:15AM, and I most recently tried to rate it at 1:45PM, MDT) since I downloaded it, and more than 15 minutes since I last tried to endorse it, and I still got that error message.

[buddah]

I've tried twice now over the course of about 5 hours to endorse a mod. I keep getting this error:

Our records show you recently tried to rate this file but couldn't either because you hadn't downloaded the file or because you were trying to rate the file too soon after downloading it. There is a 15 minute cooldown on rating files after this point. Please come back and try to rate this file again after 15 minutes.

I initially tried to endorse it before I downloaded it because I had downloaded it previously (before this new endorsement system went into place) but never rated it. Naturally I got the "you haven't downloaded this file yet" error. Then I tried to rate it but I neglected to ensure 3 hours had passed so I MIGHT have tried to rate it before 3 hours had passed, I'm not 100% certain. But now, it's been 5 hours 30 minutes (according to Firefox I downloaded it at 8:15AM, and I most recently tried to rate it at 1:45PM, MDT) since I downloaded it, and more than 15 minutes since I last tried to endorse it, and I still got that error message.

 

We have determined that the system is not resetting after you get the warning, and are taking steps to resolve this issue. You keep getting it no matter how long you wait.

 

Buddah

[SillyKristy]

Thanks, I thought it was something like that. I'll keep an eye out for when this is fixed so I can go back and endorse this mod.

[proathlete]

how do u downnload mods