Lack of Criticism due to Commenting System Terms

[Vagrant0]

I still do not understand how saying this: "I don't like this mod, textures are done way too sloppy and the voice acting sounds very bad and unfitting" would be considered flaming.

That's because it wouldn't be if it used that language. However if it used a more hostile tone, or didn't go on to provide anything substantive, such as:

""I this mod is s***, textures look like crap and the voice acting sounds like s***"

it would be flaming. Even if it kept the same wording, but lacked substance, it would be flaming.

""I don't like this mod, textures are sloppy and the voice acting sounds very bad."

But it's really a fine line in the later case and usually would require a review of other posts by the same person to notice a trend, or something more serious to be worthy of a ban instead of a warning or just a simple removal of the post.

 

Flaming is essentially any comment which is not constructive, and which may be perceived as having a motive to create hostility or backlash.

[Thandal]

Plus, there's no indication that the person making the comments has any interest in the mod even if the complaints were addressed. As written, it simply slams the mod (even if managing to avoid flaming the modder.)

 

Why bother making such a post?

 

LHammonds and Myrmaad made some excellent points about this very issue when they replied to another member's query here:

"Difference between constructive criticism and trolling". :thumbsup:

[DarkeWolf]

I still do not understand how saying this: "I don't like this mod, textures are done way too sloppy and the voice acting sounds very bad and unfitting" would be considered flaming.

Ok, Flaming is an attempt to insult somebody. Calling them a bunch of names, or saying something else about them, to spark up hostility.

And in the words used in your example,... it could be, but would be hard pressed to be considered trolling. Trolling is simply being an ass. And trying to startt up trouble, or generally just be somebody that is being a way that nobody can get along with.

 

Now.... however, the post DOES NOT fit as an appropriate post in the comments sections, because it 1) Offers no contructive criticism. Only personal opinion.

2) no bug report or bug report fix.

3) Is only stating a personal, negative opinion. The comments sections arent there for that. If a person just doesn't like the mod... then they need to close the window/tab and just move on and leave it be.

 

Now, IF the person had wrote.... The textures are really bad, you need to improve the resolution without all the jpeging effect.... that would be constructive. Because it shows a manner in which to improve a problem.

The voice actor is horrible... how about using a better microphone, or put the sound file through some filtering. I use "programX" to clean up my sound files.... wanna send it to me and I'll work on it?" Stuff like that.

[Moraelin]

To be honest, personally I don't really have a problem with someone telling me that the texture looks pixelated or such. My greatsword would still look like crap without people who pointed that out and people like zaty1 who pointed out a way to fix it.

 

What rubs me the awfully wrong way aren't even the flat-out trolls (actual comment from the FO3 lightsabers "F*** OFF WITH THAT!") but the people who feel entitled to tell me or other modders what they should/shouldn't be doing or that some mod doesn't belong in the game. I mean, huh? In my game, what totally belongs there are vampire elven catgirls with lightsabers and Star Trek uniforms :P Besides, which part of a mod's being tagged as "Non-Canon" is suggesting that it was supposed to fit the lore and theme in the first place? :P

 

The thing is, some of those don't even seem to realize what they're doing, or why a one page rant about how people should be doing X instead of Y (e.g., energy weapons instead of guns in an old thread), or how everyone is doing the wrong things (or conversely nobody does the right things), or how a polished weapon totally breaks the game, isn't really part of a normal request. They seem so convinced that they're the platinum standard of gamer tastes or that playing NV up to Primm makes them the ultimate judge of Fallout canon, that it doesn't even register why that page-long comment about how modders do the wrong things doesn't really belong there.

 

Ah well...

[Ghogiel]

Thandal wrote:

Why bother making such a post?

 

LHammonds and Myrmaad made some excellent points about this very issue when they replied to another member's query here:

"Difference between constructive criticism and trolling".

 

 

To be fair, most of the comments on this site are not actually constructive criticism. Most are simply opinions. Which people just state. If I didn't want to hear them I would disable comments. Because in all my days... I don't think I have received any useable constructive crit in the comments of the DL page. I do not view "if you did make this extra thing or add that extra thing or make purple versions of the texture" as being constructive.... it is wishlisting.

 

To be honest, personally I don't really have a problem with someone telling me that the texture looks pixelated or such. My greatsword would still look like crap without people who pointed that out and people like zaty1 who pointed out a way to fix it.

belong there.

.

comment on one of my F3 mods: "Textures. Other than that, it's perfect. Why not use the regular Power Armor textures?"

 

And then I basically went back and redid the specular map.. and improved the overall finish of the piece. and that comment quickly gained 4thumbs down all the while everyone else seemed happy with it before.. + it is fairly obvious by that comment, texturing isn't in that persons skill set, and I probably would be taking actual advise on how to improve the texture from that person....

Edited May 31, 2011 by Ghogiel

[Moraelin]

To be fair, most of the comments on this site are not actually constructive criticism. Most are simply opinions. Which people just state. If I didn't want to hear them I would disable comments. Because in all my days... I don't think I have received any useable constructive crit in the comments of the DL page. I do not view "if you did make this extra thing or add that extra thing or make purple versions of the texture" as being constructive.... it is wishlisting.

 

Personally, I'm even ok with wishlisting, as long as the author states it as wishlisting. "I'd like a purple version" or "I wish there was a purple version to go with my accessory X and gun Y that character Z has in some anime" is ok. I might even do it, if I'm out of other ideas.

 

My problem is just when it gets stated as some objective "should". E.g., "it should be purple." Unless I said it's a copy of a RL item that's purple, there is no "should", way I see it.

 

More case in point what it often annoys me is stuff like "it should be rusty". Bonus points, if the readme says it's anodized aluminium. I don't see any "should" there. If my idea is that I want to run around with a newly hammered and polished weapon, that's the only thing it should be. I'm ok with wishing a rusty version, but stating it as "it should be" is one of the things that is rubbing me the wrong way whenever it happens.

 

Ah well...

 

comment on one of my F3 mods: "Textures. Other than that, it's perfect. Why not use the regular Power Armor textures?"

 

And then I basically went back and redid the specular map.. and improved the overall finish of the piece. and that comment quickly gained 4thumbs down all the while everyone else seemed happy with it before.. + it is fairly obvious by that comment, texturing isn't in that persons skill set, and I probably would be taking actual advise on how to improve the texture from that person....

 

Well, mind you, I didn't say I'm trusting everyone to actually know what they're talking about, but occasionally there is some other modder posting an actually good idea. Like the one to divide the greatsword blade into pieces, instead of trying to fit 6 ft of weapon along one 1024 pixel texture. Helped the looks a lot.

[LHammonds]

Because in all my days... I don't think I have received any useable constructive crit in the comments of the DL page.

That's because yo junk is the shiz nit! I "tried" to leave constructive criticisms but I kept getting schooled. I think the ONLY thing I was helpful on was fixing one of the ice armor pieces...It was something simple...I think the glow map was disabled or something but that was discussed in a PM though, not the comment log.

 

But again, you release stuff that can be confused with crack, don't be surprised if we are all sitting around with cheezy grins on our faces just trying to get our greedy little hands on it. :D