Sleuth Home - Message Boards - Sleuth Talk


0 0
Rating System for Intros?
  <<First Page  |  <Previous Next>  |  Last Page>>  

Brasco De Gama
Brasco De Gama
Old Shoe

Aug-26-2007 12:49

What does everyone think about the idea of being able to rate intros on cases?

The reason I ask is that I generally don't bother to read intros... it's hard enough to get the time to finish 12 cases a day, BUT having written a few myself, I now appreciate that people take a lot of time and effort writing them and generally get no feedback. It would be kinda cool if people would be given the chance to rate an intro they've read, and perhaps that would a) encourage more people to read one if it's been highly rated b) let the writer know when they've hit on something, or are firing blanks.

I guess added to this, maybe it would be worth considering a comments section that would be sent to the author's Slueth Mail.

Maybe you could have a league table for intros, with highest rated etc. to give some kudos to the people who have spent so much time and effort on their intros? I may also help inprove the quality of the writing, I know I've rattled out a few recently of varying quality by my own admission, but maybe I would be more inclinded to spend more time on them if I knew I was going to be rated on it.

Replies

Secret_Squirrel
Secret_Squirrel
Safety Officer

Aug-29-2007 17:03

anyyyyyway...

I like your idea Brasco, it comes from the right 'place', so to speak. Encouraging players to read the Intros that other players, in most cases, have put a lot of work into; encouraging players to take and interest in their fellow players; maybe gain some insight; and heck maybe even literary enjoyment, can only be a good thing.

However (yeah 'however' is just a polite persons 'but'), I fall in line with the idea that *it just becomes a popularity contest*, and yes OK if Sleuth had a broader base and, as you rightly point out, results would 'even out' over time, that would be great.

However (yeah again) taking into consideration how many people would participate and/or usually participate in these types of things here, and given that Sleuth probably doesn't have the kind of 'base' you need to make things 'even out', I don' think it would actually work very well.

It's a great idea in theory, and I appreciate the motivation and intent, btu I just don't see it working fairly or equably.

Sorry mate.

Brasco De Gama
Brasco De Gama
Old Shoe

Aug-29-2007 17:33

@ Jas, you said it by implication - "...as an editor I'm sure she knows what will work and what will not." implying, because I'm not an editor, I don't. I've said my piece, you know how I felt, I don't bear grudges, I'm over it. End of.

@ Everyone on the thread - OK, I concede that the ratings idea is not going to take off. It's fair enough, apart from the if's and however's ( ;-) ) it's gonna slow things down inevitably (and incidentally, I don't want that either! ;) ) but as SS says, I was trying to raise an issue about getting people to read intros... maybe a thread getting feedback about intros in general might be a good place to start with this issue. I will do that... when I've got time! lol
Cheers.
BdG

ctown28
ctown28
Huntsman

Aug-29-2007 20:04

I know I came in late on this thread but would like to offer my 2 cents.

Brasco, this was a decent idea of yours, I admit fully that I seldom do read the intros but have to concur with most of the posters here that it would just turn into a popularity contest.

Anikka made some very good points and I have to agree that the fact of her being an Editor does give her more knowledge and a better opinion of the subject at hand. That does not take away from any of the people that are not editors.

One of the great things about this game is that Ben pretty much listens to what people ask for.

The main thing to remember about being an author is that you are leaving yourself open to criticism, both good and bad. You have to be able to take constructive criticism well and not be offended by it. Now unfortunately there will always be idiots that would just say something like "you suck", those are the ones that you just throw out.

I do like the idea of having a seperate thread where people can discuss the pros and cons of each intro, it may even get me interested in starting to read them and who knows, maybe even get my creative juices flowing enough to write one myself.

Lady Zeugirdor
Lady Zeugirdor
Pinball Amateur

Aug-29-2007 22:36

Ok, ok, ... I'm guilty. I read intros. I figured that with all the confessions of non-intro readers here I would at least let all the hard working writers know that someone does read them. Now, sometimes I skim through them when I'm in a rush. On the whole I do read them. Honestly, I never gave much thought to giving the writers feedback .

Stooby
Stooby
Well-Connected

Aug-30-2007 00:27

One sure fire way to get people to read intro's is to run an annual "what happened in the intro by .... contest with a prize. It'd only slow down those who wanted to take part, avoid the popularity contest, still allow those in a hurry to dash along...

Only an idea...

Brasco De Gama
Brasco De Gama
Old Shoe

Aug-30-2007 04:59

I like it Stooby.

Stooby
Stooby
Well-Connected

Aug-30-2007 05:30

Lets see what Anikka thnks, she's a great competition runner.

Anikka
Anikka
Babelfish

Aug-30-2007 15:09

Stooby, you great brat. :)

Seriously, it's a terrific idea if we can figure out details to make it work. And don't think I don't know that you're trying to get me to run it *laughs* I'm not sure it's a 'surefire way' to get people to read the intros, but it can't hurt, either.

Lady Z, thank you for confessing to reading the intros. It's nice to know that some people do!

Feedback! Feedback!! Oh, and if you don't like someone's intro, please send CONSTRUCTIVE feedback.
"I didn't care for the intro because of blah, blah, blah." (which is helpful)
NOT
"Man, you should give up writing 'cause you suck." (which is hurtful and not helpful)

biggie528
biggie528
Lucky Stiff

Aug-30-2007 17:55

Man, I never wrote because I suck :)

One thing that always got me to read the intros was on the FMs, when they are part of the case. If the intros were more important to the case, I think more people would read them.

Please note that there is no suggestion of how to do this whatsoever in my statement, just a statement and nothing else (I just really wanted to post something cuz I haven't in awhile).

I am nothing if not constructive :p

Anikka
Anikka
Babelfish

Aug-30-2007 20:08

That's an interesting idea, Biggie...

One way to give the random intros a little importance might be to have an important bit of information given there. You know, in the tangle of palaver with the client. Maybe some kind of a wildcard code (for lack of knowledge of what it's really called, but you super-genius types will know) that reveals an alibi (hey! saves a question!) or something like that.

Dunno how practical it would be, coding-wise. But it's still an idea.

  <<First Page  |  <Previous Next>  |  Last Page>>  

[ You must login to reply ]