tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19884352.post7417916060408913854..comments2023-12-03T23:16:56.786-07:00Comments on Cumbersome: Rating one's own gameSeth Jaffeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12449603052617321357noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19884352.post-60642227748895950512011-12-20T20:16:55.614-07:002011-12-20T20:16:55.614-07:00Thanks for this post, Seth. I completely agree. I&...Thanks for this post, Seth. I completely agree. I'd back up the argument some more, but you pretty much nailed it already.Jay Treathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09428861685923241850noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19884352.post-65687685650159496622011-12-09T23:50:45.269-07:002011-12-09T23:50:45.269-07:00You know, this topic comes at a good time for me. ...You know, this topic comes at a good time for me. My game just became available on amazon.com, but the description was woefully inadequate, and I was afraid that no potential buyer would consider it because there was just no information on which to base a decision. So I posted a review as "designers notes," and made an upfront disclaimer that as the designer, I'm not reviewing my own game but only providing more information to help the customer make an informed decision about whether the game is right for them. <br /><br />So, how many stars to give my own game? Well, to be frank, it's not a five-star game. It's an elegant little family game, fun and all that, but it's no Agricola. So I gave it four stars - generous, but not transparently ridiculous. <br /><br />My sister saw it very differently, though. If even the designer doesn't think it's good enough for five stars, why would anyone consider buying it? From her perspective, five stars for your own game is de rigueur. <br /><br />I see her point. But honestly, if a designer or publisher rates his own game as a '10' on the geek (as my publisher did for my game), that's not shilling. That's just, you know, marketing, but it's also very transparent, and so in my mind it's okay ... like when an advertiser says his product or service is the best. Of course you're going to say that. It doesn't mean we think you're trying to trick us.<br /><br />So I guess my bottom line is that everybody discounts rating your own game, so it's just for form's sake; it shouldn't be seen as any kind of shallow statement or thinly-veiled deception.Paul Owenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02260814589584723033noreply@blogger.com