Well, I threw some time into reading through John's old top reviewers list. I note that back in 2003, ~X~ had enough reviews to top this list!
On that note, maybe a short series of 'year by year' top 100 lists would be cool to see? Like 4 top 100 lists with roughly a year between each. Then noting the movement and whatnot. There could be some interesting commentary and it might be interesting as an overview.
It reminded me of those old days when I first came to NG - I think I first signed up to post on an NG news topic and just occasionally left a review as a sorta 'comment'. I became obsessed with looking at the top 10 and trying to get a good enough rate to eventually amass enough reviews to be on the 'high score list' as it were. Maybe it's the presence of Auz's list and my high position here that sorta makes me give far less of a toss now.
Anyway, I just mainly thought about how self-conscious I've become recently when writing reviews, watching a movie a minimum of 2 times, trying to finish the game, or at least explore all the avenues. I don't know when it started, but I'd like to stop feeling like reviews HAVE to be authoritative. I'd like to go back to the times when I treated reviews more like 'just a way to express my opinion if I felt like it' rather than 'a way to help people'.
Don't mistake me - I love helping people and I think I can generally do so if folk are willing to listen. But I get sick of repeating myself regarding pet peeves. I hate feeling like if I haven't finished a game I maybe don't deserve to write a review. I'm gonna try and not be so self-conscious, so pedantic, striving for perfection, comprehensiveness and such, when these things are perhaps not even desirable.
I said a while ago, ~X~ - or even Kwas7 - have the virtue that they're letting authors feel like they have an audience. All too often, submissions can receive hardly any reviews and I think I'd probably rather have an extra review from Kwas7, than do without. It's good to get another opinion, even if it's as hastily explained and brief as his.
I can't remember when I decided that as a bare-minimum a review should generally have some praise, some specific, clear, criticism (or a suggestion) and a summary of my overall opinion and reaction. I'm still never gonna dip below that, but I'll be far more ready to just write something in 10-20s if that's all the movie merits. I'll maybe keep my system with movies of watching it once, then watching it a 2nd time in one window, whilst I collect my thoughts and type my review in a minuscule window. Maybe I'll even keep my practise of delaying a review by a few days if the animation is a philosophical one and I need to muse on it.
But I'd like to start making a point of just voicing my opinion rather than feeling unsure - much as my ego would like to think otherwise, I doubt anyone's going to put much weight on where in my list of 'reviews ordered by score' a certain submission comes. It's only a review and whilst I'll probably still make a special effort, if I'm given a polite personal request for a review, I'll make an effort to just write if I feel like it from now on.
Sorry for the slightly pompous 'speech' and I hope you all understand where I'm coming from.
At 4/8/07 02:42 PM, Auz wrote:
Update #81
As always, thanks for satisfying the ego and obsessive curiosity of others.
9) 03537 +028 milinko959
Heh. Congrats. I've essentially resigned myself to losing the 'challenge' we set between ourselves some time back.
At 4/9/07 11:59 AM, Solidone wrote:
At 4/9/07 10:59 AM, YoinK wrote:
review work that are in collections, toons, or series. Those reviews do not get removed. Review the frontpage choices as well. That's the best way to not lose reviews.
thanks for the info. Ill try those ones tomorrow then. Im kinda weird when it comes to reviewing here though. I'd much rather reviewgames than movies.
If you prefer playing games and feel you have more knowledge regarding games than movies (like myself) then it's only natural.