Community Membership

[bryce0lynch]

THis is coming up because of a review I recently saw

 

[squeen]

What exactly?

 

[bryce0lynch]

As a creator, you can't be a part of the community AND be a reviewer.

 

[Beoric]

As a creator, you can't be a part of the community AND be a reviewer.

I don't buy it. Some of the reviews I trust most are from members of the community.

 

[Alexander Moonbeam]

As a creator, you can't be a part of the community AND be a reviewer.

Is this just word salad, or is there context I am missing?

Which community? How formal is this membership?

 

[bryce0lynch]

You can't be their buddy, and pal around with others and have a good time; it simply will not work, humans are not built that way

 

[squeen]

I have to agree. A proper review (e.g. an audit) is from "the outside" in some detatched fashion.

 

[Beoric]

That doesn't require you to avoid interacting with the community, just with content producers.

Really you could just avoid reviewing the work of people you interact with. And only then when the interaction is deeply personal.

 

[Palindromedary]

Yeah, that's a classic issue. I'm reminded of Lester Bangs and his discussions on this topic with regards to music criticism.

I don't think it's anywhere near as much of an issue with RPGs though. The community is small and in particular incredibly decentralized once you go past 5th edition, and the internet allows one to stay in contact with all sorts of people without developing close personal relationships with them. If one was best friends with Chris Perkins and Kevin Crawford and reviewed 5th that would be an issue, but otherwise it seems a minor issue for the RPG reviewer. How many different authors have you or say, Endzeitgeist tackled? Way too many out there to there be a risk of spoiling reviewing standards.

 

[Malrex]

Ok, I'm out. Take care all. I've already worked with Prince on things and so I imagine that's one reason (a good one) that he doesn't review my stuff.
I'd rather have the opportunity to get ripped by Bryce's reviews from time to time and still learn something.

 

[Johnny F. Normal]

I think that is a load of crap. You simply need integrity and ethics.
For example, I review scientific papers completed by my colleagues and make comment - what I like and what I don't like (could be improved). In particular this goes back to when we were all in the same cohort pursuing our degrees. All friends spent most of our waking time together pushing each other to elevate individual outcomes - to be better scientists.
This 'community' is small enough as it is without creating internal barriers that could lead to a diminishment of quality.

 

[Beoric]

Ok, I'm out. Take care all. I've already worked with Prince on things and so I imagine that's one reason (a good one) that he doesn't review my stuff.
I'd rather have the opportunity to get ripped by Bryce's reviews from time to time and still learn something.

Bryce is hardly ever here, and not exactly interacting when he is. I wouldn't worry about it.

EDIT: In terms of conflicts of interest, you have an actual working relationship with Prince, possibly a business relationship if there is some sharing of profits or cash changing hands. That is significantly different from "I post to his forum once in a while but never actually talk to him."

Also, this place is better with you in it.

 

[The1True]

Bryce is hardly ever here, and not exactly interacting when he is. I wouldn't worry about it.

Seriously. Don't say you're just going out for cigarettes again absentee OSR dad!

 

[Melan]

Hard issue because the meaningful part of the scene is so small and interconnected. I do not review people I have worked with in publishing (which is a shame, because at least two of my illustrators write really good adventures), or people where there is some other substantial conflict of interest, but as long as the standards are fair and consistently applied, it should be fine. What really matters is good games, and separating good games from bad games.

The gold standard of RPG reviewing is, of course, RPGPundit, who reviews his own books. The virgin ten foot pole carrier vs. the chad Uruguayan cat enthusiast.

 

[squeen]

Ok, I'm out. Take care all. I've already worked with Prince on things and so I imagine that's one reason (a good one) that he doesn't review my stuff.
I'd rather have the opportunity to get ripped by Bryce's reviews from time to time and still learn something.

Constructive critisms can come from anywhere. I think the point is only that "an unbiased review" should not come from family and friends---and even if it does, that's doesn't make it wrong...just "suspect".