How Bad is a Bad Review?

[Wright1000]

I can't help but disagree.

If you don't want to agree, I can't and won't force you to.
But there is little use arguing with the facts.
Whoever tried to help him would be thrown in jail. So, there was no other way for the astrologers.

[Darkmoonfire]

Fact #2: Most people can handle bad news better than the prince and/or don't have the power to throw people in jail.
If the princes reaction to some one giving him bad news is to have them arrested, the he need to grow up. In life, bad stuff will happen, you will make mistakes, and some people will just not like the stuff you create. If you want to get far in life, you have to learn to accept that bad stuff happens, and learn to learn from your mistakes. This means not arresting someone just because they give you bad news.

I think that a critical review explaining why the person didn't like it is better than no review, and that no review is better than a trolling review. Ignorance is bliss, but it doesn't help one get better. Although I think that if you post a review on the forum page, it should be worded as nicely as you can well still getting the point across because it's probably more for the creator, and people have an easier time accepting what you say if it's worded nice. If you're reviewing it on your blog or something, then it's probably more for other players, so it would probably be a bit different.

[Taleweaver]

I know above story from Sales 101. Essentially, the gist is "It's not about what you say, it's about how you say it." The morale for salespeople is to learn to watch their language and to use words with a positive subtext only. (And if you ever wondered why marketing lingo sounds so weird, this story is probably the reason)

But writing a review isn't selling a car. Sometimes, as a reviewer, you need to be brutally honest. And you probably help an artist or writer more with brutal honesty (unless the verbal brutality is also directed at the person of the artist himself) than with language chosen to make the recipient feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

[lordcloudx]

I concur with Darkmoonfire. Reviewers should also consider the forum (place) where they are publishing their review as well as their target readers. Otherwise, a critical review, even one written in good faith to help the developer improve, might just come off as rude to the creator -- and I believe that rudeness should not necessarily be a byproduct of honesty. Finally, the brutality I can do without. Why are you people such sadists, man?