Second reviews

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Clay
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Second reviews

Post by Clay »

Right, I've been thinking about this for about a month now. Can we please slow down on the secondary reviews? It's getting a bit excessive.

Back in the old days, snow uphill both ways and all, it used to be rare that a second review would be allowed: usually only in the instance of a vastly different opinion than the one already posted. I always thought that was a bit too conservative, but it worked fine.

We started getting lax about the rule with Classics since the line was so small (what, twelve toys altogether?). For the movie line that followed, things seemed to go back to normal, which was good since the movie characters tend to get multiple different figures across the different ranges. Then, for the Universe, Animated, and Movie2 stuff, people started turning in second reviews again.

I'm not against posting second opinions, but when the opinion is basically the same as the posted review, I don't see as much of a point. If the opinion greatly contrasts the posted review, that's another matter altogether, but that doesn't happen all that often. I mean, if someone wants to write a review saying that the Legends version of the Fallen is just the bee's knees, that's cool, but a second opinion stating that it's mediocre doesn't really offer anything more than what the existing review provides.

Now, I don't want to go back to the old way of having second reviews almost nonexistent. I think anything suitably limited or rare, or that retails for $40 or more, deserves another take. But getting a second review for each version of every character in the movie line just isn't going to work. Bumblebee alone has, what, six or seven toys before repaints?

It doesn't really hurt anything to have them, but it's more of a matter second reviews making the toy index incredibly cluttered as there's not a good way to note them other than (2) behind the title, which I've always thought looks dreadful, and also doesn't show up on the menu if the character name is long enough.

If we can figure out a better way, I have no trouble rescinding this post. But until then, can we hesitate with the second reviews unless the opinion is dramatically different?

*Note - anything already claimed or started is fine by me. I'm not mean :)
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SenahBirdR
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Post by SenahBirdR »

Just throwing an idea out there. Link the first review in lists. Link all additional reviews in the first review.
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Clay
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Post by Clay »

SenahBirdR wrote:Just throwing an idea out there. Link the first review in lists. Link all additional reviews in the first review.
That's an idea, but it'd be way, way too easy to lose track of reviews that way.

The toy review page that you see (http://www.tfarchive.com/toys/) is a composite of two things. The first is the actual files on the site ftp that make the links actually go to something, and the second is a php database that I put all the information about the reviews into (date added, title, name of the file on the ftp, toy line) that then subsequently puts all of the links in the proper menu. Omitting information from the php index means I have no way to keep track up what's been uploaded other than the raw file list on the ftp, which is rather massive. Plus I'd have to add the links manually, which'd be a pain considering the dozens of secondary reviews already posted.
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Post by Zeeks »

For the record, I was actually unaware that I was doing a second review of Starscream until after I was done. I am sorry that my opinions reflect the same as the first review. It was unintentional.
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Post by Detective Barricade »

Usually why it's a good idea to check the toys section of the site as well as the reviews forum here and the claims thread to see what's been done already. Not sure if yours reflects my opinions on the toy, since I had done the first review of ROTF Voyager Starscream.

I think we can try to avoid second reviews on characters who'll get a minimum of half a dozen toys in a single line before repaints, such as Bumblebee. Granted, a second review on Human Alliance Bumblebee is fine and all, but there's no need to do two reviews on Preview wave Bumblebee and Cannon Bumblebee, IMO.
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Savannahtron
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Post by Savannahtron »

I'm perfectly fine with this. I've posted two (2) reviews this week and there really is no need to publish them.

When I used to be the Toy review manager, there were not as many people contributing and the contributions were not as often, so the system was not as complicated. I think since there are a lot of reviewers now, some of the figures really don't need a (2).

I think that the reviews that do have a (2) do not necessarily have to have contrasting opinions to be a great review. Simply having a different person writing the review will give it contrast as everyone has different opinions. Maybe a compromise would be that if someone wants to do a (2) review, then it could be just a post instead of published. I know I enjoy reading the reviews here, even if there is a 2nd or even a 3rd review well before the reviews hit the front page.

Just my 2 cents.
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Transformer Kamen
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Post by Transformer Kamen »

I can understand how things can get cluttered with duplicate reviews of the same figure. On the other hand, I enjoy reading the differing review styles people have. Even if the same two grants the same overall score, different reviewers often focus on different aspects of the figure, or write about the same aspects differently. So, I guess I've always thought that having two reviews were quite reasonable (on a side note, is the 2 in the published title really necessary? It is unsightly, and it matters not which review came first; I'd vote for nixing it entirely, unless there's some computer/uploading/thingy I'm unaware of :swirly:).


For a compromise, I like the idea of mostly restricting seconds to expensive/limited release figures. However, I'd also like to suggest allowing seconds for figures that are more than four or five years old. Most lines have been left in the dust by this point and thus have reduced availability/interest. In this case, even if the overall opinion is the same, a new take on an older figure may inform other if that particular figure is still worth seeking out.
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Post by Zeeks »

Detective Barricade wrote:Usually why it's a good idea to check the toys section of the site as well as the reviews forum here and the claims thread to see what's been done already. Not sure if yours reflects my opinions on the toy, since I had done the first review of ROTF Voyager Starscream.
Again, I'm SORRY. I did check the toys section, plus the "recent reviews" section, and for whatever reason, I did not see it. I made a mistake. It wasn't until after I finished my own review, and then subsequently went back to the "claims" thread to see that a mod had stated it was ok to do a 2nd review that I realized a first had already been done. It was at this point that I read the first and realized that whomever did the first hit upon most of the same points that I did.
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Clay
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Post by Clay »

Zeeks wrote:Again, I'm SORRY. I did check the toys section, plus the "recent reviews" section, and for whatever reason, I did not see it. I made a mistake. It wasn't until after I finished my own review, and then subsequently went back to the "claims" thread to see that a mod had stated it was ok to do a 2nd review that I realized a first had already been done. It was at this point that I read the first and realized that whomever did the first hit upon most of the same points that I did.
Calm down already. This isn't about you, and I said in the first post that anything already claimed is fine.
Transformer Kamen wrote:For a compromise, I like the idea of mostly restricting seconds to expensive/limited release figures. However, I'd also like to suggest allowing seconds for figures that are more than four or five years old. Most lines have been left in the dust by this point and thus have reduced availability/interest. In this case, even if the overall opinion is the same, a new take on an older figure may inform other if that particular figure is still worth seeking out.
That's not a bad idea, either. The only tricky bit would be articulating any sort of rule. "Too soon" and "fair game" are rather non distinct, but an actual date limit seems too mechanical. Four or five years seems too long... maybe one year? Something might still conceivably be available at retail, and on clearance as well.
Transformer Kamen wrote:(on a side note, is the 2 in the published title really necessary? It is unsightly, and it matters not which review came first; I'd vote for nixing it entirely, unless there's some computer/uploading/thingy I'm unaware of :swirly:).
Not strictly speaking, no. It's more for clarification so that you know which review you're clicking on.
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Post by Rattrap's tail »

I do understand you completely. The only second-opinion review I've done so far was, my first, about Animated Cyb. OP, because when I bought the thing after reading review nr. 1, I got angry because it turned out that it was a far cry from the positive commentary the reviewer gave it... In my opinion, you're absolutely right...
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Blackjack
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Post by Blackjack »

Okay, I'll stop my second opinion reviews for now. :) Things are getting hectic 'round here anyway...
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Clay
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Post by Clay »

How about this idea?

http://www.tfarchive.com/toys/reviews/c ... storm3.php

Both reviews on the same page. Quite a bit of manual backtracking to do, but that could work nicely.
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Post by ganon578 »

Clay wrote:How about this idea?

http://www.tfarchive.com/toys/reviews/c ... storm3.php

Both reviews on the same page. Quite a bit of manual backtracking to do, but that could work nicely.
I like it. It sure would clean up the listings, and you can read them both all in one shot instead of clicking a few times to get the other review. Plus, it gives you an easy side-by-side (or top to bottom) comparison of differing viewpoints. :up:
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Post by Savannahtron »

Clay wrote:How about this idea?

http://www.tfarchive.com/toys/reviews/c ... storm3.php

Both reviews on the same page. Quite a bit of manual backtracking to do, but that could work nicely.
Great idea.
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Transformer Kamen
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Post by Transformer Kamen »

I think that's a wonderful idea.

In the interest of refinement, I was wondering...would it be possible to put one title at the top of the review (Acid Storm Reviews in this case) and then list the authors below as quick links down to the particular review (with 'return to top' or something to jump back upward)? Something like that might improve navigation and avoid the potential "missing" of a review.

Obviously only useful with multiple reviews (if it's useful at all :swirly:)and possibly a lot of work on your part, though.
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Blackjack
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Post by Blackjack »

Clay wrote:How about this idea?

http://www.tfarchive.com/toys/reviews/c ... storm3.php

Both reviews on the same page. Quite a bit of manual backtracking to do, but that could work nicely.
That's a wonderful idea! Wait. Acid Storm doesn't have images? -waddles off to grab camera-
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Post by Detective Barricade »

That could work.
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Clay
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Post by Clay »

Blackjack wrote:That's a wonderful idea! Wait. Acid Storm doesn't have images? -waddles off to grab camera-
It does, but the php link I put up as an example doesn't have images assigned to it as I didn't see the need yet.

So is everyone cool with this arrangement? Most of the remaining reviews I need to sort through are second opinions, so I'll go ahead and start adding them into the existing pages if this is what everyone wants. I'd still like to see fewer second reviews overall though, as it's going to take a while to go over and condense every second opinion that's already been posted.
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The Reverend
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Post by The Reverend »

agreed.
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Blackjack
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Post by Blackjack »

On risk of sounding like a total hypocrite... :glance:

Since Reverend was kind enough to bring this thread back up, I'll say this again... please do not do second reviews if your opinion is basically the same as the guy that wrote the first review.

For example, there's a review that says, say, Masterpiece Megatron is rubbish, but I think it's the best toy ever, then I can make a second review.

But two reviews saying how good or how terrible the same toy is isn't quite that helpful. Mind, all of us is guilty of this at some point, so let's try and all stop together, okay?
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