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VideoGameCritic
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Posts: 18074
Joined: April 1st, 2015, 7:23 pm

Rate the site!

Postby VideoGameCritic » March 26th, 2015, 5:59 pm

I've been trying to spruce up the site over the last year or so and I'd like to get some constructive feedback.  

Please evaluate/grade the site on presentation, responsiveness, content, organization/layout, voting features, mobile version, and whatever other else you can think of.

The message boards are technically a different site but feel free to rate that too.

If you think the site is better or worse than other review sites let me know how.  Feel free to be honest (but not mean, please).

Thanks

ptdebate1
Posts: 909
Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm

Rate the site!

Postby ptdebate1 » March 26th, 2015, 6:57 pm

Here are my thoughts--

Presentation: The site is more utilitarian than flashy, which I love. Modern sites are so bloated with complex scripts and in-page ads that sometimes even the fastest web browsers fail to provide a smooth experience. The site itself looks like it came straight out of the early 2000s, which is in keeping with the retro orientation of the reviews.

A+


Reviews: "Idiosyncratic" is the word comes to mind first when I think of the Critic's reviews. While uniquely useful to the retro gamer as a guide to old, forgotten gems, the site tends to slightly eschew new releases. Some negative reviews focus on issues that I find a little strange, like the Orange Box, Wolfenstein: The New Order, and Dragon's Crown reviews which mention visibility problems that I frankly don't understand. The Killer Instinct review was also very unusual, as it focused almost solely on the method of content delivery (that's the publisher, not the developer's fault--and honestly what difference does it make?) and the lack of a scoring system (what good are high scores in a fighting game?). The trend with many negative reviews of modern games is that the title does not live up to an oddly specific set of expectations that isn't very well-explained or defended.

B


Forums: Awesome. Just...awesome.

A+

Mobile site: The mobile version of the forums occasionally pops up the sidebar without my input, causing me to accidentally press one of the options there, which interrupts any message I might have been typing in the background. Other than that, it works pretty well.

A-

Comparison to other sites: There's really nothing out there quite like VGC. Again, I have my quibbles with some of the Critic's hobby horses, but overall this is a great site to be a part of.




HardcoreSadism1
Posts: 526
Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm

Rate the site!

Postby HardcoreSadism1 » March 26th, 2015, 7:41 pm

So far I give it a 4/5, it'd be perfect if the drop down menus had a bolded font.

  • + Easy to read, easy to use
  • + Up to date with all the popular HTML5 Features
  • + Secure, Well-Managed Scripts
  • + Finally, PROFILES, you should appreciate the benefits of such a feature
  • - Drop Down Menus Need Bolded Font

scotland171
Posts: 816
Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm

Rate the site!

Postby scotland171 » March 27th, 2015, 10:14 am

[QUOTE=videogamecritic] Please evaluate/grade the site on presentation, responsiveness, content, organization/layout, voting features, mobile version, and whatever other else you can think of.

The message boards are technically a different site but feel free to rate that too.

If you think the site is better or worse than other review sites let me know how.  [/QUOTE]

Reviews: A
This is why most of us came here, right?  They are short, humorous, and enough is there to see if you want to seek out the game yourself.  Sometimes the screen shots are not the best.

Site Design: A 
Recent website design seems focused on video and multiple page articles.  The site design is old, but like a good 16 bit game, that is a *good* thing.

Compared to other review sites: B+
This is based on doing what you do best.  If I want lots of opinions, or a detailed walkthrough, or cheats, or the technical lowdown or some historic background or context (and sometimes I want those things) than I will go elsewhere.  However, when I wanted to build a library for the TG-16, it was this site I came to again and again.   The reviews are short, the rating system understandable, and its generally consistent.    I say B+ and not an A though as there is so much room for growth.  I think having a few sub contractors like the C64_Critic and the RPG Critic are welcome.   Maybe a Gameboy_Critic or 8 bit computer critic or Speccy Critic would help you out.   Even if they just did some special articles on Top 25 Spectrum games or something.

Emotional Levelheadedness: A
You don't get mad or scream.  There are just a few spicy words here and there.  Bad games generally provoke humor. 

Voting: C
I know this could be a neat feature, and the tables are fun and all, but I think maybe it should be reset and set to be forum members only.   That might encourage membership, and discourage members gaming the system.

Mobile: B
I appreciate the work on mobile, and I use it often.  However, I usually switch over to Full Site for anything more than checking the forums.  Things like the Flashback Review buried on the bottom.  I think maybe all the current reviews should just be text hyperlinks, no pictures (except maybe the most current).  Its getting there.

Ads: A
Thank you for limiting the ads.  I know once in a blue moon something happens and we get bizarre ads for sumo wrestling or whatever, but generally I only see an ad or two out of the way, and based on my cookies (so its normally video game related anyway).

Re-Reviews: B
I know there are some old reviews on the site, and obviously whole libraries barely begun, but I enjoy the re-reviews. I also like that you will fix a review based on some feedback. Thanks in advance for Video Olympics coming soon.  I do wish the old review was still available, if only for a week or so after doing the new one so we could see the changes.

Rotation: B
How do you do this?  Are you constantly unhooking systems?  I do wish some systems like the Playstation got more in the rotation, but I have no clue on how you decide what to review next.

Forum: B+
With my post total going 4 digit, obviously I enjoy the level of authenticity, knowledge base, mutual respect and sometimes downright camaraderie I have experienced here.   From the C64 Critic fixing me up with a breadbox (wow) to lots of PM conversations I've had, its a small group where we generally learn about each others online personalities and foibles (like one of us that makes really long posts [smile]  I know we need the moderation (and thanks to all the mods and some recently tough decisions) but it does hamper conversations sometimes.  Not sure if there is a perfect solution there.

Good job, and thanks for not resting on your digital laurels.


Astrosmasher1
Posts: 1107
Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm

Rate the site!

Postby Astrosmasher1 » March 27th, 2015, 10:51 am

I hate this site it is run by an evil despot who works for spectre.  I have to read it every day and comment or the planet will end. 

Actually I like the whole thing.  So I cannot grade anything at all. 

Jon1
Posts: 378
Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm

Rate the site!

Postby Jon1 » March 27th, 2015, 1:44 pm

I don't know if you read, but Spectre's back in business. Anyways, I really like the changes to the site. Especially, I love seeing games the reader reviews are different than the VGC's. It's interesting.

Vexer1
Posts: 883
Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm

Rate the site!

Postby Vexer1 » March 27th, 2015, 4:01 pm

I think it's a decent site, but some of the reviews honestly don't seem as well written as others do, but I guess that can be said about every game critic, and there are some things the forum could improve on.

Rev1
Posts: 1777
Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm

Rate the site!

Postby Rev1 » March 27th, 2015, 5:43 pm

presentation- B+ 

I've never found the website mind blowing, especially compared to other sites. The whole design is very simple. Still, I think the simple approach works really well with your site and the website loads very fast and I never have ads or other crap popping up, impairing my view. You've made a lot of little changes here and there that have bumped this up over the years (I probably would have given this area a C+ a couple of years ago).

responsiveness- A

I rarely, if ever, have problems with the site.

content- A+

You cover more obscure games than anyone else on the internet and you have a huge selection of reviews. This is great and a main attraction of your site.

organization/layout- B

I think some of the parts on the home page could be moved around. I like all the different features of the site but I think that Coming Attractions should be moved higher up on the page (swap with the Reader Voting Stats) since that gives me more information and is more useful to know than the stats.

voting features- B+

I like the voting features but I agree that this should be restricted to forum members. Also, the Reader Voting Stats page isn't anything but a curiosity and could probably just have a small link on the home page to take you to a much more detailed view somewhere else.

mobile version- A-

I never have problems with the mobile site but I think the mobile message board could be spruced up a bit. It doesn't have a mobile friendly setup.

The Critic- A+

I think your willingness to take criticism and keep in contact with your readers through your forum is very intelligent and well done.

HardcoreSadism1
Posts: 526
Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm

Rate the site!

Postby HardcoreSadism1 » March 27th, 2015, 9:14 pm

[QUOTE=Vexer]I think it's a decent site, but some of the reviews honestly don't seem as well written as others do.[/QUOTE]

*Obligatory "this makes (absolutely) no sense" response*

Jon1
Posts: 378
Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm

Rate the site!

Postby Jon1 » March 27th, 2015, 10:58 pm

Yea, I found that whole comment ridiculous. A "decent site". Compared to what? All the other sites that review games from systems like the Neo Geo, 3do, NES, Atari 2600?


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