Improving kit reviews section?

**ccoyle** · #1 03-05-2009, 12:14 AM

I hope I may be so bold as to make a few suggestions to improve the kit reviews section?

1) As in the builds thread sub-forum, categorize and sort reviews by subject matter, e.g. aircraft, ships, armor, etc.

2) Standardize thread titles. I suggest titles include at a minimum kit subject, publisher, and scale. There are merits to sorting threads by kit subject or by publisher, so some consensus would need to be reached on that.

3) Decide what, at a minimum, should be included in a kit review and create a sticky showing the format for new thread lead posts.

4) Restrict the reviews sub-forum to reviews. Many of the current threads in the reviews sub-forum do not actually include kit reviews; I suggest moving such threads to another sub-forum, or perhaps create a sub-forum for kit discussions that are neither reviews nor actual build threads.

As it stands now, the kit review sub-forum is sort of a mish-mash of styles and content. I put forth these suggestions in hope that they might help the reviews sub-forum become a more streamlined and versatile tool for users wishing to research kit offerings.

Regards,

**redhorse** · #2 03-05-2009, 12:50 AM

I like the sub-category idea quite a lot, it would make it much easier to find reviews.

I don't know about making requirements as to what should be in them though. I think that since people are writing reviews for free and paying for the kit, the format should be then be left up to the reviewer. Too many requirements could quite possibly keep people from submitting. If my memory serves me correctly, Zealot tried something like that a while back and then people quit writing very many reviews.

**jagolden01** · #3 03-05-2009, 06:18 AM

I like the title and sub-category idea.

I think maybe a "lock" on the posted review thread so it can only be changed by the original poster and administrator. This would keep the review thread as just that - a review by the reviewer. The thread could not be replied or added to by others. This would keep the thread from turning into piggy-backed build or other discussion thread.

There already is a desired format for kit reviews posted by the owner/moderator of this site. See:
Template for First Impressions & Kit Reviews

However, I don't want too many directions as to what to post. It stifles free thought on a forum that should be completely open within the subject of paper modeling.

**rickstef** · #4 03-05-2009, 07:44 AM

I agree with most of the points raised.

I will raise some of my own.

On Zealot/cardmodels.net we did have that, Ron posted a template to use, or suggested use.
We were of the opinion that if we put that out there, people would be interested in writing the reviews, we weren't looking for Wikipedia style entries but just some of the main points of the kit, and we never stopped anyone who wanted to express their opinion on the kit.

Look at the review template as a guide on what to include, I would like to see everything addressed, and your opinion is the most valuable part of the review, it will make or break someone's opinion to purchase.

Chris, we can add the sub forums, it will take some time, but it is doable.

Rick

**ccoyle** · #5 03-05-2009, 08:50 AM

I'm not into stifling freedom of expression, either, but I do think there are certain points of evaluation that readers are looking for in a kit review; Sakrison's review guidelines are exactly what I had in mind. I think that post should be stickied on page one of the reviews sub-forum. I have seen reviews on other forums, and the problem with having no such review guidelines is that many times reviewers will give their opinions, but omit detailed kit descriptions; both are valuable to someone thinking about making a purchase.

Cheers, everybody!

**member_3** · #6 03-05-2009, 08:53 AM

Sub-forums are a good idea. I think Sakrison's template is excellent - I believe I may have used it myself. I'm not sure I agree with locking a review because others may have valid input that the original reviewer overlooked.

**cjwalas** · #7 03-05-2009, 12:08 PM

I like the sub-forum idea as well. Would it be possible to make the template a downloadable PDF (or is it already?).
I also agree that locking a review thread might exclude valuable info that people other than the reviewer might bring to the topic.
Chris

**jagolden01** · #8 03-05-2009, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldTroll

Sub-forums are a good idea. I think Sakrison's template is excellent - I believe I may have used it myself. I'm not sure I agree with locking a review because others may have valid input that the original reviewer overlooked.

OldTroll and cjwalis,

Yes, I thought about the possibility of losing others review input, too.
Just tryiing to think of ways to keep things from drifting off "review" or cause the review to become long and tangled with little bits of worthwhile input getting lost in the thread.

**CharlieC** · #9 03-05-2009, 04:53 PM

Having written cardmodel reviews using a template and in free form there may be a middle path between these. Rather than sticking (somewhat slavishly) to a template perhaps a simple checklist is all an author needs to ensure that the information relevant to the community is in the review and bloat is constrained.

I'm not sure about locking down review threads. From experience comments and questions often lead to clarifications of the original review. It would be nice to not have the "nice" comments in a review thread though.

Regards,

Charlie