GameDeveloperTools.com

Ratings and Popularity

Ranking a product solely by its average rating can be problematic. Take the following example:

     Product A is well regarded and popular. After receiving more than 40 reviews,
     product A boasts an average rating of 4.65 out of 5.00 stars. Nicely done.

     Product B was just released and is not well known. After receiving one
     5.00 star rating from its author, product B leapfrogs product A to receive
     a higher ranking.

To improve the ranking system, a product's popularity, as demonstrated by its rating count, should be considered; however, when weighing both the average rating and the rating count, the average rating should be the predominant determining factor in the overall ranking.

The Total Score

The Total Score was born from a desire to create a fairer system. The formula is simple:

     Total Score = (average rating x 10) + (number of reviews x 0.5), but never
     higher than (average rating x 20)

Based on this formula, a product with an average rating of exactly 3.00 will have a Total Score between 30.50 and 60.00, a product with an average rating of exactly 4.00 will have a Total Score between 40.50 and 80.00, and so on.

Cheating

Any rating system will be vulnerable to cheating. Whatever the safeguards, if someone is determined enough to artificially inflate a rating, he or she will probably find a way to do so. This means that we must rely in part on the honesty of the community at large to guarantee the accuracy of our ranking system.

Multiple ratings from the same IP address for the same product will be deleted, and the associated accounts will be banned. If you suspect someone of artificially inflating (or deflating) a rating, please send an email with specifics to admin@gamedevelopertools.com so that we may investigate the claim.