Today I gave my favorite comic on Drunk Duck a 4. "Anything Could Happen" is a comic I have championed. I made no bones about being on a mission to see ACH as a featured comic on Drunk Duck.

That fact that happened a week after making this promise probably means I had nothing to do with it, but still...

And today I gave "Anything Could Happen" a 4. Why? Because I respect the creator of ACH too much to not be straight with him. If he doesn't hit it, I feel obligated to let him know. His response? He loved it. He saw it for what it was: honesty.

This (along with a recent thread about the uselessness of rating comics on DD and the ubiquiousness of the 5) got me thinking:

Shouldn't I really be respecting everyone the same way? We all put so much time and effort into these things, shouldn't be straight with each other?

Well, yeah. Duh.

So he's how it's gonna be. I hereby promise to rate comics honestly on Drunk Duck. If I think your comic is awesome and deserving of print publication and a wider audience, you're getting a 5. If I think your comic is a complete turd and that you really should be doing something else with your time, you're getting a 1. Everyone else is going in-between. I expect to give out far, far more of the in-between ratings.

Hopefully, no one will take it personally. I'm not delusional. I don't profess to be an expert on comics or webcomics. The only thing I'm an expert on is my opinion, so that's what I offer. That, and respect.

So that's it. I'm going out on a limb. I suppose we'll see what happens.

Who's with me?

Yeah me too.
5 = Damn good enough for print (at least this page is).
4 = Entertaining amateur/hobby comic/manga with effort and talent put in.
3,2 = Read my critiques
1 = Read my critiques, and stop falling asleep in art/literature classes.

I don't think much about the ratings anymore. I just give 5s out of habbit now to mah buddies. It's more of a "you're cool" gesture than "every page is brilliant" thing. (Though with a couple of comics it is.) Either that or I just don't vote. I've considered not voting at all anymore.

Perhaps I'll start voting more honestly, but I care more about critiques and advice. (I actually don't do those often enough either. ^^; ...but if I really want to say something I will.)

I only rarely ever vote, I try to take the time to write out a comment and send it with love and good intentions. But lately I've been feeling like everyone thinks I must be 'too cool to vote' or think I'm some sort of self-appointed internet toughguy because I don't. @_@ Glad more people are at least THINKING of voting properly or just not voting and giving a crit/comment.

You've got a point, I think. I just really don't want anyone breathing down my neck or taking stabs at Nadya. Some will think you're being an elitist or something. I like Mlai's scale, I think I'll see what I can do about critiquing more honestly.

Is it wrong to just not comment on a comic where the author seemed to take no interest in anything on the page?

The lowest I've ever rated was a four. I know I gave a 4 to one of the pages of Nano (which has amazing art), but I couldn't really read the small writing, so the author made it bigger.

Usually, I don't rate comics that I *really* don't like. I'm a pretty blunt person, so I try not to hurt people's feelings (too often). I know that I wouldn't want someone tearing my work apart either, unless it's truely deserved.

Mlai- Good scale. I like it. Welcome to the party.

SarahN- I agree, critiques and advice are much more valuable than a rating. However, ratings have their value too and I see no reason to not try to recognize that. It's a bad habit that almost everyone on DD has, and, at least for myself, I can break it. I just wanna be straight with people.

Maybe we could put some kind of "honest rater" thing in our sigs if we decide to do this, and link it back to this thread to try and hook more people in? It's something that'll only take hold if lots of people agree.

by all means, please do rate my comics truthfully^^

Puff
But lately I've been feeling like everyone thinks I must be 'too cool to vote' or think I'm some sort of self-appointed internet toughguy because I don't. @_@ Glad more people are at least THINKING of voting properly or just not voting and giving a crit/comment.

Nah. It's not like that. Voting or not voting is something I don't notice too much and I'm practically brand new around here. Comments though, they're MUCH APPRECIATED! Anyone who has anything to say about a page of mine, I totally appreciate the time and effort they've taken. I think most people here appreciate the comments, regardless of if you vote or not.

Sometimes a vote actually helps me decipher a comment, though.

Like if someone says says about a character of mine (who is not at all bright) "what an idiot!", I don't know if they mean that in the sense that they think it's funny, or if they're annoyed by it.

So "what an idiot!" + 5 means they liked it

"what an idiot!" + 1 means they didn't.

For me, at least. :D

OMFG, Nicotine! you gave me a friggin' 4, how dare you?! :) Just kidding, I really appreciate your comments.

I really don't even notice the rating, I'm more interested in the comments. When I first visited DD I noticed that only fives were to be seen. I really think that the honest rating thing will not work this far in the game, there would have to be a rating system change for it to be significant...

Eviltwinpixie
Maybe we could put some kind of "honest rater" thing in our sigs if we decide to do this, and link it back to this thread to try and hook more people in? It's something that'll only take hold if lots of people agree.

I actually think people here did that for a while in the earlier days of DD.

See, this makes giving out 5s as a way of flirting seem kind of... well, shallow.

Eviltwinpixie
Maybe we could put some kind of "honest rater" thing in our sigs if we decide to do this, and link it back to this thread to try and hook more people in? It's something that'll only take hold if lots of people agree.

I think that's a great idea. I think the key is being upfront about it so there are no hurt feelings. If people know you're doing it out of respect, then it doesn't need to be awkward.

So...anyone willing to make an "Honest Rater" button?

I don't give a damn about the ratings but I appreciate comments to the highest degree. Even something simple like "good job, keep it up" is enough to to make me happy. Knowing someone likes your work is better than just leaving a five and clicking submit.

This has happened about 271 times since I have been with DD and I've been here for a while.

Best of luck to you in getting people to vote honestly, but the last time something like this was tried, it failed, just like the other 270 before that.

Well, to be fair... for the last 270 times, ratings actually affected the comics' rank.

Now that it doesn't, things should be different.

mlai
Well, to be fair... for the last 270 times, ratings actually affected the comics' rank.

Now that it doesn't, things should be different.

Not really considering for every rating below a five someone gives, eight other people give a five; essentially wiping out the initial below-five rating.

Even when a rating of less than a five could effect a comic's placement it didn't because of the sheer number of fives being psoted everywhere wiping out the more accurate and fair ratings.

I'm all for people voting critically, but it's not going to happen, either a bunch of people jump on the 'hell yeah let's do this thing!' bandwagon and stop about a week later when it's proven to be futile, or you have one discouraged person doing it continually hoping it catches and never really getting anything done or changed.

You know...if it had badges, and was made a big site event, published as news on the front page and stuff, maybe the 'honest rater' thing could get off the ground. I think the make or break thing will be getting lots of regulars involved and publicising it widely.
....Haha, it would have made a really good cause for the Civil war event.

I'm interested. Might be a tool for giving an artist something to aim for, like 'the only thing holding you back from a 5 us the layout' type dealie, gives them something to aim for.

The thing is, if you really care about it that much, just go and do it! No need to have others do it as well, who cares if everyone else votes 5 as long as you rate the way you like?!

I DON'T give ratings at all myself... But, say, if I'm ever super impressed and feel the need to give a "reward" I will rate a 5, -out of my 5,500 or some comic comments though, those are very, very, very rare these days. And it doesn't matter to me that everyone else has given a 5 anyway, the point is I've given a 5 when I just DON'T normally.

I learned that lesson from Cresc when he still commented: HE wouldn't ever give 5s either, but he'd comment a lot. Then one day he actually DID give me a single 5, and regardless of all the other ones from other commentors, that gesture meant a lot to me because he meant it :)

I find it hard not to give a 5. I have a tough time judging other's work. I feel that just because "I dislike"something doesn't justify giving it lower than a 5.

And as far as story telling, layout, art, etc... I don't know how much time a person put into the work, I don't know how much time they can invest, and I don't know how old they are or how long they have been trying to work. I also don't know what their focus is. Are they more focused on the art? Or are they more focused on telling the story so they draw faster than they should. This is my major flaw.

Even when I leave criticism I leave a 5 for the effort they are putting in.

However, by all means throw me 1s 2s 3s and 4s. I know I need to improve a lot and can totally understand if I get lower than a 5. Since I do know all the above about myself I would rate my work with 2s and 3s. Sometimes I surprise myself and earn a 4 though ^^

I rate 5 if the firs impression really hook me up
Four if I think something needs improving
no rate at all and just pass that if I think it worths below 4

Darth Mongoose
You know...if it had badges,

That punchline's too easy.

:)