5 Star Levels

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Originally Posted by rtm223

Yeah, the maths of getting 5 stars overall makes it seem less crazy that so many good levels get jibbed off.



BTW The rating that counts from you is the most recent one :)

Source: CCubbage. Don't blame me if that's wrong.

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Absolutely, I have thought about that also. Many raters will leave the star on whatever it was last on... so, if your level gets 5 star rated and enough people leave it at that 5 star it gets harder and harder for it to drop to 4 stars. Same with 4 stars.

But since people generally leave it at the rating it originally was at, that means a 4 star level will slowly keep slipping, while a level that is cemented pretty well at 5 star will continue to be at the top of the heap. I've been watching this for a number of months.

Splat Invaders Saga used to be on page 3 of highest rated - but since virtually everyone leaves it at 4 stars it slowly slips down - now at page 30 of highest rated (where you can hear the crickets chirping).

I've seen a lot more movement down with 4 star rated levels, however the 5 star rated ones get cemented there and rarely go down.

Well yeah, all of the behavioural phenomena have a massive impact - probably the biggest factor. I was just pointing out that even without behavioural considerations and everyone rating as they thought the level should be, a 4* rating is about 5 times as easy to maintain as a 5* rating, statistically.

And by statistically, I'm talking "back of a napkin" analysis here :p

I think I said this earlier in another thread, but it's just pure luck if a level manages to maintain a five star rating.

Whatever we find good, most other people can't be bothered with.

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Originally Posted by KoRnDawwg

I think I said this earlier in another thread, but it's just pure luck if a level manages to maintain a five star rating.

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I think i said this earlier in this thread!

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Originally Posted by A_Morton

That is very true, i wonder what it is about those 5 star levels that separate them from the rest? Obviously its because their brilliant, but i think its got something to do with a bit of luck aswell.

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Basically, its been established, that to maintain a 5 star rating, you will need.

A good level
A design that appeals to all ages
A balanced difficulty
A Bit of luck
4 eggs
and some flour :p

I also think that what CCubbage said

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Originally Posted by CCubbage

But since people generally leave it at the rating it originally was at, that means a 4 star level will slowly keep slipping, while a level that is cemented pretty well at 5 star will continue to be at the top of the heap.

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I think that is what has been referred to as 'Luck' in this thread.

Also, has anyone else noticed a sudden rise in the ammount of 5 star levels? A few months back you would of have to had done something exceptional to maintain that rating. Don't get me wrong, some of these new 5 star levels are excellent, but there are one or two that seem undeserving.

Has the LBP community softened a little?

Almost every single one of the hundred or so amazing levels you'll find listed here -

http://www.lbpcentral.com/forums/blog.php?b=511

It's not that the reasoning is sometimes hard to see (too tough, too much thought etc) but hard to empathize with.

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Originally Posted by NinjaMicWZ

Almost every single one of the hundred or so amazing levels you'll find listed here -

http://www.lbpcentral.com/forums/blog.php?b=511

It's not that the reasoning is sometimes hard to see (too tough, too much thought etc) but hard to empathize with.

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I'll be sure to try those out:)

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Originally Posted by rtm223

Also bear in mind that each user only rates once.

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You're right but I have a doubt here :

When I play a level more than 1 time, when I finish it,
it asks me to rate it even if I rated it 2 days ago for example or many time before...

So are you saying that only the first rate of a player is taken in account,
or the 2nd, 3rd time too?

If not, why do we have to rate again a level we already rate, if it doesn't count..?
:confused:

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Originally Posted by dajdaj03

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Originally Posted by rtm223

Also bear in mind that each user only rates once.

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You're right but I have a doubt here :

When I play a level more than 1 time, when I finish it,
it asks me to rate it even if I rated it 2 days ago for example or many time before...

So are you saying that only the first rate of a player is taken in account,
or the 2nd, 3rd time too?

If not, why do we have to rate again a level we already rate, if it doesn't count..?
:confused:

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Originally Posted by rtm223

BTW The rating that counts from you is the most recent one :)

Source: CCubbage. Don't blame me if that's wrong.

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Controlled testing on locked levels is the overall source of the information I believe. Basically you only get one vote, but each time you play the level you can change that vote. If I vote 3 stars, then later vote 5, my voting counts as 1 vote at 5 stars.


Thats why it askes you to rate again - to give you a chance to change your rating.

There are a ton of levels that I think deserve 5 stars. A ton of creators on LBPC have, in my opinion, produced 5 star levels, but only manage 3 or 4 on LBP. One that comes to mind is Splat Invaders Saga. It boggles my mind that it's not rated 5 stars.

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Originally Posted by rtm223

Controlled testing on locked levels is the overall source of the information I believe. Basically you only get one vote, but each time you play the level you can change that vote. If I vote 3 stars, then later vote 5, my voting counts as 1 vote at 5 stars.

Thats why it askes you to rate again - to give you a chance to change your rating.

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Ok thanks, sorry I haven't read all the posts carefully before posting. :blush:
I didn't know that... it's a good system! :p

I personally think it's not worth worrying too much about the ratings system. Just because of the way people do that.

I know for my own stuff, NONE of my levels are ever likely to hit 5 stars, ever. 4 stars is also unlikely.

And it's not that people dont like them.

My biggest creation, the boss level "Danmaku Rave", for that one, I get alot of people going "OMIGOD AWESOME", got alot of good, detailed comments and praise over it.....

...... but then there's numerous others whose basic response is something along the lines of "TOO HARD!!! I KICK YOU!!!"

About, hmm, 1700 plays at the moment, and only about 8 or 9 people have actually beaten it..... yeah, I'll admit it might be a tad difficult.

But it DOES say "Very Hard" in the description.

And that seems to be the basic rule for everything I've made so far. Some "ZOMG AWESOME" balanced by "HULK SMASH!!!", resulting in exactly 3 stars, quite reliably.

As if it's my fault. If there werent so dang many levels that are so blasted easy that I could fall asleep during them and still beat them, then I wouldnt have to cover everything in spikes and bullets!

So, I say, dont worry about the ratings at all. Make a level for a certain type of player, and when that type of player finds it, they just might find it to be quite good.

And now I forgot what else I was gonna say.

Yay! Shiny things are distracting!

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Originally Posted by Bridget

I
As if it's my fault. If there werent so dang many levels that are so blasted easy that I could fall asleep during them and still beat them, then I wouldnt have to cover everything in spikes and bullets!

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People are rarely satisfied with anything, "Too Hard! "Too Easy!" "Too Dark!" "Too supercalifrigilisticexpedalidocious!"

I think its better to just make something you think is fun and if others enjoy it too, great! If not they should just make something better themselves. :p

To make a level that is guaranteed to get and maintain a 5 star rating:

1. Take any material, make it any shape.
2. Smear it.
3. Randomly place some stickers, rockets, eyes, and brains on it.
4. Capture it and place it into a prize bubble.
5. Repeat steps 1-4 several hundred times, making sure to keep the quality low but the quantity high. The more the merrier.
6. Publish level with title "ZOMG 1,000,000 PRIZESSSS!!!!11!!!ONEONEoneONE!!!1! H4H4H4H4H4H4H4H IN 3D!!!"
7. Watch your level climb to the top of the "Highest Rated" page.

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Originally Posted by BSprague

6. Publish level with title "ZOMG 1,000,000 PRIZESSSS!!!!11!!!ONEONEoneONE!!!1! H4H4H4H4H4H4H4H"

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You forgot to add "NOW IN 3D!" :p

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Originally Posted by A_Morton

You forgot to add "NOW IN 3D!" :p

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Good point, fixed. :)

And soon :

"ZOMG 1,000,000 PRIZESSSS!!!!11!!!ONEONEoneONE!!!1! H4H4H4H4H4H4H4H IN 3D with WATER!!!

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Originally Posted by dajdaj03

And soon :

"ZOMG 1,000,000 PRIZESSSS!!!!11!!!ONEONEoneONE!!!1! H4H4H4H4H4H4H4H IN 3D with WATER!!!

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No trophy?

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Originally Posted by CCubbage

No trophy?

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The genericness/craziness has to stop somewhere, but just for you. :p

"ZOMG 1,000,000 PRIZESSSS!!!!11!!!ONEONEoneONE!!!1! H4H4H4H4H4H4H4H IN 3D!!! NOW WITH WATER 17 TROPHIES IN UNDER A NANOSECOND ROCKET CHEETAHHZZ!!!"

lol @ Roket cheetas. I have rocket snails; not quite as popular.

two of my levels are actually UTILITYS. If you think a normal level gets rated low, try making a tool!

Since joining the LBPC forum, the rating on my Gradient tool has sky-rocketed (and peaked at 3)

I was able to whitnes the rating process in action once when I accedentally went online, instead of "play on my own".

This group of players came in, ran directly to the right-hand side, and saw the score board. and dashed. one had a mic;
"this level suuuuuuuuks!" (in high pitched voice.)

*sigh* yes, the window goes down and the finger goes up.