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Old 07-25-2008, 12:06 PM
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C.W.Richeson C.W.Richeson is offline
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Knoxville, Tennessee
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Re: [RPG]: Hollow Earth Expedition, reviewed by Dan Davenport (5/5)

Quote:
Originally Posted by capnzapp View Post
The reason for my asking that you say (or seem to say) you played the game prior to its publication. Standard practice in such a case is to begin your review with a disclaimer, detailing your relation with the publisher.

The fact I did not find any such notification, coupled with your high grade, prompted my question - and yes, I have purposefully disregarded the fact you are a prolific and appreciated reviewer, as well as a forum moderator.

I honestly think your review would be much better off with you disclosing the nature of your friendship with the author at the beginning.

Best regards,
Zapp
For what it's worth, I think this is a great point to raise. Biases can be difficult to control for at times, and it's worth disclosing those biases. I agree, as well, that any review is worth asking these questions of. 'Forum status' and review history aren't a barrier, but hopefully they are a positive consideration in favor of the reviewer.

However, I don't detect any bias here. Dan very clearly lays out his reasoning for his score. The mechanics and content are clearly discussed in a way that any reader can determine whether this game is something they want to pick up.
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