Scoring

Since this blog started back in 2013, I've used a percentage system to convey my recommendation. I generally like to have an expectation vs reality approach to my reviews. So, for example, if I were to do a Call of Duty review, I expect that to be a mindless, simple FPS game and that's generally what I get from the experience, and so my review would generally be more favourable than some other reviews.

I have constructed a new scoring scheme to improve consistency with my reviews: I always start at 100% and penalise for any issues I find. To standardise the penalties, I've come up with categories:
-1% - Trivial Issue - Something I don't like but doesn't effect the overall experience of the product.
-5% - Minor Issue - A minor issue that slightly detracts from the overall experience.
-10% - Major Issue - An issue that noticeably, regularly detracts from the overall experience.
Exceptional Issue - These issues are something so major it completely ruins the game play experience. I was going to standardise it at -25%, but then I decided that some issues can be so major they deserve a penalty well above that!

I am also introducing a standardised reward system that rewards products from some features. This will be used much less than the penalties as only features that impress me that are over and above my expectation of the product.
+1% - Minor feature over and above expectation.
+5% - Major feature over and above expectation.
Despite this rewards scheme, I will cap my rating at 100%. In the unlikely even that a product is flawless AND has a number of exceptional features, I will highlight this with a rating of 100+%, which will be my highest possible rating.

I have backdated my reviews using the new banners and scoring scheme. In the future, I will list a products rewards and penalties in the review itself, however, I am electing not to backdate my reviews in that way.

I have also come up with a Standards scheme to highlight the overall experience of the product:
97% - 100+% - Platinum Quality
90% - 96% - Gold Quality
70% - 89% - Good Quality
45% - 69% - Average Quality
0% - 44% - Bad Quality

Here are the recipients of each quality rating:
Platinum
100% - Mass Effect Improved Textures Mod (Mod, Mass Effect)
99% - Solve-It-Blocks (App)
Gold
95% - LCPD:First Response (Mod, GTA IV)
95% - RealVision ENB (Mod, TES V: Skyrim)
94% - Sofia Follower Mod (Mod, TES V: Skyrim)
90% - Space Hoppers Bubble Beach Party (Game)

Good
70% - B-17: Flying Fortress - The Mighty 8th (Game)

Average

Bad