Insecure Guide to BGG Ratings

 Or How An Insecure Designer Perceives BGG User Ratings.

We all have slightly different systems for how we rate games. Some people take full advantage of the ability to use hundredths in decimal points. Some people truly believe no game is a ten. This post is not about that, but about how creators perceive the ratings their games get. This is a silly post to remind designers (especially this designer) that perception is not reality. Some people actually do like games that they rate a 5. Those people probably don't understand the impact on a game's rank, but that doesn't mean they are acting out of malice. It just feels that way sometimes. Anyway, here are how the most common BGG ratings feel to insecure designers.

1: "This game is rated too high and I mean to change that."

2: "This game is rated too high, but I don't want it to be obvious that I am trying to tank the score."

3: "I want the designer to know I think they are bad for designing this game."

4: "I want the designer to know I think the game is bad."

1.5, 2.5, 3.5, 4.5: "I dislike so many games that I need sub levels to keep them straight."

5: "Someone made me play this game. It's not for me, and that's the game's fault."

5.5: "This game is the definition of 'meh'." 

6: "I used to like this game, before I discovered good games."

6.5: "I own this game because my spouse likes it."

6.75: "The first time I played this game was fun, but I haven't been able to recapture that experience."

7: "I own this game, but I have only played it once."

7.5: "Played it twice. Would probably play again."

8: "I respect this game's design."

8.5: "I think this game is actually good."

9: "I backed the deluxe edition on KS, but have only played it once."

9.5: "This is one of my favorite games, but I don't rate any game a ten."

10: "I am a big fan of some aspect of the game, and am thus blinded to the game's flaws."

ShippBoard Games is a board game design blog that updates most Mondays.