(10-30-2012, 05:16 AM)JayTownsend Wrote: Ok Andrew, does this only apply when I am doing AARs for my own games of do I have to mess with that botton for each situation? Does it still count towards games played overall?
Can I still just do AARs without ranking them?
Sorry if I don't get it 100% until I try to do one!
I'll explain the actual mechanics of it, that should clear up your confusion.
In the database is a table called
scenario_user_ratings.
Previously, it had 3 columns:
scenarioID, userID, userRating.
Now it has one additional column:
designer_self_rating.
That last column is a boolean variable. When a member records a new play the site asks itself if that member is the designer for the new play's game.
If he is not,
designer_self_rating = 0.
If he is,
d_s_r = 1.
Proceed as usual...
Now, we have a RatingBot that calculates ratings for all manner of things behind the scenes. I have doubled its workload - it now calculates ALL ratings (same as we always have), but then it runs again and calculates "non-DSR" ratings by ignoring any scenario_user_rating row that has a designer_self_rating = 1.
When you set that switch in your profile, you are telling the site which flavor of ratings you want to see. Both flavors are pre-calculated, both flavors are loaded, but we need to know which to show you.
That's how we can toggle it on and off at will if you want to, say, see how it affects game rankings.
Now, to answer your original questions specifically:
(10-30-2012, 05:16 AM)JayTownsend Wrote: Ok Andrew, does this only apply when I am doing AARs for my own games of do I have to mess with that botton for each situation?
The button has no impact on AARs and ratings at all. It is just a way of viewing the site data. Like asking for the drink menu at a restaurant (all drinks) versus asking for the wine list (only wine).
Quote:Does it still count towards games played overall?
Plays are completely unaffected. Game completion and everything else remains the same, this is purely for average ratings.
Quote:Can I still just do AARs without ranking them?
No, all recorded plays must be rated. This is for the good of the site. Allowing those who wish to show/hide is the best compromise.
Quote:Sorry if I don't get it 100% until I try to do one!
Flip it to exclude, load up the Nihon Silk page, then flip it to include, and reload Nihon Silk in a different window. The impact should be obvious. That's all it does - changes the rating calculation method for you (only you).
