Weigthing scores by time

[Kendama]

So, I've been thinking about corrections to series score inflation.

Bayesian correction arguably works for series that have lots and lots of readers (the idea being to select for series many people like). But it doesn't solve the problem of series that have relatively few readers.

I don't know how hard it would be to code for that, or whether it would be even possible to apply it retroactively (only if the time of grading is recorded by your system).

But how about making more recent user scores count more towards the aggregate score of a series than older ones?

To allow for automated weighting, you can do it like this:

- Scores given by users before 25% of the currently available chapters were out: score x 1
- Scores given by users when more than the 25% and less than 50% of the currently available chapters were out: score x2
- Scores given by users when between 50% and 75% of the currently available chapters were out: score x3
- Scores given by users after 75% of the currently available chapters were out: score x4
- Scores given by users after the series was finished: score x5

Plus, add a correction factor:

- If the user follows the series and has read the latest currently available chapter: weighted score x 1.5
- If the user follows the series and hasn't read the latest currently available chapter: weighted score according to the position of the latest read chapter in the series release timeline
- If the user doesn't follow the series: weighted score x 0.5

And for multilingual users: apply the correction according to the latest chapter in the user-selected language that has the most chapters at the time of scoring.

For series with missing chapters, no way around it, count only the number of chapters in Mangadex. These are a relative minority, though.

That would stimulate users to revise their scores as a given series progresses, and would give less weight to the mob who either gives a Masterpiece or an Awful score based on chapter 1. It would also give less weight to people who drop series relative to those who follow it assiduously.

Of course, this is predicated on the assumption that people who read a series to the end are better judges than those who drop it. In other words, the Solo Levelling crazies would count more than those who were enlightened and dropped it in the middle. Still, I think that for measuring mass attitude towards a series, this is more honest. Aggregate scores are just a measure of current mass tastes, not really a good indicator of narrative quality.

It's probably too hard to code, though.

 

[konzolmester]

This is actually a genuinely good idea. But I doubt the people here would want a fair system like that.
Not to mention implementing it would be challenging. But the rating does need a tad more criteria than reading 1 chapter.....facepalm...
Still hats off to you sir.

 

[Granitefish]

I don't think this would be fair, as it would immediately weight Everything to be on the higher end of the ratings. People who follow and continue to read it are likely to rate higher, and people who rate it with a 1 are more likely to just drop it and never pick it up again.

 

[Halo]

(only if the time of grading is recorded by your system).

There was a suggestion to display scores on a timeline, but it was rejected because MD doesn't store voting timestamps.

 

[Kendama]

@Granitefish I did reflect on that, but to be honest I don't think it would be impossible to circumvent that.

For starters, I doubt that many people would diligently update their ratings.

Secondly, although later raters would weigh more, numbers would even that out. Many series begin with far more readers than they end, and presumably there would be many more people rating it at the beginning than later.

Thirdly, I don't see that giving greater weight to followers is a bad thing. After all, thinking realistically, a score-1 series wouldn't be commercially viable, so I doubt many of those really exist. If zealous followers of said series manage to offset chapter-1-score-1-drop readers, that only means that series has a passionate niche of followers.

And finally, the suggested weights are only indicative. It doesn't need to be 1 to 5, it could be 1 to 3 or even 1 to 2.5.

We also could leave the Bayesian corrector in place, combined with the new one, though that might be hard to implement mathematically.

As I said, scores are only good for people who feel their taste is smack in the middle of the mainstream. Although I went to some length conceiving this method, personally I read the synopsis and take a look at the art to decide what to read. Aggregate scores matter very little to me. One of my favourite series, Shounen Y, has a score below 8 here.

@halo Ah, what a shame. I do think something could be done about that: start collecting timestamps and make new scores incide on finished series with the maximal weight factor; the effect of that on the aggregate score would be minimal, anyway, since comparatively few people are reading completed series. And implement the full system for ongoing series. Over time, and considering some people would choose to revise their ratings, the previous aggregate score would be diluted.

It's also possible to include the weighted score as a third one in a different colour in the profile page of series, next to the Bayesian and plain average ones.

 

[konzolmester]

@AbyssalMonkey
Considering many mangas change in quality and overall story and other directions, I'd say the people who keep reading have the bigger overall picture and a far better understanding of the manga. But I'm just repeating the OP, and those long term readers are far more valuable of a critic than the guy who reads 5 chapter (shrugs the shoulder) then bombs it with a 1
I mean its bloody logical that 5 chapters out of 50 or 100+ does not reflect it's value. Not even by a long shoot. Same goes for LN or any books
I think OP's suggestion eliminates the ever increasing hate votes completely, this brings a very much fair rating system IMO!

At the very least it's several times better than what we have atm!

 

[Granitefish]

I believe that the beginning of a manga is just as important as the later portions, there are many people who don't want to read through bad stuff just for the promise of good later, making the low ratings for the beginning of it just as important as the ratings for the later portions. I'm certainly not going to read through 20 chapters of stupidity just to get to a mediocre manga whose rating has been weighted toward 9 and 10 because only the people who really liked it stuck with it. Not that I pay any attention to ratings since I find them useless most of the time. And I believe this would make the ratings even more useless, Since the most influence would be from those who actually like the manga creating an inherent bias.

Also I don't think it would help the Hate votes as much as you hope, as all they have to do is tell the site they've read the most recent chapter. I think that's a factor being overlooked here as well. MD doesn't actually track what you've read, I tracks what you've opened on your follows and what you've said you've read.

Edit: I find Ratings useless on the basis that it's not formed based on my opinion.

 

[konzolmester]

Well it's up to MD how much work they're willing to invest in it. As good this idea may be, I think the coding and calculating behind it is a bit challenging.