On May 11th we updated how the fiction rank number is displayed on the author dashboard and on individual fiction dashboards. By doing that authors could see where their fiction was ranked in a range, rather than the specific number. As an example, a fiction ranked at #321 would see the rank as 251-500. This was to steer away from a competitive element on the platform and to promote a culture that focuses less on arbitrary numbers that are outside of the author's direct control and did not sufficiently provide information on how well a story is doing, as the position in the ranking is highly influenced by how others perform, rather than a fiction's own performance. However, after talking with many authors and hearing how much they preferred the older individual numbers being displayed, we decided to roll back this update. Instead, if you feel like seeing numbers on the dashboard is distracting you from what matters and is negatively impacting you, we strongly recommend you disable rating stats, which also hide the rank numbers.
This can be done via this link. Or by going to your Author Dashboard > (Left Menu) > Settings > Hide Rating Stats
As always, we will continue to work to improve our platform and implement your requests as much as possible. If you have any suggestions, please add them here in our Suggestion forum
Floccinaucinihilipilification on
Oh cool.
Mike Sythias (sqeesqad) on
Oh, that's disappointing. I really thought it was an improvement
theamici on
I honestly thought the update was an improvement also. The competitive element on this platform is a little distracting at times, and the reasons you gave for using ranges instead was a very good reasoning.
theamici on
Like, I personally experienced how I shot up in rating, which gives you lots of excitement, but then I started to fall back again, and I get a little depressed by not going forward anymore. Since this changes a lot all the time it kinda messes with you to look at the exact number.
175offsaid on
Ya me too.
NestedKingdom on
The issue is that 251 - 500 is really broad i.e. 249, if the max difference b/w upper and lower was 49 (296 - 345) It would have been much more acceptable.
Tate King on
I think this is a good compromise. I actually liked the ranges, but agree they were very broad.
Joroboros on
Alternatively they could show what percentile you are rather than a range. rank < #500 = top 1%, rank < 5000 = top 10%. (stats pulled out of air). It would account for the broad ranges at different ranks.
Personally I don't care too much either way what RR does with the rank, It's not exactly a competition and i find views and follower metrics much more important.
darkocean (J. L. Salmonson) on
Yes, I pay way more attention the the followers, (I got another one this week, happy-happy-joy-joy!) Smooths out face. I'm calm. You saw nothing.
^_~
Hunter Mythos on
Thanks for the update!
joygirl007 on
Thanks for the update! It's true that ranking makes people a little nuts when they're trying to "level up."
Are there other ways for authors to get that sense of progression? I know Grammarly, for example, awards individual scores on things like clarity and spelling and it can give you a progression over time to see how you've improved with each new doc you write.
Bluelightning42 on
More achivements? I'd like more achivements :3
Wulfian on
I do enjoy collecting things. Achievements included.
darkocean (J. L. Salmonson) on
I want more too, how about getting achievements for typing for different sets of time in the editor? they need to make it so artists on here can get their achievements easier, there needs to like, be a forum that they can fill out with say links to their thread showing the covers they made so they can get their achievement easy and maybe have the form as an option in the 'powered by tiny' text box.
Another one how about, reading a certain number of chapters that kept secret and is random for each member. That way people won't try to work the system.
How about a floating feather quill pen that shows up like 0.01 of the time and rewards active members with a shout out on the main page for a half hour? xD
Icalos on
Just wanted to say that I appreciate the work you do in providing us this platform, and that you are looking for ways to improve it!
Semo Hunter on
dido
argusthecat on
I had wondered what had happened there! I think it's nice to have the option, but personally, I prefer more detailed analytics, so I appreciate the return.
Semo Hunter on
Me to. I didn't see the update notice and just woke up one morning to find the rankings broken lol. Glad to see they're back
MizarCaph on
Thanks for the update! My sympathies though, you guys had to go through a lot. Best of luck to everyone on the staff team!
MasterGamer on
I appreciate both the spirit of the update and the willingness to revert an unpopular change to its previous state. I definitely prefer the clear statistic over the abstracted version, even if the reasons for the abstraction were noble. Thank you for switching back.
Razzmatazz on
I am greatly thankful for both the fact that you are working to update this platform, but also are willing to listen to its users on such matters.
To be plain, I do not think it is possible to curve such culture issues via a technical solution. It feels like applying a hammer to a screwdriver problem.
As long as there is something tangible to gain on Royalroad (Status, patreon money, audience, etc) then there will always be a strongly competitive nature to this and any platform between many users no matter what you do. This may just be the nature of the beast. If anything can help at all, it might be to focus on growing a positive user interaction culture which can help to soften these matters.
kanadaj on
Fun fact, stuck screws are removed with a hammer. Look up impact drivers :D
Crownfall on
agree
Wulfian on
I appreciate the thought behind the update, but I do use it for analysis purposes to improve the direction of my story.
Many thanks to admins and other staff for thinking of us!
Paul Sawyer on
Good to know that at least somebody in this world listens to their customers 👍
CN Crenux on
Oh, so that's what it was. I thought my computer was broken or something
KingSabir78 on
What if the number stays as a range and individuals can choose to go to the settings to enable specific ranks?
kvothe147 on
yybv
CSDemers on
Thanks, I really liked to see where my exact number was. When it went away it was like I lost the spot I had earned.
PrinceofPersians on
Now if we could only stop the 0.5 rating competitor pirates.
darkocean (J. L. Salmonson) on
That is a problem, they might have to take the star ratings away as tolls are using them to hurt authors.
PrinceofPersians on
Yep. I would be cool with just feedback without stars. Just rate it with words. Pirates can’t do much then. But fans could help a ton.
Fiery7102 on
no way the devs of this site listen to feedback? take notes discord and twitter
msng on
Nice that people have a choice.
darkocean (J. L. Salmonson) on
Whynot have it as an option for writers to pick what way they want it? If it eats up data or something then offer it as part of the premium subscription! I like my ranking of of #10k or was it #100k? Ahaha! XD ranking doesn't bug me much. Readers are more important anyways. (Love you guys!)
darkocean (J. L. Salmonson) on
I also think it's amazing that you listen to us, thank you most kindly. 💖
Kobayashi on
I didn't feel like the range update wasn't necessarily amazing or horrible really; it was more confusing than anything. I didn't really mind it and it would help in cases where my rating tanks at points, but it also made things a bit confusing in my head but I'm the minority on that.
However, I do appreciate the addition of disabling rating stats to be re-enabled at any time. There are times where I don't want my rating on my mind but at the same time that's usually a minor headspace issue so having more freedom of when I get that information makes it a whole lot better, so overall I'm happy.
Jetplague on
nice