What the hell is going on with the voting?

[laptopwriter]

Just for curiosity sake, I've been keeping close tabs on a story of mine. At 521 votes it had dropped one point from where it was previously. Then I saw the number of votes reduced to 516 and the score went back up to where it was. I figured a sweep had occurred, after which, some false voting was detected and eliminated.

Over the next couple of days the vote count went up to 529 but the score remained the same. Today I checked and now the count is 528 and the score has gone down a point?

Now- if the last 13 votes didn't change the score, how can the removal of one?

This doesn't make sense to me.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Sign up for the LIT VIP account.

 

[Darkniciad]

Just for curiosity sake, I've been keeping close tabs on a story of mine. At 521 votes it had dropped one point from where it was previously. Then I saw the number of votes reduced to 516 and the score went back up to where it was. I figured a sweep had occurred, after which, some false voting was detected and eliminated.

Over the next couple of days the vote count went up to 529 but the score remained the same. Today I checked and now the count is 528 and the score has gone down a point?

Now- if the last 13 votes didn't change the score, how can the removal of one?

This doesn't make sense to me.

It's relatively easy to come up with a mix of new votes with a total in the 500s that produces no visible change in score. The score probably is changing, but it's in the decimal places that aren't visible.

Likewise, that single swept 5 could have been the tipping point that rounded you down .01.

Or, it could have been a combination of new votes + sweeps.

Unless you're tracking 24/7 and catch every single vote or swept vote, you're never going to know for sure what happened on a story that's still actively picking up votes ( the first week or so )

 

[Darkniciad]

Example:

Score is visibly 4.55. Actual score is 4.557 at 516 votes.

In come the following votes. Nine 5s and 2 4s.

Visible score is 4.55. Actual score is 4.545, which is rounded to the visible score - with 529 votes.

A sweep comes through, removing a single five. Actual score drops to 4.544 and the loss of the round-up causes your visible score to become 4.54.

EDIT: Crap, that isn't right LOL The first score would have been rounded up, and I was using 11 votes instead of 13. Lousy scratch pad notes and the boy is going wild on me. I'll try to get my maths straight.

Still, you get the picture. The behind the scenes fractions are what's causing it, and there are a lot of tiny movements at higher vote totals.

 

[laptopwriter]

Thanks,

I see your point. I was not considering a third digit after the decimal point. That would explain it.

 

[Darkniciad]

No, I'm now irritated at myself, and I'm going to post a proper example LOL

Visible score 4.55 at 516 votes. Actual score is 4.551.

In come 13 votes. 7 5s, 5 4s, and a 1-bomb from a jackass.

4.551 x 516 = 2348.316 + (7x5=35) + (5x4=20) + (1x1=1) = 2404.316

2404.316 / 529 = 4.545, which displays as 4.55.

Hoover comes along, removing an overzealous double-5 vote from someone, but misses the 1 for some reason. Here's hoping it catches it on the next pass.

2399.316 / 528 = 4.544, which displays at 4.54.

Now that I've went over that about six times, I'll probably come back in a few minutes and realize I've screwed it up again

 

[laptopwriter]

In any event...

You've reminded me that the score actually goes out 3 spaces after the decimal and not 2. That could very well be the reason for the change in score.
I think you did an admirable job of explaining; don't beat yourself up.

 

[49greg]

My woes are similar, but I haven't kept track of votes vs scores recently. But I lost points in scores for several stories (I have less than 20 including a couple of poems so I'm not a real writing dynamo), unfortunately a couple of my stories were wavering at 4.5 and they dropped to 4.49 once again (one has 300 plus votes the other less.)

Another story had a 4.53ish or so a few weeks ago, then this week dropped to 4.49, so suddenly I lost three of my 5 'h' stories. Bummer.

But I guess they got hoovered, scores in general went up and I've got three H's again. The two at 4.49 will probably flip up and down over the next few years until they finally settle down.

I suspect I got zapped by a one-bomber with a grudge from some time ago, and it mostly got corrected. C'est la vie.

Funny thing though. Just before I noticed the drop I got an anon comment that said he liked my story, but was disappointed that my characters didn't use condoms and that I should use condoms in the future.

Oh well.

 

[sr71plt]

Oh, I have "friends" who try their best to make sure that my stories don't go above 4.49.

 

[robertreams]

Where does one find out the score a reader gave one's story?
s story. I only see overall votes and overall score. So how does one know that. say 3 people read and what votes they gave?

 

[Bramblethorn]

Where does one find out the score a reader gave one's story?
s story. I only see overall votes and overall score. So how does one know that. say 3 people read and what votes they gave?

There's no way to view individual votes (that I know of) but by watching how the score behaves as new votes come in you can tell what those votes are.

So e.g. if you have a 5.0 with 1 vote, then a 4.5 with 2 votes, then a 4.67 with 3 votes, you can tell that the votes were 5, 4, 5, and so on.

 

[laptopwriter]

Yeah,

Because of the number of readers that frequent Lit, it would be impossible to keep track of the individual votes.

When you have a story on the cusp, it will bounce around a lot. As I was reminded, though we only see the score go out two spaces from the decimal, in reality it goes out 3 and is rounded to two. So, if you have a story right on the brink, you can see how one vote could sway its outcome.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Because of the number of readers that frequent Lit, it would be impossible to keep track of the individual votes.

When you have a story on the cusp, it will bounce around a lot. As I was reminded, though we only see the score go out two spaces from the decimal, in reality it goes out 3 and is rounded to two. So, if you have a story right on the brink, you can see how one vote could sway its outcome.

The fact that sweeps happen seems to suggest that the system does keep track of individual votes, it just doesn't make them visible to us.

 

[Swilly]

There must have been a sweep at some point yesterday on the FAWC. Prior to the announced winner today, things went a little crazy in the voting again. Obviously, people get their kicks manipulating the voting. I notice it, and then laugh about it. How pathetic are the lives of these people that voting down (or up) a story is the highlight of their day?

 

[loquere]

Oh, I have "friends" who try their best to make sure that my stories don't go above 4.49.

I checked out your story list a while back, to see how many stories you'd published, I hell of a lot more than Lovecraft I realised. I was surprised there weren’t more “H’s” on your list though. I automatically figured you’d been heavily trolled.

 

[Swilly]

I checked out your story list a while back, to see how many stories you'd published, I hell of a lot more than Lovecraft I realised. I was surprised there weren’t more “H’s” on your list though. I automatically figured you’d been heavily trolled.

Maybe because he writes a lot of GM? We know there are a lot of "moral characters" patrolling LW. (Moral in their own minds.) Does the same thing go on in the GM category? I don't know. I haven't really read his stuff, but he does have an awful lot of stories on the cusp of the red H.

Like I wrote before, it's pretty pathetic if there are people doing that. It says an awful lot about the lives of people that would waste their time on such a thing. I've had my issues with pilot, but fair is fair. I won't vote stories low because i don't care for someone. I'll just ignore them entirely.

 

[lovecraft68]

Maybe because he writes a lot of GM? We know there are a lot of "moral characters" patrolling LW. (Moral in their own minds.) Does the same thing go on in the GM category? I don't know. I haven't really read his stuff, but he does have an awful lot of stories on the cusp of the red H.

Like I wrote before, it's pretty pathetic if there are people doing that. It says an awful lot about the lives of people that would waste their time on such a thing. I've had my issues with pilot, but fair is fair. I won't vote stories low because i don't care for someone. I'll just ignore them entirely.

Yes, GM suffers from the "those damn sinning queers" crowd. LW has the adultery crowd incest and non consent have morality trolls as well.

Some just rin up and down and bomb every story, but some....and I love this, will read the story, get all hot and bothered by it then troll it out of guilt. The one finger pointing, three pointing back crowd.

 

[Swilly]

Yes, GM suffers from the "those damn sinning queers" crowd. LW has the adultery crowd incest and non consent have morality trolls as well.

Some just rin up and down and bomb every story, but some....and I love this, will read the story, get all hot and bothered by it then troll it out of guilt. The one finger pointing, three pointing back crowd.

Where's the thumb go?

 

[lovecraft68]

Where's the thumb go?

Its holding the three fingers that are pointing back, because in their minds those dirty little sinners know they are sinners and they are full of masochistic "I am an unworthy sinner" Bible spawned guilt and Catholic self flagellation.

Whew....jeez you had to ask?

 

[loquere]

Yes, GM suffers from the "those damn sinning queers" crowd. LW has the adultery crowd incest and non consent have morality trolls as well.

Some just rin up and down and bomb every story, but some....and I love this, will read the story, get all hot and bothered by it then troll it out of guilt. The one finger pointing, three pointing back crowd.

Makes sense.

 

[loquere]

Maybe because he writes a lot of GM? We know there are a lot of "moral characters" patrolling LW. (Moral in their own minds.) Does the same thing go on in the GM category? I don't know. I haven't really read his stuff, but he does have an awful lot of stories on the cusp of the red H.

Like I wrote before, it's pretty pathetic if there are people doing that. It says an awful lot about the lives of people that would waste their time on such a thing. I've had my issues with pilot, but fair is fair. I won't vote stories low because i don't care for someone. I'll just ignore them entirely.

He has two scifi stories, I think i'll try one of them. I originally thought 80% of his stories were GM, but no it's like 91.09%. I too have not read his stories yet.

 

[lovecraft68]

He has two scifi stories, I think i'll try one of them. I originally thought 80% of his stories were GM, but no it's like 91.09%. I too have not read his stories yet.

I checked out a couple of his non GM stories. Not a fan of his style, but his How to on self publishing has a lot of good stuff in it.

 

[JKendallDane]

Maybe because he writes a lot of GM? We know there are a lot of "moral characters" patrolling LW. (Moral in their own minds.) Does the same thing go on in the GM category? I don't know.

GM is actually a fairly serene category as far as vote trolling. You will see a little bit of it happen on the Top 25 HOF listings, but otherwise the readers seem to be very fair and even-handed.

I know of at least six regular forum posters besides myself that currently have GM stories in the Top 100 for the year, so it's evidently not all that difficult to write stories that are well received and rewarded with high votes.

 

[sr71plt]

He has two scifi stories, I think i'll try one of them. I originally thought 80% of his stories were GM, but no it's like 91.09%. I too have not read his stories yet.

Another, possibly more appropriate, way of looking at the statistics, though, is that I have 139 stories covering 22 separate categories under this account name that are not GM. How many other authors here have 139 stories, let alone spread over 22 categories (and have not been playing in the Survivor's contest)?

 

[lovecraft68]

My problem is my stories are too long to allow me to be prolific(well I could do the Freddie thing and take 10k stories and make them 3 chapters to make it look like I write a lot more than I do)

That and I fail to see why I should really push to write something I have no interest in. Many see that as a challenge and if that works for them that's great, but my time is limited and I don;t feel like wasting it on "Hmm wonder if I could write a GM story?" Could I? Maybe, but, again, why? Just to say I did?

Survivor has gotten me to spread out a little more, but I have no illusions I'm filling out that scorecard.