Prioritize Reviews over Table of Contents in the Details Tab

[Snusmumriken]

Currently, reviews are marginalized and require a proper overhaul.

I am aware that something like that would require a significant effort and not a priority at the moment. However, the reviews even in the current form could be extremely useful, if they weren't buried so deep.

So here is my proposal: the Table of Contents is present by default in all three tabs. There is also a start reading button that sends you to the first chapter. So it isn't as important as the other elements.

The details tab is extremely important for the readers that are checking out the story for the first time. I don't think I've ever come back to read the synopsis again, once I started to read the story. New readers aren't looking for a chapter in the middle or the latest chapter. They are looking for information on what they are about to read (synopsis\reviews\ratings\tags) or the button to start reading.

My proposal (at least as a quick patch for now) would be to make the review tab show up first instead of the Contents. Or push contents lower and insert the reviews there.

Another suggestion would be to check if you are reading the story or not. Readers will be shown Table of Contents, while visitors would see the Reviews tab by default.

 

[AliceShiki]

Table of contents is 10 billion times more important than reviews... It definitely should be there by default.

I also don't see how reviews are particularly hidden... It's pretty easy to find them.

 

[Snusmumriken]

Table of contents is 10 billion times more important than reviews... It definitely should be there by default.

I also don't see how reviews are particularly hidden... It's pretty easy to find them.

There is a difference between finding them and seeing them from the start, however.

 

[BenJepheneT]

Even in terms of accessibility, it's not a good feature at all. Not everyone reads the reviews. In fact, only a really small percentage of people actually ever go to that tab. I can bet you a kidney that you'll find some readers surprised when you tell them such a tab exist.

A novel's biggest selling point, first and foremost, is the content. It's what prompted the reviews in the first place.

I agree that the review tab is fucking scuffed. Most people would scroll past it, even when in active search. Even then, replacement isn't the way to go.

An overhaul of the UI? Yes.

Turning the main contents' page into a collection of disjointed thoughts that may or may not be well-thought over written by people that may or may not be biased or hell, may or may not have even READ the damn thing through?

Nah.

 

[Snusmumriken]

What if the only thing that shows up is the rating bars? A total tally of all reviews and the stars that were given.

That would be an additional indication of how readers perceive the novel and would allow new readers to realise there are review actually present on the website.

Because right now, just as you said - the only mention of their existence is a tiny tab that is closed and a tally number in the description.

 

[BenJepheneT]

What if the only thing that shows up is the rating bars? A total tally of all reviews and the stars that were given.

That would be an additional indication of how readers perceive the novel and would allow new readers to realise there are review actually present on the website.

Because right now, just as you said - the only mention of their existence is a tiny tab that is closed and a tally number in the description.

As I've said, no table of contents, no dice. You could compromise by showing the rating bar above the table of contents, but even then, why would we need a rating bar if we could see the rating below the cover in the first place? The rating bar doesn't even suggest that there's a review section: it just reinforces the mechanic that "hey, you can give stars to a story"

 

[Snusmumriken]

As I've said, no table of contents, no dice. You could compromise by showing the rating bar above the table of contents, but even then, why would we need a rating bar if we could see the rating below the cover in the first place? The rating bar doesn't even suggest that there's a review section: it just reinforces the mechanic that "hey, you can give stars to a story"

that was already included in the initial proposal - I mentioned that you don't actually have to remove it completely but bump it a bit down.

And by rating bar, I didn't mean just the 5 stars as the rating part does. I meant the bar chart that shows how many x star reviews there already are. Which is already implemented at the top of the review section.

It could also be skipped if there are no reviews, thus if there is nothing to tell it won't obstruct the space.