Before I progress any further with the front end. What sections do you think we should have and who is definately up for contributing? I'll hook you all up with writer accounts and set you up with a pcvsconsoles email address, so you can badger people for some articles or stories and look official while doing so. *edited for spelling (because I was on my phone when I posted)
I'd be up for contributing. Is the idea to have blogs as well as articles and reviews? I'm a strong writer so I could offer advice and suggestions for others if they want/need it. Probably have to see what level I can do when we start as I'm developing a script with someone at the moment and I need time for that.
So far only Me, Monsly and Cmdrmonkey are up for writing reviews. I will also volunteer for news updates on the main page as I enjoy those. Writers: > Phisix - Classic Gaming reviews(Maybe console, films and TV) > Monsly - Classic gaming Reviews(part timer) > CmdrMonkey - PC Gaming and Classic PC gaming The sections should be these on the main website: - Reviews - Member Reviews - News - Forum - Staff Blogs - Members Blogs (Future devolopment?] - Meet the team - Origins of PVC ( maybe? Just a write up on how this new site and forums began to be Anything we else we can add to the list. Both reviews and member reviews will need sub-categories for easy navigation such as: - PC gaming - Console gaming (Then more sub-categories for Xbox 360, Ps3 ect) - Classic or Retro(Again sub-categories to highlight platforms, tv, books, electronics etc) - Gadgets and Electronics - - Entertainment (Such as Tv, films and reading) Obviously this is just a ruff guide/ideas, but you get my drift. Any additions or ideas? We will need to fill the spot of each section with at least one writer for now. I hope so blogs are fun and it is always nice to have a blog perspective from staff. I would also look forward to reading the humour about Multiplayer Shenanigans with Monsly and co. Humour works well in websites. Maybe in the future we could up a members Blogs too. Speaking of members. Will we make the main site accessible to some areas without signing up, or should we just keep comments on articles and blogs for members while browsing is open? I was also thinking, for every review and blog everyone writes, we should crate a link that directs them to the forum for discussion on that particular article or blog. That will also bring in members and more discussion in the forums. Maybe using drag and drop link boxes for the main topbar links to keep it for easy navigation.
Yeah, blogs are definately part of the plan for the mains site; we've definately got enough interesting and knowledgable people here who can contribute. Obviously there'd have to be some rules about what people can say and how far they can push the envelope in their writing but provided it's not libelous, pretty much anything goes. Infact, I'd like to see blogs and articles that would push people into visiting or commenting. Like I said earlier, I plan on submitting any updates to other games sites so we'd get people coming in to debate the issue; or troll...depending on their reaction to the piece
Indeed. It is nice to see someone else who has their head screwed on on these matters. Everyone website needs a "ChairmanSteve" type CEO and you seem to be that guy that will be our glue, along with the other writers and staff. Would you also be interested in filling in a section spot for reviews? Also, all staff should post up at least daily logs. More and daily content brings people back. I was also thinking, I think I remember seeing a box in the top right of your layout that could be filled with a picture. If so, we should fill that with a picture of the forums main page with a title of what is happening at the forum. I can't explain what I mean 1005, but I believe you will get what I mean.
I don't want this place to follow a chairmansteve model. This new place needs to be a community effort otherwise we'll end like before. Bfun said it eloquently elsewhere but we'd be a hostage to fortune if we went down the same route. I think the plan is to make this a community driven place and that's great; we owe ichi and cmdrmonkey a lot of thanks for their hard work.
Very true Monsly. Maybe our site motto should be - Pcvsconsoles: The community's community? Since our community is doing this website.
Two suggestions: authors should use their real names on the front page, not their forum nicknames; and every article, blog, or review should either have a comments section or a corresponding thread in the forums. The whole point of the articles is to spark discussion and debate. Small time reviewers can become really popular is their stuff is brutally honest and funny. Just look at Yahtzee/Zero Punctuation. He started as a nobody with a couple of funny youtube videos, and now he's one of the most popular reviewers on the web.
I don't think any of us have the time to write something daily, and the quality would probably suffer. I also don't think there's enough material to talk about to post daily. But weekly or biweekly updates would work out well. We could have it so that different writers have their updates come out on the same day every week or every other week. Like let's say: Ichi: Fridays Cmdrmonkey: Saturdays Phisix: Sundays Something like that would work, and people in the forums would know to check the main site on those days. Having to wait a week also builds anticipation.
Real names? There's no way I'd do that. Using an assumed name wouldn't be a problem. Article timing sounds fine if people want to do it.
I meant blogs not logs, but yeah. Maybe even a post up a blog when you want. That may be more flexible than weekly or bi-weekly, but either idea is fine.
Aintitcoolnews.com have had writers using asumed names/aliases since the place began years ago; the only person there anyone knows by name, (real name), is the fatty that runs it because he's a shameless publicity whore. Real names may need to be used if you're going to try and talk to developers or other people as time goes by; by used I mean real names given to people at studios and such. And believe me, a lot of publishers and developers would only be too happy to send you free stuff and review copies if it means they get some free publicity; forget about selling it on because whatever you do get is plastered in big words like promo only NOT FOR SALE...but yeah, provided you can articulate yourself properly and you come across reasonably professional there is no amount of free goodies you couldn't score in the long run.. However, let's not try running before you can walk; just worth pointing out though that there are perks..
How goes the layout, Ichi? Monkey, we still need to get plans in place for the reviews, Blogs and how to gain more writers for the sections we need to cover. I wish we still had Sm284614 around. He loved writing up reviews so he would be a invaluable asset. I wonder what ever happened to him. On a happy note, we have made over 1000 posts already!!
Slowly. I'm super busy with work and other stuff at the minute; I'm spreading myself very thin at the moment and when you do that you make mistakes. It shouldn't take long to get it all in place though.
PVC had been running for years on just a forum, so I think we'll be fine if we hold off the front page until it's good and ready. The domain isn't on google yet, so no one would see it anyway at this point.
Yeah, there's no need to rush. Hell, I'm amazed at how much you've guys have done in such a short space of time.
I was not referring to it to be rushed, just wondering how it was getting along. We won't go live until we have added enough content. We still need to discuss about content though, but no one is really bringing it up. We need to get writers to cover the other sections that we have not got for yet, and the rest of us who are writers should start writing up reviews whenever possible as to build up content.
Any of you guys started to write any reviews yet? I will be starting my first one tomorrow. Since Ocarina of time was my last game played, and it is a classic review I would have done eventually, I think I will start with that as it is still fresh in my mind.
I need another week to get the front end running properly. I'm just stretched on so many levels at the minute that it's getting hard finding time to do everything.