5762

Well, there’s lots of talk about how work is keeping you busy, and there’s a lot of news-type posts giving us the latest tidbits about the status of various games, and there are the interviews (during which you obviously don’t want to come across as a spastic junkie frothing at the mouth); but when you do talk about a game you love (enjoy) or hate (meh) there isn’t the same amount of passion and conviction you displayed a couple posts up.

Sure, the entire website doesn’t need to be in all caps or anything, but as a fan website (which I’m guessing is what you’re aiming for?), rather than a professional review type site, you have a lot more freedom to better express yourself in a manner that more aptly demonstrates not just your love for a game (many gamers can love and appreciate a game) but the overwhelming fervor you feel towards a title.

As a fellow junkie, you owe it to your junkie audience to demonstrate what it is that sets junkies apart from your average lay-gamer. Although, the fact you made a whole site about your love for the genre speaks volumes in itself, some of the content has a certain “just the facts ma’am” quality to it. It can be very informative, which is useful for all the obscure titles you (thankfully) make it a point to include, but it’s not particularly engrossing, just yet.

Just try to let loose without sounding like a 16 year old that just found out his car is being taken away for two weeks.

5763

Huh…I’m gonna have to think on this, kerzain. I don’t wanna appear so fanboyish as to drive people off, but I totally see what you’re saying. Thanks for explaining that to me. :)

5764

Yea, I’d say it’s a delicate balance. If you DO come across as too fanboish you’ll start coming across like that dude from “Ain’t It Cool news”, where he’s such a god damned movie fan boy you can’t take anything he ever says seriously. He will go to such lengths to heap praise on universally panned movies (and vice versa), it’s mind boggling. For the last ten years his site has felt less informative, insightful and fun than just plain old wankerly.

5765

Exactly, and I can’t honestly STAND that site. It’s like “OMG ZOOKEEPER IS THE BEST MOVIE YOU GUISE!!”

Ugh, I do NOT wanna be that guy!

5766

I’m sure there is a nice middle ground you can occupy without flaunting the insanity.

5767

Exactly, and that’s what I’ll strive for…just gotta figure out how…

5768

Try imagining you’re having a 1 on 1 conversation with another gamer, or taking part in a conversation with a group of gamers, and write from that perspective (without all the wild eyed excitement and hand gestures). You wouldn’t speak to them the same way you’d write a term paper.

When speaking to folks this way you probably find yourself focussing on all the best stuff worth talking about, dissing what needs to be dissed, and emphasizing how you really feel about something. Even if you think you’re going against the grain you would make a case for your opinion, instead of just saying “it’s amazing” or “not so great”.

Sure, you can always write from the perspective of a game review, but maybe you could write it as though you’re having a conversation somewhat less about the game itself (and what makes the game enjoyable), but more about how and why you, as a gamerjunkie, enjoyed it.

5769

Huh, good stuff! I’ll totally give that a try in my next article. Thanks, kerzain! I appreciate the input a lot. :)

5770

Just remember, we don’t care about the two hours you spent washing your butt before climbing into your popemobile, eating fried chicken, and driving to the movies – only to talk two paragraphs about a movie for which you just spent three pages discussing your trip to (english good).

5771

That’s some dead-on good advice (along with everything else you suggested).

5772

Oh yea, and I want your site to be like a sister site to GoG, with all the info I can’t get there. Less game features, more game awesomeness.

That’s what I want anyway, but who cares about what I want.

5773

Well, the site isn’t just about space games, I want it to be one big love letter to space games, as well as advocating more of them being made, so it’s not just a site for me. :)

5774

Also, you need to do a play-through of Leisure Suit Larry: Lust in Space soon (or add it to the games list at least!), replete with scandalizing pictures (okay, this was a trick, it was canceled before release).

5775

If he didn’t actually fly the spaceship, no dice, sorry. ;)

5776

Oh, I’m sure he had his hand on the stick the whole time.

5777

Just wanted to chime in and agree with kerzain on his feedback. In fact, I had the same complaint internally with ATFW (A Talent For War) for years while they were up and running. It started off as a great resource for us space sim fans for keeping track of upcoming and current space sims, but none of the articles and reviews had the passion that got me fired up like the CIC did for Wing Commander related news. Sure, CIC came off very fan-boyish towards anything Wing Commander, but they fired up the Wing Commander fan in me, where as ATFW felt very clinical.

5778

Huh, I’d prefer people get fired up about space games, so I guess I’ll have to dip a bit into the fanboi part of me. Kerzain, your tip about having a 1-on-1 conversation should help a great deal.

5779

I just recently reinstalled Heroes III. Adding RollerCoaster Tycoon to the mix this weekend is not going to end well. Not at all. :)

5780

I’ve been giving GOG lots of use over recent weeks. I now have more games than i have time to play, i should join that other thread about that kind of problem maybe?

  1. Planescape Torment
  2. Journyman Project 2
  3. Darklands(again, i have it already on disk)
  4. Gabriel Knight
  5. Zork GI
  6. Outcast(i loved voxels back in the day)

and a few others! All at great prices that don’t make you feel your being descriminated against(for not being in the usa). Got to love GOG!

5781

I see they’re hiring for PR–is our Tom Ohle not working there anymore?