Content Ideas

[Brasel]

I've been thinking about the future of my YouTube channel and growing my Internet brand. I've really been wanting to open a video game website blog, similar to Kotaku, but more than just journalistic articles. I'd love to use the site to compile reviews on old and new games, opinion pieces on the current video game industry, podcasts, video segments (top 10 lists, lets plays, reviews, etc.), and other fun content. I graduate in two months and I'm going to have a lot of free time for pet projects...free time that I haven't had for the last 10 years.

I know that AGN was going through some changes a few years ago, and Dark Dragon had a website redesign commissioned, but it still hasn't seen the light of day. I wanted to test the waters of the staff here to see how people would react to using AGN as the base for my idea. We could integrate the existing community with the website, and include content and reviews on new Zelda Classic quests, among our other projects like Final Fantasy Classic. I've built a decent sized network of like minded gamers on Twitter recently, and I'm sure I can get a lot of new people in to help out with content. If we wanted to, we could see about getting some advertisers to help circumvent hosting fees and maybe eventually generate some profit if we become popular enough. We would need to aggressively market the site on social media like Twitter, Instagram, etc.

I've been administering some Word Press sites for work recently and that is how I was thinking to at least get started.

I've been thoroughly enjoying writing reviews and creating videos, and I really want to delve into this more and more. If AGN isn't interested in doing this, I can definitely make a start from scratch, and I'll always promote AGN's products and link people here.

Let me know what your thoughts are or if you have any questions.

[CJC]

Okay, what would you be planning to 'synergize' away from AGN in the process? Is this strictly an additive idea, or do you want to prune things as well?

If AGN were to move into any sort of revenue generation (from advertisement banners most likely), it would need to be revenue generated in the interest of what we can supply to the gaming community. By which I mean: it needs to be related to the reviews, not Zelda Classic.



I'm not against the idea but I'm not completely sold on it yet. I don't mean to sound like a sheep, but I want to see how the other staff members feel about this before I cast a vote.

[King Aquamentus]

I'd be glad to join in on this actually. That said, Zelda Classic has for a long time been a huge part of what AGN is all about. If something else grows out of it, the two sides need to be able to coexist pretty well

[Brasel]

It would be purely addition. Nothing would be removed from AGN. Advertising would all be gaming related, not necessarily geared towards Zelda Classic.

Basically we'd add a main page again, and have a dedicated staff to start posting reviews, podcasts, videos, etc.

[King Aquamentus]

I like that idea. I've been curious for some time about getting into that sort of thing but I don't know much about it.

[CJC]

When you phrase it like that, yeah, I can get behind that.

[Dechipher]

We've had initiatives like this before, and it always winds up dwindling. I certainly don't want to quell any ambition or momentum, but I just want to point out that we used to have semi-regular reviews on the main site, but it never really blossomed. That doesn't mean it can't now.

That said, with services such as IGN seeming to move towards more frequent video-based reviews, text-based reviews could be more welcome (I hate having to load videos. I don't have time to sit through all of your splash screens!)
Offering reviews of ZC quests would definitely be a good unique draw.

I think another game project would be awesome, but I can't contribute anything other than music to it, so I can't really push much for that.

Something like ZC, with similar nostalgia factor, but no copyright hangups, could be really cool. The quest creation mechanic is the strongest part, and something with that scope could easily put this place back on the map again. It's just hard to get people that are dedicated/competent/creative without being able to pay them.

[Brasel]

I remember the reviews and I kind of wished they were still around. I didn't get into them at the time for whatever reason, but like I said before, I'm going to have a ton of time soon. I've really enjoyed doing videos lately and I want to start doing written reviews as well. I'm going to end up doing it one way or another, and I just wanted to maybe drag AGN along with me on my journey if it would let me.

Also: I don't do video intros because I feel the same way. I can't stand sitting through them. I have one intro on my main page if you aren't subscribed, and that's it. If you're a regular watcher, you don't need a reminder every time you load up one of my videos.

[SUCCESSOR]

I like the idea but then again I have liked a lot of ideas that have fallen flatter than a flourless pancake. I really want to AGN actually become more than just a forum again. I have had a few ideas unfortunately I lack any skill in Web design and frankly we have no one around who does with the time/desire. I think your ideas fit AGN. In fact, if I remember correctly something like that was attempted. If I was the one making the decision on whether or not we go through with this I would like to see:

Content providers: I know we can count on you to provide at least the content you have been. Honestly, I would really love to see another few people who would be willing to regularly pitch in content of some kind. This wouldn't be impossible either. We have some members here who record and stream. There are also some members at Pure who do record, stream, review, and even write articles and stuff like that. AGN also had a member who did video reviews of shows(and maybe other things) that were pretty darn good but I can't remember who. This is all moot if none of these people are willing or don't have the time to contribute.

Community support: This is a big one. Is anyone really going to care if this succeeds or fails. Thats a problem with a lot of great ideas that pop up here at AGN. We're a bunch apathetic bastards. I'd love to see some people actually excited about the idea. Having people that actually care and "tune-in" helps drive the project. I would hate to see a few people put a lot of work into something and then lose heart because it seems like no one cares. I understand this is beyond just the AGN community and would involve social media and other such things so its not all up to us lazy AGNers to back it, but I think you know what I mean.

Structure: Some kind of plan and organization; a real model of how/when of sorts. This would obviously be a WIP sort of thing but I really just dislike grand ideas that get people excited and then never show any practical application. It would also help to know that the entirety of it isn't all going to be dependent on a factor that might just never happen such as "no one wants to make the webpage." Also how would someone who is interested in being a part of this get involved... etc.

Then again the idea of any progress being made on AGN is something I support. So, I guess its all moot. As far as advertizing is concerned I see absolutely no reason why we shouldn't have it on AGN's main page. ZC has it's own site and the forums obviously shouldn't have ads plastered on them. That is a matter for Kolt, DD, and possibly WarLord to decide on though.

This is getting to long and I kinda forgot where I was going with it at this point. So here is my late reply that I have been meaning to post for days.

[Brasel]

I honestly have the full intention of getting a whole business plan together and mapping everything out. This isn't something that I want to take lightly.

I have had some experience working with Wordpress over the last year at my job, and I think I could get a decent main page put together if that's what we end up using. I'm also posting my videos to a review site that also uses Wordpress. Wordpress is incredibly easy to pull together and manage. Contributing content to a Wordpress site is almost as easy as it is to create a thread here in the forums.

As far as having time and energy to do it: like I said, I'm going to have a ton of it soon and I really want to put my energy into something I love. I've been writing and filming these reviews for almost six months now and I still love doing it. I'm always thinking up new ideas and jotting stuff down on notepad on my laptop.

I absolutely feel that the admins need to have a say on the advertising aspect of it. This doesn't actually have to come right away, and could be a phase that happens further in the future.

I can come up with a complete plan within the next month or so. I'll get some of my own content together, test out launching a private Wordpress site to have some sort of prototype deliverables to show, and try to see if I can come up with some more contributors.

I have a few personal friends who are interested in helping out with this idea. My sister is a highly ranked FPS player in the US and has been toying with doing some let's plays and live streams. Her boyfriend actually works as a technical artist for nVidia and is interested in writing up some educational pieces on working in the games industry and graphics card technology. I've got another few guys I know personally may be interested in putting together a podcast. The deal is that a lot of the content providers that I know aren't members here. I'd LOVE to get some of the ZC reviewers and let's players to contribute, and with a place as easy as Wordpress to post their videos, I'm sure they would like to contribute.