Gaming World Forums
Archives => GW Blog => Community Content => Blog: Community => Topic started by: Marcus on June 11, 2008, 02:28:46 am
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(http://gamingw.net/pubaccess/26699/uncle%20sam.gif)
I NEED YOU...
To help me advertise!
That's right, chumps, I'm taking money out of my pocket to advertise GamingW through Project Wonderful (http://www.projectwonderful.com). Originally founded by Ryan North (of Dinosaur Comics fame), it's a website where ad space is bid on. This little contest is for you, the member to help bring some more life into this website.
The objective, should you choose to accept it, is simple:
Design a banner in one of three categories.
After the contest period is over, a winner from each category will be selected by a panel of top secret judges (my mom or something).
The prize? 30$ USD gift certificate for your favorite online vendor (Amazon, Newegg, Wal-Mart, Pizza Hut, etc.) plus Premium Membership (which I'll also be donating 45$ to Gamingw regardless if you're a premium member or not). I'm giving away 135$ in cash prizes to a bunch of random strangers and kids I'M FUCKING NUTS!!!!!!
Here are the official rules. Read them carefully.
*Each contestant will post what kind of banner they will be designing. You can only enter in ONE category thus you will only receive one prize. The categories are:
-Banner 468x60
-Leaderboard 728x90
-Skyscraper 160x600
*Each image must be the exact size listed and must be saved as either a gif, jpg, or png.
*The ads should be no bigger than 200kb. This includes animated gifs.
*Ads must be safe for work. No coarse language, racial slurs, nudity, etc.
*You may resubmit your work at any time during the two weeks and change your category. Just be sure to include a little note saying so.
I won't be telling you how to make your ad but make it appealing. I still haven't decided where I'll be directly linking (probably to the forums) but this an advertisement so sell your point!
Deadline for all entires is 12AM PST (-8 GMT) June 28 (that's Saturday morning). Either pm me the entires or email them to me at jbrown [at] email2me [dot] com. A pm is preferred. Winners will be determined over the weekend and the prizes will be handed out the following Tuesday, July 1st.
Happy creating!
Current Entires
Meiscool - Leaderboard
Aztec - Leaderboard
Carius - Banner
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Id participate but I dont really have ideas for a clever ad. It can be animated right?
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Perhaps Elighja has chance of winning this one.
(http://www.gamingw.net/pubaccess/50322/gw-logo%20copy.png)
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What a great idea! I was hoping someone would eventually spend money to advertise GW somewhere...
My question is, where will these ads be displayed? I'm sure this has something to do with reading your link to Project Wonderful more thoroughly but I didn't really find anything on first glance.
edit: Ohhhhh. I see. So we bid on whatever sites we want to advertise our forums on. In that case, my question is: on which sites would we want to advertise Gaming World Forums?
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Advertising through project wonderful is basically finding a site yourself, and bidding on it. whoever bids the most at any time on a site gets his ads displayed there. Its pretty cool.
Also costs are based on time instead of clicks, so no frauds
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Id participate but I dont really have ideas for a clever ad. It can be animated right?
Yes, yes it can and with your fuck awesome sprite animation abilities you're a shoe in! (please note the admins do not endorse any particular member FAIR CONTEST Y'ALL)
edit: Ohhhhh. I see. So we bid on whatever sites we want to advertise our forums on. In that case, my question is: on which sites would we want to advertise Gaming World Forums?
There's a very indepth search engine and I'll be searching for the cheapest websites with the highest amount of views. Some websites literally get 40,000 unique hits a day with adspace at 40 cents a day. Now, people can set a max bid limit which means I may be immediately outbid but I've got about 100$ sitting in my PW account so it's a matter of experimentation.
I'm going to try and advertise mostly at websites about video games, indie games, humor sites, etc. etc. Basically, draw in a crowd much like our own but there'll still be a pretty big RANDOM factor thrown in through the use of the search engine.
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Now would be a great time for a tech admin like Dave to implement that "How did you find out about us?" question at registration!
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This calls for some HEAVY DISCUSSION though
I mean, if we want to sell GW to people, what should we show? What should we talk about?
What represents GW the best, really?
BRRRAINSTORM
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Whoops, accidentally posted it. This looks to be a good contest.
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The only thing which kinda puts me off aztec is that it isn't really related to gw, like I couldn't imagine someone wanting to click that because it kinda has nothing to do with us.
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thats what we should be BREAINSTOERMING right now
what should we present in an ad
INDIE GAMES COMMUNAUTY bring your indie sword
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I just started something random and went with it. I wasn't really thinking about drawing people in or anything, but more like... a logo or something. w/e
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Can it be flash?
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this is a great idea.
gaming world... where the poor become rich...
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this is a great idea and one we had been tossing around in staff.
just figure out what the hell we should be advertising!
GAMES...COMMUNITY...FAMILY....HOPE.
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Can it be flash?
Animated gif, gif, png, jpg only.
I got two entries already and while I feel it is unfair to comment on them early I just want to say that there should be some selling point to the add themselves. I'm sure some people will see GAMINGworld and click on it instantly (because who doesn't love games?) but other than that there should be something flashy like a big picture of fogget or Bart's pimply face or something.
Also, new rule: You can resubmit content within the two-weeks and change the category you're in at any time. Just be sure to tell me what ad is your official ad.
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I'd like to try this. I'm new here, and it will be a good 'forum member advertisement' entering a contest like this. I had won a banner contest once, like 2 years ago, so i'll go to the banner category. So, it can be everything related to gamingworld right???
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But like I said we should think about this a little. Im not sure that a CONTEST is the best way to do this right now. Like, we don't even know for sure what we should present. Maybe we should come up with a good concept first together taking ideas from lotso people (heh...as a team...), and then from that concept make a contest maybe. I dunno, I'm pretty sure we will get much better results that way!
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But like I said we should think about this a little. Im not sure that a CONTEST is the best way to do this right now. Like, we don't even know for sure what we should present. Maybe we should come up with a good concept first together taking ideas from lotso people (heh...as a team...), and then from that concept make a contest maybe. I dunno, I'm pretty sure we will get much better results that way!
Well shoot, we can discuss it right here.
I for one joined way back because of rpg maker. I doubt it's actually that relevant now but I think indie gaming is a pretty big draw so include that.
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Yeah but I mean how to include that. Like maybe animation clips or mockups of fake indie games being played or something, with captions saying like "you make em, you play em, gamingworld indie games community"
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are you going to supply the GamingW logo? As I recall "Frankie's" logo won the voting and was said to still be up the admins, but I have never seen it implemented on the main site...or anywhere.
And yes, I'm in.
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Banner, bitch...
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I dont think the logo is really as important here than like, selling the sites' concept
though it could show a sort of pro-ish air? Like "heh we got a logo... were serious business"
personally I wouldnt put a logo in.
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are you going to supply the GamingW logo? As I recall "Frankie's" logo won the voting and was said to still be up the admins, but I have never seen it implemented on the main site...or anywhere.
And yes, I'm in.
I was thinking of asking a similar question. Can we use pre-made GW resources?
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What does GamingWorld have to offer? That's the question. I wouldn't go all out and say "indi-gaming powerhouse" or anything like that, because the instant they see the forums, they'd no we aren't. We have a major in a good general community, a shitload of rpgmaker demos/adverts, and.... post 911? And a minor in Music/Art.
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I don't think so. There is quite a bit of material in the IGD forum. We don't have to advertise "POWERHOUSE" either, but simply the forum's concept. Also how can we advertise "good general community" anyways? Thats not something that makes people come, thats something that makes people STAY.
I think "indie games" is our best bet!
Advertising this place as an indie game design community will likely bring in the right people too.
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Since I have no interest in the prizes (although if by some rare chance I win, I still want them), here's the one I submitted...
(http://gamingw.net/pubaccess/44244/GW.png)
Just to get a few brains pumping with ideas, I did this in 10 minutes, I'm sure someone could do far better given the amount of time we actually have on this...
So get cracking!
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i am disinterested in your promises of riches
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That's pretty cool of you. :)
I'll be searching for the cheapest websites with the highest amount of views.
Take a close look at everything before you bid. Most sites that seem a bargain are that way for a reason and the page view counters they use include some crawler bots. From the sites with more reliable public counters, it's roughly 20-30% less than what's listed.
It's a great source of cheap advertising though if you pick the right sites. Much better than going through other ad services & often supports some cool webcomics at the same time. :)
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I think we could mention some great things about the community too such as The GW Troubadours, maybe (haha) The Breakfast Club, etc.
That's if it will be animated though.
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I'm working on a skyscraper entry. My idea is pretty much a big animation showing a fake shoot-em-up game being played, and there will be like, ad phrases displayed as it goes. Ill see how much I can fit in 200 ko, it should be plenty though.
Anyone has ideas for phrases to place in? I think it should just "sell" the idea of a indie games community, something like "create...design...play..."? Im not good with catch phrases that don't sound cheesy! As I said before I think the non-game-design aspects of the community just isn't something that will attract anyone, its just something that would potentially make new members stay once they are already visiting. Its like, something that will make them more involved in the community once they're already there for other reasons.
Also if I win can I just donate my 35$ to GW? Or is it really just to be used as coupons? Because I have no clue how id spend that really!
Edit: thinking about it maybe id spend it to buy a GW shirt.
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Also if I win can I just donate my 35$ to GW? Or is it really just to be used as coupons? Because I have no clue how id spend that really!
It's 30$ plus premium to do whatever you want with. Hell I'll convert it to cash if you use paypal.
Anyways, let's briefly chat about what should go into the ads. There are three things that, personally, attract me to this website:
-The Community
-The Games (not so much but still)
-The Blog
An ad should center around one or all three of those points. The community blog and crazy discussions we have can be one entity but really this is a place to hang out, talk about random shit, and watch people make/fail at making games.
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For a game design ad, should we try to sell game design as a "NEW IDEA" to people who never thought of designing games, like "heh... kidd.... do you know whats better than playin games.... heh... making em... check this site out..."
or are we trying to invite people who are already designing to check out our site? But then where would we advertise? On other game design communities?
What sort of people are we looking for here?
If we sell game design as a "new idea", as an easy and fun past time everyone should try out, it means we will get people who are interested in the idea of making games, but have absolutely no idea on HOW to do them. People who are currently outside of the "indie game scene" entirely.
While most people who are currently members of GW found this site by themselves because they were already interested in game design or were already designing games, people who come here by clicking an ad will barely know what we mean by game design. Are they editing starcraft campaign editor maps? Do they write pen and paper RPGs? Do they make DOOM mods? Do they design games like HALO 2 ? Who ARE these nerds?
This forum assumes visitors know precisely what the forum is about when they enter it! These new visitors will only have vague clues about that. They wont ask "How do I use variables in RPGmaker?? Sorry heh im new", they will ask "WHAT IS RPGMAKER WHO ARE YOU GUYS". They will likely get confused and leave. People who JUST HEARD VAGUELY about something don't CRAVE ANSWERS, they're likely to quickly lose interest and go back to playing WoW.
You see what I mean? Game design is such a specific thing, and the whole forum assumes its new visitors are already into it. That makes big problems when trying to get people from the OUTSIDE WORLD to join. We would need to like, reorganize the forum somehow to greet newcomers and explain why we design games and why is it fun and how hard it is and where do I start.
I'm starting to think that if we are to advertise and get people from outside the game design scene, we should maybe focus on the indie games themselves. If it works, the few people who will be enticed by the ads will be people who are interested in PLAYING games, not advertise their new rpg starring spiky haired boy. Maybe they will eventually try to design games of their own after playing a few of them and learning that making them is not as hard as they think. We would need some reorganization here too though! We would need to somehow make completed games easy to spot and download and play. Like from a first glance of wherever the ad link leads them. They probably won't want to search a forum for these games.
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If we had GW6 up and running, I think it would be cake. But, we'll have to lure them in with what he have now so they'll wait for the big bang. I did "Indie Gamemaking Community". I don't think it should be overcomplicated.
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Alright, so here's the results.
EVERYONE'S A WINNER YAY! seriously, 3 people entered yet no one did a skyscraper. i already had the money set aside so i'm just going to use all the entries and give everyone a prize.
Holy Cow:
(http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/176/banneranimatedie5.gif)
Meiscool
(https://legacy.gamingw.net/etc/i26.photobucket.com/albums/c105/Meiscool2/GamingwBanner2.webp)
Aztec
(http://gamingw.net/pubaccess/37054/gwbannertropical%20copy_1.png)
Alright fellaz. If you haven't read this topic by tomorrow morning then I'll PM you regarding the prizes. You'll also find yourselves to be premium members by then as well.
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I seriously like that meiscool one, except for the squiggle
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Uh. Cool. I actually pmed you a revised one like a day after I submitted that.
(http://gamingw.net/pubaccess/37054/gwbannertropical%20copy_1.png)
Check your pm box.
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yeah i copy pasta'd the wrong one.
anyway, i'm talking to my bank on the phone about backpay or something (lol military money) so i'll pm you guys by tomorrow so you can tell me what online vendors you like or something.
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Ouch I was halfway with mine and then realized the contest was over.... too bad =(
Well I'll post it anyway, even if I can't win anything, it's better than just letting it rot in my pc forever.
(http://gamingw.net/pubaccess/23307/GWbanner.jpg)
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whaaat
I completely did not see this at all, I would've entered. :(
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So dont forget to inform us of how that AD CAMPAIGN is doing. Did you find sites to advertise in? Is it working? I wish we would have all discussed this more before throwing a contest.
I like Aztec's entry because its simple and tells the message at a first glance. The only problem I see with it is that it spells "gamemaking" in a word which makes it either look like weird lingo, or like the site is specifically for the software gamemaker. Another problem maybe is that its got lots of STYLE, its more likely it will clash with whatever site its placed in. I like your styles idea though, looks like an indie platformer or something, and all vector-ey.
Holy cow's also good because its like informative, but its a little too long, you got to sit through it to get what the sites' about. Also its "aspiring" game creator I think, not "aspired"... Stylistically I think its the best of the three though, because its sort of simpler and sleeker, it makes it look more professional. Except maybe for the part where it blinks JOIN, that looks a little gay. Makes me think of these LED panels in the subway (which could have been a good idea for a banner concept....) What id add to it is like, a text thats there for the whole animation, like in the bottom, something like "www.gamingw.net - indie games community", in small letters, not obstructing the animation above.
MeIscool's look nice but doesn't say anything about the site at all... Maybe that could work though? Just adding some text about the site would make it way better. The black gradient looks a little awkward but its no big deal. The biggest problem with it is that its even more STYLIZED than Aztec's, it will fit in almost no website layout. Quick thing id change for this would be to add a simple black or white border around it, maybe two pixels thick, and remove the weird black gradient. I dont know I think it would look better somehow....
Id recommend editing the banners a bit before putting them up, its a bunch of little things that could really make them better in my opinion! Also it'd be nice to hear what GW's other artists have to say. Maybe some of my crits there are totally wrong! I SUMMON THEE GRAPHICAL ARTS CREW I SUMMON THEE WILL YOU HEED MY CALL (feel free to DESTRUCT my crits if you don't agree with em, I'm still very DABBLING as far as general design goes.)
(also im still interested in doing some banners if we all figure out what we want and shit. like these banner types that weren't made yet)
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To be honest, I really like Holy Cow's submission, I really like it XD
Just...too slow and too long for me I guess <.<;; I didn't notice it was animated at first.
But yeah I agree with Frankie...
:ninja:
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I think Holy Cow's would be great, if he/she just removed the JOIN part. I would keep everything else pretty much the same!
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So dont forget to inform us of how that AD CAMPAIGN is doing. Did you find sites to advertise in? Is it working? I wish we would have all discussed this more before throwing a contest.
I'm starting the "campaign" on the 15th when everything is set up properly. I wanted to do a comparison of members joined from the 1st-15th and members joined from the 16-31st and compare it to other months. These are the summer months so hopefully there's tons of people browsing the internet.
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well you will prolly have access to some records of numbers of clicks and stuff? That should already give a good idea.
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hey BUMP but uh... apparently you started this a couple of days ago. What site can we find the ads at?