ACTIVE STAFF

Shinan was doing that for a while. I think he ran out of people to interview...

They're podcasts.

http://rpgmaker.net/podcasts/shinan_interview_series/

Hmm, there's only two, I thought there was a third one in the pipeline at some point but I guess not!

I think shinan asked me to be interviewed but then I forgot about it

The RMN staff has never been enthusiastic or active about promoting activity and sowing inspiration in the userbase. There is really nothing going on here ever. Interactive mapping classes, weekly screenshot roundups/weekly game reports, articles or information about current games (snews was more of a community report), contests (rarely), interviews, e-zines, effective and interesting tutorials (strangeluv's recent one), podcasts, other miscellaneous ways of guiding/helping the userbase to create better games etc. There is just not much going on at any given time. that may not be the function of the site/staff but that doesn't make it any more interesting a site to visit. I'm not even really sure why most of the staff members are staff, or what it is they do aside from pick a new featured game once per month. People with passion for the craft and a willingness to invest time and enthusiasm into it should be staffing the site, imo. But I don't know who those people are!

It doesn't help that whatever content people do submit (almost exclusively reviews) is buried so fast due to the way the front page updates with 14 new rtp vx games and 20 new one line blog entries per minute so that few even get the opportunity to see what scant quality content is added. Nobody even knows Shinan's interviews existed. I suppose if new podcasts were being produced people would have a reason to check the tab at the top of the site and then they'd know. I think it's kind of discouraging for people to submit content to RMN because it just sinks into a void of fairly useless information so quickly. The cream should float at the top, my friends.

Karsuman it's time to show your mettle! ^.^

Whatever happened to the screenshot topic?

Hrm. Well. Guess I will just go down the line.

when is rmn going to get some buzz going on? would be cool if you guys hired a staffer to interview people. place is getting kinda boring/stale. EVERYONE loves interviews!

As was mentioned, Shinan did interviews. Also, these weren't the focus of them, but each Snews issue has an interview with an RMNer (some of which are actually pretty interesting!).

If you have any suggestions for someone who is willing to do something like this and has the equipment/editing know-how, you can of course suggest them. Either that or Shinan can stop being self-conscious and continue his. =)

The RMN staff has never been enthusiastic or active about promoting activity and sowing inspiration in the userbase. There is really nothing going on here ever. Interactive mapping classes, weekly screenshot roundups/weekly game reports, articles or information about current games (snews was more of a community report), contests (rarely), interviews, e-zines, effective and interesting tutorials (strangeluv's recent one), podcasts, other miscellaneous ways of guiding/helping the userbase to create better games etc. There is just not much going on at any given time. that may not be the function of the site/staff but that doesn't make it any more interesting a site to visit. I'm not even really sure why most of the staff members are staff, or what it is they do aside from pick a new featured game once per month. People with passion for the craft and a willingness to invest time and enthusiasm into it should be staffing the site, imo. But I don't know who those people are!

RMN runs on something of a laissez-faire system, for better or worse. Motivation is individually-based - thankfully some members can be pretty damn motivated when they want to be (Liberty, Kentona, YDS). RMN has always had a very centralized power structure. You needed to get through WIP to do things like starting a contest, etc.

I am not averse to changing this up. I would certainly consider a staff shake-up

It doesn't help that whatever content people do submit (almost exclusively reviews) is buried so fast due to the way the front page updates with 14 new rtp vx games and 20 new one line blog entries per minute so that few even get the opportunity to see what scant quality content is added. Nobody even knows Shinan's interviews existed. I suppose if new podcasts were being produced people would have a reason to check the tab at the top of the site and then they'd know. I think it's kind of discouraging for people to submit content to RMN because it just sinks into a void of fairly useless information so quickly. The cream should float at the top, my friends.

I know WIP has for the longest time been confounded by exactly how to setup the front page. For a time there it seemed to change every few weeks. Unfortunately we might be stuck with the current layout as I would probably be murdered by WIP if I even attempted to change the front page. I will talk to him when it is not 5 or 6 in the morning where he lives about what can be done there.

As for your complaints about the layout itself, I think it would probably work on a site with less submitted content. The problem is our site has LOTS of submitted content. The only real control the staff has over the system is the featured game and 'the latest' tab; once a game is accepted the rest is pretty much organic.

My initial thought is putting more focus on a staff-pinning system, so staff themselves could draw attention to what they feel is good/important. You won't necessarily agree with the staff's choices, and it is entirely up to staff motivation (your previous statement applies here), but at least blogs like I LOST MY FLASH DRIVE wouldn't get so much attention.

Whatever happened to the screenshot topic?

It was a hive of scum and villainy so WIP killed it.

The RMN staff has never been enthusiastic or active about promoting activity and sowing inspiration in the userbase.

hi

i've been meaning to write a new snews for the past week, record a sradio on space funeral, and start a zero to many review event #2. Super rmn bros 2 is in the pipeline. misaos are also coming up and i've trying to think of ways to promote it. there are also the staff choice awards in 2011. game chill 2010 was tossed around as an idea. we were also working on a game academy or peer review system of some sort (but that is still in brainstorming phase). i also just wrapped up befuddle quest 5. rmn comic 2 is in the works.

in the past we've done 3-hours, irc roundtables, action 52, and RMNCast.

i'll think of something.

edit:
i am open to ideas!

editedit:
I also realize that the majority of the complaints fall under my purview. if a staff shakeup is required, I would be the logical choice to start with.

post=212312
Couldn't there just be a small character limit on blogs or something? Idk, I think it would at least help a little in making blogs more worthwhile.

This is a pretty decent idea, I think. Worth thinking about.

post=212286
It doesn't help that whatever content people do submit (almost exclusively reviews) is buried so fast due to the way the front page updates with 14 new rtp vx games and 20 new one line blog entries per minute so that few even get the opportunity to see what scant quality content is added. Nobody even knows Shinan's interviews existed. I suppose if new podcasts were being produced people would have a reason to check the tab at the top of the site and then they'd know. I think it's kind of discouraging for people to submit content to RMN because it just sinks into a void of fairly useless information so quickly. The cream should float at the top, my friends.

I agree with this. I've always liked the emphasis on user content and a very fluid setup of what's being done by the community/games/userpages/blogs/etc, but the inherent problem with that is exactly what Ciel is saying, there's just too much going on and there's really nothing that stands out among the loads of regular old stuff that makes me want to click on the page because it just gets swallowed up by muck.

I like the way Newgrounds has it set up; there's Featured Games, Featured Music, Featured etc etc, that let you know what the Staff (or whatever criteria they use, whether its staff selection or the most popular) thinks is most worth your while. They also have a section for the 'Hottest Games/Movies', which is exactly what it is, the hottest media submitted for the day/week/whathaveyou. One thing I've always liked about the setup of the site and sites like it is that its setup with a lot of passion in its presentation (even down to the colors and look, a nonissue for this particular conversation, but still) that presents the idea that the Staff REALLY REALLY wants you to check out their wares, as opposed to 'here ya go or whatever' *tired disgruntled wife halfheartedly tosses plate of bacon and eggs on checkered table*

This site has so much, and its constantly growing, and the bigger it gets, it has to be organized and Staff driven (by enthusiastic Staff!) for it to work. Its easy to come here and just be overwhelmed by a feeling of 'a lot of nothing' and leave empty handed.

And jesus christ people, do something about those blogs. Also stop trivializing yourself, kentona.

bahleted

I figure I will chime in here somewhat:

I told TFT numerous times that I never wanted rpgmaker.net to be "WIP Chooses What is Awesome.net". GW did this exact same horseshit and it's very childish and immature.

I also never ever wanted to elevate certain individuals over others. There is 100% nothing special about the staff. The site never really even had staff because it was never the design to have one. As Karsuman stated before, this site was ultimately made so it would "just work". It could be entirely automated. There doesn't need to be a king on top dictating.

To respond to Ciel's laundry list of complaints that the staff doesn't do something, a few years ago Mog asked to be part of staff so he could do things. Being part of the staff would allow him to do things a normal member couldn't. My response was:

You don't need a title to do something like that. All the things you complained the staff isn't doing, the staff doesn't have to do them because anyone can. Ankylo is an admin, but why is he expected to start a magazine/contest/whatever?

The staff for this site was built to make sure the site functions; not to make up for all the members (including yourself) for doing nothing and expecting someone else to do it.