GAMESPOT THREAD

Posts

You may have noticed the two new big 320x240 pixel images with links to games and headings like "Gem" and "Event Winner" on the frontpage. I have dubbed them "Gamespots".

The intention (in my mind) is for them to showcase cool completed games, for a given category or reason. (They are not unlike the Hidden Gem and Wavemaker etc... spots I had created for the SNEWS back when I used to write that newsletter. In fact, that was the inspiration for the Gamespots in the first place).

A common problem on most RM sites is that completed games get overlooked, as games in development - with their frequent updates and views and posts would bump them up the forum lists - would often overshadow or bury completed works, who, since they're finished, simply don't have the activity to remain relevant in that environment. With RMN, this has been mitigated to a fair degree, but even so it is possible for some cool games to go underappreciated.

So I propose Gamespots - a high profile location to link to games.

And this is where you come in.

Like the Featured Game, I would like the Gamespot selection to be influenced by the active community here. Suggest to me a game, a broad category, and a reason why that game would be a good choice to showcase, and it may make the frontpage!

Some categories I had envisioned (but this is by no means an official or final list):
-Hidden Gem -> a game that is super cool but for whatever reason seems unnoticed.
-Event or Contest Winner (especially for shorter events which usually produce much smaller games)
-Wavemakers -> a game that is making a big splash, and not necessarily here at RMN (like, maybe it got an article on Rock, Paper, Shotgun?)
-Classic -> an old game that has had its share of the limelight, but dammit it's still a good game! And new people visit RMN every day and they should play this game!

...or something else! I am sure that you guys can come up with other neat ideas for categories and games that deserve a showcase. Hell, months from now you might even suggest "Let's showcase Rubi again! It's still a super cool game and deserves the attention! Plus, it got a big update". And we could showcase it again, if we wanted to!


As for timing, I haven't made a firm decision (and it depends on the community's enthusiasm for suggesting games), but I was thinking alternating Mondays. So a game would get showcased for 2 weeks, but the gamespots would change on alternating weeks. (Another option would be a more organic "as needed" approach, rather than some set schedule. Or, perhaps a longer time period, like alternating months or something).


So please, give me your thoughts on this, suggestions for new games, and suggestions for categories!
Adon237
if i had an allowance, i would give it to rmn
1743
I know I am a welp and my opinion isn't AS valued compared to some other opinions, plus the fact I am only 13, I really think this is an awesome idea. Those awesome completed games will get the attention they deserve. (I mean you said some cool games, so this must mean the moderation must be choosing them.) Also, the Classic category is a must.
chana
(Socrates would certainly not contadict me!)
1584
"it's a very fun game, and awesome!" (THE only player giving feedback after finishing the game...)

"Under world has to be the best game series on this site Really inspired me with my game making." (A rmn member.)

"Download and play this if you want a game that you can do whatever you want in."
"Play this if you just want a fun game that will keep you entertained for hours."
"I have created basically all the tileset graphics in this game," (The creator, moam).

So, I suggest Under_World4 , which I have started, and find extremely fun! as a "hidden gem"!
It is complete and apparently devoid of any kind of bug.

(It was uploaded on rmn the 2nd of august, and has "for whatever reason" gone completely un-noticed {no reviews, 3 comments after it was uploaded!!!}/ Last : every one will remember that moam's previous Underworld2 & 3 were both rated 4 stars).

If any game deserves a 2 weeks full attention, I think it definitely is that one : basically very fun (not story driven), entirely custom (exept for the characters), in an very original style, originality which is also found in the world the game evolves and equally extremely challenging!


I want to add that this is a very essential and good idea, where members whose attention is maybe not focused on what's taking the attention of the majority, and look around for interesting stuff can help some really deserving games to come into the light. "Hidden" gem is maybe not, at least in this case the right formula, more like "unseen" gem, or "forgotten" gem, something like that, or simply "unnoticed gem".
author=chana
"it's a very fun game, and awesome!" (THE only player giving feedback after finishing the game...)

"Under world has to be the best game series on this site Really inspired me with my game making." (A rmn member.)

"Download and play this if you want a game that you can do whatever you want in."
"Play this if you just want a fun game that will keep you entertained for hours."
"I have created basically all the tileset graphics in this game," (The creator, moam).

So, I suggest Under_World4 , which I have started, and find extremely fun! as a "hidden gem"!
It is complete and apparently devoid of any kind of bug.

(It was uploaded on rmn the 2nd of august, and has "for whatever reason" gone completely un-noticed {no reviews, 3 comments after it was uploaded!!!}/ Last : every one will remember that moam's previous Underworld2 & 3 were both rated 4 stars).

If any game deserves a 2 weeks full attention, I think it definitely is that one : basically very fun (not story driven), entirely custom (exept for the characters), in an very original style, originality which is also found in the world the game evolves and equally extremely challenging!


I want to add that this is a very essential and good idea, where members whose attention is maybe not focused on what's taking the attention of the majority, and look around for interesting stuff can help some really deserving games to come into the light. "Hidden" gem is maybe not, at least in this case the right formula, more like "unseen" gem, or "forgotten" gem, something like that, or simply "unnoticed gem".


Pretty sure bob_esc and mrtacopants are giving it an LT soon. quack_tape and I tried it (and enjoyed it) but were unable to capture video. The game does have some playability issues though and it's a little recent to be a hidden gem though. It is something I'll consider reviewing if I beat it though, maybe that will get it some attention.
chana
(Socrates would certainly not contadict me!)
1584
His games ARE, at least the first one and this one extremely challenging but I think this IS original enough as a focus (strategy, etc.), and it does interest a certain type of players (but they're far from being only that, the whole gameplay is terribly original, not to mention, in this one, the customisation). As for "hidden", I agree, as I put it above "forgotten" would be more suited.

Edit : sorry, yes a review would certainly give it attention. In fact, i'm still waiting for bob_esc and mrtacopants' LT, which also would help that way.
Hmmm...

...I thought for a second you were talking about 'the' GAMESPOT. Heh...

Although that would be nice, I doubt the real GAMESPOT would be interested in any of our garbage.

Still cool nonetheless. :D
I think it would be best to do alternating mondays. This isn't the featured game or anything, so I don't think it should have as much staying power, just to balance it out a little.

Monopoly would be a good candidate for a hidden gem, since almost everybody either hated it or didn't care about it when it was released, and for the fact that someone made a working version of Monopoly in 2k3 of all things. It really deserves more attention.
LEECH
who am i and how did i get in here
2599
Heroes realm should just take up all the spots, for ever. And everytime someone clicks on it, kentona gets 50 MakerScore.
author=ldida1
Heroes realm should just take up all the spots, for ever. And everytime someone clicks on it, kentona gets 50 MakerScore.
that was my original design, but the other admins didn't got for it :(

on that note, it's okay to use your imagination for the spots! Like, say, for October we could do a theme of SCARY GAMES or something.
could do a category for games that use all(or a high % of) custom resources. reward all that effort.

a retro cetegory.

holiday category sounds fun!
chana
(Socrates would certainly not contadict me!)
1584
yes : "original games" or custom games"? (didn't see that was already suggested!)
Marrend
Guardian of the Description Thread
21781
I don't know about those other categories that kentona mentioned, but for a hidden gem, I'd say The Astonishing Captain Skull.

Though Hero's Realm certainly hits the "classic" category quite well!
chana
(Socrates would certainly not contadict me!)
1584
The Astonishing Captain Skull : this would certainly fit in a "custom" or "original" games category!
Marrend
Guardian of the Description Thread
21781
There should probably be more discussion about this.

Well, maybe there's some discussion going on where I can't see it, but more a open discussion at any rate.
chana
(Socrates would certainly not contadict me!)
1584
Right, this thread has stopped the day it was made! I also think it's a worthwhile idea.
welp, tomorrow is monday, two weeks after rmn4 launched! I planned on changing Rubi to one of the suggestions here.
chana
(Socrates would certainly not contadict me!)
1584
Didn't it already get some kind of highlight ?
Yes, Rubi had two weeks as a gamespot on the frontpage.
chana
(Socrates would certainly not contadict me!)
1584
Sorry, once again I didn't read your post right!>:(
Marrend
Guardian of the Description Thread
21781
author=kentona
welp, tomorrow is monday, two weeks after rmn4 launched! I planned on changing Rubi to one of the suggestions here.


I'm getting the odd sensation that "Event Winner: Rubi" will be replaced by "Classic Gaming: Hero's Relm". Though I think it might also be high-time to change the "Gem" slot to something else. Like "Classic Gaming: Hero's Realm"!