This month, I’m joined by Roger Edwards, proprietor of the Contains Moderate Peril podcast and blog. We talk about communities within game forums (both official and unofficial), game fan sites and blogs, and also touch on communities that form around gaming press sites. Lastly, we tackle some of the newest kinds of gaming communities, those that surround recorded and live-streamed video.
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Guest this episode: Roger Edwards of Contains Moderate Peril Podcast and Blog
Main Topic – Community (continued from episode 5)
Questions/Topics for discussion:
Official Game ForumsPrimary method of communication between game companies and existing players – is this effective? Forums are still only used by a small percentage of the playerbaseWhat is the purpose/motivation of this community? In recent years community has been more about ordered marketing by the developers, rather than a free and equitable platform to be used by playersWhat are the pitfalls of a) maintaining the community (for the game co) b) becoming too involved in this community (for players)? For both groups this can lead to an adversarial relationship. Also there is a risk of both parties lacking objectivityUnofficial Game ForumsHow do these communities come to be, and what is their purpose/motivation, generally speaking? It may be due to dissatisfaction with official channels or simply to fill a gap in the marketAre these types of forums necessary/needed? Are they helpful or problematic? The unofficial LOTRO forums are a prime example of the good and bad that arise from such niche communitiesFan Sites/BlogsPlayer/fan created content. Are these effectively utilized by game companies today? Some companies have the wisdom to capitalise on fan content. take the Priority One ST podcast that Cryptic regularly use. Turbine greatly benefitted from CSTM. Arenanet want all outlest for Guild Wars 2 under their wing, yet Dulfy.net is an asset they recogniseShould they be treated more like actual press? What would the pro’s/con’s be of such an arrangement? Depends on the nature of the fan site. The official gaming press is not something I am impressed with at present so why aspire to itWhat are some of the challenges with building communities around blogs? It takes a lot of work and dedication. The risk of burnout is high. The public have high expectations. You’re dealing with passion and readers may not always react logicallyPress sitesExclusive/early access to game/game company news and ability to spend time providing that news brings a lot of views/comments/followersThe gaming press has to tread a fine line between informing the public and becoming an extension of the ongoing marketing campaign. I feel they tend more to the latterCommunities exist mainly in the form of post commenters and RSS or podcast subscribersWhat is the purpose/motivation of these sites to foster community?Is community in this setting more one-way (readers to authors) than in othersYouTube/StreamingNewer/Younger communitiesHow else are these communities similar/different than the others mentioned? The new communities are very much about “immediacy” and streaming addresses thisWhat do you think is attracting younger gamers to these types of communities? Live streaming and YouTube provide a far more direct answer to many gaming questions and queries. In some respects its the next best thing to “try before you buy”One of the best podcasts out there and it is done by Braxwolf so that makes it awesome by default. Keep them coming and continue to be amazing!
Beyond Bossfights is a rather unique podcast, in so far that it celebrates those that contribute to the wider gaming community. Braxwolf is the ideal host asking his guests a broad mixture of questions in an intelligent and enjoyable manner. Keep an eye on this podcast. I suspect that this will be the show that everyone will want to be on in the months to come.
You can send your feedback to [email protected] and I’ll read it on the podcast. Reminder that Beyond Bossfights is on iTunes and Stitcher. I would appreciate your ratings and reviews!
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