WANTED: Content/News Writers/Reporters

[SpArKs]

Our site will launch next week so I'm gathering together some writers/reporters for when we open to the public.

Anyone that joins the news team could get there own column, if I like your work that is.

eg. http://urname.gamesters-paradise.com

You can talk about what ever you want, as long as its relevant to our site (gaming, sport, etc.) If you are selected, more questions will follow on the exact type of content you will put on your column.

We currently have the following positions available. If you are interested in one or more of the positions, your more than welcome to apply.

Please include your name, country, position your applying for, and a little about yourself...

Contact: [email protected]

* PC Game News:

Positions (1)



* PC Tech News

Positions (1)



* Console Game News

Positions (2)



* Console Tech News

Positions (2)


* Entertainment News: Music, Cinema, DVD.

Positions (6)



* Sporting News: Football, Baseball, Soccer

Positions (6)



* World News

Positions (2)

 

[SpArKs]

Forgot to mention, you get your own email address and a section on the about
us page...


Any questions, feel free to ask.

 

[egoncalo]

I emailed your team.

 

[SpArKs]

^email has been received and processed... Account activated. Email address will activated when you start posting news.

Thanks


There is no age restriction for this btw.


All you need is the basic knowledge of each subject.

Any questions: [email protected]

 

[Yorick]

You should get your shit together before looking for people.

Cause getting a standard unpersonal reply with a preview to the site (that doesn't work) and excuses like 'it's still under construction', 'we can't get ahold of the lead artist', and 'all the art/layout could change in a few months' doesn't really bode well.

 

[Mutley]

You should get your shit together before looking for people.

Cause getting a standard unpersonal reply with a preview to the site (that doesn't work) and excuses like 'it's still under construction', 'we can't get ahold of the lead artist', and 'all the art/layout could change in a few months' doesn't really bode well.

I agree. I was prepared to help and still am but got put off after seeing the site almost straight a way. As a web designer, the site was really poor and not even compatible in FireFox.

 

[Yorick]

I agree. I was prepared to help and still am but got put off after seeing the site almost straight a way. As a web designer, the site was really poor and not even compatible in FireFox.

Oh, definitely. The whole thing is just really unprofessional.

 

[SpArKs]

You should get your shit together before looking for people.

I did want the site to launch and the reporters to post there first piece at the same time...

Cause getting a standard unpersonal reply with a preview to the site (that doesn't work)

I wanted the site to remain secret in the first stages.

and excuses like 'it's still under construction',

It was...

'we can't get ahold of the lead artist',

On holiday...

and 'all the art/layout could change in a few months'

Ah, the big one! Not sure exactly what you were told but there is perfectly good explanation for this...

The layout, look and features of the site are not directly designed but voted for or chosen by the community. As it says on the site... "Forged by the community" and "Its your site, you as the community get to vote on the design as well as the layout. From page layout, to page content"

not even compatible in FireFox

Impossible.

You must bare in mind when a new site is born the most radical changes are at the start, well, its past all that.

Positions (bar sporting news) are still open and welcome. Please use above email or post here for any questions.

Thanks!

 

[Yorick]

It doesn't matter. People don't want excuses. They don't want the weight of the site to rest on their shoulders. They like their opinions to matter, but not if they have to do any work for it. They want to be wowed and impressed.

 

[SpArKs]

That doesn't make sense...

First off there not excuses, there reasons.

They don't want the weight of the site to rest on their shoulders

What exactly do you mean by this? You don't have a clue, do you?

They like their opinions to matter

Of course, the all important point of the site...

but not if they have to do any work for it.

Sorry? Once again, I do not understand. What part of 'job' don't you understand?

They want to be wowed and impressed.

I agree. The only way this is going to be achieved is when a community gets together and provides input to the site.

 

[armanguy]

the site isnt horrible but needs work good luck man , dont worry about these guys they are extremly hateful to other people dont know why.

 

[SpArKs]

the site isnt horrible but needs work good luck man ,

Thanks dude!

dont worry about these guys they are extremly hateful to other people dont know why.

I noticed... but then opinions count when it comes to this project, just depends if there genuine or just being spiteful.

 

[Yorick]

I'm not hateful. I don't hate anybody or anything. It's tough love.

Regardless, what I meant was the community, SpArKs. I think it's great that you want it to be "For Fans, By Fans", but ModDB already does that, and they didn't need help to do it.

I just feel like you're trying to rush it instead of doing it right. The simple fact that you went looking for people before the site was ready. You said yourself that the graphics would change, and your artist was on vacation.

The idea of different layouts is fine, but you don't really need input (so far) to be able to make them. If my memory serves, the site right now has red, white, and black. You could easily do one with some greys and blues, or even a darker skin.

My advice would be that after vBulletin is installed, (a process that for some reason has taken you several weeks), you recode the site using a 3rd party CMPS. It will more integrate the forums and site, which is what you really want for that kind of site. It will also give a standard layout which can be customized without being too graphic heavy.

 

[SpArKs]

Point taken.

If my memory serves, the site right now has red, white, and black. You could easily do one with some greys and blues, or even a darker skin.

That's the stuff I'm after.

As for the forums, vbulletin costs around £91 last time I checked. I have a little kid to raise, I just don't have that kind of money right now...

 

[Yorick]

As for the forums, vbulletin costs around £91 last time I checked. I have a little kid to raise, I just don't have that kind of money right now...

I don't blame you. The site says an upgrade is taking place. If you're not going to go with vB (and I wouldn't, really) you should go with something else to get it running. SMF is my favorite of the free ones.

 

[Ennui]

If you use SMF, don't use the default theme. For some reason I abhor it.

phpBB might be best really

 

[Yorick]

If you use SMF, don't use the default theme. For some reason I abhor it.

phpBB might be best really

SMF 1.1 RC 2 actually has a decent theme. Plus there are plenty others to choose from and it's rather easy to make them.

PHPBB has given me problems for the past like 6 years. I've just grown sick of it's bullshit. vB and SMF are so much easier to change the code for and have more features without all the broken code.

I swear someone's dog coded the base for PHPBB.

 

[Chief-Phillips]

It's great that you're trying to start up your own gaming site, I'm sure it'd work out quite well, but here are a few helpful suggestions from someone who's been working for news/information sites for some time:

1) Redo your design; you need graphically attractive with smooth, clean code. Easier said than done, I know, but people judge content by presentation, if your site looks unprofessional and dated, people won't look at your content, no matter HOW good it is.

2) When interacting with the public, whether it be on the site or on forums (these or otherwise), check your grammar and spelling, you've made many mistakes in just your posts here, and as a site director, highly undermines your credibility if you don't have a pure grasp on the English language.

3) You call them reasons, but to the public, they ARE excuses. As someone mentioned earlier (though be it in a less than perfect manner), you do need to organize before. If you don't have 100% staff at site launch, that's okay, everyone starts small, but you need to make sure you have a professional venire first, else you won't get staff.

4) Don't post articles at the same time, as they shadow one another.

As Yorik said, you're rushing. If you want to do well in the Internet world, you need to pace yourself and take your time. If it takes 3 months to design a proper news/information site, take 4. You need, beyond the shadow of a doubt, time to prepare, and since you aren't on a schedule by a host site (i.e. being a part of a network), you have that luxury.

I recommend finding a web designer first, pay one if you need to, and make sure that he programs with the newest techniques and abilities. Make sure it doesn't look ok, make sure it looks orgasmic.

It needs work, but you're on the right path, as you're dedicated, and dedication is half the battle.

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

Would it be churlish of me to point out that you spelt "veneer" wrong?

 

[Chief-Phillips]

Would it be churlish of me to point out that you spelt "veneer" wrong?

lol shush, I'm at school and I shouldnt be on here

 

[Yorick]

Would it be churlish of me to point out that you spelt "veneer" wrong?

Not to mention "Yorick"

But yeah, Chief is right.

 

[SpArKs]

Thanks for all the advice guys, especially you Chief-Phillips!

Going out of your way to type all that.

1) What you see at the moment is just a base design. Ok, yeah it could do with a little smartening up but the whole theme will change into the community's theme. Plus as time goes by there will be a selection to chose from. Neat huh? Also this goes back to an old saying, never judge a book by its cover.

2) Yeah I did know that. I admit, I have a few week spots when it comes to spelling. "highly undermines your credibility" Not so true. I didn't want to reveal this, but I'm trying to prove a point. You wouldn't think a kid with absolutely no school qualifications what so ever could get a job as an electrician, earning up to £25K+ a year would you? Your wrong. I will be judged for the time, effort and dedication I put into the site. Not because I spelt it rong... People shouldn't be judged by there spelling, that undermines the fact of who they really are, and what they are capable of. But still, thanks for the input. All is welcome

3) Dually noted.

4) I understand what your saying but this wont be in my control in the future to come.

Your sig claims your from planet half-life, but, you're here... strange. I'm getting three pictures.

1) Your clearly advertising (yet you don't have enough posts (over join date) to support that)

2) Your here to steal Munro's followers/members.

3) You are a mole, here to beat the competition.

Please don't take all this the wrong way, I just find it hard to believe a "News Director" signing up to a site, *head explodes* that's clearly in competition.

Regards

Edit:

One more thing... "Leader, Web Master, & Historian"

Shouldn't that be "Leader, Web Master & Historian"

 

[Chief-Phillips]

I've been taught that since I was knee-high to a grasshopper that commas go before and, and since an ampersand is just a short version of and, constitutes as the word and.

You bring up "don't judge a book by its cover," but what you have to understand about gamers and youth in general, they WILL judge a book by its cover, no matter what fills the pages up. The cover is the most important thing; else that book will remain on the shelf and be eaten by dust mites.

Don't sweat yourself by the selectable CSS stylesheet themes, just focus on one site, and keep improving it. Even as a base design, I find that unprofessional and ugly (as a base, not as it is). Big buttons and large cells with big text isn't what people like to see. They did in 1998, but the times they are a'changing.

Try looking at other sites first... take a look at HL2.NET, PHL, hell... even look at CNN and the BBC sites, you can get an idea of how a professional news site should look. It's not easy to do, but the end justifies the means.

 

[Yorick]

Your sig claims your from planet half-life, but, you're here... strange. I'm getting three pictures.

1) Your clearly advertising (yet you don't have enough posts (over join date) to support that)

2) Your here to steal Munro's followers/members.

3) You are a mole, here to beat the competition.

Wow, talk about incredibly inappropriate and incorrect.

 

[SpArKs]

Wow, talk about incredibly inappropriate and incorrect.

That's obviously why he dodged the question
________________________________________________________________________

Then you maybe right about the comma thingy...

You bring up "don't judge a book by its cover," but what you have to understand about gamers and youth in general, they WILL judge a book by its cover, no matter what fills the pages up. The cover is the most important thing; else that book will remain on the shelf and be eaten by dust mites.

That maybe true but when going through search engines for the desired content, they don't supply any fancy graphics. So it is the content that's the main focus. Fancy graphics are a bonus. Unless of course your a regular debating on what the site should and shouldn't have or even what it looks like.

Big buttons and large cells with big text isn't what people like to see. They did in 1998, but the times they are a'changing.

I had a discussion with a community about basic page layout. They nearly all said easy to navigate and clear text. So what you see is pretty much what I came up with. But yeah, I'll do what you said and look at a variety of sites to get some ideas. That doesn't mean I'm going to drastically change anything though.

You see, I can't just run off changing the design from one opinion. That's just silly... in other words I would be designing the site for just you.

btw if your using fire fox, you checked out the URL bar yet?

 

[Chief-Phillips]

I'm not saying design the site for me, in all honesty, I probably would never visit it, I have my bookmarks for news sites.

Also, to satisfy you (I don't know why I am, but I am) on your thoughts that I'm some PHL double agent, even though it has NOTHING to do with the topic at hand. It's paranoia thinking Im here to subliminally steal people, PHL and HL2.NET aren't competing, we're two different sites. I post news from other news sites such as articles and interviews and the like, how the hell am I trying to steal people when I send my own viewers to sites like these?

But back on topic, I'm just giving suggestions, many of which I base off of experience. Heed them if you please, I'd hate to see you piling in all of this work for nothing.

I'll stop posting in this thread now, but I'll leave you with one last suggestion. Don't try and be the big guy the first week, it'll never happen. If you want at least 500 unique visitors a day, you'll have to work for it to get them keep coming back, don't expect high traffic and flooded forums just because you're there, and don't give up if they don't come for a while. Too many good sites go bad because the site director just wanted to be the big cheese but got frustrated waiting. Nothing was mentioned about it, but I still think it's good advice.

 

[SpArKs]

If I read it I will not heed it.

All suggestions/comments are welcome. Why not state what you think of the site in the guest book until the forums arrive...

-->Main Site<--

-->Guest Book<--

Thanks