Sorry about the delay... I am kinda busy these days, and will be for another 5 weeks (none of ya give a shit? hehe). School is bad already, and school in the summer is worse. A whole year jammed into 6 weeks--5 days a week, 4 hours a day... that's only 120 hours... but it still seems like forever. This is s.a.d. But I know I am actually in better shape than this site }:-(

In fact, way better shape. Now I feel so good {:-)

Looking at the tracker's logs, it seems that Ancient Nation (that's this site, in case you didn't notice) is getting about 50 unique visitors a day. Are we satisfied? You bet we ain't. Are we going to do something about it? You bet we will. Doesn't this sound easy as ABC's? You bet. In case you're wondering, I don't gamble. But it does sound very easy, doesn't it? We put things up, and some people out there will come.

That's right, that's what they told you, and that's true--in theory.

Now, let's take a nice (or not so nice) look at the reality of this. Say someone had too much free time, liked video games, and they know a thing or two about computers. So he (or she? hahahah) put up a page about a game. Simple. Now and then people dropped in... lots of updates in the first few weeks... peeps continue to come. There are some hits, but not alot. So, after a few weeks... updates slowed down, contents didn't continue to improve, etc etc. Then after a week or so, hits started to drop. The guy (gal? dream on) asked himself why. Yeah, why? The hits kept on sliding. The dude (chink? they're too smart to get to this advanced stage) got pissed. Say good-bye to updates. Wouldn't take long till the eventual good-bye kiss, for good.

Hahah, what a loser man! Good for him... blah blah blah...

...

Happens a lot, damn too often. There are two major "issues" that are doing those sites in for good.

1. the topic... video games--the good ones are rare, but the whole thing is big, too big. No one will stop you from making 10 or so guides for StarCraft & Co. just that there seems to be a chance that people, especially those who are the most addicted (and they are too "good" to read guides) will get a little bit annoyed. On the other hand, trying to cover the whole industry (I admire you baby) tend to only get you as far as writing 10 guides for the same game... Reason? Just count how many of your filthy rich friend who owns every console plus a loaded (hot and heavy?) PC. I doubt most small sites can actually get so many volunteer staff to cover all the major consoles (not to mention those that know what they're doing). I am sure while you can do something (or can you?), you can not do everything. Unless you got some big guns up your... I mean, behind your back, you are going to hit the ground so hard your ex will cry for more.

2. the publicity factor... no publicity is bad publicity The pubic factor is often the silent killer... the plague... the dark force (or whatever the fuck you call your teachers). Most small sites need to get more "exposed" (ohh lala). This is actually pretty easy if you're a babe (fat chance) or you're making another "certain" kind of website. However, for the majority of small game sites who can't afford ad's, professional "agencies" who pumps up your standing in search engines (cheap ass--but the price tag is definitely not cheap), or are smart enough not to spam (we need not worry, they reserve the "news" section just for this), publicity is one hell of a b.i.g. problem. It doesn't matter how "game" or cool or content-rich the site is if no one can find it. And good luck if you expect people to scroll through 10 pages of other matches untill they find your site (but do they know your site even exist?). In your dreams pal. Most people don't last through the first 3 pages unless they are really really desperate for something. Another thing, which one is easier to remember--videogames.com or mycoolsecondleveldomainname.somewhereinthegalazy.com? This might not be a problem once peeps bookmark your site, but chances are more people will try videogames.com even if they aren't sure if they site exists. Affiliates help, but it is definitely not the cure. Ok, maybe they are in the same "alliance", but at the same time, they are all competing for the very same readers in a way. I am not saying it will not work out, just pointing out a fundamental problem. Publicity publicity publicity you can never get enough.

Of course there are solutions.

However the solutions tend to wipe out the whole meaning of making those small hobby sites.

One very simple "cure" is to cut the numbers of those small sites, and join them in one big site instead of an alliance. This way they will have more (quality?) staff and will be able to cover more aspects of the gaming industry instead of covering the same areas many times. However, this will just create another "big" site. The "home-brew" feelings will be gone. Dead and gone. So what's the fucking point?

Publicity is harder to tackle. The problem is that even if you have much publicity, you still need content to dizzy up the gals. Is the site worthy? That was assuming you had to publicity to begin with. Not many small sites have that luxury. Hype is your friend. But keep in mind that too much hype tends to lend to much disappointment and and earlier than usual end. Go read "Great Expectations" by da "Dick" (read?). Chances are most small sites aren't big on PR (after all, it's a game site). Blah blah blah...

Wake up pal. This ain't Kansas. Talking about it and actually doing it is two entire different things. Any idiot can get a job from Bill or put up a site, but it takes an iron will (and a hell of a lot publicity) to keep it rocking, nite after nite, and keep the peeps coming back for more.

One last thought. Hmmm, let me ask you something. What happens to small sites that hits it big-- what happens to the "hobby" kinda atmosphere, what happens to the spirit, what happens to "da game"? When the stake rises, the fun d.i.e.s. Some months ago I heard about this small kinda web host from a friend. Worldzone.net was (and still is) nice and very friendly. The webmaster was very ambitious and hardworking. That guy had a dream. He had a vision. He knew what the people wanted. He got "game". Their motto was like "no ad's, baby!". And the guy hit the big time. Just that after he hit it big, the "no ad's, baby!" kinda thing that got so many people's interest faded away. I look at the site now and my impression is it's more like business than a dream. Does it have to end up this way? Like, there's nothing wrong or anything. But it was never the same.

Stating the obvious? Perhaps.