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In order for VGN to be a website worth visiting, it needs content. It needs new news, reviews, and previews. The problem is, that requires some effort and time. The fact is, I'm not able to deliver that.
As many of you know, when I first started this website, I was a consultant. This allowed me to have many days off to work on my own projects. I could sink twenty hours into the website here and produce reviews, news, and special features. However, in the past three years I've been employed, and things have been unchanged as far as growth it concerned. I simply don't have the time, and other projects (Ones that generate some cash) take my time over the ones that don't, like VGN.
It would be helpful to enlist the help of interested folks that want to contribute to the website as staff writers. The problem is, I don't have a lot of money to throw around and hire people to write articles about Mario all day. However, I also realize that some people here might be interested in doing something for a little bit of money and/or free games and such. And so here is what I'm presenting on offer...
I need...
1. Person or persons to do the gaming news. They would take control of the news module, and provide recent news from around the web and post it up on the front page. I would train you (Over the phone or skype) on how to use the news management tool. You would then have free reign to post up news. And I would post up other news. (Like podcast information, or when new reviews/previews are posted, etc.)
Payment: $1 per article posted, with a maximum of $50 per month. Considering it'd probably just be you cutting and pasting, it'd be easy money.
2. Reviews. This is for the guy who wants to write something in their own words. This works like so... I will list games in a private section that I need reviewed. Writers can choose a game to review. I will provide a copy of the game. In some cases you will get the full game in the mail. In other cases I will send you a rental copy from GameFly. Or a beta disc. You will need to write an article of 500 words or more about the game. You then can keep the disc or drop the GameFly disc in the mail. If you live in another country you just shouldn't pick the GameFly review games.
In the case of betas, you should be writing a preview and not a review. That would be the only difference.
Payment: On full games, you get to keep the game. You can sell it on Ebay or trade it in, or just keep it. On GameFly games or Betas, I'll pay $20 per review. But only after the GameFly disc arrives back at GameFly central.
I realize it's not a lot, and not worth everyone's time. But some people here might be interested in a free game and some spending cash. If you are, respond back. Keep in mind though, that if you commit to doing this, especially reviews, that you NEED to do them. I'm going to be contacting PR outlets for content, and they will want to see their reviews ASAP. If you can't deliver don't bother signing up.
Respond here with questions and if you're interested. I'll let you know the details then in Private Messaging.
If nobody responds, well... I tried. When I win the lottery I'll throw down more cash.
Kevin
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Just wondering, for the reviews, would you be looking for someone with access to all the consoles and PC? Also, I know you say ASAP, but what sort of time frame would you be looking at for the reviews?
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You get to choose the game you review. So you can have one console or none or just the PC or whatever. It's up to you to make sure you have the hardware to play the game you request. If it's a GameFly game, I might ask you to make a choice among the consoles its available for, but if it's a game I've been sent, you'll be told ahead of time.
As for the time frame. 500 words isn't that long. And I'm not looking for you to have completed the game, but to be able to give a good overall review of the game itself. So a week from the day you get the game. Obviously if you take longer there isn't much I can do since you already have the game, but it might put you lower on the request pool if you're a slow poke.
I should also point out that the game reviews should be written like the Alpha Prime review in the Reviews Section of this site. A general summary of game play, story, problems, and your overall feel for the game. They shouldn't be done as categories where you talk about each subject like...
"SOUND"
The sound in the game is blah blah blah
"GRAPHICS"
The graphics are blah blah blah
That kind of shit sucks. Nobody wants to read that. What people want is a well written 500 words that just covers the basics and gives an opinion of the game. Most people know what a game is about. When you pick up Halo 4, you know it's FPS. People that read reviews just want to know if the author liked ir or not, and if they liked it, "Why" and if they didn't like it, "Why" They aren't interested in what you think about the graphics and sound unless that has something to do with why you do or don't like it. See what I'm saying? Think about what YOU would want to read in a review, and produce that.
Game reviews are rated on a 1 to 10 scale because that's normal. I break it down like this...
10 - Greatest Game Ever. Buy it twice.
9 - Great game, I'll play this at least twice Buy it.
8 - Good game, I'll play it to the end. Buy it.
7 - Alright game, has some issues but I'll play it until I get bored of it. Worth buying.
6 - Fair game, has issues or feels cheap, but playable Rent it before you buy it.
5 - Not very good, not very bad. Maybe rent it, but don't buy it.
4 - Lousy, has a lot of issues, some bright spots, Don't buy it, maybe a rental.
3 - Terrible, not fun, no good, don't play it.
2 - Error ridden crap. Can't even play it. Game doesn't work right.
1 - The worst of the worst. Bottom of the barrel. Never insert it into your console/pc.
Using that scale you get the idea.
Let me know if you have other questions and/or you wish to participate.
Thanks
Kevin
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A couple other clairifications.
Regarding the news. The news is the same thing that Nutman, I, and others do in the forums. Instead of posting that stuff in the forums, you'd post it on the front page as news and provide a link back to the source, naming the source. That's it. And for each one you do, you'd get $1.
Payment is done through Paypal or you can save up enough money to request a game from Amazon. I'll then buy the game and send it to you. So if you don't have Paypal, you can do the Amazon thing.
Lastly, regarding reviews. If history serves any lessons, the good games that you imagine in your head won't be what comes in all the time. You might be imagining that we'll get Crysis Warhead and Red Alert 3 (And we might), but more often than now we'll get stuff that is less often heard of, like adventure titles, sports titles, and endless kids titles. You don't have to request them, but if you do, you will have to write reviews about them. So don't request Go Diego Go unless you are sure you are gonna be able to sit down and play it and review it.
Otherwise thanks, and it's a good way to get some games and money if you're looking for side cash/games.
Peace
K
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Do you have to be 18? It sounds cool to me, but I wouldn't want to get paid. I mean, yeah its cool that you're willing to give people $1 per article, but I would be fine without it.
I'm 17 by the way...
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I think it has to do with state law that if you're under a certain age I can't legally give you money. I think 17 is fine though. I think it's if you're under 14 I can get in trouble for that. I'm trying to do this on the honor system though, and I'm not just gonna let any new user do it. Most of you guys have been around for awhile, so I know who is cool and who isn't.
If you don't want money, just pool it and pick a game from Amazon when you've earned enough and I'll send you that. I appreciate you wanting to do it for free, but you won't have much motivation then. Better to do it and earn something for it.
Just let me know if you want to do it, and I'll message you with details. (That goes for everyone that is interested in doing this.)
Thanks
Kevin
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I'd be happy to be one of the video game reviewers. I write reviews in my spare time anyway and I could use some free games and spare cash. Sign me up! I can review PC, X-Box 360, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS and PSP games. I can do reviews for games on last gen systems like PS2, X-Box, Gamecube and GBA as well.
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Ok sounds good, sign me up for the reviews.
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Maybe you could use Sarah Palin. ^^
Enter the Age of nimbus
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nimbus wrote
Maybe you could use Sarah Palin. ^^ |
Holy shit! It's Nimbus!
I'll do PS3/PSP/DS reviews!
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Nimbus is back?? Hmm. He should do the news since he used to post stuff all the time.
I can do reviews Kevin. Ps3, 360, DS, and PSP are the systems I own.
"Some people just want to see the world burn."
"I kick ass for the Lord!"
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Lard wrote
nimbus wrote
Maybe you could use Sarah Palin. ^^ |
Holy shit! It's Nimbus!
I'll do PS3/PSP/DS reviews!
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I should have waited a few more weeks to post... ...I could have been the "October Surprise."
Enter the Age of nimbus
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You can sign me up for the reviews, Kevin. I'd be more interested in creating some content for the site, rather than making a few extra bucks.
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Nimbus, behave or I'll bury you in the backyard again. Lets keep this thread on topic. You can derail another one.
Those that want to do reviews and have posted here, I am going to create a forum today and give you special access to it. Further information about what and how things are done will go through there. But you need to respond here if you're interested so I know to add you. Those that want to do the news portion should let me know as well and I'll contact you in Private Message.
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Count me in on the review board or even previews for that matter. Wii or 360, my comp isn't all that great and the ps3 is still on the shelf.
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Ill try my hand in reviewing, but I dont expect anything in return for my first one. as ill be seeing if i can handle full reviews and whatnot. I tend to hate writing and whatnot, but I should pratice as when i start up school ill be doing worse essays then a single review on some random game. I guess ill see if i like reviewing stuff. If i do, and yall like my reviews too... I guess ill become a regular for yall. if not then ill just review stuff every bluemoon for free for yall (just to add to the content for yall).
"the dominus of the black megadus"
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I can review for any of the three systems, but I should not review RPGs because I don't like them. My PC is three years old so I can't review PC games. Also, I'll edit my reviews. I mostly type in a rush here and don't edit.
Die Zeit ist jetzt. Der Platz ist hier.
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Kevin, a couple of points;
1. The guy reviewing the game might already have the game right ? So in which case you wouldnt have to fuck around with shipping it . You thought about that ?
2. I'm interested in the reviewing parts, but there are enough people handle the current gen (360/ps3) dept. . I'd be interested, but would be it cool to post reviews about Casual games,Indie titles, those korean MMOs, older gen. games and such ?? or do you want to control the review section to just the mainstream console and PC titles ?
3. Even after the review is posted wouldnt we need some kind of voting or editor based veto system just to know whether the review is passable in terms of content and readability . Not to discourage anyone but I mean, we do need some form of limit for what constitutes a good game review .
Cheers.
P.S. : And dont worry about payment and shit from the get go man . I'm sure a lot of the people here are willing to support the show and shit . I personally am ready to dish out a review or 2 each week and shit and not expect anything in return . The money can be a good incentive, but the primary backing has to be a genuine interest in helping to support VGN .
"Everyone is judgemental, just that most are'nt honest about it... "
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"To destroy is to challege man .
To create is to challenge god ."
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