RadarX

Nowhere I suppose. It's all a matter of perception on the part of each individual.

Thelounge

I don't like to use any of the major casual sites, no offense to Radar(believe I have explained this before), but the sites aimed at casuals usually talk about questing in a level 30 zone. This is the only place I have ever seen that caters to raiders.

As far as questing goes, use EQ2i. Sure it has hiccups, but it is still better than alla/zam, or TTH. Viva player run sites, screw companies(we all know how suits are) trying to act like they know what everyone cares about (instead they aim their contet to the same people who buy plat, but I cannot blame them they are a business afterall).

There is my final word

Morara

EQ2i is where I go when I need to know how to do my subclass quest!

RadarX

Lol oh I don't take offense to that. I also think you mistake "casual" for "what most people read." I'm coming up on 2 years with Ten Ton Hammer and I wouldn't still have my job if I wasn't at least half decent at what I do. Most of our content is geared for the masses versus the highly skilled players that normally patronize flames.

Now unlike most other sites I'm not afraid to touch raid topics. I've done enough raiding and know enough raiders to ask, that I don't talk out of my ass when I write.

I'm unhappy with the plat ads on EQ2i but I do like the guy who runs it. I hope they get to a profability level they can move to better ads.

And you make a valid point about corporate sites, they are a business. If EQ2 goes away, our company will just move on to another game, but I've done my best to bring people on our staff I know that love the game. The benefit of SOME corporate sites however, is there are content expectations. Savanja, Coyote, and I all basically have content quotas to meet every week. It's not just when we feel like it. I know Zam works in a similar manner so it's not all a bad thing.

Pronoia

Just a general question for Radarx and one that might even be answered on TTh (I don't often read fansites, even this one).

I know there are permanent writers but do you also publish user contributions? Also, if user contributions are used it there a payment mechanism or is seeing your name in lights the only recompense available?

Lastly, if you do get free contributions from writers, what %age would you say are of a standard decent enough for inclusion?

Ta.

Thelounge

I never said you suck at what you do I think we have been here in the past, and I always said you were good @ writing for the casuals. Also, to me casuals = the masses, which is most of this game, meaning the non hardcore raiders. Casuals can still raid , they are just now clearing Labs though (like Kendrickes guild).

About EQ2i, and the plat ads, that is google crap, and I think as we have mentioned here, isn't really a way around it. I am hoping 90% of the people who visit eq2i are smart enough not to click through (I secretly hope 100% would be smart enough).

For some reason, I do not like the ideas of quota, can mean rushed product, but again I understand it is a business, and deadlines blow .

Something I would like to see out of the corporate run fansites, but I doubt it will happen, is more questioning of Sony on some problems/issues with the game(class hats being released a year after KoS?). Instead I often see brown nosing(ahh look how cool this conj hat looks, ick), which to me, lowers the credibility even more (again I am not the general population, even then I don't consider myself hardcore, I just raid every night).

RadarX

We've frequently published user contributions for guides, and every now and then Niami from EQ2 Traders graces us with a cute fan fiction story around Tradeskilling.

We don't compensate folks for contributions other than a promise of getting their name out there. Contributions are not only are linked to our EQ2 site but are promoted on our main site that sees millions of visits every month. Being able to link something published in your name is a great resume if you are looking to work on a fansite.

In all honesty though most of the contributed stuff in recent days has been me going out and asking for permission to reprint and give them credit. A great example was the screenshots of the potential new zone entrances. I sought out apollodon and LFG helped me out with a few others.

Our particular site, I'd say 99% of our work is in house. Our network as a whole though supports fan contrubtions. I would say probably half of what our DDO site puts out is written by players. From my perspective though we are about the community, not just what Savanja, Coyote, or myself feels is important.

The Google ads can be filtered but it does require some work. I know EQ2 Traders does it successfully. I'm not mad at em about it because I understand they are a startup, I just hope they get large enough they can do away with them like we did.

It really isn't about rushed content although at times I can admit there is more we can do. It's about setting up expectations for people who are being compensated to write. I mean look at newspaper journalists. They have quotas, they have to.

As for brownosing...what can I say? I get accused of it frequently. What most people don't see is that I've met many of these people. They aren't just a red name on the official forums, they are real people who make real mistakes. I don't go the oooo and ahhh route anymore, I've been doing this way too long. SOE doesn't squash people that are fair (this does not mean using profanity and the word "sucks" when describing a game mechanic).

Panthera

The only thing surpassing the veracity of this statement is how well written it is.

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Calthine

Radar, as far as I know (again, I'm not holding the tax returns) the 'Zam Network is actually self-supporting. Remember, we have a Premium service and sell advertising.

I'd guess about 80% of our work is in-house; we get more user contributions than TTH because of the database. We have the database, you have Coyote

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Calthine

EQ2 Allakhazam Senior Community Manager

Illuminator

Black-and-white is a metaphor for good and evil, not reality and fantasy. The latter just makes no sense.

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