The First Play forum is a massive success.
However, many of us only get around to playing some games later on when they are cheaper or just lower down the priority, by which time the First Play for that game will perhaps have run its course.
So to go some way towards catering for this market, we are thinking of introducing a sub forum. We have already decided a framework for it, but for it to succeed we need the input of the people that will be using it. You!
So we need suggestions on:
1) What to call it
2) How it should work
3) How long each timebox should be (see below)
The idea so far:
A game is decided upon that is not a new release and that won't take too long to play (at least enough to join in with the discussion). It would also have to be a game that is fairly readily available, so obscure games like Cubivore that are impossible to get hold of wouldn't really work. For example something like Super Monkey Ball, or Burnout1 or Ico would be better.
Everyone that is in will dig out their old copy of the game or grab it for cheap somewhere and be given a timebox in which to play and discuss it. This might be a month for example, but suggestions on more or less are needed. This timebox can evolve over time as we all figure out what the optimum is. The discussion will be held in a thread which could be locked at the end of the timebox, thus giving everyone an incentive to get on with it.
Therefore people that haven't played before can play it at the same time as other newcomers and people that have played before can join in again if they want and give advice to the newcomers when they are stuck.
Meanwhile, another new thread will started in parallel to discuss which game should be played next. This is your chance to really get people fired up for your particular choice and explain why your choice is best. So if you have an older game lying around that you never got around to, then that's a perfect choice to be voting for. This thread would be closed some time before the next timebox is due to start giving people a chance to get hold of the game before the next discussion thread starts.
An idea for choosing the game could be that the staff could say which ones were popular and argued well for and make a poll on say 3 games. Or alternatively the posters could decide amongst themselves and come to an agreement. Again, suggestions on how this would work is welcome. (The staff will probably choose the first game, just to get it up and running). Once the choice is made, the thread could be closed and a new one started for the following slot.
If the game is something with scores or times, then it could also be linked to the relevant challenge forum thread so people can compare progress.
So, over to you guys. Please brain dump with any suggestions for how this would work. Please don't just post to say "Start with game X!!!". Even if you don't have any suggestions and think the above would work, and you think you would get involved in it where possible, please post to say so and show your support.
However, many of us only get around to playing some games later on when they are cheaper or just lower down the priority, by which time the First Play for that game will perhaps have run its course.
So to go some way towards catering for this market, we are thinking of introducing a sub forum. We have already decided a framework for it, but for it to succeed we need the input of the people that will be using it. You!
So we need suggestions on:
1) What to call it
2) How it should work
3) How long each timebox should be (see below)
The idea so far:
A game is decided upon that is not a new release and that won't take too long to play (at least enough to join in with the discussion). It would also have to be a game that is fairly readily available, so obscure games like Cubivore that are impossible to get hold of wouldn't really work. For example something like Super Monkey Ball, or Burnout1 or Ico would be better.
Everyone that is in will dig out their old copy of the game or grab it for cheap somewhere and be given a timebox in which to play and discuss it. This might be a month for example, but suggestions on more or less are needed. This timebox can evolve over time as we all figure out what the optimum is. The discussion will be held in a thread which could be locked at the end of the timebox, thus giving everyone an incentive to get on with it.
Therefore people that haven't played before can play it at the same time as other newcomers and people that have played before can join in again if they want and give advice to the newcomers when they are stuck.
Meanwhile, another new thread will started in parallel to discuss which game should be played next. This is your chance to really get people fired up for your particular choice and explain why your choice is best. So if you have an older game lying around that you never got around to, then that's a perfect choice to be voting for. This thread would be closed some time before the next timebox is due to start giving people a chance to get hold of the game before the next discussion thread starts.
An idea for choosing the game could be that the staff could say which ones were popular and argued well for and make a poll on say 3 games. Or alternatively the posters could decide amongst themselves and come to an agreement. Again, suggestions on how this would work is welcome. (The staff will probably choose the first game, just to get it up and running). Once the choice is made, the thread could be closed and a new one started for the following slot.
If the game is something with scores or times, then it could also be linked to the relevant challenge forum thread so people can compare progress.
So, over to you guys. Please brain dump with any suggestions for how this would work. Please don't just post to say "Start with game X!!!". Even if you don't have any suggestions and think the above would work, and you think you would get involved in it where possible, please post to say so and show your support.
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