The Pile of Shame Warpact returns!

[Victrix]

The previous Warpact ran for almost exactly one year, from 8-2002, to 8-2003. I didn't stop updating it because I wanted to either, I simply got hit with too much real life stuff at once (two guide projects on top of each other, plus moving to a new home).

However, I quite enjoyed doing the updates, reading about peoples progress, and discussing various games. One hundred and fourty shameful games were removed from stacks, and One thousand two hundred and fourty five games sat in enormous mounds of shame (!).

Fourty different people participated, a handful graduated, and plenty of others stopped in now and again to take a look. Hopefully version 2 of the Warpact will be even more successfull.

I spent some time talking with a good friend of mine (Masaka here on the boards) about it, and we're planning on rolling out something a bit more ambitious than a weekly updated thread here on TNL. We're planning on creating a separate site for the Warpact, where you can input your pile of shame, track completed games, view lists of completed and unfinished games, sort by console, by publisher, by developer, rank a game you have completed in a variety of areas, track total statistics for the entire Warpact, per person, per game, and so on. We're also planning on putting a comment system or possibly a forum, to discuss various topics of interest to those endeavoring to remove their impure Shame.

In short, lots of goodies. Also, the focus will be kept more clear. The old Warpact had a lot of Pile of Shame 'creep', where people would buy new games, put them on their pile, and finish them, which wasn't really the intent. The original idea, and still the plan, is to focus purely on removing that mound of games you shouldn't have accumulated in the first place. I don't know if it holds true for everyone, but I know I enjoyed knocking games off my pile, and having a few other people to talk to about it gave some extra motivation to dust off some older titles.

I'm not certain how long the design will take, but we're basically just setting up a front end on a simple database, so that the weekly grunt work of maintaining the giant list is removed, and I can focus on more interesting (and silly) methods of looking at the lists. How about average # of hours to complete a given game, average $ spent on your Pile of Shame, and so on

I'll post more updates here as we flesh out the design. We'll also need some volunteers to hammer on the site a bit before we put it live so that it's at least minimally tested. Those of you who participated most heavily in the Warpact, I'll contact. If you're interested, send me a PM and I'll jot your name down.

edit:

Before I forget, one good beginning question.

I'm thinking about splitting piles between PC and Console, for various reasons. Any opinions?

[OmegaFlareX]

Suh-weet! This is perfect timing. I haven't updated my VGT list since I started selling off a bunch of unwanted games this past summer, and I'm almost done with that. Plus, my Duo is due back soon (enhanced with RGB output and a territory switch), so I'm ready to dive back into the pile.

Just a couple comments on your project:

Also, the focus will be kept more clear. The old Warpact had a lot of Pile of Shame 'creep', where people would buy new games, put them on their pile, and finish them, which wasn't really the intent. The original idea, and still the plan, is to focus purely on removing that mound of games you shouldn't have accumulated in the first place.

That's fine, but I think it's important that you set some specific ground rules. Such as, you must own a new game ("new" meaning you just got it) for at least X days and played it less than X hours before allowing it into the pile. I'm sure you already have some ideas on how to handle this.

I'm thinking about splitting piles between PC and Console, for various reasons. Any opinions?

Nah, they're both video games in their own right. Keep 'em together.

[Victrix]

I'm still hesitant to group them. As I mentioned, I have a few reasons, so I'll expound on those in a bit greater detail.

First, PC and Console games 'finish' differently. I have a LOT more PC titles that have a very nebulous 'victory' condition. Not unlike shooters on the consoles, but there are far more PC games that fit in this 'hmm, am I done' category?

Second, PC gamers and Console gamers are a different breed of people, period. While there are hybrid gamers out there (and I'm certainly a card carrying member), by and large, people tend to stick to one or another. Hell, that's reflected here at TNL. I don't come here for PC discussion, I go elsewhere. I only come here for Console discussion.

Not only are the people different, with different tastes, they tend to have a non-small amount of venom for each other, and I want to keep the focus and attitude on the site leaning in a very specific direction - because the whole thing is very much an honor based contribution system, it will fall apart if the 'seed' community isn't a good one.

Oh, as for the Pile of Shame itself, I was actually thinking about having it locked and set it stone - in other words, you shouldn't be buying and adding new games - the whole point is to REMOVE the Pile of Shame. I realize this is unrealistic for a lot (most?) of people though, so I've got some ideas for letting people select the 'grade' of Warpact they want to join, from Ironman (buy NO new games) to Tinman. Again, obviously, these would be self enforced, but it would be interesting to see who wants to try that sort of thing.

We'll also have some pretty cool (and funny) statistics tied to individual users and the site as a whole.

[Adrian]

Good luck with it The warpact thread was a cool idea but I prefer the thinking behind the website; far more organised and personal.

I wouldn't group PC games either, different 'breed'.

[Timber]

Sounds like a really good idea. I didn't participate in the original thread (mainly because I didn't post here a lot in the last year) but I'd sure be interested in the site if/when you get it done. I'm also in agreement with you & Sidez on the PC sich. There should be some distinction between them & console games.

[Nash]

this sounds like a cool idea, but it's way too much of an obligation for me.

[Jetman]

Awesome idea !

I have a mean pile of shame , but the only reason why I didnt participate in your thread is because I'm embarrased by me pile
That and posting my stuff wouldve made me feel responsible for finishing my shit in a certain amount of time , and responsiblity + video games = unhappy Jetman so...

And as I like the idea of your site , I'm not too sure if I'd want to post up my massive list of shame for the whole world to read and laugh at.
But still, great idea, Vic. If you have an option for a private listing so I can come on and track/schedule which games I want to work on that'd be cool for sure.Seems that a lot of my stuff gets hidden in the pile and doesnt get any lovin because I just grab the nearest game I see or the latest bought and fire it up.

[Gecco]

Just one comment/suggestion for the "Pile": I know on the old warpact there was some discussion as to what necessitated a game being removed from the pile, whether it be beating the game or "completing" it(unlocking bonuses, all sidequests completed, etc.). I was thinking maybe a simple tag next to a games name that would denote "beat", "completed", or even "In progress" would be something neat for the community to see.

[Victrix]

Nash: A primary design consideration for the site will be making the gruntwork on your end as easy as it will be from our end. In other words, you can be as detailed or as simple as you like on your lists and your 'exit reports' (what you think of a game once you finish it or remove it from your stack). Most of it will be handled with simple drop down choice menus (I liked it, I didn't like it, I'd play it again, etc)

Jetman: Private lists are a possibility. Once the database is in place, implementing that sort of thing would be trivial - its really just a question of focus. We'd like to keep the site very focused on the pile of shame 'concept'. It's universal among gamers, but since it operates on an honor system, its fragile, and allowing anything on the site that isn't directly related to destroying your pile of shame may cause community issues in one way or another. (though incidently, there is one way to at least partially verify completion, and we have it on the list to be implemented)

Gecco: We're going to have 'badges' for various accomplishments, and different 'levels' of Warpacts that you can sign up for, these will all be noted in various ways on the Pile of Shame, Hall of Fame, and your individual user profile. Everything from initiating an iron man challenge (no new games purchased, all games completed 100%) to finishing one game, to having a pile of shame larger than anyone else.

We have to be careful with 'rewards', even intangible ones like badges and so on, since we're dealing with a ranking system, and an honor system, there's a lot of potential here for people to wreck the system and ruin the statistical output (some of which has the potential to be pretty interesting). We've already discussed how we'll handle input of various things, and we'll just have to see how it shakes out once people start joining.

It will start slow. I'd expect some of the TNL diehards from the first Warpact will hop over, and I'll advertise at a few other popular game sites mildly, but mostly, I'd prefer that it grow by word of mouth, to people that genuinely want to clear out their Shame. The primary incentive here is for people to have fun, complete games they might not have otherwise, and share the experience with other like minded gamers.

[Mzo]

I'll definitely be a part of the Warpact this time around. I don't know if I'd be able to handle not buying new games, but I'm in it for everything else.

What a game keeps track of influences my views on it's status as complete. For example, I'd normally skip time trials in any game, but some like Ape Escape (1 and 2) factor it in into the completion percentage. In that case, I'd do them to get the 100% put the game away FOREVER.