Now I need your help for bolt 3.

What to do to make it more unique? Try something that hasn't been done. Most everything you've mentioned has been done on gaming boards and sites, just combining them doesn't make it an entirely new thing, let alone a unique one.

Previous GameFAQs sites tried doing stuff that GameFAQs couldn't do, such as Fresh Baked Games offering feedback on each submission. Many contributors found this to be a fantastic little touch that made the site different than GameFAQs, and led to more stuff being submitted, with some people focusing their stuff for FB Games than GameFAQs, helping to add content to FB that couldn't be found on GameFAQs.

This site folded some time ago, for reasons that I don't recall. Honest Gamers has done a great job of filling this void, and the easy-going approach for the site had many people opting to just put their stuff there instead of on GameFAQs, while others did this due to the selling of the site to CNET. One difference here is that the owner of Honest Gamers actively contributed to GameFAQs, which allowed for an even friendlier atmosphere between contributors of both sites.

Your best bet might be to learn from the mistakes of previous sites and not try for too much too soon. It's okay to make promises as long as you can actually keep them. If you start out with lofty ambitions that you expect to cash in on (so to speak) quickly, the site will probably die out rather quickly. You might want to try starting out slowly, bringing ideas to fruition slowly, but always having new or upcoming ones in mind. Maybe making all aspects of the site equal in the eyes of the reader, or doing as good a job of that as possible, will help.

With GameFAQs, there is a definite pecking order to the importance of things contributed to the site. FAQs, then reviews, then codes, and then game saves. With Bolt 3, you might want to try treating all sections equally, and place some degree of emphasis on the boards, which might help see them avoid being a running joke like GameFAQs' have been for years now.

Edit - Everything after the first paragraph (I think) is new stuff.

Yeah. That's where I want to be different. It does seem like everything has been done. Pulling them together is a start but I do want to have some unique things.

That's why I came here. I figured since I'm low on ideas, a batch of gamers on TNL should be able to give some pretty good suggestions.

I didn't get the FF reference until someone else said it. It just seemed like something someone made up to sound hip.

But, taking GameFaqs as a foundation, and then asking what else I'd want? Most of the things I find lacking are more from the GF community than the actual site design/function. The message boards are generally pretty weak, and if a certain game doesn't have a certain type of FAQ you need, well, tough. Make it yourself or hope someone else does.

The FAQ structure itself could be updated though. Having hyperlinked info would be helpful, and menus for some of the gigantic FAQs would save a lot of hassle. A character encyclopedia, for instance, isn't a bad idea, especially if it were linkable, so if something comes up in whatever you're reading, you can just stick it a new tab or whatever. Granted, when people are making your FAQs for free, it's hard to demand they be formatted in a more modern way, but hey, if you want to compete, someone's got to make some progress.

It would also be cool, in a nerdy way, if each game section had info and up-to-date links where you can buy posters, figures, OSTs, manga/comics, dvds...well, essentially, any merchandise related to that game. If they could just buy the things through your site, and you took care of all tracking down of things, it would definitely be something I'd utilize and spend money on. Of course, being the front end, you'd get a small cut of any sales, and it would add up. I hate browsing random import/game/anime sites, hoping they have something for whatever series/game I like. It would be sweet if I could just go the game, and have the merchandise shown to me instead of having to look for it. Seriously.

Thanks Jeremy. Very helpful stuff.


I've also let the name change idea sink in and agree it's probably a bit to obscure.
So where should I go from here?

Something more general like old Jumpstation or something more specific like Honest Gamer? I'll come up with something. Maybe try to make a logo first, then place a name on the logo. I'll just use bolt 3 until then.

Thanks FuryFox.

See, this is what I wanted, great suggestions that can help me. Thanks guys.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pixelassassin

I thought you were banned? Whatever. I don't lose. I've never seen this site before but I'm glad you linked it. I like to see what's out there. Although that site seems more like Fileplanet but thanks anyways.



Yeah, you are right but it won't be impossible. This isn't an overnight thing. I never said it was. I've run successful websites before I have no doubts I can do it again.

As for man power and resources. Gamefaqs is a 1 man destruction crew.

As for resources, I don't get what you mean. I can program a lot in PHP and I have people who assist me when I run into a problem. As far as design and details, I'm more than capable of doing that. Don't you worry. :)

But that's why I'm here. To ask for help of HOW I could get people to my site easier and so far, I haven't got much help. Only a bunch of people saying 'it will never work', 'you lose' and 'your colours suck but I'm not giving you an alternative I'd like to see'.
How does that help me? It doesn't.
:wtf:

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Content you clown. You don't have the content and untill you can procure any kind of content you don't have anything. Gamefaqs proves that. It's unattrative, unwieldly and, well, it's gamefaqs but nevertheless it does the job. 100% because of content. Sure, you're working on it, but do you HONESTLY belive that you and your pals can provide the content to be gamefaq's + 100? Seriously? TNL has some clever chaps and as yet to be anywhere near Gamespot (let alone Gamespot +100) and it's been around for a long time.

Here's your lesson in life in general. Ambition has its costs, as well as its demands. You have not shown that you have the resources available to do what you claim you can do. If all you wanted was "hey man, I like the design (which I personally do not)," and "sounds like a winning idea (which I do not think it is)," then you're out of luck and out of touch. Critisim comes in all colors and you have to accept the good with the bad. Lucky for you there are more than enough people to tell you that they think that the idea is crap, the name is crap, and the design is crap, and if you for one moment think I'm trying to be a cool tough guy by telling you this and getting away with it due to this being the internet -- Then that is more telling of you and your personal insecurities than it is of me. Even if I wouldn't say it to your face the idea still stands. You currently have no content worth mentioning. Your PHP coding is not revolutionary, nor does it seem any diffrent from anything I can see at any random gaming site (and if you think you can code an engine better than vBullitin or something all alone then you're most probably delusional). The design is passable at best and without quantities of content to navigate then the design is yet untested for the rigors of something like Gamefaqs. Then there's the name. It's definitly poor. It's your thing so you can name it what you want but I don't like it. My site sucks, it's got a bad name (or at least, one that people won't get) but I honestly don't care because I'm not trying to sell it to gain readers and (something important for you) contributors.

And, honestly, I would tell you straight away, in your face so to speak, that you're fooling yourself and that I don't like what you're showing right now and I wouldn't bother to revisit your site. I would largely because I generally trust that thats not the kind of comment that should get a normal human being pushed to the point of violent rage. And agian, honestly, I would still tell you that even if I knew you would.

You should read the entire thread and everything I have said (aka the content will take time, possibly over years) before you respond. ( I actually ended up reading the rest anyways, but I didn't ask for that )



Keep in mind, I never asked you if you liked my site or if the design was good.

I asked specifically for suggestions on what you would add to a site like this and you didn't care to listen to that.

If I wanted your opinion on the site and it's foundations it would have said so in the first post. Telling me you hate my site isn't helping me at all.

*shakes head*

I read it. You assume the content will grow as the reader-base grows but this is simply an assumption without actual guarantees. Basically, all you're making is a jumped up forum and hoping people put in enough content to attract other people who can also provide content. This may work, but first you have to have a reason for people to go there in the first place. I don't see this reason.

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Originally Posted by pixelassassin

I'm not even going to read the rest of that. Sorry.

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That's too bad, he made some good points and did so without comming off as an asshole. I won't add anything since you don't want to hear it anyway.

You obviously didn't read the entire thread.

I guess you missed this post:

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Originally Posted by pixelassassin

I merely talking about functionality.
It's definetly going to take time to fill up the database with FAQs and codes but like I said, this isn't something that is over night. As it gains members it will grow.

Gamefaqs took years to grow aswell.
What I'm saying is just how it functions is the starting of my site. (which is pretty much now although I'm still working on the forums - which are custom built)
I'll get that support as the site grows but I want to keep adding new functionality to the site so it becomes more than Gamefaqs has.

Do you get what I mean now?

If so, what do you want to see as a new function? Or a new feature?

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Xeno G

That's too bad, he made some good points and did so without comming off as an asshole. I won't add anything since you don't want to hear it anyway.

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Again this thread wasn't made for opinions on my site.

It was made for suggestions on what you would add to a site of this kind.

It's all about the functionality right now anyways. Saying you detest an incomplete web design just proves you must have ignored some of the first post.

Suggestions, bring on the suggestions. Save the opinions for Fight Club.

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Originally Posted by Tracer

This may work, but first you have to have a reason for people to go there in the first place. I don't see this reason.

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And I agree with you. That's why I'm asking for help on ideas for this very reason.
People keep telling me what I already know. I've been around the web along time I know what I need to do.