In game ad spam?
- Thread starter GoldenPSP
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i'm working on that.
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There's a balance that needs to be struck between visibility and pervasiveness. Ideally, the clan would want a system that gets the attention of all players, ensuring that any interested to not miss it, but is not obtrusive (i.e., spam). The easiest way I can think of would be to have some sort of recruitment message appear during the two events that all players experience - joining and leaving the server. Both options have problems, though. Displaying the message at the beginning runs the risk of being overlooked as players instinctively tap '1' to close the rule menu. No matter how much we want them to, players will avoid reading the rules that have been set - must accept and work with that. Displaying the message at the end creates only logistical errors. Players who crash or leave prematurely wouldn't see the message. I'm not familiar with how much control steam provides admins, so I'm not sure if displaying it as they elect to leave is even viable.
Goals should be kept in mind while planning this. The point of this advertising would be to make players aware of their options, not to do our job for us. It can't be beat over their head, and it can't seem impassive or distant. Nothing irks me more than something addressed to me that looks like it didn't even care who I was. "Dear Sir and/or Madam". Ugh. What finally persuaded me to join this clan after a year or so of (on and off) playing was an individualized approach from a member. They were asking /me/ to join. Not asking if anybody wanted to. Me. I felt wanted, and, when entering a community, that's something that should be there. As a long-time member of a previous clan that (unfortunately) fell apart several years ago, I've had experience with what we called "clan-hoppers". Not sure if that term is still in use. Basically, they're players who hop from clan to clan. The type who seems like they're in a clan to be in a clan, not because they want to be with the people in the clan. I'm sure you've come across the sort at some point. Many experiences with these types of players have made me wary of players who ask to join as soon as a recruitment message appears, especially if I am unfamiliar with them.
Work has been keeping me away from game recently and I normally avoid reading the chat in-game. I don't know the real content of these messages, but your post made it sound like they were recruitment offers. I apologize if I misinterpreted.
Goals should be kept in mind while planning this. The point of this advertising would be to make players aware of their options, not to do our job for us. It can't be beat over their head, and it can't seem impassive or distant. Nothing irks me more than something addressed to me that looks like it didn't even care who I was. "Dear Sir and/or Madam". Ugh. What finally persuaded me to join this clan after a year or so of (on and off) playing was an individualized approach from a member. They were asking /me/ to join. Not asking if anybody wanted to. Me. I felt wanted, and, when entering a community, that's something that should be there. As a long-time member of a previous clan that (unfortunately) fell apart several years ago, I've had experience with what we called "clan-hoppers". Not sure if that term is still in use. Basically, they're players who hop from clan to clan. The type who seems like they're in a clan to be in a clan, not because they want to be with the people in the clan. I'm sure you've come across the sort at some point. Many experiences with these types of players have made me wary of players who ask to join as soon as a recruitment message appears, especially if I am unfamiliar with them.
Work has been keeping me away from game recently and I normally avoid reading the chat in-game. I don't know the real content of these messages, but your post made it sound like they were recruitment offers. I apologize if I misinterpreted.
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nice answer : o !
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only slightly annoying. annoying part is the cut off messages.
Asking pubs to help pay for the servers seems weak too?
Asking pubs to help pay for the servers seems weak too?
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Not really. If a pub likes our servers but doesn't want to join, they can still help keep them up by donating. everyone needs help
I don't see a problem with it. And not to say we should hop on the bandwagon, but the other division's servers also display this message. Furthermore, most CS:S servers (back when I played 3 years ago) asked for donations from pubs. The reason I bring this up, is that it is not necessarily a bandwagon, but to exemplify that it has become acceptable to ask for donations for servers.
Hammer's been working on this.
(I'm not trying to be his messenger, it's just that i suggested this via drop box a month or 2 back, and that's what I was told.) The CS:S high school server has both, text adverts and "billboard" adverts.
yea i think the spray paint ads are the best way to go because you have idiots like me that get really offend when I see someone asking me to donate to help maintain something I didn't pay for in the first place (I paid for orange box only because i lost my hl1 cd from 1999.....blah blah blah
"I Downloaded INS for "FREE" People will think wait... I didn't donate to the INS Programmers website so why and what is it that I'm donating my money to?
I don't understand what it takes to run, maintain and manage a server and I'm sure 7 out of 10 people who see those ads in game don't either!
A Spray ad that explains
-why you need donations
-what they will go towards
in my opinion this is a great idea because i don't care how long you have been play any halflife game when ever you see a new spray you go look at it and read it
I know I'm not the only one that checks out the sprays!
I donated to ego already because I do enjoying gaming on the servers and this website is pretty cool right along with vent!
"I Downloaded INS for "FREE" People will think wait... I didn't donate to the INS Programmers website so why and what is it that I'm donating my money to?
I don't understand what it takes to run, maintain and manage a server and I'm sure 7 out of 10 people who see those ads in game don't either!
A Spray ad that explains
-why you need donations
-what they will go towards
in my opinion this is a great idea because i don't care how long you have been play any halflife game when ever you see a new spray you go look at it and read it
I know I'm not the only one that checks out the sprays!
I donated to ego already because I do enjoying gaming on the servers and this website is pretty cool right along with vent!
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I'll second that; I dunno what it takes to run a server either, and knowing where my donation would be going would be great.
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hmm i like, have to see about that with hammer as the servers are running sv_pure which blocks non stock content
As i suggested via drop box, the best place to test these "billboards" would be our Lovely Dust2 server. Not only is it the #1 server on ins which means it generates the most traffic, therefore producing (in theory) the best results. (In theory because, I've seen more teenage players on there than on other servers, and they probably won't steal money from their parent's wallets just to donate to eGO =p) Anyway...the map has been edited time and time again, so we can edit it to put these billboard adverts in much like the cs:s high school server.
Also, I agree with Jason's post, that the adverts should attempt to explain where the money is going to, and how it will be beneficial. But the real battle here is trying to get those people to the website. The benefit is two fold. 1, players who visit the site are more likely to donate because they will see that we are a legitimate organization, and we can provide more information on the website than could be placed in an advert. (The point of the advertisement is to DRAW the consumers onto the website.) The second benefit is that once they see this additional information of our sponsors, player count, server count, server ranks they may be inclined to join the edge gamers as a member. And last I heard, the in-clan donations are much higher than the pub donations. So we will receive more donations AND possibly another admin, not to mention another player who would help seed the server making everyone more happy.
A thing to keep in mind is that the advertisements should not be distracting. Spawn points are obviously a good locations because nothing much happens there and EVERY player in the server will encounter a spawn point at some point during there time on the server. Furthermore, too many advertisements in choke points would look cheesy, and would be distracting. Also in my opinion it's kind of a "sell out" thing to do, and I don't think that is flattering of our professional nature.
In short, getting pubs onto the website is a gateway to more beneficial opportunities to the Organization as a whole.
Also, I agree with Jason's post, that the adverts should attempt to explain where the money is going to, and how it will be beneficial. But the real battle here is trying to get those people to the website. The benefit is two fold. 1, players who visit the site are more likely to donate because they will see that we are a legitimate organization, and we can provide more information on the website than could be placed in an advert. (The point of the advertisement is to DRAW the consumers onto the website.) The second benefit is that once they see this additional information of our sponsors, player count, server count, server ranks they may be inclined to join the edge gamers as a member. And last I heard, the in-clan donations are much higher than the pub donations. So we will receive more donations AND possibly another admin, not to mention another player who would help seed the server making everyone more happy.
A thing to keep in mind is that the advertisements should not be distracting. Spawn points are obviously a good locations because nothing much happens there and EVERY player in the server will encounter a spawn point at some point during there time on the server. Furthermore, too many advertisements in choke points would look cheesy, and would be distracting. Also in my opinion it's kind of a "sell out" thing to do, and I don't think that is flattering of our professional nature.
In short, getting pubs onto the website is a gateway to more beneficial opportunities to the Organization as a whole.
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