gamer_extreme_101
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1939
Registered: 03-07-2004
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So, how has everyone enjoyed the past 6/7 Illuminations? I know we've had our share of issues and controversy, but I'd like to think that people have, for the most part, enjoyed them and looked forward to them. I know I've enjoyed writing them, seeing as it's about the only kind of fun writing I get to do anymore (Writing technical manuals isn't that fun in my mind).

So, feel free to add comments and vote on the poll! I look forward to hearing what people have to say!

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--That guy with a million different aliases since he doesn't like this name anymore.

zwetschenwasser
Level: Master Delver

Rank Points: 200
Registered: 05-22-2007
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I publicly apologize for spamming one of them, but I like them alot.

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Currently working on GaTEB and KDD (never finished the silly thing).

Dischorran
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As much as I like the idea of the Illuminations back when I joined - creatively written and on-topic about the latest developments with the relevant game - this perhaps only works when there's actual news to report*. So yeah, I'd like to hear about the latest holds or holds in development, SmS news, contests, maybe even "interviews with famous forumites" or some such, but since we seem to be in a post-release lull still, hearing about other indie games has been, for me, interesting and appropriate.

*Perhaps an Illumination on "Where we are with the RPG high-score system"?

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[Last edited by Dischorran at 02-13-2009 05:52 PM]

Jatopian
Level: Smitemaster
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Why can't we pick multiple options?

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NiroZ
Level: Smitemaster
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That's why I voted other. I wanted to pick 1, 2, and 4.

CuriousShyRabbit
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First of all, I'd like to thank gamer_extreme_101 for writing all those Illuminations! Without him, we wouldn't have any! Thank you!

Writing about other games and gaming communities is fine and appropriate for a game site newsletter. There are a lot of forum members who play many different games. But I'd really like to see future Illuminations not skimp on news about DROD and DROD-people, as this is everyone's common interest. There are also many forum members like me, who only have time for one computer game, and DROD is it.

The Illumination is also read by a wider audience than the forum, so it is Caravel's opportunity to draw more people in to the forum. Get folks interested in new contests, holds, games, projects, and generally in the amazingly creative people who post here. For example, I think the special Christmas "something" that Elfstone and noma put together would have been nice to mention in an Illumination. Recent participation in contests has been low as well, and it would be nice to try and pull in some more contestants.

I don't think an entire issue of the Illumination needs to be written by just one person. Please don't be shy about asking other forum members to contribute paragraphs about various forum activities. I'd be happy to contribute a short section on recently released DROD holds, if asked. Perhaps others would like to write about what's happening on the RPG Architecture board, and what's happening in Contests. It would also be great to see a short paragraph about what the devs are working on, as like Dischorran, I too am curious about what's happening with DROD RPG highscores. And whatever happened to the cool monthly topic picks section?

In summary, I'd like to see gamer-extreme continue writing feature articles on topics of his choice, but I'd also like to see a compilation of DROD/forum news in the Illuminations as well.

Tim
Level: Smitemaster

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CuriousShyRabbit wrote:
I don't think an entire issue of the Illumination needs to be written by just one person. Please don't be shy about asking other forum members to contribute paragraphs about various forum activities.

I'm not sure what you're talking about, but there are at least 3 people involved in every Illumination nowadays.

And whatever happened to the cool monthly topic picks section?

I can't understand this either. There was a topic picks section in the last 3 that I've clicked on.

And last but not least, what's wrong with reading all around the forum, looking for that bit of news that Caravel might drop in one of Mike's posts? My impression is that Caravel thinks it's very fun for you, otherwise they would have put those bits up in the Illumination.

[PS. Before I forget, I'd also like to thank Patrick and Ryan for their work. I know how much work it is to write these things. ]

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gamer_extreme_101
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1939
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Selection choice was intentional....the question reads "What would you like to see the most in future Illuminations?".

Topic picks didn't happen last month because I was in a rush to get it out before the end of January. They are back in this month's edition. It would be nice to get someone to do mini-reviews of some or all of the new holds released each month, as that's something I haven't covered in a while. I'm sure there's another way we could squeeze in some additional writers as well (Contests is another thing I don't pay a lot of attention to, admittedly).

When I first offered to help Mike with these things, I did have a little freedom to select what I wanted to write about. Independent games and gaming topics seemed like the best option, simply because I'm not on the dev team and thus have little to no access to what's going on for current and future products, and that it would be a good universal topic. DROD related topics, while fun to write about, do take a lot of effort, editing, and I'm really really picky about making sure it's as canonical as possible. I would like to do a straight DROD related one once in a while, just be aware that it'd be near impossible for me to do one every month.



____________________________
--That guy with a million different aliases since he doesn't like this name anymore.

NiroZ
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 1302
Registered: 02-12-2006
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If you ping me a couple of days before the illumination, I can get you a writeup about the current contest.

Dischorran
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gamer_extreme_101 wrote:
I'm not on the dev team and thus have little to no access to what's going on for current and future products

That right there's a bit of a problem for Caravel's official communication channel.

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Briareos
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Dischorran wrote:

gamer_extreme_101 wrote:
I'm not on the dev team and thus have little to no access to what's going on for current and future products

That right there's a bit of a problem for Caravel's official communication channel.

Is it really?

That way it's highly improbable for stuff getting accidentally out before it was meant to be, and if there really is something Mike et al want to release, well, they can always inform Patrick about it...

np: Amorphous Androgynous - Tiny Space Birds (The Peppermint Tree & The Seeds Of Superconciousness)

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Jatopian
Level: Smitemaster
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gamer_extreme_101 wrote:
Topic picks didn't happen last month because I was in a rush to get it out before the end of January.

Because you were in a rush? Didn't we delegate that responsibility to RoboBob3000?

____________________________
DROD has some really great music.
Make your pressure plates 3.0 style!
DROD architecture idea generator

Tim
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1979
Registered: 08-07-2004
IP: Logged

Briareos wrote:

Dischorran wrote:

gamer_extreme_101 wrote:
I'm not on the dev team and thus have little to no access to what's going on for current and future products

That right there's a bit of a problem for Caravel's official communication channel.

Is it really?

That way it's highly improbable for stuff getting accidentally out before it was meant to be, and if there really is something Mike et al want to release, well, they can always inform Patrick about it...

Not sure if you're doing it intentionally, but I think you summed up the problem very nicely.

____________________________
The best way to lose customers is to let little kids running loose on a forum with too many mod points.