Shrapnel to Take on Wargamer.com?

[Phoenix-D]

Sorry, but the idea of a publisher or developer sponsored web site ever being independant, complete, or unbiased seems extremely unlikely to me.

[Gandalf Parker]

Actually alot of the ones out there are already tied into one. Such as Wargamer tied to Matrix. I mean I see your point but unless you want to do one yourself its hard to see where one will happen that ISNT tied into someone. Gaining that much interest in gaming develops ties. And the "big ones" are considered to be biased by advertising money and shelfware.

Have you read the Shrapnel "About Us" link?
http://www.shrapnelgames.com/about.htm
If not then I highly recommend it in light of this discussion. I liked where it was coming from as far as tackling the publishers, and I think I like it for tackling the game sites.

[Richard]

Actually it's more than a financial relationship, Matrix Games bought Wargamer.com awhile ago. We aren't specifically going after Wargamer.com, but we're being fairly transparent that the site is owned by us from the beginning. That way people can use their own judgement to decide if they think our coverage is biased.

That isn't the main reason for the site. What is frustrating is to see a lot of quality independent games get reviewed by someone who knows nothing of the genre and it reviewing it just to get a free game. Did I tell you the story of the reviewer that I had to explain the concept of turns to (because he had only played RTS's).

We want to start a relationship with the other independent developers and publishers to put an outlet for our products out there with writers who will appreciate the offering. We also will not comment or review games in retail, this is only for those folks who either aren't in retail by chance or by choice.

[Annette]

And we promise not to vote ourselves "publisher of the year."

(Moderators: Feel free to move my post if you see fit!)

[War_Oberst]

Annette said:
And we promise not to vote ourselves "publisher of the year."

(Moderators: Feel free to move my post if you see fit!)

Sorry, I am a newcomer here and do not whish to be rude, so please do not take this in this manner. I am thiking that this comment leaves something to be desired. Was Wargamer's article not called "Reader's Choice?" Did the reader's not choose who publisher of the year was? How can they readers choose the way any one wants them to - do Matrix pay them for their votes? Seems ridiculous to me.

I have played Shrapnel titles and have come here looking for more info on games of yours comming out soon, and am open minded enough to know wargamer's coverage is not seeming biased to me. If you make comment like this on your own site about your upcoming news site, how biased are you going to be in this regard with your coverage?

If your readers vote you publisher of the year, so be it. I do not think wargamer's Forums are going to have people saying that TheGamingnews.com is a mouthpece for shrapnel's games. Of course it is not. You do not whant this perception of your site. I have gone to wargamer's site for one year now and know it seemes to be balance and fair.

I hope you are not referring to this because whatever ill feeling you two have for each other is going to do nothing for gaming or the gaming worlds. I hope your coverage is not biased, thorought and thoughtfull like wargamer's is. otherwise you are just going to seem like your sour.

again please do not take this wrong way, I am not meaning to be nasty, but really comments like that do nothing for your site in my eye as a customer and potential byyer.

War_Oberst

[Annette]

Welcome to our forums War_Oberst and thank you for posting. I appreciate your thoughtful input and have taken it under advisement. Perhaps I should have held my tongue as my odd sense of humor often leads me to trouble

I was hoping to make the point that TheGamingNews will be very straightforward about it's relationship with Shrapnel Games and avoid practices which may be misconstrued as self-promotion. I was quite baffled by the title of this thread and "Beverly's" perception that TGN was somehow similar to The Wargamer. TGN is intended as a vehicle for Indie Developers and Indie Gamers to come together. It will not focus on any particular genre and will include coverage of games which are self-published. Sometimes these games don't get a fair shake in mainstream press and are often reviewed by writers who are familiar only with AAA titles and may overlook the value of niche games.

[Gandalf Parker]

PLEASE take this as purely a hypothetical answer:
But IF a gaming mag had a slight tendency to provide more reviews about certain games, then it MIGHT gradually affect the redership which keeps returning to it, and it MIGHT slew the votes abit to a foregone conclusion. In fact, since such sites specialize in certain types of games that will oviously be true anyway so certain companys will have an advantage depending on how many of that type game is in their catalog.

Personally I dont read wargamer very much because those arent my kinds of games. Most of the articles dont interest me (strategy yes, war not so much). I AM interested in the new mag site since I am very interested in independents that are developing games. Im hoping this is NOT a site where WarGamer will be the obvious "other choice" because that happen if it becomes another site with a tendency to notice war games over other types. We will see how far across the spectrum they are willing to travel. No, make that able to travel since I believe in their willingness. If they can stretch it as far as... hmm what? Childrens teaching games? Maybe Moraff's games which my wife loves. Oh I know, a writeup on the game "Tranquility". Thats about as opposite from a wargame as it gets.

[War_Oberst]

Annette said:
Welcome to our forums War_Oberst and thank you for posting. I appreciate your thoughtful input and have taken it under advisement. Perhaps I should have held my tongue as my odd sense of humor often leads me to trouble

(Forgive my English, I go to school in Texas at Rice University and am from Indonesia. I speak well enough but never coud type it well. Papers give me a headache to write them. I glad I'm not English major heh heh.)

I appreciate your reply Annette. I understand your point of view and can see how it makes some sense to a extent, but a sense of humor like that may just make you seem less objectiv. I know Matrix is heard of having spent money on the Wargamer site but I think thier writers are doing a decent job...sure matrix make the gold award (whatever it was) for publisher of the year, but Matrix publish lots of wargames, perhaps with appeael to more peopel in a wargame crowd. Their audience = wargame peopel who eat and live it.

No offence to shrapnel at all because you make good stuff to, just not in same area (make sense??). WWII, it seem, is matrix Specalty and lots of game made in that area. You game like Dragoon and BCT/Tiger are very specific and not broad in general covering a timeperiod of war. 82nd I have highe hope for and look forward to it. Just need $ to get it.

Anyways my point is tat wargamer seems to do more mainstrem stuff that appael to broader audihence where as yours are good yet appael to those with narrow taste. I hope this is clear.

I was hoping to make the point that TheGamingNews will be very straightforward about it's relationship with Shrapnel Games and avoid practices which may be misconstrued as self-promotion. I was quite baffled by the title of this thread and "Beverly's" perception that TGN was somehow similar to The Wargamer. TGN is intended as a vehicle for Indie Developers and Indie Gamers to come together. It will not focus on any particular genre and will include coverage of games which are self-published. Sometimes these games don't get a fair shake in mainstream press and are often reviewed by writers who are familiar only with AAA titles and may overlook the value of niche games.

I am relative new to these Games like this, have played not long of late but schoolwork and programming take up more time than I care to give. I read a lot of books but I go a little slow to make it sink. But maybe I am not knowing what games You mean. What small companes do 'niche' games??? I have not heard of any except in game mags.

I will be honest again, I see HORSE and think it looks cool, but a freind say it is just MULE all over again. What is MuLE, I asked, but he said it was done in almost twenty years ago. Why remake this??? I hope not many are like this because origenality is more important than rehashing old Ideas.

Again tanks for your reply and I look forward to more.

War_Oberst

[Beverley]

Richard said:
Actually it's more than a financial relationship, Matrix Games bought Wargamer.com awhile ago. We aren't specifically going after Wargamer.com, but we're being fairly transparent that the site is owned by us from the beginning. That way people can use their own judgement to decide if they think our coverage is biased.

Would you think it fair to say then that Wargamer.com is the "mouthpiece" of Matrix games?

[Richard]

Beverley said:

Would you think it fair to say then that Wargamer.com is the "mouthpiece" of Matrix games?

I wouldn't say that at all. I know many of the folks who are on staff at Wargamer.com (as a former staff member myself) and I think they try to be fair. However we wanted to be pretty up front with our relationship from the beginning.

The main reason for the site is to give independent games more of a voice.