GameSetAnnouncement: Expanding GSW Service, Hurray!

April 4, 2009 12:00 AM | Simon Carless

So, as you might have noticed, there's a few changes on GameSetWatch today, for the awesome++. Specifically, we're expanding our blog posts on weekdays, with the help of the wonderful Eric Caoili.

In fact, Eric has already been posting today on neatness like Amusement magazine, Bubble Bobble T-shirts, and Muxtape funkiness, and he'll be continuing in that vein starting on Monday.

So why the change? Well, due to a bit of a hectic schedule here running Gamasutra, Game Developer magazine, the IGF, etcetera, GameSetWatch has been clamped on 3 posts per day for the last year or two. And they've tended to be 'super-dense linklog', '2000-word interview', '1500-word GSW column' - in that order.

That's all good, but I think that weblogs - or at least, weblogs that I like - are meant to have a _little_ more diffuse, bitesized culturally-aware content than just dense, multi-link cross-posted longform insanity. (Just like GameSetWatch used to have, back in the day.)

So we're keeping the regular columns and the linkdumps from me (Simon), but adding five daily Mon-Fri posts from Eric - who has done great work for us previously as a Gamasutra news guy and a number-cruncher for Game Developer Research, and whom you also might know from awesome DS site Tiny Cartridge.

Please welcome him, and look forward to more smart cultural interstitial posts from Eric, starting on Monday, as we take GSW from about 20 weekly posts to around 45 (still manageable!). In the meantime, the weekend is still mine to bore GSW readers with linkdumps and other tragicomic video game material, hurrah!

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5 Comments

One of the things I like about GSW is that it is not a 50 posts a day blog. Certainly you did not imply that but just as my gaming habits head more towards short and powerful experiences as a working professional I prefer blogs with less posts but higher quality content.

It's like when I see the kids these days complain a game is too short if it is not a 40-100 hour RPG. When I hear "40+ hour RPG" I run for the hills. Call me a washed up old man if you like but that is not what I am looking for with my limited time.

All I can hope for is that if the post count increases it can maintain the quality.

Welcome Eric, keep up the good work here.

Mark Cooke | April 4, 2009 3:47 AM

I think it should be a good balance, Mark - but I know people read GSW to get less posts at a higher quality, in theory, so we're trying to balance that.

I think we're already seeing more comments and feedback just from the day that Eric posted, so I think the few bite-sized posts will help to up the community here, too.

We're still working out how my big linklog posts will go. But I think the plan is that I give Eric some of the more visual and standalone stuff, and I'll still post the denser, more wordy links in the GameSetLinks posts.

Simon Carless | April 4, 2009 9:44 AM

I dunno, I miss the old form of GSW posts. Huge linkdumps are cool, but by their nature are going to be hit-and-miss as far as how each individual person finds each link. Welcome Eric!

John H. | April 4, 2009 7:40 PM

I'm all for some more wordy coverage of links - given that it doesn't turn into "yet another link blog" and the quality is there, both of the writing and what is being covered.

Basically, if you dare post a picture of a gaming cake or cover a meme, don't hold me responsible for what comment I'll make *shakes fist* :)

Andrew Armstrong | April 6, 2009 3:03 PM

Thanks for the welcome, everyone! And I promise not to post any gaming cakes (unless they have GameSetGuy on it, and are sent to my doorstep for me to devour).

eric_c | April 7, 2009 7:44 AM