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BZFlag website

Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 4:10 pm
by WorldOfTanks23
We all know BZFlag is a great game but I think the BZFlag website simply doesn't invite newbies to try it out. There should be WAY more screenshots (I have a couple that I'd love to be posted) and a high-quality Flash movie (Vimeo HD) would really look great (I'd like to make one but don't know how to).

We really need more players, I've noticed for years that there are rarely more than 100 players online at any given moment, which I find sad for such a great game. There should be at least 10 times that number playing.

Re: BZFlag website

Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 7:33 pm
by blast
At some point we'll replace the entire main site with something that's easier to maintain and update.

Re: BZFlag website

Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 12:02 pm
by Cygal
The wikipedia page could use an update, too. At least the screenshot.

Re: BZFlag website

Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 1:44 pm
by gentle giant
well, the main reason a lot of people dont play bz cause they had no way of finding it. Its more of the advirtisement that needs to be worked on. I never would have found the game if i never had this one friend. Usually, if people even find the homepage, they probably wont not download it.

Re: BZFlag website

Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 3:44 pm
by clarahobbs
gentle giant wrote:Usually, if people even find the homepage, they probably wont not download it.
Double-negatives are a no-no ;-)
EDIT: No pun intended
Anyway, yeah, BZFlag could use a better website. I thought it was great until you guys make it have those weird-looking non-tankish vector images all over the main page. I could help work on a new website if you want; I have an XHTML/CSS template, so you could make that look like pretty much anything you want by editing the CSS.

Re: BZFlag website

Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 6:36 pm
by blast
It's probably better to not worry about that for now. The design required might really depend on what system we end up using. Drupal was the prime candidate, but it's something that could be researched further.

Re: BZFlag website

Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 8:43 pm
by Dr Robotnik
Advertising can be accomplished rather easily by viral video, messaging, etc. Just need to get the momentum started. As for the site, I think its fine, just needs more gameplay information rather then technical. Your average person will look at BZFlag and say "Those graphics suck" and walk away. I saw it happen yesterday on a server I was playing on, and it was textured nicely too.

Re: BZFlag website

Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 12:16 am
by clarahobbs
BZFlag graphics don't suck, at least not in 2.99.x. Ever seen that on experimental graphics mode? It's beautiful! I wish I could have graphics that nice in 2.0.x.

Re: BZFlag website

Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 5:41 pm
by Dr Robotnik
I am not the one who said that-Some random troll did. Said his xbox is better or something..

But that does not matter. Experimental looks good.

Re: BZFlag website

Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 8:10 pm
by gentle giant
The only problem i have expierienced with the homepage is the download part. It seems a lot easier clicking on the download link on the side then clicking on the downloads. The download link will get u to a basic starting block that should be easy to figuire out. The download box is more looked at and it has all the downloadable bzaccesories for everyone. Iv heard of some people that got confused in there and downloaded the wrong thing.

Re: BZFlag website

Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 4:04 am
by Gamma
For advertising I would love to take some video of me / other people playing and put it together into a video in youtube with background music ect..
if anybody would like me to do this just post it here. :D

Re: BZFlag website

Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2009 12:05 am
by Gamma
Hey, check out this bzflag promo video I made in about 10 mins (yeah it kinda sucks) :P


http://bzmapping.netii.net/gallery.html



IMPORTANT!!! The original video is from here (not my making) :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-F3o93_j1WU

Re: BZFlag website

Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2009 12:47 am
by mrapple
heh that video was ok gmangrey

i have fce and know how to use it if anyone wants me to give it a shot. :)

reply if you want me tooo 8)

Re: BZFlag website

Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2009 1:43 am
by blast
I was wanting to test out the video quality, so I recorded a short clip from BZFlag at 1280x720 (the recommended resolution for HD video in both youtube and vimeo) at 30FPS using fraps, then converted it to H.264 at a high bitrate (16mbps) using MediaCoder, and uploaded it to youtube and vimeo. Here's the result:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xf4GyEGmC3Y (Click on the "HD")
http://www.vimeo.com/5454034

The video quality on vimeo looks better, though it's also a smaller video frame. Main problem with the free accounts in vimeo is that you can only upload one HD video a week, and I there is also a limit on how many embedded play in HD will be shown.
Every new Vimeo Plus user gets a free trial of 25,000 HD embedded plays. If you want more, you can purchase an additional 10,000 HD embedded plays for $24.95. You can even choose exactly which sites can embed your video in HD, so you never waste any of your precious HD embedded plays.
So for that, I'm liking youtube better.

But that's not really a big thing to worry about right now. The bigger challenge is making a good website and video that will make people want to download. The graphics in the game, even in 3.0.0, still don't compare to recent commercial FPS games. So in lieu of that, it needs to show why the game is fun. :) BZFlag certainly makes up for graphics with the gameplay.

Re: BZFlag website

Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2009 1:50 am
by Gamma
Yeah bro, that quality is awesome.
Maybe it would be possible to get a 3rd person view of the tank for several seconds on and off for the promo?

if I were to debate between youtube and vimeo blast I would go for youtube...
And the current bzflag site isn't that bad, not bad at all it just needs some updating :D

Re: BZFlag website

Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2009 2:10 am
by blast
No, the main site is pretty horrid, minus the graphics on the main page ;)

That clip was just a short example, since I didn't want to spend hours transcoding the video, and then hours uploading it. (It was about a 30 minute upload just for that, since it was a 60MB video file)

Re: BZFlag website

Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2009 2:15 am
by Gamma
okay, I just didn't want to offend any of the admins that actually like the main site :mrgreen:
When the site "update" does eventual happen will the forums be replaced also??

Re: BZFlag website

Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2009 4:42 am
by blast
I'm assuming you're referring to the forum theme? Anything is possible. But I don't see it happening at the same time. It's a lot of work.

Re: BZFlag website

Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2009 5:12 am
by Gamma
Yeah I was referring to the theme.
but first things first- the main page,
Yeah I guess it would be a lot of work. :P

Re: BZFlag website

Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2009 1:16 pm
by ahs3
Perhaps a artwork project much like spreadfirefox, with some witty catch phrases and great banners. There are many members of bzflag with separate websites that would be glad to help spread bzflag. I know I would :)

Re: BZFlag website

Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2009 2:40 pm
by clarahobbs
I would also be glad to do something like this, ahs3. I think that's a pretty good idea to get more players to try BZFlag.

Re: BZFlag website

Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2009 2:39 am
by Quantum Tank
Not to try and ruin anything here, but I'd just like to say that maybe advertising is *not* a great idea for the game. The thing that I think makes bzflag so special is its very small community, especially in the leagues. Pretty much every active bzflag player knows every other active bzflag player, and if there are a lot more players coming in from advertisements and such, it won't be as great as a community anymore. Maybe it would be better just to let people slowly trickle in and give the community time to accept ( assimilate :twisted: ) them.

Re: BZFlag website

Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2009 3:03 am
by Gamma
Yes, I agree sort of quantum, but we should have some advertising.
Not an insane amount though.

Re: BZFlag website

Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2009 3:45 am
by gentle giant
well, leagues and advirtising come from a lot of different views. How many people that first join play 24/7 on the public gu server or dub? Also, they have to register and how long will it take them to register? Some mite love the game, some mite not. They will probably play and stick with the noobish maps to start out with.

Re: BZFlag website

Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2009 5:09 am
by blast
An advertisement really wouldn't work that well if they get to the site and go "eww".. ;)