[Mikes]

How about advertising at other sites, especially which have focussed at space-sims? Try to advert at all sites at once for the MP scene, so you get the best possible results.

Some nice sites are The Starport, Station Network (german), SWAT-Portal, Reactorforge, Space Sim Central....
And of course also advert here at the same time for a try to convince people to play MP again.

So instead of spamming peoples with emails you would like us to spam peoples boards now, eh ?   
A "shotgun blast" of "advertising posts" across several boards all at once like you propose up there is only certain to earn you one thing: A lot of hate. - no matter what it's actually about.

If you actually want to promote the game, then you are free to do so and so is anyone else. Board moderators everywhere are also free to ban you if you come on too strong

Trying to organize a grand scale spam fest however, is not going to help anyone and might even end up dragging the Freespace name in the mud - and i couldn't imagine a greater disservice to the great work of all the people involved in the SCP project and all its mods and campaigns.

[Bas]

So instead of spamming peoples with emails you would like us to spam peoples boards now, eh ?   
A "shotgun blast" of "advertising posts" across several boards all at once like you propose up there is only certain to earn you one thing: A lot of hate. - no matter what it's actually about.

What's wrong to post information about a space sim at space sim sites? I know most of the admins of the sites I wrote about, they won't be bad about some additional information about FS2, also or may be especially cause they don't have the time or they don't want to research about scene news by themselves.

Although, at some general gaming sites I got some problems, but not at all of those. And TBH I personally won't have anything against game advertising at my clansites etc. because they are ABOUT GAMING itself. As long as the commercial aspect isn't in the foreground.

[The E]

Basic netiquette, for once.

Here, I give you a hint: Look up the user "admiralxgmx" on this board, and on gamewarden. Compare his posts. Then do a google search on him.

What's wrong to post information about a space sim at space sim sites? I know most of the admins of the sites I wrote about, they won't be bad about some additional information about FS2, also or may be especially cause they don't have the time or they don't want to research about scene news by themselves.

Although, at some general gaming sites I got some problems, but not at all of those. And TBH I personally won't have anything against game advertising at my clansites etc. because they are ABOUT GAMING itself. As long as the commercial aspect isn't in the foreground.

Get this: This isn't about what you have or haven't got problems with. I can guarantee you that if you start linkspamming, and especially linkspamming to "help" HLP or FS2, you WILL generate more ill will than interest.

Just in case you didn't see this the first time:

THERE ARE NO CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH SPAM WILL EVER BE A LEGITIMATE TOOL FOR ADVERTISEMENT.

Most of the people who frequent Spacesim sites already know about FS, and FSO. If they have "pimp" threads, or threads debating which sim was the best, then supporting FreeSpace is encouraged. However, crossposting generic adverts across several boards (which, by their very nature, will have at least some overlap in users) IS NOT A GOOD IDEA.

[Bas]

Then I suggest to PM an admin/mod maybe before submitting such a thread.

About "admiralxgmx" (I just did a very short search) you are talking about his SS adverts or something like that? Well, THERE IS (!) a difference; It is one thing to spamm a contextless thread over all forums, and maybe even multiple at the same board/website, or to write just ONE article about a game in a GAMING community, or even better, to write a single SPACE GAME article at a SPACE SIM SITE.
And as I have said...at least for the sites mentioned above the staffs will be more happy than annoyed to find such threads in their forums, most of them I know for a half year or even longer.

With "spam" I am talking about creating such a single gaming article at a gaming community ONCE.

[The E]

Oh. OK. That is something different. (I still am no big fan of the idea, but if you think you can pull it off in a non-spammy way, more power to you.)

As for the adimiralxgmx thing: His first few posts seemed sensible enough, an advert for his gaming clan and so on. It then escalated into madness. I do not want this community to be associated with acts like those.

[Bas]

I can follow yor thoughts, but at least you can trust me it WILL NOT harm the FS2 community if you  post it at the starport, SWAT portal, space sim central, station network & reactorforge. I REALLY know those guys very well (ok, maybe excepted reactorforge admin Baked Potato, but I am still VERY sure that he won't be mad about it - If you ask him he might even host a FS2 gameserver, lol ^^)

[wistler]

Whats wrong with the News and Announcement section?

A simple advert wouldn't be intrusive.

[Kie99]

Just in case you didn't see this the first time:

THERE ARE NO CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH SPAM WILL EVER BE A LEGITIMATE TOOL FOR ADVERTISEMENT.

You are not talking about facts, please stop making such declarations which you have no authority to make.

[The E]

I'm not? If you're talking about my disagreement with Bas, I'll concede that I didn't read the thread as carefully as I should have (which, you'll note, was adressed in my previous post here). If you're talking about Spam in general, please give evidence of Spam being a legitimate tool for advertisement and not a bandwidth-wasting nuisance.

Should my previous ranting have hurt any feelings, I apologize.

[Kie99]

I'm not? If you're talking about my disagreement with Bas, I'll concede that I didn't read the thread as carefully as I should have (which, you'll note, was adressed in my previous post here). If you're talking about Spam in general, please give evidence of Spam being a legitimate tool for advertisement and not a bandwidth-wasting nuisance.

You've said there are no circumstances in which it will ever be a legit tool as though this proves we should not use it as a tool to advertise.  You seem to be using it as factual evidence to support your POV that we should not use it.

[The E]

So, by your reasoning, spamming would be OK? I'm making the argument that, in the pursuit of FS promotion, we should not use tactics commonly employed by people selling viagra and dodgy financial advice.

If there ARE legitimate uses for spam, I've yet to see them. If you have, please share your anecdotes or references.

[General Battuta]

I think I have to agree with The_E here. In part because one of the definitions of spam is that it's unwanted, unsolicited mail.

[Blue Lion]

I think it's getting slightly off message here.

What would be a good way to get people into multiplayer then?

[Bas]

Try to convince old players/friends of you coming back into FS2 MP or to try it out (contact them, for instance, by Instant Messenger)

[Blue Lion]

How long ago did Squadwar get turned off? I'm sure most of them have drifted to new emails or accounts.

[Mongoose]

Regarding mass forum e-mails, was there ever any option during registration allowing users to be contacted by HLP in the event of major site happenings?  And if not, could such a checkbox be added?  The game music site Overclocked Remix uses a similar option to send out periodic member mailings (once every few months or so) in the event of major events, project releases, and the like; each includes instructions at the end of the e-mail for turning off the profile option if the user doesn't want to continue to receive such e-mails in the past.  A system like that would be quite useful around here to announce events like new SCP versions/MediaVP releases, or the release of total conversions.  If it's a completely optional system that the user has to consciously opt into, I don't see how the concept of spam applies.

[Kie99]

So, by your reasoning, spamming would be OK? I'm making the argument that, in the pursuit of FS promotion, we should not use tactics commonly employed by people selling viagra and dodgy financial advice.

If there ARE legitimate uses for spam, I've yet to see them. If you have, please share your anecdotes or references.

I have received numerous useful e-mails from forums when I have accepted that I may receive e-mail from them, eg. informing me of new site developments, being told that I've not visited in a while (Subject of Kie99, we miss you!) information on new rules etc.  It's an awfully sweeping statement that you make in big capital letters, but it's not necessarily true.

[General Battuta]

The_E is still correct. If you gave consent for it, it's not spam. So you've got a valid point as well.

[wistler]

Using the phrase SPAM is a bit misleading. If it was a message every week on the subject then perhaps, but one message on the subject that'll raise awareness won't make anyone cry, unless the concern is it starting a spam trend which i would doubt.

[The E]

The point is, there is no option in HLP's user control panel which reads "I want to receive updates and announcements from the HLP staff" or something like that. Now, sending every member a PM could work (There is an option which checks whether or not you want to be notified about new PMs), but I do not know what result that would generate.
Sending every registered member an E-Mail, out of the blue, while not on the same level as your typical spam attack, is still a questionable tactic, at least for me.


Back on topic: I do hope and believe that we're going to see an influx of new players once TCs like Diaspora and WCS release something multi-capable. IMHO, generating new and shiny content is the best possible way of (re-)generating interest for the scene.