The Escapists' Front Page is worth viewing again!

[Saelune]

To those who may not know, the effort to fix this site up is actually working, and now the front page is actually full of new content now!

Not just Zero Punctuation, nor years-old/re-hashed content, but new stuff, including an article by Shamus Young, a new Critical Miss...er, Critical 'Mix', an actual game review of a new game, and ofcourse MovieBob's latest video. (plus ZP still)

I mostly am making this topic since it is surprisingly quiet, and for a long time I avoided the front page since it was very out of date and empty, and also while I was somewhat wary of how well the revival would go, I actually am feeling optimistic now.

So if you have avoided it too, maybe reconsider now?

 

[Trunkage]

Have the latest forum box would bring me back. I no longer come here for content

 

[jademunky]

New Erin AND new Bob?!

Now if only someone could talk Jim into doing some side work here........ yeah, probably not.

 

[Saelune]

New Erin AND new Bob?!

Now if only someone could talk Jim into doing some side work here........ yeah, probably not.

I don't think Jim would come back even if everything was fine between him and the site. I think he just values his independence way too much.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

New Erin AND new Bob?!

Now if only someone could talk Jim into doing some side work here........ yeah, probably not.

He's doing better than ever on his own, no need to come back.

 

[jademunky]

New Erin AND new Bob?!

Now if only someone could talk Jim into doing some side work here........ yeah, probably not.

He's doing better than ever on his own, no need to come back.

Well just in a little way for old times sake. Like a special one-shot video here and there.

Yeah, it'll never happen, but still...... He used to do poetry videos with Yahtzee. Jim does love his side projects (in fact his career seems to be 60% side-projects).

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

New Erin AND new Bob?!

Now if only someone could talk Jim into doing some side work here........ yeah, probably not.

He's doing better than ever on his own, no need to come back.

Well just in a little way for old times sake. Like a special one-shot video here and there.

Yeah, it'll never happen, but still...... He used to do poetry videos with Yahtzee. Jim does love his side projects (in fact his career seems to be 60% side-projects).

I liked the Uncivil War series. The two had a really good back-and-forth.

 

[Vorlayn]

Have the latest forum box would bring me back. I no longer come here for content

Would help a lot, I really dislike it not being there.
It was SO handy!

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

I don't think Jim would come back even if everything was fine between him and the site. I think he just values his independence way too much.

He's doing better than ever on his own, no need to come back.

Yeah, it'll never happen, but still...... He used to do poetry videos with Yahtzee. Jim does love his side projects (in fact his career seems to be 60% side-projects).

It isn't so much about these things. It wasn't directly about success, independence or side-projects and it wasn't about pay, relationship to the site or any of that. He left of his own accord because he couldn't do what he saw as his job.

His schtick is basically calling out industry bullshit. He represents the consumer in a way few other pundits can or do and to do his job he could not be beholden to the Escapist, itself part of the thing he was critiquing. Ad-driven games media site meant being beholden to the one with the purse strings. Example, the firing of Gerstmann. I'm citing that example, not Jim, but it's that very issue that prompted him to leave the Escapist. He could not lay into the games media while paid by them. He could not lay into publishers who were corporate site sponsors.

I found this quote on Giantbomb:

"I've always considered myself fortunate enough to maintain a lot of distance between myself as a content creator and the marketing departments cutting their brand deals. I'm afraid that the distance, however, is getting smaller and smaller, regardless of my efforts. There are media powerhouses out there that are struggling, and their struggle is leading to changes in business that I am not comfortable with. I don't want to be under the shadow of corporate entities, and I don't want to feel my criticism of the games industry exists by their good grace."

 

[Saelune]

I don't think Jim would come back even if everything was fine between him and the site. I think he just values his independence way too much.

He's doing better than ever on his own, no need to come back.

Yeah, it'll never happen, but still...... He used to do poetry videos with Yahtzee. Jim does love his side projects (in fact his career seems to be 60% side-projects).

It isn't so much about these things. It wasn't directly about success, independence or side-projects and it wasn't about pay, relationship to the site or any of that. He left of his own accord because he couldn't do what he saw as his job.

His schtick is basically calling out industry bullshit. He represents the consumer in a way few other pundits can or do and to do his job he could not be beholden to the Escapist, itself part of the thing he was critiquing. Ad-driven games media site meant being beholden to the one with the purse strings. Example, the firing of Gerstmann. I'm citing that example, not Jim, but it's that very issue that prompted him to leave the Escapist. He could not lay into the games media while paid by them. He could not lay into publishers who were corporate site sponsors.

I found this quote on Giantbomb:

"I've always considered myself fortunate enough to maintain a lot of distance between myself as a content creator and the marketing departments cutting their brand deals. I'm afraid that the distance, however, is getting smaller and smaller, regardless of my efforts. There are media powerhouses out there that are struggling, and their struggle is leading to changes in business that I am not comfortable with. I don't want to be under the shadow of corporate entities, and I don't want to feel my criticism of the games industry exists by their good grace."

Like I said, he values his independence.

 

[Chimpzy_v1legacy]

It feels kind of weird to stop at the front page to check for new content instead of just passing it by to go straight into the forums, like I've been doing for the past few years.

Not that I'm complaining. It's a good thing.

 

[McElroy]

Neat and compact.

(that's what she said)

 

[Lil devils x_v1legacy]

It feels kind of weird to stop at the front page to check for new content instead of just passing it by to go straight into the forums, like I've been doing for the past few years.

Not that I'm complaining. It's a good thing.

Yea I am going to have to change my bookmark to the front page again instead of just the forums

Also, I think they should move the featured forums section to the top so people will see it. On smaller devices such as tablets or phones, that section of the forums can be easily missed and moving it to the top would encourage more discussion. There also has been some error issues when trying to navigate to the comments section for features from the feature itself so people may have been wanting to comment but didn't see how to get there. Moving it to the top of forums allows them to find it easily.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

The bit at the bottom of the forum browsing page tells me all the latest additions anyway, I have no need of this fabled "front page" you humans and fluff-creatures sensually adorn with trinkets, amorous poetry and otherworldly gifts. As if the desires of thy eyeballs take precedence over tedious functionality. As if!

Alright, I'll take a look.

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

It's kinda funny that I don't even care anymore. I stopped viewing this site as a place for content besides ZP quite some time ago.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

It's weird checking this site on a daily basis again, after how many years of virtually nothing?

 

[AngelBlackChaos]

I am sooooo excited again. It feels like its getting back to what I loved! I'm definitely going to start being a daily user again, after a 3 year hiatus.