Rage3D - What's next

Ichneumon

Ichneumon

Lord of the Flies
Staff member
Administrator
So Rage3D is still here and functioning on it's creaking vB version and dedicated server. I've had more than my share of ups and downs in the last couple years between my personal life and my work. As a result I've had precious little time or energy to finish migrating Rage3D into its new world.

So I'm asking here for your input. My latest thinking is as follows:

Go through the process to move Rage3D into a forum-only format. Either upgrade to latest vB (most likely move to vB hosted forum) and maybe support some forum based blogs for user reviews/other promoted content. Lose the front page.

I'd like to keep Rage3D AD free in that scenario. Hopefully be able to support hosting costs purely through subscription revenue.

Other options could include turning Rage3D over to people who have the time and energy to try and get the site back up and running with content as well as grow the forums. I've put a lot into keeping R3D online for a long time because it is important to me, but I would entertain the conversation. I want to keep the site online and relevant regardless.
 
As much as it pains me to say this, maybe a name change will be in order... Rysen or Ryse3d perhaps ? Not many know the signification of Rage anymore...

I love the community and it kinda sucks to say so, I don't visit the front page at all... Maybe we need some more exotic tests or on some weird but cool hardware ?
 
With the coming of Ryzen, now's the time to bring back AMD news. I for one am excited about AMD again for the first time in a very long time.
 
Don't change name. The 5 of us that visit here will also leave.
Keep forums intact. Rest you can scrap.

Also keep ADs and subs. At least some payments will cover some costs for you.

If you ask me, since I am resistant to change, I wouldn't change a single thing on the site. Even the VB since it is fine as it is.
 
I'd go with option A. Option B would basically involve almost starting from scratch.

While Ryzen is looking great, I think it is too high of a risk to invest considerable money on the website to capitalize on the possibility of its popularity bringing more people into the fold. (I could be wrong here)
 
Ichneumon said:
So Rage3D is still here and functioning on it's creaking vB version and dedicated server. I've had more than my share of ups and downs in the last couple years between my personal life and my work. As a result I've had precious little time or energy to finish migrating Rage3D into its new world.

So I'm asking here for your input. My latest thinking is as follows:

Go through the process to move Rage3D into a forum-only format. Either upgrade to latest vB (most likely move to vB hosted forum) and maybe support some forum based blogs for user reviews/other promoted content. Lose the front page.

I'd like to keep Rage3D AD free in that scenario. Hopefully be able to support hosting costs purely through subscription revenue.

Other options could include turning Rage3D over to people who have the time and energy to try and get the site back up and running with content as well as grow the forums. I've put a lot into keeping R3D online for a long time because it is important to me, but I would entertain the conversation. I want to keep the site online and relevant regardless.
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My recommendation is keep forums, look at where you have the most traffic and look to shore that up. If there is space for new stuff (IOT, tech, new cards), do that too.

Do not change the name :D

Front page, if you have the ability to curate stuff from a source and bring in fresh content, go ahead and rock that. You can augment that with occasional reviews and stuff. This way you are still driving eyes to the front page where possible.

I'd say keep ads where it is non-intrusive to help pay costs. Subscriptions for non-ad viewing, sort of like it is now.
 
Ichneumon said:
Go through the process to move Rage3D into a forum-only format. Either upgrade to latest vB (most likely move to vB hosted forum) and maybe support some forum based blogs for user reviews/other promoted content. Lose the front page.
Click to expand...

Probably the best bet. At least start with upgrading the forum first and foremost. This old style forum probably puts off a lot of new people coming and staying. Worry about the rest afterwards.
 
logical said:
Probably the best bet. At least start with upgrading the forum first and foremost. This old style forum probably puts off a lot of new people coming and staying. Worry about the rest afterwards.
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I like this as well.

Figured I'd speak up about it so as not to have you think the users dont care.

More people should do the same otherwise nothing will get done.
 
Option A is great, but I'd like the site to maybe get back in the habit of reviews and news. I'd offer my services but I suck at web design. I'd love to do reviews of new hardware and such and get the site more traffic on my own dime of course.
 
Hapatingjaky said:
Option A is great, but I'd like the site to maybe get back in the habit of reviews and news. I'd offer my services but I suck at web design. I'd love to do reviews of new hardware and such and get the site more traffic on my own dime of course.
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Gay your review suite needs to include games other than WOW for it to be meaningful to 100% of the internet. :bleh:

But it is a great idea. I think you can still do reviews and submit content to the gays on here who can put it up on the gay web page we have upfront.

You feel me?
 
acroig said:
IMHO the name should stay as is..... unless you do a site wide refresh.
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I'd be more than willing to start up the news again if that is the will of the people. I have the time, the job flexibility and am single so I can give it a healthy run.

I'd be hesitant to go to an all forum format as we just don't have the numbers that are willing to pay a subscription (me thinks anyway)???? Ad's are a necessary evil if it helps to keep the site going.

An upgrade to the latest VB is a great start. From there it's all gravy...

Appreciate you hanging in there Ichneumon! :up:
 
KAC said:
Gay your review suite needs to include games other than WOW for it to be meaningful to 100% of the internet. :bleh:

But it is a great idea. I think you can still do reviews and submit content to the gays on here who can put it up on the gay web page we have upfront.

You feel me?
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Oh I feel you alright.
 
Setup Wordpress as the frontpage, buy a premade template for 20$, change some of the logos and graphics around and let people who are interested add content to it as editors.

At least it would look modern and let those who have writing skills and hardware to add new things to it.

/steps off the podium.
 
Thank you for the feedback folks. I just got back from another week's business travel, but this weekend will follow up with some thoughts and next steps.
 
Ichneumon said:
Thank you for the feedback folks. I just got back from another week's business travel, but this weekend will follow up with some thoughts and next steps.
Click to expand...

:heart:

Re: Front page, I still think it would be a good idea to have something like that, if for nothing else than to help drive incremental ad revenue and improve discoverability :)

A curated news feed ought not to be a large time/cost investment and there are options for monetization there that won't dilute offerings or what we experience on the site :)

R3D, based purely on Alexa stats, has good engagement, poor bounce rate, and seems to have low discoverability view organic. Without actual data (google analytics, for example), can't validate the accuracy of this stuff. It could be complete rubbish :lol:

Forums are great and you have the engagement metrics to demonstrate that. However the poor discoverability from organic (24% odd per Alexa) suggests that if you go forums only, you're basically going to primarily be visited by people who have things bookmarked, or use very specific search terms.

If you are able to sustain the site without needing any external monetization, that's wonderful. Having only the same group of people on the site will eventually lead to it continuing to stagnate and wither until it is just a tiny group of folks speaking to each other.

http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/rage3d.com
 
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