what else do you want in a ubuntu gaming website?

[ELD]

Hi all i am creating an linux gaming website (http://www.gaming4linux.com)

I have basically finished it up for the most part, but i am wondering what else people think would be good for it? (apart from listing more games obviously).

I was thinking guides, reviews etc?

[Ideastone]

First, I'd say fix your php code erros. Multiple pages had wierd errors on them. After that, i'd work on coming up with a more coherent layout. You have a start, but it just needs a lot of polish.

Last, I'd say put some real content on the site and drop the ads. If you want to build your site, you should kill the ads until you have enough users to make some real money on the site. Like, wait until you have say 1,000-5,000 uniques per day. At that point you'll be able to clear say $20-30 a day. Until then, you're just going to be making your users mad and you'll have a much harder time building up enough traffic to ever make any money at it.

[ELD]

The php errors are because i keep adding parts to the website they will be gone soon.

The layout is really just temporary.

Edit > Have now also added the ability to upload a screenshot for your game or utility, it will auto-make a thumbnail for you too :D

[compiledkernel]

Try to offer something the other gaming sites dont offer. My project (http://gaming.gwos.org) is Ubuntu Specific, and has some elements to it that Happypenguing doesnt have (though we dont have the forum element thta HP does). Linux-gamers.net is not distro specific, and their site is driven around that aspect. Linuxgames.com does they same, but they also do some project hosting. Find your niche, and youll succeed.

[ELD]

Thank you for your reply, i think i will have a good site after a week or two of adding a better layout and adding more sections to it.

My site is Ubuntu Specific so thats part of a niche i wanted (since i use ubuntu anyway).

A have a few things planned for it, but nothing solid yet.

[akurashy]

I'm planning to start a gaming site linux/windows (meaning that open sources only). Using Zend Framework as my base and some other extra features like clans/users own pages so they can write their reviews/ favorites and so on.

I would say a lot of the sites I've entered to lacks accessibility with no thought in the interface so the general users are lost easily. Of course that's just my opinion.

imho linux is linux, so having a distro based one is kinda pointless and doing "important notes" for different distros can be easily done.

anyway, good luck! keep brainstorming in the interface

[ELD]

The interface i am re-working as we speak on here as well, i prefer to do an Ubuntu based websites as it is my choice distro, others just don't have such a good community and i find other distros lacking. Linux is linux, but to me it wouldn't be anything but ubuntu so i stick to my niche :P

Hopefuly my new interface will be really really easy and clear.

[chritianpettet]

what i really like in any linux gaming site is installation guides, gaming.gwos.org does their installation guides very well
good luck on your website btw

[pseudo-random]

A Big DB like appdb at winehq.
I know its early days but more tuts, screenshots, a forum, etc.
Mine is also in dev wintolin.co.uk but I plan to keep it small anyhow.

[ELD]

Mine will sorta be like a big database like what you suggested.
I also got your email and did reply to it.

[jacob01]

more games, reviews on hardware, linux benchmarks, how-to's, and maybe a forum.

:lolflag:

[ELD]

more games, reviews on hardware, linux benchmarks, how-to's, and maybe a forum.

:lolflag:

someone sure knows what he wants in a website hehe, more will come after a revamped design, which is proving more difficult, dam css behaviours grrr!

[aomlives]

Everything has already been said: a game database, tutorials, guides,...

If you really want to keep the ads, I'd suggest you change their placement on the site so they're not in the way of your other content. Right now they're a little confusing, especially because there are two blocks with a different lay-out.

Keep up the good work anyway.

@pseudo-random: your site is very cool, actually, it's great

[ELD]

I am making a new layout which will have only a small google ad so not to worry, although i am having trouble with my layout :(
http://www.prxa.info/test/Untitled-1.html

i wish to make the borders stay the same size as the content, which both i want 100%

It will be a big database with games, tutorials etc etc :)

[jorgerosa]

"what else do you want in a ubuntu gaming website?"

How about a link for iteam (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=427011) and isoccer (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=747426)? ;) :tongue: Thankyou! Good Luck with your project. :)

[ELD]

"what else do you want in a ubuntu gaming website?"

How about a link for iteam (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=427011) and isoccer (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=747426)? ;) :tongue: Thankyou! Good Luck with your project. :)

Well i will be adding some sort of linux gaming news once new the design is finished up which will have a link to the iteam post, and isoccer will de added to the database.

[aomlives]

I am making a new layout which will have only a small google ad so not to worry, although i am having trouble with my layout :(
http://www.prxa.info/test/Untitled-1.html



the link doesn't work :)

I'm looking forward to that big database and new lay-out though.

keep up

[ELD]

Sorry the test link is now www.prxa.info/test/
finally got a working css borders example to use.
As you can see the logo is shoddy, i am a programmer not a designer unfortunately.

[aomlives]

the lay-out's already much better :)

but keep improving your logo, it's the first thing people see when they visit your site, so I guess it's kinda essential to your site's future success :p

[ELD]

That is why i am still tinkering and why the url is "test" hehe

[aomlives]

I just feared you were giving up on making a better one :p

please let us know when you're finished creating the new lay-out, or if you need more opinions/testing :D

greetz

[Tux0r]

http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.prxa.info%2Ftest%2F&charset=(detect+automatically)&doctype=Inline&group=0
Keep working on this too.

[ELD]

I am still working on a new layout yes, currently tinkering with it, got a new better logo being made at the moment which is looking really good
Validation will come once design is finished :)

Edit > The css now validates :D

[ELD]

Feel free to see the newer design again here: http://www.prxa.info/test/

Now passes css and xhtml validation.

Notes:
Logo is temporary, got people making a better one.
Uses less tabling over the previous layout.

[Kevbert]

Please can you state which games are run online and which can be used offline.

[ELD]

Please can you state which games are run online and which can be used offline.

Ah right you mean to show which games have single player and which have online kind of thing?
Or do you mean which are browser based and which are desktop?

[Kevbert]

Ah right you mean to show which games have single player and which have online kind of thing?
Or do you mean which are browser based and which are desktop?

Which games are desktop based (no need for web connection, apart from download of course) and which are browser/online server based ?

[GSZX1337]

I'd like to see a Linux gaming site where you can actually download the games from the site instead of having to follow a trail of links to find the game I want. It really pisses me off when I have to navigate through a horribly designed site.

[ELD]

Which games are desktop based (no need for web connection, apart from download of course) and which are browser/online server based ?


Has been added to it now! :)

I'd like to see a Linux gaming site where you can actually download the games from the site instead of having to follow a trail of links to find the game I want. It really pisses me off when I have to navigate through a horribly designed site.

This is a rather big argument to be honest, linux biggest strength is using repositories you can trust, downloading debs from random websites can be extremely bad for your system if they are not built well, etc etc. The website does feature a download link that send you right to the page to download from.

[aomlives]

Feel free to see the newer design again here: http://www.prxa.info/test/


The new background color, header and logo are excellent.

Could you navigate members automatically back to the site after login plz?

[ELD]

The new background color, header and logo are excellent.

Could you navigate members automatically back to the site after login plz?

Thank you for your kind words, i will implement a way for it to automatically send you back to the index after login yes :)

[ELD]

You now get sent to the members page after you login right away :)

I also plan to merge the user profile edit page and the members page into a user control panel.

Anyone have any other suggestions? :)

[ELD]

Well today i have purchased the domain www.gaming4linux.com so the website will be a lot more general to be friendly to other distributions.

Let me know what you think, and give me any other ideas you would like to see too!

Have also added a few new games and game packs for the spring engine too.

Signup and submit some games people :D

[ELD]

I am still working on the website, working on a new image uploader to gives images random file names (will help a lot with more images).

I am still looking for contributors and suggestions from people too.

And need a new logo again :(

[aomlives]

Why a new logo?

[k33bz]

well, i personally think the site looks wonderful, i will def be using it in the near future

[ELD]

Why a new logo?


It is now a general linux gaming site to be more friendly to all distros including the variations of ubuntu, so the "ubuntu" in the logo doesn't fit heh

well, i personally think the site looks wonderful, i will def be using it in the near future

Thank you a lot for your kind words :D!