THE BLOG INITIATIVE

Lady and Gentlemans

Once upon a time we used to have more than justblogs.
We had acommunityofbloggers.
Afamilyof writers.
Atroupeof wordsmiths.
Anoverbearingsense ofmelodrama.
It was...beautiful...
And it was called:

THE BLOGOSPHERE

I'm only half fucking with you. We still have blogs, and we still have a community, but the blogosphere is conceptually more than that. We had something more than people just randomly posting up junk, or spamming blogs for quests. We had something more than individuals who posted their own content and ignored that of everybody else. We had a community. Maybe we still do?

Enough is enough.

It's time to address the current state. It's time for action! I have invited some of Giant Bomb's most revered writers to join me in a project which has been dubbed:

The Blog Initiative is a community project designed to showcase and encourage the best bloggers here on Giant Bomb. I'm going to be honest, I was pretty drunk when I thought of this shit, but I wrote to some people and their support encouraged me to actually do something about it. For the next month, we will be using this thread to seek out the most awesome writers and showcase their work here. What makes a good blogger? Articulacy, consistency, personality and passion. It many cases it doesn't matter what you are writing about, but if you can do it with enough enthusiasm and flair then just about anyone can enjoy reading your work. Perhaps more importantly is consistency. A blog is all about context. It's about building up a relationship between the writer and audience, and that familiarity is the difference between a blog and a press release. It's the reason we are all here at Giant Bomb. It's the reason we return to the same website, day after day...

So I'm inviting you

to take part in The Blog Initiative. Have you ever wanted to write down your thoughts but have been too nervous or lazy to do so? Have you been silently blogging away but have remained largely ignored? The blog initiative aims to address those issues by finding and showcasing the hidden gems deep within blog mountain. It's going to be a wacky adventure full of false promises, ominous chicken-headed men pushing baby prams, and rushed group photoshop projects...

SO WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU

Is your support. If you can't blog or can't be fucked to blog, support those around you that are making the effort. If you read something you like, leave the writer a comment. If you see something you don't like, leave them a comment anyway! Write some constructive criticism, or encouragement. Comments are the best way of letting a writer know that you have seen their work and, even if the comments aren't a direct response to the subject, it's unbelievably encouraging for writers to know they aren't just throwing words out into nothingness...

IF YOU HAVE A BLOG HERE ON GIANT BOMB

Feel free to share it in this thread. Let us know what you write about, and tell us a bit about yourself.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE A BLOG HERE ON GIANT BOMB

Then start writing, chump! You have a lot of catching up to do...

Note: Due to Sweep's busy schedule, this post is now being updated by MattyFTM. If you have any complaints about the quality, complain to Sweep about it. It's not my fault Sweep is too busy to update this thing, so you have to rely on my inferior shit.

Featured Blog:

Gamer_152 has an underscore in his username. That's all I got. I told you I was inferior to Sweep. OK, seriously, I consider Mr. 152 to be one of the most knowledgeable people on Giant Bomb. His latest blog begins to explore the relationship between video games and other entertainment medium. It is only the first part, so be sure to check his blog again next week for more fantastic insights into this subject.

For countless years now it seems that people have had an obsession with comparing video games to other entertainment mediums. How well video games hold up in comparison to other forms of entertainment has often been taken to be a measurement of how well video games are doing as a medium, but these kind of comparisons often come about with a myriad of problems behind them. So let’s take a look at where the video games vs. other entertainment mediums analyses too often fall apart.

READ MORE

Featured Blog:

Unlike Gamer_152, Dankempster doesn't have an underscore in his username. Yes, that's right. I was as shocked as you are. So, what about his blogs? They're all right, I guess. And by "all right, I guess" I mean "Brilliant, of course". His latest blog does something we all probably should do. It lists out gaming related things he plans on doing before the year is over.

Now that September is drawing to a close and the end of the year is fast approaching, I feel like it's time to lay down the 2011 incarnation of The To-Do List. Those of you who've been following my blogs for a while are probably aware that for the last few years, at around this time, I've laid out some rough plans for how I intend to spend the remainder of my game-playing year. Usually it takes on a pretty simple list-based format, detailing five or six games that I'd like to finish before the year is out. This year I thought I'd take a bit of a broader, paragraph-based approach, and go into a little more detail with each point. Purists need not worry either - the list is still in there, and ambitiously longer than usual. What do I hope the rest of 2011 holds for me?

READ MORE

Featured Blog:

Without Sweep we wouldn't have this lovely blog initiative. With Sweep, you would have someone competent writing these things. If you want to read about the reasons why you're stuck with a blabbering idiot writing this stuff, a brief mention of Sweep's experiences at the Eurogamer Expo, and some stuff about the Blog Initiative, you might want to check out his blog:

You guys are awesome. The incredible reception and enthusiasm to The Blog Initiative that we have generated as a community is why I devote so much of my time to this site. Big love to everyone who contributed, and all the great writers out there. I want to be inside each and every one of you. The Blog Initiative is going strong!

READ MORE

Stay tuned for more featured blogs...

Yo dawg, yo banned all of them. 
 
Only joking but I don't really care about any of the blogs here so eh

Very well, I will do my civic duty and play more old games and blog about them for my requisite 10 or so comments. I mean, I started playing Deus Ex: Invisible War today. That was a bad idea, but I'll probably keep on playing anyways for the express purpose of being able to mock it on the Blogosphere.

OH GOD THE BANNERS, THE DELICIOUS BEAUTIFUL BANNERS

I did think about maybe starting a blog with music reviews but Bruce has that cornered so bloody well it's intimidating. Maybe something music based but a little different. Maybe a look back in the formative albums for me.

EH WHO KNOWS

I have the most popular blog series on all of Giant Bomb. I find this topic incredibly offensive and an attack on my influence.

@Pie said:

I don't really care about any of the blogs here so eh

Goddamn it, Pie...

I. ACCEPT.

Also we (maybe just me) are going to use this topic and the links provided in this to figure out what stuff we should put in the Community Content Portal or Bomb Shelter.

@Pie said:

I don't really care about any of the blogs here so eh

Goddamn it, Pie...

@Sweep said:

@Pie said:

I don't really care about any of the blogs here so eh

Goddamn it, Pie...

HEYYY JUUUUUUUDE!

@ZombiePie said:

I have the most popular blog series on all of Giant Bomb. I find this topic incredibly offensive and an attack on my influence.

Don't you mean anime vice...?

Articulacy, consistency, personality and passion? I have at least one of those!

http://www.giantbomb.com/profile/psycosis/blog/

Been posting every Sunday 0:00AM (GMT) for the last 15 weeks or so talking about visual novels, videogames and other stuff.

Chickenhead is appearing in the Blog Initiative? Shit! Perhaps that banner shall ward him off! Here is my latest post, and with it, the banner that wards off demons!

I am going to start blogging exclusively about gaming mouse mats.

@Psycosis: Welcome to the blog initiative!

@Video_Game_King: I couldn't write about blogs on giantbomb without mentioning him at lea...

I currently have my hands full with stuff for Screened and ComicVine for the next few weeks but I'm sure I can pop over here every once and while and write a blog or two to help out. People seem to like my stuff on both sites so I'll try here as well. I'm all for trying to have Giant Bomb build a successful community where intelligent conversation is possible and getting people to actually discuss things civilly. Unfortunately, that is an issue on ComicVine as well as both this and that site seem to attract a substantial amount of trolls and both of these sites suffer from a general lack of intelligent users; though that is not to say that there are not dedicated users on each site who take pride in their site and are generally good users.

@Video_Game_King: Welcome to the blog initiative.

@Sweep: Thanks! But I have no idea who this Psychosis person is!

I have the most popular blog series on all of Giant Bomb. I find this topic incredibly offensive and an attack on my influence.

You mean I actually have to do work?

Nah fuck that shit.

@yoshimitz707 said:

@ZombiePie

I have the most popular blog series on all of Giant Bomb. I find this topic incredibly offensive and an attack on my influence.

I came in to say this. Your spotlight already highlights the best blogs.

The blog initiative is about more than just highlighting blogs. It's about encouraging people to get involved with the blog community.

@Psycosis: Goddamn it, me...

I had somebody confront me before a class today and demand that I do a new episode of Game Logic.

Alas, my writing time is now dedicated to school. I have a new post sketched out in my mind, but bringing it to fruition will be a temporal challenge.

Maybe this is a good time to continue my '365 Game to Play Before You Die' series...

Well I've got the false promises part taken care of.

But with that said, we can never have too many bloggers.

Also, I was standing on a hill in that photo for some reason.

This is why I love the community here.
 
I actually want to blog, like a lot, but most of my day job involves writing already, which makes me fucking sick of juggling fancy words into a mesmerizing order with some pictures so sods are compelled to read it.
But I've had a videogame related idea for awhile now, wouldn't call it fanfic, rather a short dip into a game.
For example I wrote a few short stories on Monster Hunter fights, or made a story around a multiplayer character from Red Dead Redemption, stuff like that is what I'd like to do.
But hell, TL:DR right?
 
I love the idea tho, a lot.

Ominous chicken-headed men.....pushing baby prams?

Ominous chicken-headed men.....pushing baby prams?

I have the worst blog on Giant Bomb.

I'd blog, but then people would know what I'm thinking! It's like reverse telepathy!

Well, you can start by removing that stupid first blog quest.

I have the worst blog on Giant Bomb.

I have a blog. I primarily talk about video games (you could say that I like them), with a little bit of stuff about what's going on in my life. Right now, I am replaying a bunch of my old games and writing my thoughts on them for each day I play them.

It's a weekly blog, posted every Saturday.

http://www.giantbomb.com/profile/alaska_gamer/blog/

So count me in on the initiative.

@TurboMan said:

I have the worst blog on Giant Bomb.

by the way, this was my 3,000th forum post on Giant Bomb.

@TaliciaDragonsong said:

made a story around a multiplayer character from Red Dead Redemption, .

I would love to read that should it ever come to fruition. Would it be based within the context of the actual multiplayer mayhem, a serious story built around disbelief ignoring the actual multiplayer stuff and potential shenanigans ie. roleplaying the character you made, or both?

My SID-licious blog series got sidetracked by the death of my last remaining grandparent. But I've got one in the pipeline for this week!

Also I wish I could actually have the initiative to start up a recurring blog series of my own. I mean I certainly have the time for it... problem is I lack both the imagination and the writing skill to be able to churn out anything remotely appealing. I've done a few'' I played sum gayms and dis is what i thought'' blogs, though there's certainly enough of them already - and the amount of comments reflected that fact.

And speaking of the Blogosphere...

@TaliciaDragonsong said:

made a story around a multiplayer character from Red Dead Redemption, .

I would love to read that should it ever come to fruition. Would it be based within the context of the actual multiplayer mayhem, a serious story built around disbelief ignoring the actual multiplayer stuff and potential shenanigans ie. roleplaying the character you made, or both?

*rubs feet all over blogs*

FUCK YO BLOGS!!!

But really... it's cool to see blogs getting recognition.

But also really...fuck yo blogs. Fuck them in the mouth. Hard.

I should start a blog called "I read books for the boobs"

I've been meaning for a while now to type up an essay on why I feel that SH2 is the only real example of videogames as an art form to date. Perhaps this will finally give the motivation to do so.

I've been meaning for a while now to type up an essay on why I feel that SH2 is the only real example of videogames as an art form to date. Perhaps this will finally give the motivation to do so.

I often considered doing a series of unrelated blogs that were all named "Mood/Subject/AdjectiveBlog" --example: AngryBlog, PokeBlog, DarkBlog, HappyBlog, ClashofheroBlog etc.

Never took the time though.

@Video_Game_King: It makes more sense once I define the terms. Or at least that's the plan.

Where's the incentive? You need fabulous prizes!  
 
Seriously. Instead of just telling people to blog, wouldn't it be cool if you stirred up a little competition? You guys judge any new blogs that spring up and the winner gets something that's worth the effort. With any luck you'll get a whole slew of new bloggers going here.
 
Anyway. You may or may not be aware that I do a blog about 3d bullshit. It's unfortunately on hiatus though, for however long I allow college to slowly grind me in to dust.

@yoshimitz707 said:

@ZombiePie

I have the most popular blog series on all of Giant Bomb. I find this topic incredibly offensive and an attack on my influence.

I came in to say this. Your spotlight already highlights the best blogs.

The blog initiative is about more than just highlighting blogs. It's about encouraging people to get involved with the blog community.

Christ, i've been waiting to write a blog about free to play games or more specifically AVA and this "blogger initiative" of yours may just force me to write it!