First off I am a Web Designer & Developer and a fan of Giantbomb so I know both sides of the coin when it comes to using and building websites.
Youtube videos by GB Actually is a bloody fantastic idea!
- The video player these days is good, it even matches the style of GB!
- The implementation of the video into the site has been spot on
- Youtube video will help with SEO (Search Engine stuff) and traffic
- Comments and links from facebook back to the site
- The player seems to work lots better for me, faster loading, can skip better and the issues with the Amazon servers, pausing etc goes away with this.
- Loads of benfits for Giantbomb
There are a few more good reasons and it was a great decision overall and I hope it saves money for the GB team.
Now my issue:
Money is tight for me and I will buck up the cash for paid, I love the site. When I can I will. Paid stuff - Great, help BC make money! Yep. I live in NZ so the cost is a little higher so I will when I can.
HD video stuff is as a paid member - Yep! fine, np.
BUT....
When you have a quick look or a video review ( Uncharted 3 and MW3 as examples) and while I have seen fine 320p Videos on youtube I really am having issues with a number of the videos from GB that are through youtube.
Paid of free a video goes up of a quick look for example you want to look at the game. When I was hearing "this game looks amazing" and when your looking at the video it looks like a PSP game, it just sucks. MW3 video looks CRAP, really does, Jeff looks all pixelated and it looks like old videos from the early days at gamespot.
Really is a step backward in my view in that sense, Full HD as paid is fine, but I bet I am not the only one needing to go elsewhere to view videos of games just to get a better quality. The negative of the youtube is you can click to youtube, see related stuff and go watch them in better quality.
That for me will start driving people away from elements of giantbomb, tested and co rather then attracting them or gaining interest into being a Paid Member, It is putting me off and I love the team and site.
I know the reasons as mentioned why go youtube, overall I am all for it but I think GB could re-think a few things here.
- Quicklooks and game reviews: Would be really good if these by default there were just higher quality. 420p maybe?
- Mailbags, misc videos etc - can be 360p NP.
- Game Trailers - If GB is going youtube they may as well link to these preview videos directly to the publishers/developers youtube videos as they put them up these days. Then they dont have to upload and we can view at 1080 etc.
Basically I think things could be mixed up a bit, where it is a bit more important the video comes out well, little bit higher quality etc, Maybe also how it is converted and uploaded to youtube is off and could be improved on?
Seeing comments complaining about them, MW3 already has a few comments about the quality straight the way and I can only see it grow.
Not a huge poster, up for some flames I am sure but I think I am raising some valid conerns here.
If Other media / Game sites can offer 1080p Trailers (Battlefield 3 expansion pack video as an example) and even smaller sites et can upload videos for at least their tailers and those resolutions and all they all free sites, I am sure things can be improved here.
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