2004 Updates

[TomFulp]

I've read all of the responses so far to my last post (suggestions for NG in 2004). Here are some responses:

1) We haven't been maintaining the collections / showcase pages much for the past few months because we know we will have to "rebuild" them when the new dynamic collections system is launched. We should probably keep them better updated anyway, but it is easy to get stuck in the "lets just wait" mindset. When the new system launches, it will be much easier for us to personally maintain the games, toons, and other various collections. We will also be able to enlist help from admins, and Flash authors will be able to maintain their own series pages. Our system for cataloguing content will shoot through the roof when this launches.

2) Ever since we started on the Alien Hominid console game, I have made a commitment not to work on any other games until it is finished. I have a bad habit of getting sidetracked - when I get excited about a new game I am working on, I never get around to finishing the old one. Right now I am putting a lot of work into Alien Hominid, and hope to have it finished in the next few months.

Once AH is finished, I have big plans for Pico 2 and a Samurai Asshole remake. Pico 2 has seen long delays because Jose and I both have schedule conflicts - for a while Jose wasn't able to work on art, and for a while now I have been focused on making AH a reality. It has been my dream since an early age to make a console game, so this is a big deal to me!

3) The new ad on the frontpage is some foreshadowing of what you should expect to see more of this year. Don't worry, though... Stamper is redesigning the header to accomodate it. These super-banners pay much better than the traditional banners, and we plan to use them exclusively (so don't expect to see double banners in the header for very long). We have faith that the pages will actually look less cluttered with the new formatting, and everyone will adjust and be happy with the new ads. Their space is much more clearly defined, so you don't have a banner squashed between the logo, other ads, navbar, etc... If we can get a consistent supply of super-banners, they will be able to replace many other forms of advertising currently on the site. I do hope to drastically reduce pop-ups, if not remove them completely.

It is important to support our mainstream ads. It has become very difficult to make deals with large companies, because they mostly only look to buy space from consolidated networks. For example, companies will combine multiple sites under their network umbrella, thus boosting their overall stats on Media Metrix (the main internet rankings). So while Newgrounds may have more traffic than any individual site in a given network, we won't show up in the list of top 20 internet properties.

When the buyers for major companies go out to find websites to advertise on, their mentallity is often, "I will only buy ad space on a top 20 web property". We have to open their eyes to the fact that NG is more popular than those sites. We are just acting alone and not tricking them into buying into an entire network of random sites.

4) We are always working on adding new servers. We bought a new fileserver recently and it has not yet been implemented. Expect that to happen in January. I'm hoping we will have a lot less errors by the end of January. The database is something we will need to do some work on over the next year. It is difficult, because we user free, open-source software, which currently doesn't have a reliable solution for load-balancing over multiple databases. Hopefully this year there will be some progress with that.

5) We will be relaunching NG Mag soon. This will include Alphas, DevSpot, and a new twist on NG Lit. More on that later. :)

I used to talk a lot about our goals and plans for the site, but I don't do that so much any more. There are a lot of NG copycat sites, some of them with better financial backing. It seems they are always waiting to see what we do next, so they can copy that as well. It is frustrating to see fans flock to those sites, knowing they are just internet opportunists with no background or true enthusiasm for Flash or independent art. But oh well, that's just how things work. I'm happy that most people stick with NG. :)

More updates later!

[LockClock]

Great updates all. I like the red text too :)

First post I hope.

[Earfetish]

Say it ain't true, Tom!

And if it is, get rid of it in the near future.

[Darklilangel23]

cool i cant wait for the game to come out i will definitally buy a copy

hey tom an't it cool your living everyguys dream

you made a lil game that turned into a phoenomion
and now your game is being made published to be sent to hundreds of thousands of people around the world

just imagine if you never made ng what a differance ur life would be eh

all cuz of a website you made your life fucking amazing man
i wish i had half your talent
to making games

i just wanna say thank you for all your hard work for us mere mortals who you make happy every day thanks to newgrounds

thanks

also will the game have hidden codes cheats cameos of other ng games or characters??

[Toocool100]

Tom, if and when you do get your newgrounds office building, what kind of jobs will you be offering? for all those, like me, who wishes to apply

[Bertuzzi44]

Great news Tom. I can't wait for AH to come out, so Samurai Asshole and Pico 2 can finally be released. You're right; there are a lot of copycat sites out there... I don't even pay attention to them, the only place I go is NG... the other sites are filled with random shit that would probably be blammed if they entered the Portal. :o)

Happy New Year

[Darklilangel23]

everyone tries to imitate the best but none shall do that

the only websites i go to is newgrounds and check my email thats it

i love newgrounds now and forever

[artificial]

Yesh, great work on the quick update and i hope to see them soon... also i was wondering when we would get a fill in on 2004 and this is perfect, hope to see more news

[judustic]

heyt om man i ain't gonna blow NG off like that i love newgrounds i just from certain times like 5-7 u can't get on cuz the server load is heavy but other then that newgrounds is awesoem keep the updates comming !

[mightypotato]

Sounds good Tom! I'm really looking forward to 2004, as you've bene promising some huge improvements! Honestly, I don't have much to say about improving the site...everything I do here already runs fairly smoothly. Well, except all of those errors when I go into the BBS to post. But I digress. Good luck in 2004 Tom and good luck with Alien Hominid! I know I'm buying it!

[Freakish-Beast]

i like change :) good job Tom. these are making me excited

[BrownCow]

tom i will Never leave NG for one of those copy cat site that suck ass :) i will be here all next year .

[Peter-II]

I'd like to see that wierd windows ad which says, " Do you want to install and run FREE on-line games and special offer from Netpal & Partners. In addition, blah blah blah...."

I really hate that one. I have a pop-up blocker, but that doesn't get blocked, because it's bloody Windows. If you can, try to get rid of that one.

(my first NG BBS post! How fun!)

[toothless-aggression]

dude!!! how in the world did cha type those red text????anyway those updates seems exciting!!

[Jimong5]

Im getting really sick of the "kobe's court" ad on the front page. It keeps nagging me with a thing that says "sorry, your browser is not win32 compatible" Well DUH, maybe its because i'm running Mac OS X and not windows! So maybe im aware that its not win32 compatible. And what would that matter anyway? Just so long as it doesn't need to install a plugin, then there's no need to check for it.

[sdfgb32456rgsdf]

Great! I'm using proper grammer now. I'm glad that NG will be updated even if these is billion of ads , but i love ads anyway. On my old computer i clicked on all the ads just for fun and subscribed to everything , my comp wasn't enjoying that.

[Rectal-Fissure]

Just a question, will the red text be available to users too in the future, or will it remain something for admins only?

Or does it already exist, with me to dumb to notice that?

[macdeth]

At 12/27/03 01:36 PM, _Alias_ wrote: Just a question, will the red text be available to users too in the future, or will it remain something for admins only?

I highly doubt they'll change anything about the BBS posts. It's fine as it is...

[Rectal-Fissure]

At 12/27/03 01:54 PM, MacBeth- wrote: It's fine as it is...

True, true, I'd be to lazy to use the colours anyways, but I'd like to know =)

[SWINUBLOLOLO]

great updates!!

[XwaynecoltX]

Looks like 2004 and beyond will be awsome for newgrounds, just please dont make us pay, but as much as i love newgrounds i would probably pay, but im sure some wouldnt ohwell long live newgrounds...

~X~

[Ken-Vermette]

Tom, I think one of your biggest assets would be making the alpha's section a bigger part of newgrounds. (Ie in the titlebar)

Although it would take some work, making it its own small portal would be a good idea.

It would need to be displayed the way it is now, only have an extremly high deletion quota. It would delete itself in 6 weeks, or if it had a score lower than 2.50. after the first 100 votes.

[Goatpower]

I expect lots in 2004! HAPPY NEWYEAR TOM & WADE!

[CyrusFlashX]

[b]I got a great idea for 2004!

How about making a battle section in the forums?
Have a weekly animations/graphic/actionscript battle in the forums! This will get alot of attention!
Everyone can battle each other..
But I think only the mods should host the battles, because it will get out of hand and all crazy if everyone hosts battles.

What do u think Tom? I personaly think its a great idea!
plus.. it gives a chance for the n00bs to grow and get better.

I say lets DO IT! what do you guys think?[/b]

[toxicbomb]

what the heck? I dunno if anyones noticed, but in the window that you write the post in, where it says 'link', it takes you to http://web.archive.org/web/20030216115351/www.newgrounds.com/ sooo old.

Anyways, GO TOM, WADE N JAMES! Will you be able to write in different colors? That would be cool lol

Also, whats up with that "spying" thing?

[BrownCow]

tom in the lie section an it got the mag part put a page up so we can read what the mag write

[Pink-Ninja]

Sounds good looking forward to the ad ruduceing

[Maus]

I really like the magazine idea. If you need writers, let me know. I'm sure you have enough artists clamoring for positions as it is.
I think I speak for a lot of us here at NG when I say that I am looking forward to seeing what the new face of NG is. Much anticipation here.

[zoro]

NG till the end my friend

[Kronno]

The Updates Sound Nice So far.

Cant wait for the other ones :)