Add a "Requests" Forum

[Snowcone]

Do you guys think it would be helpful to add a requests forum just for requesting covers instead of a big long thread in each forum to handle that?

[Backlash]

Maybe.  One of the main "problems" with this project is that we depend on high-quality scans of the original boxes, which obviously can only come from someone who has access to the box.   Here are two issues that I see, and two possible solutions:

1. 

Not everyone who has a box can (or will) take time in a graphics editor to assemble a finished cover.  Some people will do scans, though, that others can fix up.  An easily accessible  place on this site to upload raw scans that others can then finish would be great.  These should probably go to a separate area under each system or something.

2.

In general, the project only moves ahead when we get scans at all.  This can be really hard for some systems.  The N64 thing was pretty much dead until ValeMan revived it by actually buying boxed games in ebay just for the purposes of creating covers!  I couldn't believe it.

Anyhow, if we had a way to encourage people to scan in the boxes they own it could potentially really help.  I know we asked collectors on some sites who definitely had complete games to help us, but the response was mostly terrible.

If you can drive enough traffic here to make any amount of $$ through ads, maybe you could offer some sort of monetary or material reward for people who add covers.  I'm not sure how that might work, but the number of covers we can get for older systems is probably pretty limited on a strictly volunteer-for-free basis, I think.  Call my a cynic though.

Just some thoughts bouncing around in my head.

Edit: I forgot to mention that of course the origin of all this was that a Request probably won't do any good for older systems.  I'm operating under the assumption that anyone who has a box has already scanned it if they were going to at all.   Unless either 1. or 2. above applies.

[SMMM]

Your forgetting about DVD-case games, Backlash.  Those can be pretty much made from scratch, and sometimes don't require scans.  I was able to make covers for Castlevania: SOTN and Rivals Schools, and I don't even own those games right now.  I could very easily fill requests.

[Backlash]

Good point.  I was also really focusing my thoughts more on older games that are almost always game only, like NES, SNES, N64, PS1, etc.

Then later (while looking at my own collection, actually), I had another thought on why requesting covers for newer-gen games would be nice: even though they're not disc-only, replacing some of the Greatest Hits/Platinum/Player's Choice covers with the original ones would be nice.  I have like 4-5 GH games that I would love to replace the covers for.

So I guess a request forum would be nice.  Or maybe even another feature where visitors could request a cover by searching and selecting from games with no covers, and then other people could look through that list for games that they have.  That would bea  bit moer organized than searching through forum threads.

Possibly Snowcone could even set up some sort of Google Answers type thing, where people could make requests and offer money or trades or whatever to whomever fills the request.  Just brainstorming here - some of these ideas are probably retarded.

[Snowcone]

@Backlash, I am going to experiment with a mildly intrusive advertising method on the main site pages for 2 weeks and see how it goes. Basically every X page views results in a forced ad view. This method of advertising eliminates the need for the visitors to click anything and we get paid. I have a feeling that 80% of this site's traffic will be leechers that come, get what they want, and leave. I am totally cool with that, but if I can get a few bucks out of their visit that would be A-ok with me.

[WhoKnowsWho]

Might as well make a few bucks off the leechers who might have tons of boxes but won't bother to scan or read anything!

I second a requests forum as well. Once this page starts to grow, it would be nice for a requests page and a raw scan page as well.

[Snowcone]

The ad I have running shows 1 time per day and having just seen it, it isn't horrible, but it also doesn't redirect which I don't like. I am looking for a replacement.

[TheValeman]

Personally ..... I hate the whole idea of a requests page ..... period!!!!

It's like a CAG member who once asked " Can anyone get me a Snowboard Kids 2 cover please ... and BTW ... here's a boxed game someone can buy on EBAY to get it"

This person I don't think had even contributed a cover scan in the time I've been helping out around here. So it was a purely "me.... me.... me...." scenario ..... something that turns me cold faster than you can say Ice Age.
If he had of said " Hey Valeman/ SMMM/ Schenley .... I'm buying Snowboard Kids 2 off EBAY to get a cover and I have a spare cart to sell  as I have 2 ... are you interested " I would've happily tried to work out an arrangement that suited him so we all got something out of it.

So I find requests just for the sake of requests a total bore!!!

My suggestion?  If you absolutely have to have it ..... make sure that you state in the rules that if you haven't contributed anything don't expect anything either .... especially where older systems like N64 are concerned as the small amount of boxes remaining are like that usually due to cost/availability.

Rant over!!!!

[Snowcone]

You feel very passionate about this one don't you Valeman? Don't worry, I agree with you.

[TheValeman]

You feel very passionate about this one don't you Valeman? Don't worry, I agree with you.

I sorta feel that people who dont contribute to the cause dont really have a right to beg for others to front up with cash to secure their particular wishlist.
There are a handful of people who, along with myself, have contributed significantly to the N64 cause since I started .... namely 4tygames, SMMM, Schenley, Nate1749 and more recently wshbrngr.

That's not a lot of people who have taken the project from 18% to nigh on 80%.

So any begging is essentially asking them and I, who have already contributed 200+ covers between us, to front up again and again. People should be looking at the list .... that's why we need it up here .... and saying "What can I do for the cause?"

Idealistic view?  Maybe ....
Hopelessly unrealistic?  Probably ....

But then again .... people like wshbrngr have shown that there are people out there who dont beg but actually do something about it for the good of all. Kudo's to ALL who contribute.

Scrap the request thread idea. We may end up with less leechers if we do ....   

[Snowcone]

Sounds good.

[SMMM]

I would still like a place to upload raw scans.  I bought up a lot of 40 SNES boxes with ajnrules, and I don't have the time to do them.  I can scan them though and hope somebody else does.

[TheValeman]

I suppose I could have a go between N64 stuff ..... 

[Backlash]

Well, I did think a request forum would be useless mostly because I was thinking about N56, SNES, etc and assuming that if anyone had the box they would have already scanned it.  Thus, as Valeman says, requesting a cover is like asking someone else to buy/supply the box.

However, for current-gen games someone might have the game and just not bothered scanning it or something (this could happen for older games, too, I suppose).  Then the request thing makes more sense.

Personally, I'd love to see some scans for games that lots of you probably have, like FFX and Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance for PS2, just so I can replace my Greatest Hits versions with the original covers.

[KaiserWAVE]

What about a custom cover request? SMMM and kracker624 did some great custom covers aswell as RockinX's awesome Zelda custom cover, and personally I prefer SMMM's Castlevania cover and RockinX's Zelda cover to the original cover. So maybe this would be a chance for photoshop pros or people who would like to improve their photoshop skills aswell as people who want a cover for a certain game and don't care if it's the original or a custom one as long as they have a cover at all. I don't know, it was just a thought that struck me.