Your input most important

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wodin
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Your input most important

Post by wodin »

Hello all,


I would like to know your thoughts on AWNT

Both good and let's say constructive😉

I know quality wise we stand toe to toe with the big professional websites (I 'm privileged to have such a great team), some I think we are better.

Our output isn't on par with professional websites as this is a leisure time thing for us, obviously if we became professional then output would increase lots.

We are also looking at getting away from blogger and be independent as I see the website as more than just a blog.

So two areas I see that are needed\lacking is greater output and money to advertise the website in all the relevant places not just the net but magazine's aswell.

I'd love nothing more than the website become up there with the likes of R,P,S etc but covet my more than them...something for everyone.

Thanks for reading

Jason
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CGGrognard
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RE: Your input most important

Post by CGGrognard »

I think your site is set up nice and easy to navigate. Although I'm not much into board games and models, I did find your site helpful. I especially like the layout and how easy it is to get around there.
I agree that you need to expand more, but I can see that grow as time marches on. I think you will need to keep the archives available and easily searchable to accommodate your readers.

Good work so far.
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Rosseau
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RE: Your input most important

Post by Rosseau »

Being in the media business, I left a detailed "review" but it's currently buried under tons of GD posts. I don't know if you read it or not.
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RE: Your input most important

Post by Alan Sharif »

I must say I generally find the site a great visit and there is always something of interest. When looking at reviews I would like to be able to filter so as just to see PC game reviews as I no longer play board games.
A Sharif
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wodin
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RE: Your input most important

Post by wodin »

Thanks.

Hopefully building the website from the ground up will take increase it's current features. Anyone familiar with Blogger will know it's a pain in the backside! So a new improved website will have features requested!

Rosseau haven't seen detailed review, didn't know anyone had reviewed the website recently. Interested to read it. Two of our team members are retired English teachers. Both also previously involved in journalism. So been lucky that way. The rest of team haven't let me down either. It's been a learning experience for most of us. Managing a team of people and dealing with companies some very big ones aswell has been truly enjoyable and a very positive experience for me.

Keep thoughts coming😁
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rico21
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RE: Your input most important

Post by rico21 »

I do not care if your site is good or not, you're part of the band so what you do is necessarily good.[&o][:D]
ezzler
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RE: Your input most important

Post by ezzler »

I have never looked at your website before.
i have now bookmarked.
Looks just like my kind of thing.
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Mobeer
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RE: Your input most important

Post by Mobeer »

The site name...
-does "A wargamers needful things" mean anything to someone who speaks English as a second language?
- it is a lot to type in
- no site here: https://www.awargamersneedfulthings.com

Given you use "AWNT" as the link text, what about:
https://www.awnt.com/
https://www.awnt.co.uk/


I think you need a non-native English speaker to look at the site, and a mobile phone user too.


Your home page on my phone:
Image

- No Site title?
- What's going on with the menus (assuming they are menus; not obvious what they are on my phone)?
- I would normally just scroll up and down, but noticed by accident you have a big empty green area on the right?




First article on your site:
Image

- Image doesn't line up at the top
- "The" is indented?
- "it's" is short for "it is"
- the meaning of "it" changes from the fleet to the story in consecutive sentences
- The font changes
- The (normal) font is really big; one paragraph takes up the screen
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wodin
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RE: Your input most important

Post by wodin »

Yeah issues with blogger again regarding mobile view..nothing we can do until we get away from blogger.
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TulliusDetritus
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RE: Your input most important

Post by TulliusDetritus »

ORIGINAL: Mobeer
The site name...
-does "A wargamers needful things" mean anything to someone who speaks English as a second language?

I am one of those and to be honest 1) I did not know the "needful" word but 2) correctly deduced its meaning (if my friend google is correct that is). Besides, he's said a couple of ex English teachers are involved so he's covered on this one.

Wodin, I follow this rule of thumb: when people do what they like / love the results tend to be great. Good luck and fair winds.
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Rodwonder
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RE: Your input most important

Post by Rodwonder »

I like it... Keep up the good work!!
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wodin
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RE: Your input most important

Post by wodin »

The title of website I hate..not my greatest moment hence shorten to AWNT. It's inspired by Stephen King Novel Needful Things.
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wodin
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RE: Your input most important

Post by wodin »

Again huge thanks to everyone who has replied, it's great to know people enjoy the website and with your help we can get even bigger. We still have pc game being developed. Awhile off yet. It's a conversion of Mindens Games Combat Leader. Nothing too major a project but hopefully a excellent learning one for future more complex games. Not that CL lacks depth and it creates a great narrative which I love in games.
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wodin
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RE: Your input most important

Post by wodin »

Thanks for reply!

This is the kind of thing we struggle most with getting word out there. To see we still haven't covered even Wargamers then it confirms my suspicions that we still are unknown to a vast amount of more than likely interested hobbyist.

ORIGINAL: ezzler

I have never looked at your website before.
i have now bookmarked.
Looks just like my kind of thing.
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Crossroads
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RE: Your input most important

Post by Crossroads »

Great site, keep up the good work [:)]

As I wonder on and off, is there a "weekly digest" or "monthly digest" type of email lists available there? I subscribe to those from various sites, I find it useful with a list of new blogs detailed in those emails, very easy to first find an interesting article I was not aware of and then to read it via the link.

I added a Mailchimp account to our site (CSLegion.com), with the subscribers we have it was free as our data base is not in thousands yet, also Mailchimp offered a RSS automation to a template sent weekly with blog titles and snippets.
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wodin
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RE: Your input most important

Post by wodin »

Thanks Crossroads.

Good advice. Yes some kind of new article or even round up of say previous four weeks published article email notification subscription service would be way to go. Probably every four weeks with links to all new reviews and news of what is coming next. I like that!

ORIGINAL: Crossroads

Great site, keep up the good work [:)]

As I wonder on and off, is there a "weekly digest" or "monthly digest" type of email lists available there? I subscribe to those from various sites, I find it useful with a list of new blogs detailed in those emails, very easy to first find an interesting article I was not aware of and then to read it via the link.

I added a Mailchimp account to our site (CSLegion.com), with the subscribers we have it was free as our data base is not in thousands yet, also Mailchimp offered a RSS automation to a template sent weekly with blog titles and snippets.
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z1812
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RE: Your input most important

Post by z1812 »

For the most part the site is fine. There are a few things that need attention. My list is what I see as being most important to least.

I know how difficult it is to keep things up and current day to day. What I find works for me is a
minimum of 1 half hour a day to review and update information. Otherwise I let it go and have a lot to do instead of a little when I do get to it.

1. If nothing else keep the site current and up to date.

2. The incoming section listings should all have links. Most do not. Their are 2 empty boxes on the page. 1 for Amazon collectibles and the other for Amazon books. Empty boxes make the site look unused.

3. Separate sections for Board and Computer games.

4. I would change the section named Interrogation Files to Interviews. Interviews is clear and sounds professional.

5. Find a new name. The current one is a little awkward and amateur.

If you are thinking of changing from blog to website, have a look at wix. I have found it easy to use and generally intuitive. It is free if you can stand having one of their company banners on the bottom of your pages.

Good luck and have fun. Thank you for your efforts in supporting the interesting pursuit of wargames.
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wodin
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RE: Your input most important

Post by wodin »

The out of date parts of website are all my fault. Last two years have been bad ones for me and ill health has meant I've neglected certain aspects of the website. Review wise the site and team more or less runs itself however I shall start getting to grips with these issues. I never knew Amazon affiliate boxes where empty when I should be on it. Also incoming needs serious updating. I hope new website improves the page all round. The websites current issues are down to me, out of date sections a huge no no. I apologise to the readers and my team.

I agree with all you say.

Thanks

Jason
sullafelix
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RE: Your input most important

Post by sullafelix »

Okay, I will answer some of the questions about my review that were asked.

Almost all of the visual problems can be laid at Blogger's door unfortunately.

As far as the indented 'the'. That is how I was taught to write in the 1960's by nuns. I have never seen anyone write a new paragraph without indenting it, so I am a bit stumped on that.

The 'it's' problem can be laid at my doorstep. I usually write the reviews on my phone in email form and the copy and paste them into Blogger.

I do have an editor, but she missed it. She will be duly chastised.

On my computer (windows 7 pc) I never have any problem viewing the reviews. Also on my tablet they do not looked messed up.

However, they do sometimes get funky on some phones. I have also had feedback that some tablets have problems.

Thanks everyone for their input.
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wodin
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RE: Your input most important

Post by wodin »

I can't stipulate enough how much of a pain in the backside Blogger is esp regarding text, fonts, captions, picture inserts the list goes on.
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