No, really!
I'm looking for a few interested tech-heads, game geeks, and dungeon masters! You! Yes, and you too!
Why?
For a venture I'd like to try: an LGBT friendly (though, to be clear, by no means strictly LGBT FOCUSED) gaming site.
News. Reviews. Editorials. Tech suggestions. Guides, how-tos, and more. I would like to offer what is, on its surface, a fun amateur gaming web site (think Rock Paper Shotgun or PC Gamer minus the budget,) but with an underlying core of features designed to cater to LGBT gamers and the LGBT gaming community, from game recommendation lists customized based on appeal to certain sexual or gender orientations to emotional support and lists of LGBT-friendly servers, pro teams, and game developers.
There are a lot of tech and gaming web sites out there. Really, a LOT. This is NOT going to turn a profit, it is NOT going to make you famous, and it is NOT going to ever result in any of us seeing our reviews change the face of Metacritic, and so long as you keep all that in mind you'll never be disappointed (even if I'm wrong!) What it WILL be is fun, informative, and a great way to build a community that can unite around one of the most wondrous things in the entire world: being a total goddamn nerd.
So... if anyone is interested, PM me here or even simply post a comment on this thread. We can organize a Skype chat or something to hash out the details, and if I feel like we've got a chance, I'll put up the money to get us going. If not, well, it'd still be fun to think about, right?
Melanie E.
Comments
Addendum
Here's a few ideas for content I think would be nice to provide, to give you all a bit of an idea of what to expect:
--Guides for Dungeon Masters on how to handle alternative sexuality or gender in games (d6 for Kinsey Scale is pretty fun if you're curious) as well as just about anything else for interesting gameplay, not JUST LGBT focused experiences
--Regular ol' game reviews, both tabletop and digital varieties
--How-to guides for setting up tech, as well as in-depth analysis on up-and-coming gaming and computer tech
--Editorials. Fun gaming stories, anecdotes, and Top 10s, as well as more serious articles like industry changes and what they mean for LGBT gamers (or gamers in general.)
--Interviews with LGBT or LGBT-allied game devs and publishers.
I want LGBT content to be a part of the site's core, but not the biggest or only part. Like, maybe 1 in 5 or, even better, 1 in 8 pieces that go up on the site should be focused on LGBT-related game topics, because broad appeal is just as important as reaching out to other members of our broader community. I'd like to see a gaming site that happens to include LGBT content related to the industry, not a site that is ONLY about LGBT content that happens to include snippets about the broader world.
Melanie E.
I am willing to help.
I am more of a front-end person, but can help. I also do some graphic design, along with some photography.