Introduction
FAF has more or less been sustaining a healthy playerbase for the past few years, and the efforts of the devs, mods, councillors, players, casters, mappers, and other contributors whose works keep FAF in the hearts of thousands of gamers cannot be overstated.
These efforts are often undertaken in full view of the FAF community--maps in progress are discussed in forum posts, tournaments are advertised in Aeolus, games are casted and uploaded to Twitch and YouTube, and so on, and the buzz of activity continues to both engage the existing playerbase and draw in curious new players. Thanks to the FAF Wiki, Unit Database, casters, forums, among other resources, members of the community ranging from rookie to veteran have a variety of avenues through which they can learn more about this game that has found its way into their hearts.
Essentially, FAF exudes appeal on its own and the hard work of the community speaks for itself. So why do we need a Promotions Councillor, and why am I applying for the position?
Helping to keep the playerbase informed and engaged
FAF is ever-evolving and thanks to the wide range of skill sets inherent in the community new elements of FAF are introduced almost daily. On a regular basis: maps and mods are added to the vault, tournaments are hosted, casts are uploaded, high-level games are played, and development milestones are reached. While those who are interested in an activity will certainly make themselves aware, I believe that an extra hand in spreading the word from one corner of the community to another would not only enhance the experience for all members, but encourage members to engage in the activity. Whether it be to pique the interest of the next Lionhardt, to recruit the next Zock, or to simply entertain members, a Promotions Councillor regularly communicating FAF news can have an impactful role in garnering interest in the FAF project.
That is why as Promotions Councillor I would regularly make myself aware of the goings-on of FAF and spread the word about all the exciting things that are taking place. I would put special focus on the competitive aspects of FAF--tournaments, ladder play, and high level team games--and bring recognition to exceptional players and exceptional games. Many amazing competitions are held in FAF on a daily basis--so let’s talk about it! Did a high level player painstakingly gain the upper hand on Crossfire Canal only to get gunship sniped? I think everyone deserves some captioned screencaps of that occurrence so that they don’t make the same mistake! Did a player succeed in winning 9 ladder games in a row? Hey that’s a pretty big deal, so let’s give the player a shoutout on Twitter! What if a player observed something especially wonderful during a Wonder game and wants to share it with the community, but doesn’t want to make a whole writeup about it? I can do that on the FAF blog! With the unique platform that comes with the role of Promotions Councillor I would highlight the shining moments of competitive gameplay that would otherwise be missed by the community at large.
Many members of the FAF community have poured their heart into development, whether it be in terms of bug-fixing, balance, the FAF client, maps, mods, and so on. Each day there are new elements added to FAF that keep the game, client, and community engagement stable. As Promotions Councillor I will take on the responsibility of communicating exciting new features of FAF as they become available. I will make sure maps with exciting potential will be seen by as many people as possible. I want players to know when the latest version of EQ or BHEdit has been released! It takes time and effort to find out about new features that are added to FAF right as they happen, and I don’t want that to be a barrier for players. I pledge to keep players informed and well prepared to have a great experience on FAF through the various means available to us in this digital age including but not limited to the FAF Client, website, YouTube, Twitter, Reddit, and blogging platforms.
To spread the word
Again, FAF by its own merits gains new members even without a Promotions Councillor. What the Promotions Councillor can do, however, is to facilitate that player growth! One especially effective way to communicate the rich experience of FAF gameplay to new audiences is casts and streams. I would like to gather and refer epic replays to interested casters, and have discussions with any interested caster about things they want to implement in their casts (for example, want to dual cast with someone? I can try to organize that for you!). I realize that casting is mostly an independent, even casual endeavor, but if there is anything I can do to make the process more fun or easy, I am prepared to help.
As Promotions Councillor I will shine the spotlight on high quality casts by promoting both inside and outside the FAF community. Interest in casts is garnered primarily through the caster’s own merits but I believe that dedicated efforts to draw attention to great casts as a Promotions Councillor would be helpful in allowing just one more player to watch a great game on Twin Rivers that they otherwise might have missed! If one more player can be excited about FAF, it’s one more player that will share that enthusiasm with a friend. As Promotions Councillor, I want to help keep the excitement going.
To find talent
Throughout FAF history there have been many generous, talented members of the FAF community that have offered their expertise in graphics, video editing, and writing solely to promote FAF. I want to facilitate the communication between such contributors by reorganizing and supporting the Promotions Team by recruiting members who might like to write tutorials, create FAF promotional videos, design tournament graphics, and more. A team whose members also contribute to other areas of FAF such as Maps and Mods, Ladder, Development, etc. would of course be invaluable, and I believe I can organize such a team.
I myself would like to contribute to the team by offering the following skills and experiences:
-Extensive experience with Photoshop
-Draftsmanship skills
-Casting, streaming
Tournaments, Competition, and conclusion
I first fell in love with FAF through watching tournament casts. Nothing showcases the full gameplay potential of FAF better than tournaments, and it was through the efforts of dedicated tournament directors and casters that I even really learned about this great game. As Promotions Councillor I will do whatever I can to enhance the visibility of tournaments to the community. As it is, tournaments are well publicized and draw great interest, so a Promotions Councillor’s role in tournaments may seem redundant at first glance. However, I see a lot of potential for making tournaments even more well known. Many tournaments involve specific rules and maps that may be less apparent to audiences at large. I can provide write-ups containing tournament specifics, map analyses, and player profiles, so that audiences have additional resources at their disposal to be as informed as possible to make their viewing experiences great.
Indeed, particularly dear to me is the competitive element of FAF. I have long kept myself up to date on ladder activity, and I usually follow high level tournaments very closely. I believe that strong performances by players should be recognized, and that appropriate introductions to players ought to be made for high profile players in tournaments. I will provide detailed analyses of players of interest entering tourneys and request interviews that can offer insight into their thoughts going into the tournament. Following tournaments I will provide detailed analysis of important games and post them in the FAF blog (or potentially an independent competitive FAF journal).
If offered the role of Promotions Councillor I pledge to communicate the fantastic nature of FAF in and out of the community. I want more people to see what I see--the beauty of the community and the game, in its very many ways. I sincerely wish to take a big role in keeping the community informed, engaged, and excited about FAF, and am confident in my ability to do so. That is why I am applying for the position of Promotions Councillor.Statistics: Posted by Mountain — 08 Oct 2018, 11:07
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