2013-09-23 14:40:03

1: What is the articles room for?
2: What should the articles be about?
3: Why should I write an Article?
4: How long should I make my article?
5: Why did a moderator move my article?
6: If I write an article elsewhere on the forum, will a moderator move it to the Articles room for me?
7: Why can't I reply to topics in the Articles room?
8: If we can't write replies to topics in the articles room, how do I add to my article?
9: Can I write an article on the same topic as another article?
10: Can I write an article in response to another article?
11:Do articles have to be in text or can I post links to audio articles?


1: What is the articles room for?

The Articles room is for posting of any formal, publication style  articles about any aspect of audio games or audio gaming. Think of it as like a magazine or journal, accept that rather than putting together lots of articles in issues that are published occasionally, it lets you write and publish your articles straight away.

2: What should the articles be about?

Articles can be about any aspect of audio games or audio gaming. Reviews, walkthroughs, technical guides, articles on game history or on the uses of sound in mainstream games, indeed if you can think of a good topic about audio games that ought to have an article written about it feel free to write one.

just bear in mind it must be about games. An article just discussing the accessibility of an operating system or how to use sound editing software, even though both are topics that might somewhat affect gaming wouldn't be appropriate here.

3: Why should I write an Article?

Articles are intended to be somewhat more formal than what you might post elsewhere on the forum, and thus can be written in far more depth and detail. Also, given the extra formality of articles it's likely someone will take your point much more seriously than just dashing off a quick post.

For example, in General Game Discussion you might briefly say why you like a given game, writing an article gives you the chance to compose a long and detailed review noting the good and bad points, what you liked and didn't like and why, and recommend to others whether the game is worth playing or not.
Being as the Articles Room will obviously contain only! articles, your comments will be far easier to read and far more visible on the forum than if someone had to trawl through another forum room to find them. Links to relevant articles will also be posted into the database, and thus are likely to be read by people outside the forum too.

4: How long should I make my article?

Given that articles are intended to be more professional and in depth, articles should be at least 400 words long, indeed the longer and more detailed the better.

5: Why did a moderator move my article?

Since Articles are intended as something like formal publications, moderators reserve the right to move any article not up to standards out of the articles room and into General game discussion with a note as to why it was moved, however so long as you remember to write in sufficient length and detail and use good grammar and diction this shouldn't ever happen.

6: If I write an article elsewhere on the forum, will a moderator move it to the Articles room for me?

While it is possible that moderators may occasionally copy particularly detailed posts from other parts of the forum to The Articles Room, don't bank on this. If you want to write an Article it's recommended you compose it off the forum using a word processing program, read through it several times, edit it, spell check it and then post what you intend as the final version into The Articles Room. Obviously since your article will be visible to other members as soon as it's posted, your far better having it in a finished state at that point than attempting multiple draughts online, plus it will make the moderator's job far easier.

7: Why can't I reply to topics in the Articles room?

Since part of the purpose of the Articles room is to give people a place to publish seriously about audio games, to make finding and reading articles easier it's been decided to not allow any comments or additional posts in the Articles room itself. After all, we already have one forum of General game discussion and don't need another, and there's nothing to stop anyone who writes an article posting a "what did you think of my article" type of topic at the same time.

8: If we can't write replies to topics in the articles room, how do I add to my article?

Unfortunately, nobody can post replies to topics in the articles room including the author of the article. This means that if you are posting an article with successive parts such as a development diary or a multi part walkthrough, it's recommended that you split the article into several topics, e.g., "Airic the Cleric walkthrough part 1", "Airic the Cleric walkthrough part 2" etc.

For smaller edits, or if you want to simply update your article, you should use the edit link under the post.

9: Can I write an article on the same topic as another article?

yes most certainly. Articles give individual authors a chance to put their views forward in a structured and detailed fashion, and as such each article represents the individual views of that author. Since there are many viewpoints on each subject, there is no reason why we can't have multiple articles on the same topic. Indeed, the more the merrier.

10: Can I write an article in response to another article?

Absolutely. If someone writes an article you disagree with, feel free to respond with one of your own, heck, even if you agree but have another take on the issue another article would be welcome. Just bear in mind that even more than elsewhere on the forum, disagreements must be kept friendly, and anyone who is posting an article simply for the purpose of insulting or belittling another person or even their viewpoint without reason will have their article removed from the room and likely get a warning from the moderators as well.

11:Do articles have to be in text or can I post links to audio articles?

If you have recorded an audio walkthrough, review, podcast etc your welcome to post a topic with a link to it in the Articles room. Just bear in mind firstly that such a topic must be of a similar style to a written article, i.e., it must involve your opinion or personal input. A simple audio recording of a game with no voiced opinions or comments would not belong in the Articles room.

Second, please be certain that any audio file you post has permanent, or at least semi permanent hosting, so that people looking through the articles room in six months, a year or even longer will still be able to hear it. A quick file hosting service that expires in a week or so is likely just to irritate future visitors.

With our dreaming and singing, Ceaseless and sorrowless we! The glory about us clinging Of the glorious futures we see,
Our souls with high music ringing; O men! It must ever be
That we dwell in our dreaming and singing, A little apart from ye. (Arthur O'Shaughnessy 1873.)