A "good" thread on software reviewing

[Celeval]

All the drama made me remember (I think) a thread some time ago where there was discussed one or more places looking for games reviewers. I couldn't find it while searching.

How does one go about getting involved (freelance or otherwise) reviewing software pre-release? What is typically involved in this?

Kevin

[KWhit]

Looking to be a game reviewer? I hear there's going to be an opening.

[druez]

LOL, well most sites take applications. Generally they are free jobs. Simply write a review of a product and submit it to a site with their application form. When you write a review, I would advise you to use the format that the company you are trying to get hired on with uses. After you get enough of a portfolio built you can then submit for paying jobs.

[Eaglesfan27]

Druez, good that you can laugh about it. I also echo those who applaud your attempts to patch up your reputation here.

[VPI97]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

Druez, good that you can laugh about it. I also echo those who applaud your attempts to patch up your reputation here.

Ditto

[druez]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

Druez, good that you can laugh about it. I also echo those who applaud your attempts to patch up your reputation here.

As a fellow Eagles fan I thank you.

[hoosierdude]

Always tough for someone to come clean and make things right, and I applaud druez for his honesty and his willingness to share.

I respect someone who can say they are wrong, and are willing to take the abuse for past improprieties from the guys. Too bad not everyone is as forthcoming as you are Jason.

Give me a yell if you get a chance by MSN Messenger, or email. If you need it, [email protected].

[Maple Leafs]

Originally Posted by hoosierdude

Always tough for someone to come clean and make things right, and I applaud druez for his honesty and his willingness to share.

We can appluad his willingness to share, but let's withold judgment on the "honesty" part for now.

[SirFozzie]

agreed. Let us not forget that he tried to spark a .400/FOFC war once before. As I said in his thread before SD closed it, that this level of chicanery is something I, and most others who've talked to Joe, believe he is not capable of. It'd be stupid and counterproductive, even if he wanted to do it, which I'm pretty sure he's not.

Besides, who really took the reviews THAT seriously? He's no Bill Abner/Brett Todd/etcetera.

[Franklinnoble]

Originally Posted by druez

As a fellow Eagles fan I thank you.

Just some friendly advice... I hope you already know this... but if you don't have some written record to back up what you've said here, you're risking a very nasty lawsuit for libel - and, of course, you've seriously compromised your wife's work environment.

So, you're either a total idiot, or you're willing to risk serious consequences for telling the truth. Or something in between... I dunno. I doubt we'll all hear the full story.

[wig]

I will not rest until the turd is changed back into a thumb.

damn, wrong topic.....

maybe.

[Crapshoot]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

We can appluad his willingness to share, but let's withold judgment on the "honesty" part for now.

Amen- what's to say he's not playing the other side now. Lets hold off on the plaudits until he's shown some reason to deserve them.

[druez]

Originally Posted by Franklinnoble

Just some friendly advice... I hope you already know this... but if you don't have some written record to back up what you've said here, you're risking a very nasty lawsuit for libel - and, of course, you've seriously compromised your wife's work environment.

So, you're either a total idiot, or you're willing to risk serious consequences for telling the truth. Or something in between... I dunno. I doubt we'll all hear the full story.

I'd go with something in between. I knew that I would catch crap from everyone and most people would be very skeptical. I gain nothing out of this, except a clear concious. To anyone who has ever read my thoughts on religion, my personal being or inner peace are very important to me and I thought this needed to be done, so I could move on with myself.

My reviews weren't so great anyway, I guess the content was ok. But, lets face it my grammar sucks and I'll just stick to being a computer geek.

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by Celeval

All the drama made me remember (I think) a thread some time ago where there was discussed one or more places looking for games reviewers. I couldn't find it while searching.

How does one go about getting involved (freelance or otherwise) reviewing software pre-release? What is typically involved in this?

Kevin

As druez pointed out, the best thing you can do is build a portfolio, a body of work for prospective employers to judge you by. Obviously, IGN, GameSpy, GameSpot, etc aren't going to hire sight-unseen, but if they do hire you, they're going to be about the only ones who'll pay. The internet ad market, while it is rebounding, is never going to be what it was, which means the online print media basically has two choices:

1) Run their site as a business, and try to make money (e.g. subscription-based revenue)

2) Do it for the love of it and support themselves via other income. That's the category Gamenikki falls into, incidentally.

That isn't to say there aren't benefits:

I attend E3 every year, and so do a couple of our staff writers. Our show credentials are free, but travel costs and lodging are the responsibilities of the individual writers.

We do get review product from most of the major publishers. For the consoles, that tends to mean retail copies, since with no financial backing, we can't afford the expensive development kits that are often used for preview code.

PC is another matter - we can generally get anything we want in the PC realm, it's merely a matter of finding a writer whose rig is capable of handling the game. Since most of the staff is exclusively console writers...that's an area of opportunity for us, obviously.

And, every so often, we get invitations to special press events. Things like pre-Super Bowl parties, special events at GDC or E3, pre-release hands-on playtime with upcoming games, that sort of thing.

Again, travel and lodging are generally the responsibility of the attendee, but it's still a heck of a lot of fun.

[Fouts]

Originally Posted by druez

I'd go with something in between. I knew that I would catch crap from everyone and most people would be very skeptical. I gain nothing out of this, except a clear concious.

Some people like attention.