If you weren't running forums

Let's say you never decided to jump into the forums market - what are some things you'd be doing instead and why?

 

Well, if I didn't decide to jump into the world of forums, I'd probably have gone with blogs instead.

Reason being is I like the idea of building online communities. The reason I chose a forum over a blog in the first place was because a forum is more flexible and you have a MUCH better sense of community building from a forum than you can ever hope to have with a blog.

 

It's hard to say what I would be doing.
I hadn't really messed with anything online before I found and was dropped into running my first forum.
I'm glad I did.. Not only did it help me with learning and being interested in code, it's allowed me to find a way to make money online where most of my friends live paycheck to paycheck, it's nice to have a little extra spending money. :p

 

I'd probably be trying to learn to code my own game instead. I'm a gamer and I'd probably be more interested in game development if I didn't ever get into forums, either that or I'd just spend more time dedicated to playing video games.

 

I would stay with blogs!

 

Well, I really don't know. Starting a forum 10 years ago led to me learning web design and now having my own business. If it wasn't for this, I'd be not good, since I'd be either a teacher or still a radio dj and both are very bad paid in my country

 

I haven't thought about it but I would probably still be into programming. Starting my own forum gave me a chance to move away from coding and get into marketing and administration.

 

I would just be making games, It's the reason I started my forum. I got interested in game development, and I was searching for game development forums, and I couldn't find any that I liked. They were either focused on one game engine, or didn't have a lot of good content, and seemed to technical. I wanted to set up a forum where it would be a place for gamers to chat about games, and learn how to make them, a good forum for beginners.

 

I'd be doing the same thing I am now, running a web hosting business. I get a lot out of it, not just money, but experience and enjoyment.

 

* cute *

I think I'm already doing what I want. ( the forum thing is just a side project, or I did not understand the Ques.. maybe you wanted to know what I'd replace the "time" with )

 

How many big games have you developed over the years? Do you see a lot of revenue from selling in-game items/points and such? I know the games in my niche rely on cash shop features instead of ads to make money.

 

I'd be writing a lot more novels than I do currently and probably going to see a lot more movies.

 

I'd be coding stuff... Oh wait, that's what I still do now...

 

If I never got into building forums, I would probably just be playing more poker, and trying to build my own poker site. I love poker, and I want nothing more then to own a poker site like Pokerstars.

 

I've wanted to get into the gaming news sites since day one. And I'm currently on blogs and forums, so... if it didn't exist, I would have to work at getting blogs and news sites to stardom. Which is harder than you think.

 

Ya, that type of work is harder than running a forum. I tried my own personal blog, and after a few months, I gave up on it. Too time consuming and shit. I might make one if I get to my goal weight.

 

The thing is, I wanted to be a writer for one of the most prestigious video game magazine(s). But, as we all know, video game magazines are essentially dead due to the high level of access on the internet.

In fact, most magazines are dead, so it's not just the video game industry that's suffering from magazine extinction, it's others, too. The only ones that survive are the ones that survive squarely on celebrity rumors and what have you, or a niche that's sustainable over a period of time. The game industry does not have this aspect, gamers are too fickle to maintain interest in a magazine. A major shift is essential with each generation of gaming. Sad but true.