Author Topic: "OKgamers.com" by Nathan Winfrey, as seen in the Edmond Outlook  (Read 4497 times)

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Offline X_A

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The Edmond Outlook recently interviewed forum member SeenNotScene and several other OKgamers types for an article - LINK = http://www.edmondoutlook.com/archives/m.blog/27/okgamers-com

Visit the link for the full version, here is part:

Quote
OKgamers.com
Posted by Nathan Winfrey in the June 2010 Issue

In 2006, OKgamers.com sprang to life to fulfill a simple purpose: Saif Khan loved playing “Soul Caliber III” and needed to find a challenging opponent. He launched the website and soon he had all the competition he could handle.

Khan realized he was onto something. He broadened the site to include a variety of games, from retro first person shooters to tabletop board games; and all types of gamers, from casual players to the hardcore elite.

Four-and-a-half years later, OKgamers.com now boasts 2,500 members and frequent gaming tournaments. Each month, the site enjoys tens of thousands of hits.

“The site is the best place in Oklahoma to meet fellow gamers, to commiserate, to find tournaments and to set up tournaments,” Cody Farrah, Edmond resident, says. “It’s completely free and everyone is welcome.”

It’s become a nexus for Oklahoma gamers to connect and organize. Regular events are held across the state at places like Play N Trade at 33rd Street and Broadway. It’s a place to discuss games, anime, technology and more.

Farrah, in his mid-20s, has been a member for more than a year. One of his favorite games is “Left 4 Dead 2,” a popular Xbox 360 title where players control one of four zombie apocalypse survivors in New Orleans. It’s a cooperative first-person shooter game, which means Farrah is no longer battling against his friends, but working with them.

“It has a great basis of teamwork; you really have to work together. It takes great leadership,” Farrah says. “Typically, players are calm and helpful because they’re working as a team.” He says “Left 4 Dead 2” is ideal because it tends to break down the stereotype that all gamers are male. “Guys are always going to outnumber girls, but I’ve seen a lot of girls play ‘Halo’ and I’ve seen a ton of girls play ‘Left 4 Dead 2’.”

“It’s not just a guy thing anymore,” Farrah says. “I think that’s changing as time goes on. More girls are getting into it every day.”

Beloved first-person shooter games “Halo 3,” “Modern Warfare 2” and cartoony-fighting game “Super Smash Brothers Brawl” are also popular among gamers. Other combat games like, “Super Street Fighter 4” and “Tekken 6” are very popular as well.

Expenses can be a hurdle, as each new game costs around $60 and gaming systems cost hundreds of dollars. Plus, some systems require fees for online play. “If you want the newest and greatest, you have to have a good job to support your habit,” said Farrah, who works as a store manager for a cell phone carrier.

One shouldn’t be intimidated by others’ skill levels when deciding whether to get involved in competitive or cooperative gaming. There are tournaments for everyone, from people who have barely touched a videogame controller, to people who were practically born with one in their hands. “People are really friendly and always willing to help if you have questions,” Farrah said.

Anyone can start a tournament at OKgamers.com, and some tournaments don’t even require the players to be in the same ZIP code. Online play is a fast-growing trend in community gaming, but traditional, face-to-face tournaments are still very popular.

Another major aspect of OKgamers.com is their community service. The site has been approved by 1800volunteer.org for their work to help students get community service hours. Up to 200 volunteers facilitate tournaments and help with the many conventions and large-scale events that OKgamers.com participates in. “It’s not just for gamers, it’s for businesses as well,” Farrah says. “We work with businesses and sometimes help them with charities,”

The gamers participate as additional volunteers for charity events. They setup, tear down and do anything else to make the event run smoothly. They also participate in events like Gamers Against Violence.

“We work with several volunteer systems to help them see that volunteering can be fun and about more than just shoveling dirt,” Khan says. “It shows gamers that they can go out and improve their communities, and have fun doing it.”

OKgamers.com has worked with the Tulsa Achievers program, which helps students go to college for free. They have also worked with hospices, churches and Oklahoma City Community College. June 18 through the 20, OKgamers.com members will volunteer at Tokyo in Tulsa, an anime convention.
Oklahoma doesn't have to "suck"
OKGamers.com - spread the word. 
OKgamers.com - our goals

New to the site?  Welcome to OKgamers.com!  Let us know how you found us!

Offline X_A

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Re: "OKgamers.com" by Nathan Winfrey, as seen in the Edmond Outlook
« Reply #1 on: June 05, 2010, 03:10:13 am »

Oh - and for those that might scoff at the "thousands of hits a month" - we have been pretty laid back about promoting our traffic, as well, we usually have a TO, or Supporter talk to businesses when they ask about us, and our hits / numbers are a resource available to them in the Supporter forums, etc. 

We realize that's not the best though - and have in our OKgamers 3.0 design coming out soon?  Worked on that whole clarity thing.  We have worked out "Front loading" our content.  So - just to get a few facts out to our general members to let businesses know when they ask about OKgamers - and why they should post on this free resource?

BUSINESSES:
What can OKgamers do for you? Who turns down 500,000+ page views a year, & 70,000 visitors seeing them for free? Reach Oklahoma Gamers, post on OKgamers.com - it's free, and gamers want to know about you and your events. 

Numbers based off 2008, and 2009 surfing.

2600+ Forum Members?  Correct, and that can seem odd with the stats - then you remember, oh man, GAMERS ARE LAZY!  lol.  The site literally has a 9 to 1 LURKER RATIO.  For every ONE person that posts, 9 to 10 people have reviewed the site, and either haven't signed up for a free account to post, or are to lazy to sign in and respond lol.  OKgamers.com - we know lurkers.



X A

Oklahoma doesn't have to "suck"
OKGamers.com - spread the word. 
OKgamers.com - our goals

New to the site?  Welcome to OKgamers.com!  Let us know how you found us!

Offline SeenNotScene

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Re: "OKgamers.com" by Nathan Winfrey, as seen in the Edmond Outlook
« Reply #2 on: June 05, 2010, 04:57:11 pm »
They made me take a really silly pic holding the controller up to my face lol

Hope I did okay with the interview, I had no idea what he was going to ask me... I just made sure to drop the lines I needed haha

Offline X_A

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Re: "OKgamers.com" by Nathan Winfrey, as seen in the Edmond Outlook
« Reply #3 on: June 05, 2010, 10:06:48 pm »
They made me take a really silly pic holding the controller up to my face lol

Hope I did okay with the interview, I had no idea what he was going to ask me... I just made sure to drop the lines I needed haha

lool - thank you for mentioning "your lines" hahah.  Sounds like we are the Union now or something hahah. 

Nah, anyway good times, and I thought the photo was good, and the article turned out really well!



X A

Oklahoma doesn't have to "suck"
OKGamers.com - spread the word. 
OKgamers.com - our goals

New to the site?  Welcome to OKgamers.com!  Let us know how you found us!

Offline Bees McGee

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Re: "OKgamers.com" by Nathan Winfrey, as seen in the Edmond Outlook
« Reply #4 on: June 05, 2010, 10:16:32 pm »
cartoony-fighting game.

but at least it was well written...

for an Oklahoma magazine

Offline HxC_LAN_Center

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Re: "OKgamers.com" by Nathan Winfrey, as seen in the Edmond Outlook
« Reply #5 on: June 08, 2010, 12:50:49 pm »

The Edmond Outlook recently interviewed forum member SeenNotScene and several other OKgamers types for an article - LINK = http://www.edmondoutlook.com/archives/m.blog/27/okgamers-com

Visit the link for the full version, here is part:

Quote
OKgamers.com
Posted by Nathan Winfrey in the June 2010 Issue

In 2006, OKgamers.com sprang to life to fulfill a simple purpose: Saif Khan loved playing “Soul Caliber III” and needed to find a challenging opponent. He launched the website and soon he had all the competition he could handle.

Khan realized he was onto something. He broadened the site to include a variety of games, from retro first person shooters to tabletop board games; and all types of gamers, from casual players to the hardcore elite.

Four-and-a-half years later, OKgamers.com now boasts 2,500 members and frequent gaming tournaments. Each month, the site enjoys tens of thousands of hits.

“The site is the best place in Oklahoma to meet fellow gamers, to commiserate, to find tournaments and to set up tournaments,” Cody Farrah, Edmond resident, says. “It’s completely free and everyone is welcome.”

It’s become a nexus for Oklahoma gamers to connect and organize. Regular events are held across the state at places like Play N Trade at 33rd Street and Broadway. It’s a place to discuss games, anime, technology and more.

Farrah, in his mid-20s, has been a member for more than a year. One of his favorite games is “Left 4 Dead 2,” a popular Xbox 360 title where players control one of four zombie apocalypse survivors in New Orleans. It’s a cooperative first-person shooter game, which means Farrah is no longer battling against his friends, but working with them.

“It has a great basis of teamwork; you really have to work together. It takes great leadership,” Farrah says. “Typically, players are calm and helpful because they’re working as a team.” He says “Left 4 Dead 2” is ideal because it tends to break down the stereotype that all gamers are male. “Guys are always going to outnumber girls, but I’ve seen a lot of girls play ‘Halo’ and I’ve seen a ton of girls play ‘Left 4 Dead 2’.”

“It’s not just a guy thing anymore,” Farrah says. “I think that’s changing as time goes on. More girls are getting into it every day.”

Beloved first-person shooter games “Halo 3,” “Modern Warfare 2” and cartoony-fighting game “Super Smash Brothers Brawl” are also popular among gamers. Other combat games like, “Super Street Fighter 4” and “Tekken 6” are very popular as well.

Expenses can be a hurdle, as each new game costs around $60 and gaming systems cost hundreds of dollars. Plus, some systems require fees for online play. “If you want the newest and greatest, you have to have a good job to support your habit,” said Farrah, who works as a store manager for a cell phone carrier.

One shouldn’t be intimidated by others’ skill levels when deciding whether to get involved in competitive or cooperative gaming. There are tournaments for everyone, from people who have barely touched a videogame controller, to people who were practically born with one in their hands. “People are really friendly and always willing to help if you have questions,” Farrah said.

Anyone can start a tournament at OKgamers.com, and some tournaments don’t even require the players to be in the same ZIP code. Online play is a fast-growing trend in community gaming, but traditional, face-to-face tournaments are still very popular.

Another major aspect of OKgamers.com is their community service. The site has been approved by 1800volunteer.org for their work to help students get community service hours. Up to 200 volunteers facilitate tournaments and help with the many conventions and large-scale events that OKgamers.com participates in. “It’s not just for gamers, it’s for businesses as well,” Farrah says. “We work with businesses and sometimes help them with charities,”

The gamers participate as additional volunteers for charity events. They setup, tear down and do anything else to make the event run smoothly. They also participate in events like Gamers Against Violence.

“We work with several volunteer systems to help them see that volunteering can be fun and about more than just shoveling dirt,” Khan says. “It shows gamers that they can go out and improve their communities, and have fun doing it.”

OKgamers.com has worked with the Tulsa Achievers program, which helps students go to college for free. They have also worked with hospices, churches and Oklahoma City Community College. June 18 through the 20, OKgamers.com members will volunteer at Tokyo in Tulsa, an anime convention.

No mentioning of HxC????????

♥♥♥♥♥. Blow to the pride.

Offline SeenNotScene

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Re: "OKgamers.com" by Nathan Winfrey, as seen in the Edmond Outlook
« Reply #6 on: June 08, 2010, 02:02:11 pm »
haha sorry dude, I should have had a list of names to drop lol

Offline Timmy Skorcher

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Re: "OKgamers.com" by Nathan Winfrey, as seen in the Edmond Outlook
« Reply #7 on: June 11, 2010, 04:00:45 pm »
haha sorry dude, I should have had a list of names to drop lol
No worries HxC is loving what you are doing for the Edmond community! We are following you guys on twitter and also big ups to Play N Trade! Sorry someone from our staff noticed Edmond Outlook giving credit to another company from some of our events by posting our Pictures and mentioning our Halo 3 tournament. It got removed so it is all good. Please dont be offended by our first post it was just a misunderstanding.
« Last Edit: June 11, 2010, 04:08:04 pm by Timmy Skorcher »
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