There are banner ads in the upper right corner of this site that advertise various RPG games from small press publishers. I have never heard of most of them.
Anyone bought and played any of them?
If so, let's hear about them!
I use AdBlockPlus to block them all, I hate ads.
I don't remember if it was here or on another forum, but I have clicked on add-banners for intriguing kickstarters and ended up backing some of them.
Also FFG Star Wars - Age of Rebellion.
I have never clicked on an ad in my life, and I have no intention to ever do so.
I also use AdBlock to hide most of them and have done so for years, but I sometimes think that's counter-productive. The problem is that it means I see so few ads that when one does slip through it's very distracting and intrusive.
Maybe if I saw more I'd get used to them and they'd actually fade into the background and I'd find it easier to simply ignore them like I do in magazines and on billboards.
If all ads were like the ones on this site, I wouldn't use adblock. They aren't particularly intrusive, and they are relevant.
But I bought Arrows of Indra, which I think was advertised. But then I only bought it because it was on sale for 99 cents. Full price? Hell no. And I think a read about the sale in a text post here, come to think of it.
I bought a copy of Lowell was Right because of the banner ad here. When the ad first appeared, I clicked it to see what it was. I read about it, thought about it for a week, and then bought it. One of the few non-D&D related games I've purchased in the last year or so. I haven't had a chance to play it, but the setting is fascinating and will probably be used sometime even if with different rules. This from someone who generally prefers to homebrew settings.
I don't block the ads, but haven't bought anything from them, I find them innocuous.
I bought Lowell Was Right too. The art In the ad intrigued me and it sounded like such an interesting concept. I've read but have yet to play it... though I'd certainly like to. I've already incorporated a few things from it into my homebrew setting... which has a lot of 'weird science'.
I think in my entire Internet career I've never (intentionally) clicked on an ad much less bought anything from them.
I've been using the Internet since it was green text on a black screen in the 80's.
On rpg.net I clicked on banner ads all the time because on my phone the load time would mean stuff at the top would often move down suddenly when I'd try to click on it, so I'd accidentally click on the ad instead.
Really annoying, but it's not like TBP is highly motivated to address that.
Otherwise, never.
I have a couple of times. Not recently though.
I'm tempted but I've not had much cash flow lately.
Quote from: Kiero;783851I use AdBlockPlus to block them all, I hate ads.
+1 ... and pop-up blockers, and NoScript. Trying to keep the Interwebs as clutterless as feasible!
I have Adblock and NoScript but I must have them turned off for the RPGsite because I can see the ads. They're not intrusive and add some color to the page so it's no bother... plus they're for stuff I might actually be interested in... it's not like they're for dating sites and feminine hygiene products.
I glance at the banner occasionally, I might even of clicked on the banner from time to time.
I don't think I've actually bought anything as a result of a banner ad though.
Normally I block them or ignore them. However this is a rather niche interest and there is a lot I haven't seen or heard about yet. Those ads have been useful to me to modify my wish lists over my stay here.
I wonder if it has to do with the tight relevance and discreet banners that makes what would otherwise be irritants work for me here...
Quote from: JeremyR;783857If all ads were like the ones on this site, I wouldn't use adblock. They aren't particularly intrusive, and they are relevant.
I use adblock but haven't felt the need to block the ads on this site because they're unobtrusive enough. I usually don't really pay attention to them, but I think I may have clicked once or twice to check something out. I've never bought anything.
The only RPG products I've ever bought as a result of banner ads have been on this site.
It makes a difference, at least to me, that I can usually trace the banner ad game back to a developer who frequents therpgsite.
//Panjumanju
I click them when they're even mildly interesting, and bought Adventure Awaits (IIRC) due to one.
I assume the advertisers pay, and therefore don't mind the clicks.
Quote from: mcbobbo;784251I click them when they're even mildly interesting, and bought Adventure Awaits (IIRC) due to one.
Tell us about Adventure Awaits!
Quote from: RandallS;783862I bought a copy of Lowell was Right because of the banner ad here.
I must have missed those ads. Tell us about Lowell was Right!!
Quote from: Simlasa;783879I bought Lowell Was Right too.
You too! Who or what is Lowell?
Nope, never bought anything from the ads here. I've seen Arrows of Indra ads quite a bit, but I know it's written by Pundit, and he's kind of a hardcore grognard(he actually buys into that rpg/storygames false dichotomy BS), so I know his stuff wouldn't do anything for me.
I now see an ad for something that says "Versatile. Universal. Powerful." Um, I already have GURPS, Fate Core, Savage Worlds, BRP, Hero, and probably a few other things. Maybe an ad that doesn't fail to say what's so compelling about its product while making it sound like a dozen other products that I already have would be better? It's just a thought.
And that's the only ad I remember, and the only ad I see right now. Is it any wonder that I don't buy?
Quote from: Spinachcat;784281You too! Who or what is Lowell?
Percival Lowell... a Victorian era mathematician/astronomer who represents an earlier strata of scientific theory... which, while now mostly defunct, portrayed an intriguing set of principles for how the universe works.
Lowell started speculations about 'canals' on Mars.
A paraphrase of the bit I wrote on DTRPG:
The setting for
Lowell Was Right is based on a universe where the obsolete science of the Victorian era was right... and all the BIZARRE implications that follow from it.
LWR is NOT Steampunk... it's based on science rather than SCIENCE! The setting extrapolates from acceptance of 1880's scientific assumptions, but takes part in our present day. So much is different though that it's pretty much another world.
No electronics but spaceflight is common (with lots of alien life forms on other planets)... evolution can happen in a flash, as can geological changes.
A particular favorite of mine is the scientific vindication of some of the claims of Spiritualism... and the idea of creating ghosts of living beings, on purpose, for various mundane purposes. It's a pretty wild idea in a book full of wild ideas... that aren't all THAT wild since they are based on a real world science that once was current/modern/up to date.
It's all a bit to wrap your head around... it's not a setting I think could just be jumped into... similar to brain-twisty stuff like Eclipse Phase this game was a bit of a mindwarp as I first read it... but it's a fun one, and not depressing/scary/uncomfortable the way Eclipse Phase felt at first.
Definitely recommended for at least a read through and mine for ideas.
Huh! Glad I read this thread! I have assumed all along that the vast majority of people here are blocking the ads, and that those who don't are ignoring them. I buy the ads to support the RPG Site more than anything - actually selling games doesn't even enter into the equation. I'm not sure that this thread actually debunks that theory, but if two people actually bought Lowell through clicking the ads, that shocks me. Lowell is probably the strangest RPG I have written, and that's coming from the guy who wrote a baseball RPG.
Thank you!
-clash
Quote from: Spinachcat;784281Tell us about Adventure Awaits
http://www.therpgsite.com/showthread.php?t=27666
Are there banner ads?
Oh yes, never noticed them before.
You can probably guess my answer to the OP's question ...
I'm glad to hear that some of you have supported the banner ads by clicking on them, or even purchasing stuff.
At the same time, I'm equally glad that for most of you the banner ads haven't bothered you!
Quote from: flyingmice;784479Huh! Glad I read this thread! I have assumed all along that the vast majority of people here are blocking the ads, and that those who don't are ignoring them. I buy the ads to support the RPG Site more than anything - actually selling games doesn't even enter into the equation. I'm not sure that this thread actually debunks that theory, but if two people actually bought Lowell through clicking the ads, that shocks me. Lowell is probably the strangest RPG I have written, and that's coming from the guy who wrote a baseball RPG.
Thank you!
-clash
I would argue that The Tools Of Ignorance is the strangest rpg you have written. Lowell Was Right seems weird until you wrap your brain around it -- then it is a standard rpg with a strange science backing it up.
Playing a baseball season thru an rpg is still strange even after doing it once.
I don't click on banner ads --and on most places I go to I've got ABP on so I don't see them-- but I'll also admit that the ads on theRPGSite are very mellow compared to most of the ads out there.
Not sure why they show up here with ABP on, but really, I don't mind given how innocuous they are.
But on most other sites I can't stand the ads, and the clickbait ones had a longstanding reputation for inserting malware on your computers. In 1995, when the web was young and I was stupid, I clicked on one of those and immediately infected my computer. Haven't done it since.
Quote from: RPGPundit;786360I'm glad to hear that some of you have supported the banner ads by clicking on them, or even purchasing stuff.
At the same time, I'm equally glad that for most of you the banner ads haven't bothered you!
Who do I need to contact for banner ad placement? Thanks!
I read the new ones when they come up and have bought several.
Zwei, there's an Advertise with Us (http://www.therpgsite.com/index.php?pageid=advertising) link under the ad at the top. I linked to it here in case your browser isn't showing it.
Quote from: flyerfan1991;786376I don't click on banner ads --and on most places
Not sure why they show up here with ABP on, but really, I don't mind given how innocuous they are.
My guess is they aren't blocked because theRPGSite hosts the banners themselves and isn't part of a big ad network with separate servers in a blacklist.
As many have said, if all ads were like these, there wouldn't be much need for adblock.
I've bought some advertised products, but not sure it was because of the ad. Its that whole marketing premise that on average someone has to see something 7 times before they buy.
We'll be advertising again as soon as I can revise one of our ads.
Quote from: gonster;786373I would argue that The Tools Of Ignorance is the strangest rpg you have written. Lowell Was Right seems weird until you wrap your brain around it -- then it is a standard rpg with a strange science backing it up.
Playing a baseball season thru an rpg is still strange even after doing it once.
I guess that's true - ToI is a weirder game, but Lowell is a weirder setting. ToI is about doing different things than other RPGs, but those things are actually very normal - regular people on this Earth do them all the time. Lowell is about doing normal RPG things in a universe where the physical laws are different, where you can go to Mars easier than you can get music out of a radio. Once you get past that, though, it's a pretty normal game. But High Strung will be out this year, and that promises to be as strange as ToI. :D
As for the banner ads, I was happy with them even before I knew a few people actually clicked through and bought stuff. It at least gets the game names out there so people know they exist, which is a huge uphill battle when you are neither fish nor fowl nor good red meat - AKA neither a Story Game nor OSR nor a large publishing company.
-clash
Quote from: Spinachcat;783833There are banner ads in the upper right corner of this site that advertise various RPG games from small press publishers. I have never heard of most of them.
Anyone bought and played any of them?
If so, let's hear about them!
I've never clicked on a banner ad, from the time they were invented until now. I may buy products portrayed
in banner ads, but I'll never buy products
from banner ads.
Quote from: ZWEIHÄNDER;786386Who do I need to contact for banner ad placement? Thanks!
Send me a PM!
Quote from: SowelBlack;786410My guess is they aren't blocked because theRPGSite hosts the banners themselves and isn't part of a big ad network with separate servers in a blacklist.
As many have said, if all ads were like these, there wouldn't be much need for adblock.
It was super important to me that the banner ads be as unobtrusive as possible and in no way irritating for the reasonable majority of members.
QuoteWe'll be advertising again as soon as I can revise one of our ads.
Thanks!
Kudos, Pundit, for the effort.
TBP is fucking horrible about it. I would guess a good 50% of their clicks are misclicks on people's phones.
Quote from: Will;787631Kudos, Pundit, for the effort.
TBP is fucking horrible about it. I would guess a good 50% of their clicks are misclicks on people's phones.
You're very welcome! We try to make sure our ads are things that could interest are audiences, and like it's been said here, almost all the ads are from people who are to some degree active on this very forum, so you know if you take a look you're supporting the community.
I only click on banner ads if they promise to hook me up with beautiful women for no strings attached free sex, enhance the (already impressive) size of my penis or promise to give me easy work from home that will give me $5,000 a day.
But then I do have these mates that work for a bank in Nigeria .....
I usually disable my adblock for small sites like this, and I'll click an ad if it's interesting. These ads brought me to Precis Intermedia, where I buy most of my current go-to games, and I wouldn't have heard of them otherwise.
Quote from: noman;788107I usually disable my adblock for small sites like this, and I'll click an ad if it's interesting. These ads brought me to Precis Intermedia, where I buy most of my current go-to games, and I wouldn't have heard of them otherwise.
That's great news, especially for Precis!