Astrosmash Co-Op Review
by smurphster
Blog

CCV: My 2012 Gaming Resolution: CM Edition

Frequent visitors of the site are probably aware that I've been given the honor of being the very first Co-Optimus Community Manager. Since I'm the first, I have no example to follow as far as Co-Optimus is concerned, so I've been snooping around other communities when I have the chance, finding other community managers, stalking them on Twitter, and trying to figure out how the hell I'm going to help improve the community. I'm still working on that, and I will be for a long time.

One thing I have noticed is that community managers are often no more than a contact point between the community and staff. I think that's a great place to be, however, I think community managers should be more than that. To serve my position well, I'm looking for ways to create more connections between the staff and community. We've already made a commitment to running more co-op nights this year, and we've also renewed the CCV feature. That's a great start in my eyes, but I'm looking for more.

Now, you might be wondering why I'm rambling on about the site when my resolution is supposed to be about gaming... it is! I'm getting to that.

I've found that chatting during games can provide some interesting feedback. Sometimes people may not want to tell the whole internet about what they think, but sharing something with four people in an Xbox Live party isn't as daunting. Plus, natural conversations spark ideas that normally wouldn't come up in a forum thread. Therefore, my 2012 gaming resolution is to play more games with the staff and community, encourage more conversations about the site, and always have a notepad at my side to jot down ideas.

You've been warned... I will be keeping track of your ideas. Yes, YOU. But don't worry, I'll only reveal your name to the masses if you're comfortable with it. I think every good idea deserves praise, but I completely understand if you don't want to be in the spotlight.

That said, I want to hear from everyone! Invite me to games, tell me what you think of Co-Optimus, and share your ideas. More importantly, have fun. If you'd rather just catch a game with me or other staff members without talking business, we're all very friendly and would love to shoot some stroggs with you. We all love co-op gaming, so let's play together!

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