A mystery beta? How does that work?

We've been given 100 keys for the early closed beta on an upcoming game that hasn't even been officially announced yet. As excited as we are about this, we still have to tiptoe around any hints that might give it away. So let's just call this the first in a projected series of games that includes both single-player and online aspects. It's described as both cooperative and competitive, covering a new genre for games.

Sound like something you might want to help test? Simply leave a comment to this post before Sunday, February 7, 2010 at 7pm EST and 100 random winners will be chosen from the entries. You'll then be contacted with further instructions on how to download and access the game. Best of luck!

[Comment are now closed, winners to be contacted by Monday]

A bright-eyed blogger comes up to you at a convention and begs for some simple advice. What do you say?

David Bass: Just write about what you enjoy. Some people like having a focused blog on one topic, others prefer to speak their mind about whatever issue they're having at the moment. There's no "right" way to do it, just make it your own. Be honest, be interesting, and have something to say. Readers notice very quickly if you're just writing for the sake of putting something out there, and that's not enjoyable for anyone. Be yourself, and have fun with it.

Shaun Brodie: Network, network, network. Make sure to read and post to the forums. Hang out in IRC. Keep your finger on the pulse of the community, and talk about what they want to talk about. Chances are, it's the same thing you want to talk about anyways, but talking to them means that you're more informed and can advocate for them better.

Sean Kauppinen: Send me an email and tell me where you want to be in 5 years. How can I help you?

Tami Baribeau: First I say kudos for going to a convention. This is the biggest thing a blogger can do, is NETWORK. Read and comment on as many other blogs as you can. Be yourself, be creative, be unique. Interact with your readers, make sure to reply to them in the comments and actually engage your community. When you reach out to game companies, be respectful, patient, cordial, and don't get your hopes up. If you get turned down, that doesn't mean you shouldn't try again in the future. Write about things no one else is writing about. Write to grow a community, not just for yourself. Be honest and relevant.

"Network, network, network."

Tricia Jenkins: Keep doing what you're doing! Bloggers who work directly with developers and publishers for stories can gain a lot of traction for their site.

If they're interested in "breaking into" the industry – working as a PR specialist or games journalist-they've probably already got a really good background on the industry and recent games, so interviewing, writing and building those relationships can only help.

Wonder Russell: Cultivate critical reviewing and writing skills, and read the Massively article Shawn Schuster put together.

Regina Buenaobra:
• Write regularly and keep your writing sharp
• Be creative; always look for a unique angle on how you can write about something
• Be true to your voice
• Speak to what you know
• Promote yourself intelligently and organically
• Cultivate your readership, but don't feel as if you need to pander to them
• Integrity is important
• Avoid gossip and sensationalism

EM Stock: Write well – the better you represent yourself via the written word, the more people will trust you. Be honest, be constructive, and be willing to let us reach out to you privately and address any statements you've made or opinions you've voiced that we feel are coming from an uneducated point of view. If you are willing to do this, we will do everything in our power to support you by listing your blog on our website, informing you of the latest game related news, and granting you exclusive content like screenshots and interviews whenever possible.

Meghan Rodberg: Here's my email address – keep in touch and let me know what you're up to; don't blog in a vacuum. :)

From your professional standpoint, what are some of the key differences between bloggers and major MMO news sites?

David Bass: Either type of site can forge a strong relationship with a company very easily, but I see MMO sites to be a much broader "Voice of the People," while a blog can potentially be considered "One Man's Opinion." Obviously the exact opposite could be true for both cases, but I think that's the general perception you see when looking at the different types of sites out there. I enjoy working with both equally, because they're so different, and both have different needs.

Shaun Brodie: In a way, bloggers are more like the local news cast, and a major MMO news site is going to be more akin to CNN. Bloggers and podcasts like the MMO Junkies, or the folks at STOked, have a more targeted audience. They're already interested in the game, and are wanting to share that excitement, and hear what other people who like the game are thinking as well. Massively has a broader audience, which may not know much about Star Trek Online, Champions, or our communities. You could say that one is more about keeping current fans interested and involved, and the other is more about spreading the word to people who aren't involved yet.

Sean Kauppinen: The quantity stands out the most. Quality can happen in a single post or hundreds of posts, however quality is hard to duplicate when there is a team of copy editors that verify information as factual.

Tami Baribeau: Honestly, not as much anymore. Since even major MMO news sites have writers that were bloggers before working there, and more news sites are catering to user-generated content, the line is thinner than ever. In the past, you'd see MMO news sites skewing to side with developers because they were given advance copies, early developer demos of the games and freebies. Their opinions were often masked by editorial standards for the site they worked for. Blogs used to be the best place for the straight up opinions of the masses. Nowadays, community teams are wiser and reach out to the smaller blogs and directly to players via social media mechanisms, spreading the word grassroots style without the need to be as reliant on major news sites. This means that bloggers and MMO news sites are closer than ever in terms of content and opinion.

Tricia Jenkins: MMO news sites are interested in pretty much everything that may be going on in the MMO industry, whereas bloggers may be interested solely in certain games and/or certain elements of those games. Additionally, bloggers may or may not have studied journalism and news writing, so how they write may be very different from what you might read on an MMO news site.

Wonder Russell: I can only give my personal experience, and that is coming from a tiny company where most of the news contacts I have now had a "Who?!" reaction, or totally blew us off. Having that background, I really like maintaining good relationships with bloggers who, like us, believe in what they do and want to do it well. It's kind of like the indie outlet for the indie company.

Right before launch, I took an early chance on Stephen Bray, a Scottish youtube blogger. Here is the email he sent me:

Hello friends,

I am an amateur computer game reviewer presently creating video reviews posted to YouTube. A friend and I are looking at setting up a real site some time next year, but that's just something in the pipeline right now.

I would like to ask if you would be interested in providing me with a copy of your upcoming game Torchlight for review.

I appreciate that I am just some random guy and that video reviews on YouTube aren't as prestigious as something like IGN or GameSpot, but I have close to a thousand subscribers and almost all of my reviews have many thousands of views (my World of Goo review has had over fifty thousand views), so I am quite capable of reaching a broad audience.

I appreciate that this may be an irregular request, but consider that the way people consume content is changing. I find a lot of people prefer to put their stock in the word of the independent man on the street, when the alternative is the corporate-owned profit-centric website.

Should you be interested in perusing my library of reviews, you can find them all here:

http://www.youtube.com/user/antisocialfatman

Thanks for taking the time to consider my request,

Stephen

That review has over 80,000 views on youtube (you can see it here) and it turned out to be one of the most detailed and interesting reviews we had.

On top of that, here is an excerpt of a note I got back from Stephen, that made a few of us a wee bit emotional:

"I'd like to thank you sincerely for sending me a press copy of Torchlight. I've asked a number of developers (most small/indie companies) for review copies of games, and not only are you the first to acquiesce, you're the first to even respond. I really appreciate it."

I'm so glad we sent him a copy. It was a risk (especially because we had the game on an FTP site!) but turned into an awesome opportunity.

"It can be disappointing to have a relationship with a blogger that fizzles out because they burn out on the game, get too busy to write or just lose interest in blogging."

Regina Buenaobra: Bloggers may have a deeper insight into a particular MMORPG than major sites, because they may play a game over a much longer span of time. Because of their status as independent writers, they can blog about whatever they want without having the editorial pressures that major news sites have. If a blogger wants to do a five-part series of articles on the intricacies of skill synergies in a variety of cooperative and competitive situations in Guild Wars, they can do it – which is great. Bloggers aren't under pressure to cover certain topics or beholden to page view metrics, unless that pressure is self imposed. Bloggers tend to reach more niche communities and speak to extremely avid, though there are big blogs out there that have a broader reach.

And perhaps most critically, bloggers can really dig into how they *feel* about a game. They can rant. They can gush. They can discuss games from every emotional angle. This is something that major game news sites can't do, because readers will accuse them of being biased. In this sense, bloggers can shine.

Major MMO game news sites have the ability to reach large numbers of people, but they're often constrained into avoiding the personal and emotional angle when it comes to discussing games, due to a journalistic distance. That's not a negative thing at all, but bloggers can cover a game in greater detail and with a more personal perspective than major sites.

EM Stock: Bloggers have more freedom. They don't have to answer to or be censored by anyone. Their opinions are their own and they're usually more than willing to take complete ownership of them. MMO news sites are, after all, businesses and because they depend on the support of the game companies to provide them with the information they need to write their articles, they tend to be more politically correct with the content they write.

Meghan Rodberg: Bloggers have more freedom to express their opinions about a game, while MMO news sites tend to stick to the news and the facts. Bloggers also can spend more time on the "little things" that an MMO news site might not want to spend resources on – for instance writing guides or fiction. The Road Goes Ever On is a stellar example of the freedom a blogger has to choose what to spend their time and real estate on that an MMO news site might not. Another key, but unfortunate, difference is that blogs and bloggers can tend to come and go, and it can be disappointing to have a relationship with a blogger that fizzles out because they burn out on the game, get too busy to write or just lose interest in blogging.

Many bloggers have sites unabashedly dedicated to whatever MMO they are currently playing, but because they maintain the site throughout the rise and fall of many MMOs, they develop a constant following. Other bloggers create blogs focused solely on one MMO, and the readership is based on the sole MMO's popularity. Is there necessarily a better way in your opinion, especially with regards to building relationships between bloggers and your company?

David Bass: I think in terms of building a stronger relationship between a blog and company, you'll always be more effective if you're dedicated to the company and/or game. It's much easier for a company to spend resources for you if they know that you'll be dedicated to them and will help promote their game(s). But there is always that element of risk involved by focusing on one game. If the game's not successful you'll either need to change your blog's focus, or risk it dying out entirely.

Shaun Brodie: No. We really do want to talk to everyone in our community, and we want to hear as much feedback as we can. The only difference between someone who plays Star Trek Online only, and someone who plays Star Trek Online and another MMO is that one person has found two MMOs they love, and the other one hasn't quite yet.

Sean Kauppinen: Focus on depth that is of value to the players. New players tend to be acquired through portals or major sites.

Tami Baribeau: I don't think there is a better or worse way. Create good, well-written, regular content with a unique perspective and it doesn't matter what you write about -- you'll have a following. As far as its effect on building a relationship with my company, I don't think it matters either way. Game companies will look at the size of your readership and the blog's prevalence as the biggest factor in determining whether to provide content. This doesn't mean you have to be big to receive attention from developers, it just changes the kind of content the company may be willing to provide.

"Create good, well-written, regular content with a unique perspective and it doesn't matter what you write about -- you'll have a following."

Tricia Jenkins: It's hard to say there's really a "better way." Blogs that have cultivated a large following are typically more likely to have built a reputation and just be more well-known in general. However, while that popularity could be seen as an advantage, a blog specifically created for a certain MMO (say, Fallen Earth), can build a following of solid, dedicated players. Both audiences are important to building and expanding a strong community.

Wonder Russell: Not to my way of thinking. Hopefully if they liked X game they'll like Y game.

Regina Buenaobra: I don't think there's a One Best Way to approach MMOG blogging, and I don't feel that one or the other method would give a blogger an edge in terms of a company building a relationship with that blogger. I think what is important is that the blogger conveys their ideas clearly, writes well, and brings honesty and integrity to whatever they write.

I enjoy reading bloggers who write about different MMORPGs on a blog because they bring a breadth of perspective and experience to the MMO game that they're currently discussing. It's really interesting to see bloggers tie commonalities from different games into a single discussion or idea.

However, I also believe that a blogger who covers one game, and really drills down into that gaming experience also brings value to the MMOG blogosphere. For instance, a blog dedicated to one game can chronicle the emotional (in-character or out-of-character) experience of being immersed in a game world, writing about achievements, challenges, and failures, and the blogger can do this over a long span of time. Reading a chronicle like this can be very interesting to devoted fans of a game and to game developers.

EM Stock: This is one of the reasons why bloggers are so great -- at the end of the day, people who are managing online communities should listen to all the different kinds of voices that are out there. Whether a person has created a blog as a conduit for their passions around one single title, or whether they create a blog to share their thoughts on gaming in general, our job is to listen, and when we can, support those individuals.

Meghan Rodberg: If a blogger has a lot of followers, it's likely that we're going to find a lot of value in what they write whether the blog is dedicated to our games or not; and since a blogger might be very influential with their followers, if they're writing positively about our games, we're all for it whether or not it's a dedicated blog!

If you enjoyed our community management feature from yesterday, we present you with part 2!

What level of honesty should bloggers have regarding the benefits and flaws of your game in balancing the interests of the readers and the interests of your company?

David Bass: Bloggers should always be honest. But they should also be fair. Yes, game X might have some issues, but is the company consistently working to improve the game? Are you seeing excellent communication from the team? No MMO is perfect, that's for certain, but in addition to learning where our flaws are, we're also interested to learn what we're doing right. Bloggers aren't there to cater to us as a company, and if your blog is heading in that direction, most readers will notice that and may choose to shy away from it. If you stick to being honest on your blog, that's what will get the company to notice you.

With the speed at which our beta keys vanished in last week's giveaway, the good people at Aika Online were happy to give us 5,000 more keys for the Massively readers to get their hands on. As we mentioned last week, Aika is a large-scale PvP-centric MMO where nations fight against each other with castle sieges and customized battlegrounds. All of this while supporting 2,000 players in the same battle.

If you didn't get your chance to grab a key last week, head on over to our giveaway page for a shiny new code. From there, you can register at aika.gpotato.com and download the client straight from the website. At the rate this game is gaining popularity, you can bet we'll be checking this one out ourselves, with our first impressions coming soon.

This week, G4TV's The MMO Report explores Lord of the Rings Online's newest upcoming Book update, World of Warcraft's new Season 8 fall fashions and The Secret World's newest in-game footage trailer. As an added bonus, host Casey Schreiner blames us all for the closure of CitiesXL's multiplayer feature. It's good times all around!

Check out the complete video embedded just after the jump below, or every Thursday night on G4TV's The Feed.

Any time a new game comes out, many players feel the obligation to be the first to explore new areas, conquer new bosses or get their character to max level. This may not be everyone's play style, but it's usually important to note that these players do this with little or no guidance from guides or wikis, and they often end up doing something wrong along the way.

Fallen Earth is a game that is set up to trickle information to you slowly as you progress. Since the tutorial area was revamped just before launch, it's been easier to learn the right way to do things... that is, if you've read the pop-up tips. Even at 5 months after launch, there is still very little information out there about the specifics of the game. There are wikis and informational fansites, but in most cases, their owners seem to have caught a case of the Shiva virus themselves.

So in this week's Wasteland Diaries, I'm going to take a fun look at the top 5 things you probably did wrong on your first character. It might be too late for many of you, but that's why there are four character slots. Spoken like a true alt-a-holic.

What are some things a blogger can do to further promote a relationship with your company?

David Bass: It's pretty easy these days for bloggers to be heard. I truly appreciate a blogger who remains open and honest about their experiences with our company. If you don't like our game, that's fine, but tell us why. Don't just bash the game, explain exactly what it is you're not enjoying. A number of changes have gone into both Champions and Star Trek because we've caught things that bloggers have talked about on their sites.

Shaun Brodie: Talk to the community, and become an advocate for them. Then, provide us with their opinion. It's one thing if you write about your own opinion, it's another thing entirely if you're sharing thousands of people's opinions.

Sean Kauppinen: Be professional and at the same time tell us what you need or want, and whom, and how large, your audience is. People need to understand that we have limited time, but almost all companies can identify legitimate bloggers by their writing or community size fairly easily. At the same time, I have always worked under the rule of "Use your gut." If someone is really trying and you believe they can be a good partner, you take a chance.

Tricia Jenkins: The Fallen Earth community is one we're really proud of and we try really hard to keep our developers accessible. While we reach a number of blogs, there are a few bloggers who we work with on a more continual basis -- usually the few who take the time to jot down developer questions or know specifically what it is they want to learn more about and send requests for journals or Q&As.

"The larger the readership a blog has, the more we can justify supporting it."

Wonder Russell: Check back in when the review goes live. Ask to stay on the PR list so you'll be in the loop when developments are announced. Get on board with Twitter. Have a great idea for a contest or article? Pitch it! These relationships are really about the dialogue.

Regina Buenaobra: The blogs that we enjoy tend to have some unique perspective and feature engaging, regularly updated content. We like to read bloggers that bring insight, context, and perspective to updates and new releases. We value intelligent critiques and a sense of humor. We enjoy reading bloggers who are clearly passionate about Guild Wars, and they communicate that passion and excitement through their blog. Kill Ten Rats is a great example of a blog that brings these qualities to the table.

It also doesn't hurt to ask for more information from community managers or PR. This doesn't mean all a blogger's wishes will come true, because it depends on what the request is, but it helps keep a blogger on our radar.

EM Stock: The larger the readership a blog has, the more we can justify supporting it. Bloggers who keep us in the loop on the growth of their blog (and who have numbers to support it), who act and communicate with us in a professional manner and who post consistently on their blog about our product exhibit a level of commitment and loyalty that we'll want to foster as much as possible.

Meghan Rodberg: Writing about us and our games frequently will help to cement that relationship; and again, being proactive in letting us know about new writing and activities is critical.

What are some things a blogger can do to harm a relationship with your company?

David Bass: If your blog is just there to rant, don't bother. While reading the hateful vitriol of an angry player is occasionally amusing, it doesn't help anyone, because it contains no constructive feedback on the core of the issue. Were you upset with the way Customer Service handled your issue? That's okay! But explain the entire story, and suggest improvements to the system. Don't just figure out as many synonyms to "inept" as you can.

Shaun Brodie: Nobody wants to be raged at, we're the same. It's one thing to blog about how you don't like something, say why, and offer suggestions for how we could fix it so you would like it. It's another thing entirely to rage for one thousand words because you don't like something, and offer nothing other than, "I don't like it. Now fix it, or I'll quit." Also, if we give you a scoop, but ask that you not go public until a certain date, please respect that. There's a reason why we may ask you to do that; things change on a daily basis here. If you break that date and post early, I can guarantee you'll never get another scoop from us, and you'll probably end up posting incorrect information.

Sean Kauppinen: Ask for money, threaten, or be unprofessional. Understanding that blogs have legitimacy to different audiences, because they are not media companies, helps effective and relevant bloggers realize that their community is more important than corporate goals.

Tami Baribeau: There are plenty of things a blogger can do wrong ;) Ask for freebies constantly, over-contact the staff, only post positive things about the game when freebies are provided, have constantly high-expectations on the amount of hand-holding the team can provide, misrepresent the content they're going to be writing about, act rude, etc.

"Fostering gossip and rumors, sensationalizing issues, and delivering tabloid-style content doesn't serve the game community and it presents the blogger as untrustworthy to us."

Tricia Jenkins: Most of the bloggers we've worked with have been very supportive and genuinely interested in the game and company... Besides, who'd want to cross us? We've got mutated Prairie Chickens on our side! *evil grin*

Wonder Russell: If a blogger doesn't take what they do seriously and don't actually care about the culture of gaming, the gaming community, writing quality in-depth reviews (no writing the review after only a few hours of play), it's going to show. That reflects badly on us, and well, we aren't gonna be super happy to give you a free game next time! There are other obvious things I can think of, like using a blog to grandstand or trash talk other companies. That's never happened to us, but I'd guess it's a pretty common concern among game developers/publishers – we'd like to trust you and know we made the right decision.

Regina Buenaobra: I think one of the things that can be troublesome for bloggers is when they speculate far too much about the intentions or the inner workings of ArenaNet. They use that speculation as a basis for formulating opinions about the company that may not be based on fact. If a blogger is unhappy about what a company did with a game, that's perfectly valid. But speculating about a company's intentions in a way that presumes 100% knowledge of the circumstances generally gets grumbles from us. It's much better for a blogger to focus on what they know for a fact, and write about that. Fostering gossip and rumors, sensationalizing issues, and delivering tabloid-style content doesn't serve the game community and it presents the blogger as untrustworthy to us.

In general, it never hurts for blogger to put feelers out to a company if they have questions about something. There's no harm in contacting a company's community manager to see whether they can answer a question or escalate an issue to the right people within the company.

EM Stock: Bloggers who are hell bent on sabotage, who spread harmful/untrue rumors and who take the content we provide them with the intention of using it against us, will lose our support pretty quickly. Additionally, any blogger that doesn't at least give us the opportunity to explain or address something they've written that we feel we can shed some light on, will start losing our trust. We're not in the habit of trying to change people's opinions; we just always appreciate the opportunity to set the record straight.

Meghan Rodberg: Writing knee-jerk rant posts based on assumptions, and not verifying facts, is the fastest way to sever your relationship with a game company. Bloggers are in many ways journalists, even if many of them don't see themselves that way, and while their reach might be smaller, many of us in the game industry hold them to the same ethical standards.

What value do MMO bloggers have to your goals as a community relations specialist?

David Bass: Bloggers are individual voices in the maelstrom of the Internet. The forums are our primary forms of communication, but a lot of times the individual voices get lost in favor of the vocal minority. Blogs are a great way to hear individuals and respond to their concerns on a much more personal level. I love networking with bloggers, because it really helps foster relationships that you can't forge on game forums.

Shaun Brodie: Bloggers are an incredible value. Not only do they help to spread the word about our games, but they also let us know what the players are talking about. Forums can get really busy, information can get lost in the madness there, but a blogger has the ability to make a nice, high profile post that people will talk about not only on the blog, but also on our forums. Anything that helps us know what the community wants is awesome.

Sean Kauppinen: Bloggers are very important to Frogster America and the success of Runes of Magic. We recognize their importance as non-media entities that in many ways are ombudsmen for the community, representing their interests.

Tami Baribeau: Tons of value. MMO bloggers offer a unique perspective because they help you understand what MMO players as a whole feel about your product. If the only community a CM listens to are their own dedicated players, they get a skewed perception of how MMO players feel about their game. Reading blogs is a great way to get a macro-opinion about what the MMO community as a whole think about your product.

They also have a certain level of influence, and are a great way to connect with new potential fans. Reaching out to them and offering them advance details on upcoming features or announcements is a certain "grass roots" level of approach that can be very effective for targeting new audiences (and providing damage control). Commenting and interacting with fans on a blog post gives you the ability to have conversations with people who affect the public perception of your product.

"Blogs are a great way to hear individuals and respond to their concerns on a much more personal level."

Tricia Jenkins: You can't underestimate the power of bloggers, especially in the gaming industry. A lot of gamers these days will rely on a specific blog to provide them with information, news and thoughts on their favorite games. Reaching out to MMO-specific bloggers allows you to deliver information about your game directly to the audience you want to reach. Getting bloggers involved in campaigns and promotions can definitely bolster your community.

Wonder Russell: Bloggers tend to have hubs of readers different from big news sites – it's more predicated on relationship and dedicated readers are more likely to trust word of mouth recommendations. Being mentioned in a good blog can do a lot towards generating goodwill and a personal touch – players like to know there's a human being on the other end, not just an email address, and a company's willingness to work with blogs shows that you're paying attention and care about everyone's experience.

Regina Buenaobra: Bloggers bring a more personal dimension to the game experience. They share their passion and excitement for gaming in a totally authentic, unfiltered way. It's very important for us to be able to understand this personal dimension and the different ways players experience the game. MMO game bloggers often remind us that there can be very different types of players and communities for a single game, each with different perspectives and expectations. MMO game bloggers are also able to reach a niche of players and communities that larger game sites may not be able to.

EM Stock: As Community Relations professionals, we are relationship builders. We do whatever possible to help players form relationships with each other and become invested in our games. Once they are, it's our job to support them as much as we can. Bloggers, (like fan site creators and podcasters) do what they do out of passion for the game. Their level of effort goes above and beyond that of the normal player, and they deserve to be recognized for it. Just by talking about our game on their blog, a blogger is spreading awareness of it via the Internet. If their impressions are relatively positive, it hopefully results in new subscriptions and a stronger player community.

Meghan Rodberg: Bloggers have a lot of value because they generally represent different segments of the community; their posts tend to be very focused and topical – line by line they tend to have a lot of bang for the buck. Rant-blogs often being the exception.

How would a blogger go about building a relationship with your company?

David Bass: Cryptic's got a great Marketing team that is willing to hook up any website, big or small, with an interview, some assets, anything we can give you. So getting in touch with our PR team is a great way to get your blog some extra exposure. On a more personal note, I end up noticing blogs mostly because they just start talking about us! A lot of us have things like Google Alerts set up, where we get an email any time a website talks about us, and I now follow three or four blogs regularly just from discovering them through the Alerts. I'll even post comments and stuff on their blogs (usually anonymously, though). Building a relationship's as easy as being vocal (but constructively so).

Shaun Brodie: The hands down best thing to do is to get in touch with our PR department. They'll let us know about you, and also manage any interview requests you might have. I'm more than happy to talk to the community in any medium. Also, make sure to read and post to the forums. Just like players might geek out meeting a developer, we geek out when we get to meet our players! If you're known in the community, chances are, I know you too.

Sean Kauppinen: They would send me an email at sean@ide-agency.com and let me know how I can help them in their writings.

Tami Baribeau: The first thing you have to do is let the community team know they exist. Reach out via an email and introduce yourself, talk about what you would like to do with your blog, and make sure you get connected with a community manager. The best tip I have for getting great quality content out of a game company is by telling them exactly what you want. For example, email the team and tell them you're wanting to write up an article about the lore behind Rallos Zek and you're wondering if there might be an exclusive screenshot, interview or lore tidbit that the team can share with you. Instead of contacting the game company looking for ideas or topics to write about, be creative and come up with one yourself -- then contact the company to help support it with some unique content. This is a win-win situation!

Also, don't underestimate the power of social networking. Many Community Managers are on Twitter and Facebook or have blogs of their own. Don't be shy to interact with them.

Tricia Jenkins: We've had several bloggers come to us-via Twitter, Facebook, our website-seeking more game information, trial keys, interviews etc. If you're a blogger and already have your blog set up, definitely send along a link to your blog with whatever information about the game it is you are seeking-we're very responsive! We certainly can't reach every gaming blog out there, so we definitely welcome new bloggers.

"Don't underestimate the power of social networking."

Wonder Russell: First, find out the best person to contact. General emails have difficulty threading their way to the right person. Secondly, be professional. Show past examples of reviews or give us an idea of how many readers you have. It's not necessarily about a quota, it's about showing us that you take your blog seriously and care about what you do. This might be ridiculously obvious, but I appreciate a well thought-out email with good grammar and spelling. Letters like, "I have a blog and everyone tells me to play yoru game its looks fun pls send a steam key thx" just really makes me feel like I'm not worth your time.

Regina Buenaobra: The first step is to get on our radar. The internet is vast, and a huge number of blogs are created each day, so we don't always notice new blogs. We love finding out about new Guild Wars blogs, though! I'd advise bloggers to definitely send us an @ on Twitter or drop a quick email just to let us know about your blog.

EM Stock: The blogger can start by contacting us and making sure we know they exist. We will evaluate their blog, their readership and then determine the level of support we can provide. A blogger who reaches out to the Community Relations Team on a regular basis and keeps us updated on his or her activities is promoting a relationship based on communication and trust.

Meghan Rodberg: First of all, let us know about you! Community Managers are always being slammed with communications from every different direction, and it can be difficult to find the time to seek blogs out or even keep up with existing ones. Contact us, let us know about your blog. Once you've made the contact, don't just assume we'll pick up new posts via RSS – drop us a line (don't forget the link!) and let us know a new post is up.

Ahh, that eternal debate about what differentiates a gaming blogger from a gaming journalist. We could go on and on about specifics on both sides, but the fact is, we all have the same goals in mind: writing about what we love.

Ravious at Kill Ten Rats approached us with an idea he's been working on for a few months involving MMO bloggers and their relationship with community managers. We thought this was a brilliant idea as a valuable hub of information for MMO bloggers, and offered to help him get it kick-started. So we sent off his questions to nine of the top community managers in the industry to get their take on how bloggers can establish and grow a favorable working relationship with them. With so much information here, we broke it into two parts: one today and the conclusion tomorrow. Follow along for their answers to part one!