Looking Forward: Senior Capstone Objectives

The New Project

Potential new logo for the project

The project is still tentative, yet this encompassed many learning objectives and also be a unique, new resource that has the unique position of becoming a key part of the emerging eSports industry. Titled "What is eSports?", it is a new website that provides an introduction to the esports scene.

Objectives

• Web Design
  A personal strength, this will allow me to communicate vast amounts of information in as clear and concise manner as possible.
  
• Web DevelopmentBy launching on a stable platform that allows for collaboration, updates, and expansion into the future, we'll remain a viable resource for years to come.
• Content Partnerships
  By finding key eSports experts and advocates, we hope to create a universal and agreed-on introduction that is inclusive, comprehensive, and not opinionated.
• Establishing Key Partners
  We need to not only make a name for ourselves, but attach ourselves to the success of other popular eSports ventures. By offering a unique service (an easy to use, step-by-step resource for newcomers), we hope that the eSports community will eagerly accept our
• New Media Marketing
  From social media to low-cost advertising to guerrilla marketing, we'll employ multiple tactics to create a positive buzz and strong word-of-mouth for our launch.

The ultimate goal is not only to become a usable, functional website; but to become the industry-recognized resource for an introduction to e-sports. 

This project will combine my past experience with Games Cast TV, Quake Live TV, and other esports ventures, and is a great new opportunity to focus on a content-driven website. A major focus will be our partnerships. We must partner with key figures in the industry, popular communities, and industry-leading websites in order to become the definitive resource as an introduction to eSports.

Why the change?

Originally, my plan was to finally launch the often-delayed Games Cast TV as a final product, create a formalized business plan, create a new marketing drive, and finally push the entire project out the door. However, there is a few problems with Games Cast TV.

First, I did a large amount of work for the WV Business Plan Competition, where the plan succeeded into the semifinalist round as a competitor for $10,000. However, I ran into a large amount of difficult when it came to defining what eSports was and why it mattered.

Second, the Games Cast TV development relies largely on the shoulder of my partner, Steve "GreasedScotsman" Huff. However, he's recently become a father, which means he's largely dedicated to actually being a good dad. And it's hardly fair to ask for a big time commitment when there is something far more important going on in his life.

Third, this change is something that fits very well into the original theme of my Capstone project, anyway. For my Capstone on Games Cast TV, I had a third (if not more) of my resources going into defining what eSports was, how big the industry was, and how it was growing. However, it failed to answer why eSports matters.

By changing my focus 100% onto the industry, I can still highlight my experiences with QLTV and GCTV, while really creating a new story about what eSports is, and in a way that's easily communicable. It's not just about defining eSports, but about how the scene is growing, changing, and become something culturally relevant in the US and around the world.

I, for one, am excited for the change and hopefully my director will agree with the new path this project has taken.