Online Dougie Video Game Forum for XBox PS3 Gamers
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OnlineDougie.com is the first online video game forum for gamers to find other players with the same interests. What sets OnlineDougie apart from other video game communities is the ability to schedule times to play with other members online.
Denise Vecchione Co-Founder of OnlineDougie, commented, “Creating a child safe site isn’t easy, but maintaining it is the real challenge. It wasn’t easy finding a web developer that shared the same ideals as OnlineDougie.”
In 2010 Vecchione started researching web design and the most cost-effective way to turn the concept into an actual site. “I interviewed many companies, from San Francisco to Naples, and the only one that I felt comfortable with was RT Design Group. From our first meeting in July, I knew RT was the right fit.” She had many questions regarding site construction and functionality. “RT not only explained the process to me, they showed me. They presented to me with a certain level of confidence and clarity that other companies did not take the time to do. I felt like other companies just wanted the business, while RT wanted to assist me.”
After receiving the scope of the project, RT began the design process. The first step was to create a logo. “I was elated! Within 24 hours, OnlineDougie had a face. I was amazed, from chicken scratch on a cocktail napkin, I now had a logo that summed up my entire concept. The rest of the site was equally impressive.”
Once the design process was completed RT began phase II, the programming. Ryan Underwood, Lead Programmer commented, “OnlineDougie is very complex, Denise wanted unique functionality, the ability to schedule games across many time zones”. Vecchione knew that this could potentially be a daunting task. “All other companies quoted me an astronomical amount of money and a time line of 15-20 weeks for the scheduling portion alone. You (RT Design Group) quoted me fifteen weeks for the entire project and finished early. I was amazed by the entire process. While the work was being done, I was able to see the progress through the development site, which really set my mind at ease.”
“We knew Denise’s biggest concern was child safety, so being proactive was pertinent. We wanted to make sure she knew how to manage OnlineDougie once it was live,” explained Ryan Trembaly, CEO, and founder of RT. Upon completing web sites of any magnitude, RT educates the client. “We want our clients to be comfortable making updates and changes to their site. We build it but they own it.”
Managing a social network can be very time consuming, especially when one of your goals is to keep children safe. Because of OnlineDougie’s commitment to online safety, parents can rest assured that their children aren’t exposed to explicit content or cyber predators. “I want kids to have a place to go online and find other kids with the same interests to play games together. I also want them to enjoy the same types of online luxuries that adults share, keeping in mind the importance of safety,” Vecchione said.
Understanding how a video game gommunities work and how to patrol them for spammers and predators is very important. Many people use social networks and other free gamer forums for spamming purposes, or to spread personal propaganda. “RT showed me how to patrol my site in the most ergonomic way to search for spammers and predators. They educated me on word filters and the proper ways to administer a web page.”
Though OnlineDougie has only recently been launched, the potential is clear as the number of members continues to climb. The initial success is not enough for RT. “I love my site and I’m thrilled with the work RT did and continues to do exploring and improving it.” With another fine product and the guarantee of confirmed oversight and management, OnlineDougie is destined to be a success. www.onlinedougie.com/
