The Green Dragon...rekindle? OR let a dead horse lie?

[Geb]

I have been contemplating and lurking and thinking over the past couple years about The Green Dragon (TheGD.com). I tinkered with re-launching and failed to gain any momentum and now I am re-thinking once again.

My question to you guys who LOVE Middle-earth...was it a positive experience? Was the site helpful in managing/collecting/maintaining your Middle-earth presence?

If I try to re-launch...AGAIN...I will likely start with the last known configuration of TheGD.com which included news, customs, forums, reviews, and ARCHIVES galore. Probably include the 'points' system as before but make the points system better if possible. I will probably SCALE the site BACK a little...and not include some stuff...at least at first.

My biggest question remains if it is worth it to this community. There are already plenty of sites out there for collectibles, but only a few centered on Middle-earth, and don't want to waste anyone's time...especially mine.

Lastly, IF this goes forward, I will need HELP...and would likely ask for some site ADMINS to help with managing users, forums, and CONTENT!

Let me know what you guys think...it is somewhat of an expensive venture (mostly time, but also capital).

IDEAS PLEASE!!!

Geb

P.S. One last thing/idea...should the site branch out and include anything in ADDITION to Middle-earth? I am thinking Video Game collectibles or Fantasy Movie collectibles or perhaps some other realm...

 

[The Josh]

If you feel its going to be worth the time I say you go for it. Really outside of what we do at TORn there aren't any other sites that really mention collectibles dealing with Middle-earth much. It may get mentioned on a site now and again but nothing consistant.

 

[Geb]

Thanks Josh...I am not sure the exact questions to ask...guess just looking for ideas and whether folks would be willing to participate. LOTR is 'old news' these days with no movies to support it and The Hobbit is a bit hotter...so we will see. Thanks for the input...

 

[The Josh]

Thanks Josh...I am not sure the exact questions to ask...guess just looking for ideas and whether folks would be willing to participate. LOTR is 'old news' these days with no movies to support it and The Hobbit is a bit hotter...so we will see. Thanks for the input...

No problem. I'm sure you can find people willing to help you out. There are people here who are big fans that might be willing to give of some time. It is but there are still plenty of fans and honest there are fans who would love to have checklists, picture guides, etc that they could go and look at. Think Rebelscum or CTR as far as layout goes of a toy site. Subject matter wise you're going to cover anything Sideshow, Weta, GG, The Bridge Direct, stuff Jerry Vanderstelt does, etc.

 

[Geb]

You are thinking what I'm thinking...thanks Josh. One hurdle may be capital to keep the sight 'flowing' with new content...but it is more a labor of love for Middle-earth than antyhing else.

If we have enough 'contributors' we should be able to capture everything we need to build a nice archival database with checklists, imagery, guides, customs, dioramas, etc.

Geb

 

[The Josh]

Great minds think alike. No problem. I think The Hobbit will keep you going fairly strong. Sideshow is going to have stuff, Weta has stuff, GG has stuff, and of course The Bridge Direct. Items from The Lord of the Rings are also making their way out from those companies. I think things are gonna be fine for the next few years and after you can always have throwback days for old products.

I think you will find several people willing to do so.

 

[superdoug]

Geb!

I loved the original green dragon site and the revamped one (probably obvious since my points were many went by strider there). It was the number one place I used to go to to find out about the lotr product and the archives of product were fantastic!

If it comes back I would love to help out in any way I can, artciles, pictures, product review (I could probably even get my kids perspective).

My advice would be to pick a certain aspect to try to focus on. It you make it the toys (figures/lego/games/etc). Try to be the one stop shop for info on these maybe with tabs to know release dates and products. Let the other information be secondary but still post it and welcome it. Maybe there is a way to work hand in hand with some of the other sites like TORn. Maybe if they let you post links and headlines to their stories and they post headlines and links to yours it will increase exposure to both?

 

[Mr Fell Beast]

GEB!!!!!

Green Dragon!!!!!!!

AHHHHHH, names from the past!


I LOVED reading though the website and the collectable items, I would say refire the engines back up and see what happens!

 

[cstojano]

The world needs a post-2000 archive of LOTR collectibles, mostly a guide to the Toy Biz line, what a complete loose figure has, reissues, etc. Once done this would be an archive that might drive some traffic to the site on a continual basis while new news would keep content fresh.

 

[Radagaster]

Geb, one thing that kept the site great was it was the one-stop place for all collectibles Middle-Earth. If anything, it would be great to have something the equivalent of Rebelscum (solely Star Wars), or StatueForum (which is just on statues). You can embark on a forum-based site, but it can be risky, because part of it has to do with the culture you want to espouse. If I could have the simplicity of something like Toytracker, but allow me to discuss it like the old LOTRG, but this time everything Middle-Earth (that includes books, toys, collectibles, customs, events) then maybe it can have a chance. Your old TheGD did cover updates like ToRN when it came to toy releases, but I don't recall that it allowed discussions like a forum.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[cstojano]

I would prefer no forums, I already have too many of these things to track every day. PLus most stuff gets cross posted anyway and even though this site is about statues we already discuss toys, posters, etc.

 

[DiFabio]

Relaunch it.

LOTR and the Hobbit are relevant again with the new films. Those LOTR archives were pretty much definitive, rivaling Rebelscum and Cooltoyreview. I've seen people asking "where is that one Toy Biz LOTR archive again".

It needs to come back. It was definitely the best LOTR archive I've ever seen. I used it a lot.

 

[Geb]

thanks for the information, advice, and props guys...I will see what I can put together...

I loved running The Green Dragon...enjoyed adding content and loved seeing folks post comments to stories and add information to the forums...

Time will tell...

 

[bill59]

TheGD would be most welcome back, should it return.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Make it so Geb.

 

[Geb]

Thanks Bill...and everyone else for that matter. I am thinking I could make it work...I now have to go back to may many back-ups on the database side and see what I still have. I would hate to have to start over, but that may not be a bad thing either!

Geb

 

[The Josh]

Good Luck Geb

 

[Geb]

So...last night I found my old USB drive with a back-up on it...

Hells-to-the-yeah...it has pretty much everything on it from the last posting made in December of 2010. Hard to believe it has been that long!

Looks like I have all the database information, imagery, and functionality. Now...I just have to remember how to write PHP and MySQL queries!

On a slightly more SOUR note, I will likely BLOW AWAY the user table, forum threads, forum posts, comments, and stuff like that so that we can start fresh. I'll attempt to retain the articles, giveaways, etc. for posterity sake.

The most difficult task ahead is navigating the archives and figuring out how to implement them in a straghtforward fashion to make it easy to view but more importantly easy to modify and manage.

More to come...getting a little excited myself!

 

[bill59]

Will I be able to keep my Daddy Rog avatar?

 

[Geb]

Probably as before, you'll have to EARN your right to use the Daddy Rog avatar!! But...that will be part of the fun!

My plan is to shake up the points earning mechanisms, and enable people to 'buy' virtual collectibles for their online persona. Kinda like the WETA forum site does...

Should be VERY FUN! My idea is to make the site much more than just a place to visit on occasion...I want to make the site as interactive as possible.

Some other ideas are: interactive map of Middle-earth, trivia contests to earn points, TheGD app development, and tons more. If you have cool ideas, post them here or send them to me on a PM.

Geb

 

[The Josh]

An Iphone and Android app would be a solid idea IMO.