I've added a "SPEND 0 VIZ" link to the games of the Retro Game Room which allows you to play games in the RGR for 0 Viz! In return, you watch a short video ad before you can play the game.

The link can be found below the "PLAY GAME" link to the right of the "NO CHATBOX" link. The option is only available for RGR Plugin games at the moment.

When you choose to play a game using this option, you get charged 0 Viz but the game doesn't get added to your list of games which means that when you go to play the game again, you'll have to watch the ad again. Also, when you go to play a game using the regular 'PLAY GAME' link but don't have enough Viz to play the game, it'll automatically play the Preload Ad.

I view this as a great option for users who don't have very much Viz or want to try out games that cost a lot of Viz. It'll also be a great way to help increase site ad revenue so it's basically win win for everyone. Users can of course play the game normally from the "PLAY GAME" link and not have to worry about watching an ad first.

If you have any questions or feedback, please let me know here.

For the last few days, I've noticed there was this option, however there was no link available for me. My thought was that, since I own the PSX and the Vizzed Machine CD, that link had no sense, but seemingly the link is up now even for me.

I don't mind charging a short video ad before playing. Since the games I play aren't added to my collection due to the aforementioned items, it makes no change playing normally or with this chance, so I'll take the opportunity to give Vizzed more revenue.

EX Palen : That'd be great. Thanks.

Love this feature!

I also think you should force this on guests as well. Making them watch a video before being able to play a game for free is a small price to pay. No different than Youtube does actually.

i'm not trying to sound rude but there is a way to play the game for free without watching the ad there are ad blockers

mrkoolnerd : I agree. I don't have an ad blocker, but with firefox I don't have a flash plugin.
By default my IE still has flash support though.

The way you mention is for people who have an ad blocker, but I'm thinking it doesn't matter because the ad code is still in the source.

I agree with Geeo. I think that you should make all guests watch these ads before being able to play the game.

This seems like a cool feature. Hopefully this is a way to increase revenue without being blocked by Adblocker add-ons. I read recently that Firefox is developing a built in Adblocker by default in future versions.

Neat. I admittedly won't use it, since I don't much like ads, and would rather contribute in site traffic (go post crazy), even if it doesn't necessarily help fund the site. I will note though, I decided to try using an ad blocker (good old Ad Block Plus) and using spend 0 viz, and say no ad or any difference at all. I would suggest detecting ad blocker and refusing to load a game if an ad blocker prevents the ad, if you can manage that.

I've added another update to this feature.

When someone goes to play a game using the regular 'PLAY GAME' link but don't have enough Viz to play the game, it'll automatically play the Preload Ad.

geeogree : I'm thinking about it but guests already have 2 ads that display in the play game window.

mrkoolnerd : I actually plan to eventually make it so that RGR games don't work for users who have ad blocker. When users have ad block, they're basically sucking up resources that don't get paid for by ad revenue which hurts vizzed financially. If too many users start to use ad block, then the site would have to close down due to it not making enough off of ad revenue to pay for the server fees. This would force users to either have to enable ads while on vizzed or make vizzed an exception with their adblock and it could potentially increase the site's ad revenue by quite a bit or at least enough so that I can live off of the site again and continue working on it full time.

tRIUNE : Refer to what I said to mrkoolnerd.

Jordanv78 : Refer to what I said to geeogree and mrkoolnerd.

bigger0gamer : Refer to what I said to mrkoolnerd.

So my only concern with this is if there's a difference in saved states for the AD option or not. It should allow us to continue the same files whether or not we click to 'buy' the game or watch the AD, right? 

Also, I have actually been meaning to find a good place to ask you about how your ad system works. As in whether or not it does affect you if we have adblock plus or not. I never knew one way or the other. Will definitely turn off that extension for this website after reading your previous response, though. 

Davideo7 :  


How do you actually generate revenue from the ads? Do they just have to be there or do they need to be clicked on? I've never understood this concept.

danielbelitch : The save state is stored in the emulator, so no matter if you click play game, no chatbox or 0 viz, it makes no change to the game itself.

Surgiac : It's like a commercial on TV. All they have to do is view the ad for me to earn money. Depending on the ad, position, time of year, and a bunch of other factors, the site can make anywhere between $0.10 to $1.00 or more per 1000 impressions. Of course I do make more when an ad is clicked though. When someone uses an ad block, the site generates absolutely no revenue and if enough people used ad block, the site wouldn't be able to survive financially.

danielbelitch : It wont affect save states at all.

Davideo7 :

Does the ad need to be fully watched? I tend to attempt to close them as soon as possible so I don't have to deal with them. You also may want to consider some sort of premium membership to Vizzed if you intend to force users to watch ads. That way, they can pay X amount every Y so they don't have to deal with the ads. People are not going to like it if they have no option to ignore ads. There's also the chance that it will still scare users off completely & make them just download the games/emulators so they don't need to worry about ads too.

Surgiac : I guess you must've misunderstood something. No one is ever going to be forced to watch an ad. This thread is about an update which gives users an option to play a game using 0 Viz but in return have to watch a preload ad before they can start playing the game.

Davideo7 :  


Sorry for the sandwich post. I think I get it now. I guess I had thought that when you said you were going to make it so people can't play with ad blocker, I figured it meant for the whole shebang.

it's not i have a problem with ads online i do have these issues 1. to many sites and major ones mind you abuse ads google seems to be the biggest  they shouldn't be running ads period  2. some ads are annoying and not really relevant to the site i'm visiting ex. a not so family friendly ad on a kids site 3. ads with sound these should be illegal in my opinion 4. i almost forgot this one sites tend to load faster without ads and yes in some cases there is a major difference 5. ads can cover up entire pages from being viewed so a ad is all you see 
i'm not saying that ads on here fall in any of these categories but there is enough of them that do to justify using ad block in my opinion

Davideo7 : That is a purely genius idea!I would have used this feature all the time back when I first signed up.Of course, I won't use it now because I have the PC item and the beta test ticket, but, I'm sure this will bring in a lot of advertising revenue for your site.

Also, I noticed a few users suggested that guests be forced to view ads before playing games.I think that is also a great idea.It would encourage people who really like this site to sign up and it would bring in revenue from the casual on-and-off visitors who don't mind watching an ad.

geeogree : would you like to be forced to eat some breakfast before using taco-bell's bathroom

I don't think forcing more stuff on guest is a good idea...

I have kind of have mixed feelings about forcing unregistered users 2 watch ads. Yes it will help the website gain money when the unregistered people aren't doing anything but basically taking up space so yeah i feel it is good in that way. However i also think that in some cases it may make the unregistered person not want 2 make a account because they may feel that vizzed is just another website that is full of spam ads which can possibly hurt the website when it comes 2 getting more traffic back on it.