Avidgamers ([http://www.avidgamers.com]) is a popular and free community hosting system which hosts websites from a MySQL-backend with common features such as Forums, Messaging and Applications. The system was created by Norwegians Jon Valvatne in 2001. The site came to be when owner Jon Valvatne made a website for the Utopia (online game) clan Barduvian . Later others enquired about having a similar site and thus the system was born.

=Avidgamers 1.0=

Avidgamers was created on the principal of creating a free and easy way to create clan (computer gaming) websites for online games such as Utopia (online game) for those without the necessary knowledge of Server-side_scripting or the money to buy hosting. The site quickly grew in popularity and now has thousands of hosted communities and a large and active community of users.

Since Avidgamers was created, its main function has changed slightly and it now primarily hosts Roleplays. Public board moderator, Michael Sinclair introduced the idea of using the system for these types of communities with his role-playing website, Temporal Sands. With its easy to use customisation options and system of the administrator having to review a potential member s application before registering them Avidgamers was suited to this format of community, and many more were created.

Members can customise their website either by simple layout options such as colours and fonts, or the powerful header/footer system, which allows users to create more complex designs. Every one of the default pages can be edited, and new pages can be added with no limitations creating a similarly powerful content-editting system. Avidgamers also has its own rudimentary scripting language in the form of AG Variables . These allows certain variables to be used from page to page, such as the user s username or userlevel.

The system ceased to accept new communities in 2004, when Avidgamers 2.0 was released. At this point the Community Directory also ceased to function. Administrator Jon Valvatne had said that the Avidgamers Public Boards would also be closing in the near future, however he has sinced [CAMILLE] stated he will keep this open indefinitely. The original system, however, continues to be popular - though the amount of available communities is fast decreasing.

Google advertisements were added to both the AG1 and AG2 public boards and existing AG1 communities in late 2005 in the hope that the owner Jon Valvatne could make back some of the considerable financial cost involved in running Avidgamers for several years.

=The Community=

While still primarily a hosting website, Avidgamers has developed a massive user base in the form of the two public boards (AG1 and AG2). The two public boards are the main way of advertising an Avidgamers community to fellow avidgamers users. Each also offer forum areas to get help from other users and for general discussion.

Because the General Discussion areas of the public boards are so active and vibrant, many members stay on there long after they have grown out of the AG community hosting system (IE, gone to more traditional hosting). The General board on AG1 especially is a community in its own right, often scorning those who still use the Advertisements forum, and newbies in general.

Since 2002, four Moderators: Michael Sinclair, Trent Silverleaf, laserlight and Immortal Fury (inactive) have helped administrator Jon Valvatne to keep control over the public boards. Having said that, Avidgamers has a very loose moderation policy, though through the years there has been calls by some members, including moderator Trent Silverleaf, to have stricter rules, measures to cut down on spam and an increased amount of moderators. None of these have been implemented.

Avidgamers has a rather elitist community - Regulars are held in high regard despite their behaviour or skill whereas many new members (or newbies) are harshly treated, particularly when they do not understand and behave according to the culture and social norms that have come to be accepted. It is also widely accepted the it is a deeply racist community with members from other cultures frequently experiencing prejudice due to their beliefs. Generally, the longer the member has been on Avidgamers, the more deserving of respect they are considered to be, even though they take advantage of this, sometimes resorting in putting other people down or boasting they ve been on for years, ergo they know more. Of course, this action doesn t sit well with others, who demand they be placed on an equal level as the so called Regulars .

Avidgamers administrator, Jon Valvatne, remains mysterious to the majority of members. He seldom posts on the public boards and almost never discloses details about himself to the general AG community.

=External links=