Fanboyism is ruining this forum

ZackGS

Before you read on further, this isn't a personal attack on Utopian games or Darren as he/they do smashing work and have my upmost respect.

So a lot of people have posted templates here for sale, but they don't sell. Why? Well it seems that unless your username is Utopian Games then even if you create the worlds best template no-one is going to buy it.

Now, I am not referring to my own template i put up for sale. Even though it is a good template for the money, it just must not appeal to people.

However, every other template i have seen gets 0 to maybe a few sales (even t-shirt booth's ones), and I feel that the forum is being ridiculously over the top with it. Unless a template is made by utopian games then no-one will buy it or show any interest whatsoever.

This is fine, but it feels like if utopian games put !@#$% into a bag and sold it here, that you guys would snap it up without a second thought.

It is ruining the Marketplace as its a pointless forum with the only sales coming from ONE developer.
I know his work is really good, but so are the work of a few other template designers I have seen here.

Do you guys agree? (again this isn't a personal attack on Utopian games, just a observation from myself)

Also I no longer use Gamesalad so I have nothing to gain by posting this except trying to get people to open there eyes and give other developers a chance.

simo103

well using your fanboy logic I would have though tshirtbooths templates would be selling very well also as his reputation around here is stellar. So you haven't convinced me with that point.

I think the issue is there has been a rush of templates for sale recently as if this is a just discovered way of making money. May of the offers have been for pre-baked ideas with a lot of 'and I will be adding this' type statement with 'free upgrades'. These same people do a rush sale for today only type of crap which leaves a reasonable thinker believing it's not worth paying for. Unfortunately some credible templates may get pulled into that line of thinking.

lastly I think there is a slow down in purchases since if you bought one or two surely you now have teh basis for your games and need some time to change the game play and load up graphics so perhaps you are off the market for new templates.

tenrdrmer

While you are right it seems that only Utopian Games Templates Are very successful. The reason is they are proven good work. Look around this market place with guys throwing crap together and offering it of $10 bucks and within an hour dropping to $5 because it wasn't instantly a hit. or guys throwing together basic simple stuff and offering it up to make a buck. It's not fanboyism its shovel ware right here on our own marketplace.
And honestly while we are being honest here. Your physics puzzle template simply looks like your last ditch attempt at raking in a couple extra bucks off one of your games. I have two different physics puzzle game on the store now and have considered posting the code as a template but honestly, I don't want to be seen as that guy who is just trying my damnedest to scraping some extra bucks.

I will post a template later I think has the potential to do half decent and it is not like any other template on the market at this point. But I am confident because this is something I set out to make a good template. I have not theme ideas to make my own game but i'm sure some others out here would like to make a game like it so I have spent a good amount of time working out any little issues I have found and will keep working with whoever buys it to make sure thy are satisfied with their purchase. But rest assured this is not a game of mine that flopped on the store and its not something I have just thrown together this morning, so I can just throw it out there and see if it sticks. I have treated tis template as though it were my own game and I think thats where the communities confidence has been lost in most of the people building templates. Even TSB has mentioned in his posts he will only provide updates if there is a big interest. Thats bad for business. If there is so little interest in my template that I cannot afford the time to help who ever has bought I will just give there money back and make it free.

So theres my 2cents

Everyone saw the success of one person and have jumped on the bandwagon expecting the exact same results. and all are pissed because there was not instant gratification. The same as the app store will almost certainly disappoint you if you go in thinking you will become rich or heck even make a decent middle class wage for you efforts.

Yo know how on the weight loss commercials where the morbidly obese hag lost 500 pounds and is now a smoking hot porn star. Theres fine print at the bottom that says results not typical. Thats the same thing here.

*RESULTS NOT TYPICAL

ZackGS

tenrdrmer said:
While you are right it seems that only Utopian Games Templates Are very successful. The reason is they are proven good work. Look around this market place with guys throwing crap together and offering it of $10 bucks and within an hour dropping to $5 because it wasn't instantly a hit. or guys throwing together basic simple stuff and offering it up to make a buck. It's not fanboyism its shovel ware right here on our own marketplace.
And honestly while we are being honest here. Your physics puzzle template simply looks like your last ditch attempt at raking in a couple extra bucks off one of your games. I have two different physics puzzle game on the store now and have considered posting the code as a template but honestly, I don't want to be seen as that guy who is just trying my damnedest to scraping some extra bucks.

I will post a template later I think has the potential to do half decent and it is not like any other template on the market at this point. But I am confident because this is something I set out to make a good template. I have not theme ideas to make my own game but i'm sure some others out here would like to make a game like it so I have spent a good amount of time working out any little issues I have found and will keep working with whoever buys it to make sure thy are satisfied with their purchase. But rest assured this is not a game of mine that flopped on the store and its not something I have just thrown together this morning, so I can just throw it out there and see if it sticks. I have treated tis template as though it were my own game and I think thats where the communities confidence has been lost in most of the people building templates. Even TSB has mentioned in his posts he will only provide updates if there is a big interest. Thats bad for business. If there is so little interest in my template that I cannot afford the time to help who ever has bought I will just give there money back and make it free.

So theres my 2cents

Everyone saw the success of one person and have jumped on the bandwagon expecting the exact same results. and all are pissed because there was not instant gratification. The same as the app store will almost certainly disappoint you if you go in thinking you will become rich or heck even make a decent middle class wage for you efforts.

Yo know how on the weight loss commercials where the morbidly obese hag lost 500 pounds and is now a smoking hot porn star. Theres fine print at the bottom that says results not typical. Thats the same thing here.

*RESULTS NOT TYPICAL

Just so you know, like I said, I am not pissed at all. This doesn't affect me in the slightest. It was just an observation

Chaser

In a sense I agree due to utopian having 2 hits on front page iTunes and the multiple tools they created its deserved. I posted my dice app which was intense as a potential just to see howmany takers http://gamesalad.com/forums/topic.php?id=17148 but not nearly enough for me to just let all that work go.

JohnPapiomitis

Let me correct you. People taking free templates and putting there own graphics, mixing free templates together, or selling a 5 dollar template that took 30 seconds is whats ruining it. All those templates that arent selling 99 percent of them you can find how to make for free. Making something for 2 seconds and selling it for 5 dollars, why would you think you would get sales?And thats not directed towards you, im just saying in general.

If utopian or tshirt !@#$% in a bag and tried to sell it, it would proabbly help you more then these 5 dollar crap templates.

If you get something from them, you know for a FACT your getting something quality with tons of features. The first thing you think of a 5 dollar tempate is its probably somone lazing just trying to make a buck. If you make something very good in quality you have a great chance of selling it. People would much rather pay 100 dollars for somethign outstanding then 5 dollars for 3 free templates put together

Hachiko

Well, that's to be expected, and I think it's normal and right too. If I have to invest my money, I invest them where I know there's quality. But I must say, that even if my sale are probably just a fraction that TS and Darren get, for a no-name like me it's really much more than I hoped for. So I think that if you put yourself into it, you can get some little satisfaction from it. As always, my rule is "sell something you would buy", and even if sales are bad, at least you can be satisfied with it .

JohnPapiomitis

Hachiko said:
Well, that's to be expected, and I think it's normal and right too. If I have to invest my money, I invest them where I know there's quality. But I must say, that even if my sale are probably just a fraction that TS and Darren get, for a no-name like me it's really much more than I hoped for. So I think that if you put yourself into it, you can get some little satisfaction from it. As always, my rule is "sell something you would buy", and even if sales are bad, at least you can be satisfied with it .

Exactly, it doesnt go for templates it goes for every product for sale. Would i rather buy a cheesburger fomr a lunch cart for a buck, that will most likely kill my stoamch later or give me the runs, or pay 10 dollars for a nice cut burger that tastes amazing and sits perfect in my stomach from one of the best steakhouses around.

Im going for the prime baby!

simo103

JohnPapiomitis said:
Im going for the prime baby!

Man ... I'm hungry all of a sudden .

I do however think there are/could be some real gems made from unexpected sources (just like in life talent does not ensure success and some talent goes undiscovered). So if this is helpful at all I think it would be valuable to follow the example of those how have some success.
1. Create a full featured demo template (and don't show it until it is well along in development) don't even talk about it until its ready
2. List all the features that make it special and unique
3. Include a good video of it in action
4. Price it reasonably and don't change the price from one day to the next
5. Listen to constructive criticism and learn from it
6. If you plan to offer free updates (unless you are well know) be prepared to back that up and maybe even go a step further and state a few features by a certain date and made that happen (nothing better than keeping your word to build your cred). Dont .. DONT overpromise.
7. Consider using artwork to make it look great but watermark them and tell people they can't use them
8. If you're good then maybe team up with some of the artists here and see if they want to offer art packs that fit well with your game.
9. Remember to help out others and perhaps throw the community a free bone or two every now and then.

i think that should do it. For me if you do those things I have no reason (other than fanboyism) to ignore your product ... however I'm always looking to find quality people to be a fan of .. so step up!

JohnPapiomitis

simo103 said:
Man ... I'm hungry all of a sudden .

I do however think there are/could be some real gems made from unexpected sources (just like in life talent does not ensure success and some talent goes undiscovered). So if this is helpful at all I think it would be valuable to follow the example of those how have some success.
1. Create a full featured demo template (and don't show it until it is well along in development) don't even talk about it until its ready
2. List all the features that make it special and unique
3. Include a good video of it in action
4. Price it reasonably and don't change the price from one day to the next
5. Listen to constructive criticism and learn from it
6. If you plan to offer free updates (unless you are well know) be prepared to back that up and maybe even go a step further and state a few features by a certain date and made that happen (nothing better than keeping your word to build your cred). Dont .. DONT overpromise.
7. Consider using artwork to make it look great but watermark them and tell people they can't use them
8. If you're good then maybe team up with some of the artists here and see if they want to offer art packs that fit well with your game.
9. Remember to help out others and perhaps throw the community a free bone or two every now and then.

i think that should do it. For me if you do those things I have now reason (other than fanboyism) to ignore your product ... however I'm always looking to find quality people to be a fan of .. so step up!

Im starving now as well!

And you nailed it on the head where i left off. I have no problems trying a new lunch cart per say (hehehe) but if that lunch card has a carboard sign up with a burger drawn in crayon for 50 cents what are we supposed to think? I know some people may think its helping alot of people out, but in my mind at least is seems if your selling a template for 5 dollars, it doesnt really give a good impression. Makes it seem like its something rushed into and just quicky put out there for a buck. Expersicaly when the description is this is my template, with a 15 second video, and then the seller bumps it every 20 min asking why no ones buying.

quantumsheep

Kan you be more specific?
Is there any chance you could elaborate maybe?
Really, I don't get it!
Knowing is important!

QS

joshmiller602

InfusedDreams said:
Before you read on further, this isn't a personal attack on Utopian games or Darren as he/they do smashing work and have my upmost respect.

So a lot of people have posted templates here for sale, but they don't sell. Why? Well it seems that unless your username is Utopian Games then even if you create the worlds best template no-one is going to buy it.

Now, I am not referring to my own template i put up for sale. Even though it is a good template for the money, it just must not appeal to people.

However, every other template i have seen gets 0 to maybe a few sales (even t-shirt booth's ones), and I feel that the forum is being ridiculously over the top with it. Unless a template is made by utopian games then no-one will buy it or show any interest whatsoever.

This is fine, but it feels like if utopian games put !@#$% into a bag and sold it here, that you guys would snap it up without a second thought.

It is ruining the Marketplace as its a pointless forum with the only sales coming from ONE developer.
I know his work is really good, but so are the work of a few other template designers I have seen here.

Do you guys agree? (again this isn't a personal attack on Utopian games, just a observation from myself)

Also I no longer use Gamesalad so I have nothing to gain by posting this except trying to get people to open there eyes and give other developers a chance.

Let me explain a little bit about how free trade works. Sellers push their wares to the buyers. There are usually many buyers in a free society. Buyers tend to buy from those that are reputable sellers or those that they trust to sell a superior or reliable product (this is why some companies expand, and others do not). Buyers tend to avoid buying products from whiney, unsuccessful peddlers who spend more time complaining about how their customers don't buy anything from them, and about their competition, than they do on improving their product.

Simply put. I'm here all week.

EatingMyHat

Fanboyism is not a bad word. It means that someone spend the time creating a fan base and now he can profit from it. If he will sell !@#$% in a bag people might buy, but he will lose his fans very quickly; if he will maintain his quality of work, he will gain more.

It takes time to build a reputation, Utopian and Tshirt didn't just joined yesterday and posted a template for sale. You want to magic formula to make money out of templates? here it is:

1. Get busy answering tech questions on the forum, not just misc threads
2. Publish your games, you don't need to sell much, but people should see your skill
3. Maybe make a couple of GS tips and tricks videos
4. Give the community some nice free templates
5. Repeat for a few months
6. Try to sell a template

Life is simple. I'm also here all week, but next week I might be out

joshmiller602

@Gabbyr

LOL! You crack me up

I agree...it's not a bad word. It just means you like something. Just because you like something doesn't mean you are blind to its faults, don't notice all the other crappy stuff around you that are trying to "compete", etc. You notice those things, you just don't care because what you like is perfect for you and 99% of the time, heads and shoulders better than the nearest competition.

DreamLab

I would just like to add, if darren, or tshirtbooth !@#$% in a bag and tried to sell it, MOST LIKELY it would be a good quality bag, and the !@#$% wouldn't smell bad. Just a thought. lol! Meaning they have QUALITY stuff and things to back it up with. Yes, if someone has a GOOD template, they deserve recognition. Like hachiko. He came out of no where with the canabalt template. Had a bunch of buyers.
I have made my point
DL

Nemezyz

Deh interwebz iz fool of fanboiizismuh