should i worry about starting a development thread?

3xL

i would love the get ideas from the forum for my next app but this forums is ganging a lot of attention from bloggers and basically just everywhere and i don't want someone to copy my game.

am i being silly? is it just in my head? what you guys think?

Photics

I don't know what's best for you, but I decided to keep my next game secret.

LiquidGameworks

It's not in your head, I'm sure there are trolls waiting to pluck undeveloped ideas in these forums.

But I really think it depends on what you plan on releasing. If the game has some secret new mechanic or is easily duplicatable, then you may want to hide everything except the art. I don't think showing art off will ever hurt anything.

Now, if you have a game which won't depend on the element of surprise, it could use the big build up. To pluck a couple from these forums, take Audio Invaders and Ashley AO. These are games which can stand on their own merits, and aren't the types to be swiped by poachers, since poachers are usually out for a quick buck, and may not be up for the work.

Those are my thoughts, maybe they'll prove helpful.

Braydon_SFX

I don't think it matters.

Lets say I'm making a game about a slice of toast that is on a mission to free a jar of penutbutter from the king carrot in the land of vegetables.

I'm stealing that idea.

Photics

I don't think it matters.

You're the reason why I think it's better not to post about the game. I remember how you reacted to BOT. You were highly critical of the game when it launched. Expectations were higher. If I had not mentioned it at all... and been like... "Hey everyone, look at this game I made." I think people would have been more impressed.

So... where's the advantage? If you say too little, people want to know more. If you say too much, it ruins the fun of when the game is launched. Also, when people discover it's made with GameSalad, your game becomes associated with all of the bad GameSalad games.

If you need help and want to discuss things with the community, that can be fun. Yet, this community might be way too competitive for that. Instead, you could form a group of trusted beta testers outside of this website.

BBEnk

beware of Zynga lol.

Photics

I don't think it matters.

Lets say I'm making a game about a slice of toast that is on a mission to free a jar of penutbutter from the king carrot in the land of vegetables.

I'm stealing that idea.

Ha ha... maybe tshirtbooth should throw a competition based on that idea. There is a valid point here. Unless it's a straight ripoff, people can make very different looking games based on essentially the same idea.

If not, would we have Sonic the Hedgehog?

3xL

thanks guys for all the info (each and everyone of you )

yea essentially many god games are rip offs...

especially angry birds. ripped off crush the castle (which ripped off castle clout i think)
and i hear the new rovio game "amazing alex" might rip off "casey's contraptions / scribblenauts"

anyhow, you get the idea.

ashley ao has gotten attention, and a few other games. some of the devs told me the didn't send any emails so maybe the bloggers hang around here every now and then?

either way its good publicity, but i guess if you have a GREAT game, either way it will be successful (e.g. veggie samurai)

Braydon_SFX

@tshirtbooth - I know man, I can't wait. :-)

3xL

i agree

3xL

well theres always the spinning wheel when loading a scene

JohnPapiomitis

Ideas are nothing, its the execution that matters.

3xL

Ideas are nothing, its the execution that matters.

true true

EatingMyHat

I think it depends on the game, I wouldn't mind sharing a point'n click or an adventure game since the secret sauce is the story and atmosphere, but in some more casual games I might hold off a bit.

Expectations were higher.

And who is to blame for that? I think that when you run a development thread, some modesty is in order. Raving for months about the game that will change our lives not a good strategy... Look at P-O-M thread, he shares his progress, but never once said the game is the best thing that happened to mankind. When the game is done, this is where you should start the hype, not months before.

Also, when people discover it's made with GameSalad, your game becomes associated with all of the bad GameSalad games.

Out of the 400,000,000 people with iOS devices, how many knows what gamesalad is? out of those, how many have negative views about it? and out of those how many will discover the thread? since most will announce the game in the forums, running a dev thread is not the issue.


Just my 2c.

Photics

And who is to blame for that? I think that when you run a development thread, some modesty is in order. Raving for months about the game that will change our lives not a good strategy... Look at P-O-M thread, he shares his progress, but never once said the game is the best thing that happened to mankind. When the game is done, this is where you should start the hype, not months before.

Ha, I would have liked to finish the game sooner... but it took longer. I probably would have finished faster if I spent less time yapping and more time working. Regardless, BOT isn't the only game I've launched. Looking back, I think it's better to keep a project quiet. Yet, that's ultimately up to you. There are advantages and disadvantages in either scenario.

Out of the 400,000,000 people with iOS devices, how many knows what gamesalad is? out of those, how many have negative views about it? and out of those how many will discover the thread? since most will announce the game in the forums, running a dev thread is not the issue.

It's not so much the players... because yeah... they're not all hanging out here. However, the reviewers might wander in. There has been a clear bias against GameSalad games.

mynameisace

You're the reason why I think it's better not to post about the game. I remember how you reacted to BOT. You were highly critical of the game when it launched. Expectations were higher. If I had not mentioned it at all... and been like... "Hey everyone, look at this game I made." I think people would have been more impressed.

Nope... The general public wouldn't have cared at all, it still would've flopped.

It's easy to try and find reasons/excuses why something doesn't do well, but the thread you made that spent way too much time going on about essentially nothing (since you never really revealed anything about the game's mechanics or anything) but I believe that game didn't come out anywhere near as well as it could have because of how cagey you were about the whole thing. You didn't get outside opinion and testers, just had this vision in your head that only you knew about. It may have ended up as the perfect game for you, but that's all it was. A game for you.

Anyway, back on topic... People are way too conservative about what they're doing and think everyone wants to steal their ideas... Once it's out people can steal the ideas and look at E3, GDC and every other game conference - things get revealed years before they are released.

Therefor, @tshirtbooth being the reason why you think it's better to not post about it is silly.

Ace

Photics

Nope... The general public wouldn't have cared at all, it still would've flopped.

I consider the game to be successful. It was featured by Apple and it made some money.

3xL

What app were talking about? Bot?

EatingMyHat

I consider the game to be successful. It was featured by Apple and it made some money.

In that case, nothing else matters. You get to define success for your own game, some are disappointed that they didn't become millionaires, other are just happy to see their baby out in the world. If you keep yourself in group #2, your chances to get into group #1 grows. If your focus is on group #1, your chances to be part of that group are low...

LumpApps

I'm in group #3. I love making games. Don't need to become a millionaire but would live to make a living with my games.

EatingMyHat

I'm in group #3. I love making games. Don't need to become a millionaire but would live to make a living with my games.

I would call it group #2.5