You post games but no profile? what? Thread

So I was just wondering if it's me or if others feel this way.

All the time I see people post stuff on here about their games. But I find after going to their profile page there is no info about themselves or the game?
#wtf

I want to check some stuff out and show my support for some cool games/ideas but often they leave me little opportunity to do so....

So please fill your profile/game pages out. Submit screenies! Something. It def would get you more support and followers.

Sadly, it's all up to them. And since it's also unnecessary, they could leave their profile blank as you said.

But yeah, I agree that it would be better. No doubt on that.

My guess is they just need followers on their games, as developers become more interactive with their community they may consider, personalizing their page.

Sounds like people just putting their game in as many places as possible. Trying to get eyeballs on I guess.

I get that. But it's like applying for a job and not filling out anything except your name....... I wouldn't hire you

Yeah, it does seem rather counter productive

Maybe they are of the oldschool part?

I'm guilty of this.

I have three games, soon to be four, but no profile info as I figured no one would be interested in the thoughts of a hobbyist game maker. I would also feel a little pretentious waxing lyrical about games development considering my total downloads are about 300.

But I could be wrong and I do see your point.

Don't be shy people! I'm glad to see some people respond to this.

I totally understand that logic of thinking. Who would be interested in what I am doing or have to say?

I felt that way for years. In the shadows I worked on level design and environment mapping. I enjoyed it immensely. Yet only to please myself. The games that I played motivated me to try and make something original, that could take my passion and re-work in a way that others could enjoy too.

But it wasn't till years later did I realize that I was shortchanging myself. I didn't socialize or include my game development interests with the world. I mean it wasn't just that. I also had almost no one to talk to about it. If it wasn't for Half-Life's WorldCraft+Tutorials being stored on the game disc, this post might not of ever happened.

So it can be difficult to believe others are interested in what you are doing. Even worse, someone could hate it. The feeling I use to get when someone would casually rip apart one of my levels was bad. But with it I learned that if you put yourself out there and give it your best, that's all you can do....

Which is better? People not ever knowing you existed or speaking your piece and showing your stuff well you have the chance.
So I encourage you all to put yourself out there and take a couple of chances.

I've seen some amazing work spread across this network from artwork,coding,levels,mods,music,sound, etc.. This community never fails to impress me with what I see....... Now just imagine if all of the people in the shadows came out and started sharing? I'm sure we're missing a few gems out there somewhere.

I read an interesting thought piece recently that boiled down to: the best game there ever was has already been made, but no one knows because the author didn't do any PR or was just plain rubbish at marketing. An interesting point I think. Not everyone is going to love my game but by god I want as many people to try it as I can convince to!

I've made up a description of my game, screens, vids and the same is true for my dev group. But I don't get any feedback at all - maybe it's the one fact that other people don't even want to take up the work if it doesn't change anything

To be honest there isn't much to say. So far all I saw on your page was fog and a tree. I guess my feedback would be to add more content to your game before showing it off.

And if everything doesn't change whether you show it or not? Why make games at all? It's easy to say .... "if no one is interested then wtf is the point?"

I get that, really I do. But just giving up because you haven't been recognized by the community isn't exactly positive either. If it's that hard to fill a few lines of text out and post some new media then I'd be more concerned with everyone's expectation of instant gratification. Turning games into a career out of a passion or hobby doesn't happen overnight.

If you need any help or suggestions let me know, I'd love to help. I understand that sometimes through the development process you need a sounding board for ideas and direction.

I should be more concerned than you if anything Phoenix1747. I see you already have 4763 Views on your game and 10 visitors today. I haven't even hit 400 and have yet to freak out. I too wish more people would leave comments, but I assume they will once I release a playable version for them to judge. I can't really ask much more of my followers.

Either way I hope you don't lose the faith, keep up the good work and you never know what might happen.

I have to agree with ChrisCobay on this one, over 4K views and no playable? That's amazing to me. I've had significantly less than 100 profile views and a handful of downloads and I've for a nearly final version of my game up! (And no comments/feedback either) nut gotta keep going, make thing different yourself, give the game your twist!

nut = but!!!!!

To be honest I don't bother about views. It's feedback or comments that I'm glad about but ChrisCobay, you had really good points, guess you are right. I'll definitely do more playable stuff for the people.

Thanks guys!

Glad to have helped

Yeah, I hope people give you feedback! I get a lil worried by lack of comments and post all the time (LEAVE COMMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS) but no one ever does. I think part of the problem is that people who visit IndieDB specifically, are not players but other Dev's. Which doesn't exactly draw them in to investigate our games.

I wish there was a reason or motivation for players to come to IndieDB other than one specific game. Maybe try to find a way to spread the love around?
Not only that but I'd say the site Hierarchy is : ModDB, IndieDB, SlideDB

The way that media is displayed across all sites isn't necessarily equal either. For instance, when I posted news for my game it never even hit ModDB or IndieDB. Which doesn't really help anyone's cause.

I really wish there was a way to create polls on my Game page. I think people would be more likely to click a poll than to leave a comment even.

So I just wanted you to know I wasn't trying to say "It's all your fault!" or "Your not doing enough!" Because there are a lot of variables that come into play.
Just remember your not alone! That's why I was hoping to encourage people instead of shit on them Not my idea of positive feedback so I hope you didn't feel that way.

I also wish there was a place for us Dev's to chat instantly. IRC Channel perhaps? I don't even know if they have one, but I'd love to chat up some of you guys sometime. There's some sick talent out there.

"Don't be shy people!"

The irony being I actually contribute to another forum and have written pieces for a gaming website (aimed at players rather than developers):

Maybe this is the sort of thing I aught to put on IndieDB as well.

Part of the problem for me is laziness. I can't really be bothered keeping WIP posts going on multiple forums and social media. Promoting a game takes as much effort as actually making it in the first place and I just don't have the time or the energy. I have no ambition of being a professional developer or being at all famous either.

As for not getting comments, yeah it sucks, especially if you've put a lot of work in. But one of the most difficult things to critique is something that's obviously had a lot of work put into it but is a bit "meh". If I like a game, I normally point out positive and negatives, without being mean or telling the developer how to make their game.

Personally, I think the first thing is to just enjoy making games, enjoy making blog posts and videos, as you can't force people to like or be interested in what you're doing.

Yeah, I'd love to make a bit of cash from this, but I'm more hoping to just make a few friends, and either way I'm really enjoying making the game for it's own sake so I'll keep at it

In the spirit of what this thread was trying to encourage, I've added a few video and images to my profile page. I may even do a blog post but I don't have the time right now.

Awesome ! I'll be checking it out. Good to hear

Good on ya mate

It's nothing fancy, just some weird random stuff I did a while back, but it certainly does brighten up the place.