RMN3 CHANGES (EVERYONE READ)

To change the focus from posting crap like screenshot topics back into the area of developing games?

I am not sure why this is hard to understand or needs to be explained.

Quit sniping at each other.

I think that we can all agree that this will be a great experiment that can have some great benefits, but has lowered risk since we can always switch it back.

It is going forward, and everyone is intrigued but apprehensive, but I for one am looking forward to seeing how it all turns out.

So give up the antagonistic posts and return to civilized discussion or I will lock this.

I say this as someone who has worked on RPG Maker websites for over a decade: the current system of using the forum as the focal point for your game is as outdated as RPG Maker 95. We used to do it out of necessity, then out of convenience, and now out of complacency. What is worse is that, instead of progressing with time, RPG Maker websites have regressed, as communities became pretty much forum driven, whether out of neglect (GW) or poor planning (RMXP.org).

Folks, every feature you currently have for your games will be in tact. The only difference is it will be on the main site (where they belong). The games section on RMN3 has had a lot of work put into it to make the games section both powerful and accessible. As a nod to those of you who never bother to tread on the mainsite (most of you), on the RMN3 forum there will be links to the games with the most recent activity.

http://wip.rpgmaker.net/images/rmn3_comparison.png

If anyone would have bothered to look without the knee-jerk reactions, they would have released most of the changes are cosmetic and many of them are "under the hood". Games are still listed on the forum, but instead of posting a "reply" you post a "comment". In addition, you now get to see all the other little goodies the game has to offer -- screenshots, blogs, custom info pages, etc. And you can comment on those too. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. If you're interested in a game, subscribe! Then you will receive notices when that game is updated, like on Facebook. The tools to connect the developer with the player will be very robust. We've even talked about ways to smooth out beta testing, versioning changes, etc.

The only real reasons not to like the update is 1) You have a vendetta against WIP and never want to step foot back into RMN HQ, and, as such, will derail the entire thread (Hello, Mog), 2) You are terribly afraid of any change or 3) You didn't bother to read the entirity of the info being presented and thus don't really understand what is happening.

Also, like WIP said, this process is not set in stone. We will be looking for ways to improve on it -- it's just the first release!

bahleted

Hahaha, no, I also wasn't directing my response at you : D

A clear case of internet miscommunication... ah, the internet!

author=Ciel link=topic=2801.msg53542#msg53542 date=1230869978
lets have a huge debate on how best to deliver games. if you want to change the way i like my games delivered i will fight you with all my spirit. because its my right to have gtams the way i want em. youre changin g the way i get my rpg maker games info and thats unacceptable. i only take my martinis dry, my pasta el dente, my coffe black, and my fgames on forums. you could say im a bit of a games connoisseur, so dont you mess with my games or ill take you down. ill take you downtown.

ill be seein you in h.e.l.l. w.i.p.

Is this a joke?

Also, I think once RMN 3 comes out, I might start working on that toolbar again (and actually, you know, make it useful...)

Personally, when I come to this site, I skip the main page entirely. My bookmark is to the front page of the forums. Why? Because the main page rarely offers anything for me, and I find the forums to be a lot more interesting and useful.

Now, WIP put a lot of work and effort into how the main site works, and a lot of people, myself included, don't use it. Yes, I upload a few screenshots and download links for my games, but I never post as much on my game page as I do in my forum topics.

It comes back to the idea that people are more comfortable to make a topic in the forum than rely on the front page to grab people's attention. Whilst these new controls enable us to have a lot more flexibility with our game pages, I've never felt them to be as effective as a forum topic for actually letting people know your game exists in the first place.

We'll have a ton of control over our game pages, people can subscribe and it'll all work well, once people actually find your game. Again, I find that the forum topics, for me, as well as other members serves as a better way to initially grab your audience. I've never really discovered a game through the main site.

The general attitude of the games database is that, if someone recommends a particular game to you you can just whack it into the search bar and download it.

My issue is that no one will be told of your game in the first place if we can't make forum topics anymore. Even if we solve that issue, I don't feel like we'll be able to properly discuss these games without feeling restricted.

You said the Games Releases forum was being removed. What I find interesting about this is that you never called it the Games Releases and Discussion forum. I would love to keep the discussion part of it intact because, well, that's what a forum's primary function is.

Reviews, podcasts, "Old/ Rare/ Reccomended Games List" and "Need help in Game X" are all perfectly valid topics that come up time after time in the Games Releases and Discussion section. I feel that the new system would kill off all of that area of the community because they'd feel isolated, restricted and unwelcome with nowhere to freely post those topics anymore - and that's a major concern of mine.

I'd much prefer if, instead of getting rid of Games Releases and Discussion, you'd at least compromise to making it purely Games Discussion. You could make it clear in the section's description that it is not the area to hype or advertise your own game, if that's your concern.

Also, as for people's concerns with people bumping their games by adding screenshots etc, please remember that all screenshots, download links, and various other additions/ changes to your game page has to be approved by a moderator or admin. I assume this will be the same with RMN3 and will prevent such clutter. However, at the same time this raises issues in that it will slow down how the system works and how quickly we can get news out to the community, as well as putting extra work and pressure on the staff here.

I apologise if there's anything I've misinterpreted or even missed completely which already tackles these concerns.