Member games
This may be a stupid question, but is there a single compiled list anywhere of all published games by MGSA members?
I know this would largely be repetition of content in the Projects forum, but it could be structured in a more accessible way than the posts which are more geared towards prototypes and WIP.
I imagine something like this:
User a: Game 1 [Android link][Forum link]
Game 2 [Web link][iOS link][Forum link]
User b + c (Company name): Game 1...
And so on. It would just be a cool way to get to know the histories of everyone, which may or may not be buried or missing from the forum.
Obviously it would need to be editable by everyone (not sure if there is anything set up for this though.
I know this would largely be repetition of content in the Projects forum, but it could be structured in a more accessible way than the posts which are more geared towards prototypes and WIP.
I imagine something like this:
User a: Game 1 [Android link][Forum link]
Game 2 [Web link][iOS link][Forum link]
User b + c (Company name): Game 1...
And so on. It would just be a cool way to get to know the histories of everyone, which may or may not be buried or missing from the forum.
Obviously it would need to be editable by everyone (not sure if there is anything set up for this though.
Comments
(I realise I'm using Cadence as an example where Cadence might have it's own thread, but I do expect that various devs are working on simultaneous projects like @Tuism where this might be more applicable)
And that is a problem that's directly linked to the construction of this site at the moment. We need a page where a list of companies/games links out to a page that can be maintained by individuals. Whether that's a forum category, a wiki, a static page with links, or whatever, we just need that link prominently situated, up top next to the name of the site or the front page (neither of which are options right now, so we need to take that step first).
I like the idea of a page that members don't have direct access to (whether it's a wiki or a forum category or a static page), but members can be easily added to it, linking out to something that the member must maintain themselves.
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And in all honesty when it comes to maintaining a kinda on forum portfolio thing. Quite a few of us have our own websites where we have to maintain such info. And honestly if it's between maintaining my own website of stuff on the forums I'm going with my website.
Like all these ideas are great, but there is a general upkeep to them, and remember when we had a wiki? We almost lost the entire website because it became a spambot breading ground, and the servers weren't happy with that! I'm pretty sure people on the committee know we need to do these things, but there is a lot of things they are busy with. So if you guys really want this then you need to find the man power to help them get it done.
Otherwise this is kinda going to be another thread with people sitting around saying they want things, and things aren't going to go anywhere.
No I don't want to maintain another thing either.
I think this might do something for exposure for the various companies - I mean there are a lot of times when I stumble across a local game dev team that I had no idea existed and have no idea what they're working on and threads like this one turn up periodically as people come to this centralised community to find out this sort of information.
It's kind of like portfolios on the community site. I doubt the artists who post here aren't maintaining their own blogs or websites with their artwork etc, but driving traffic or getting feedback/further interest on the community forums can't be a bad thing, surely?
I would also add that having a "centralised post/link etc" means that 1 person has to maintain and update the list periodically - something that no one ever does. Whereas, each team having their own thread means its their own responsibility if they want to be listed on MGSA as a functioning company or not :)
So here is my question: how do I benefit from having this thread about projects when my projects themselves already have threads and get feedback themselves. Because well I'm probably the first person on the forums to actually have a kind of aggregated content thread of what I'm doing and up to, which I started in September 2012, and haven't updated since May 2013. And as for my company I have PressKit() on my website.
Edit Yeah I get there is a discoverability issue, and that people who make these kinds of threads are looking for exposure on their stuff, but that can't become a burden for every dev who comes here. Actually as an industry association MGSA wants to know about each and every company, what they are up to, and how they are doing. So it's kinda in the association's best interest to make it as easy for the devs. And like I've mentioned a couple of times: your basically just asking us to post our PressKit() on MGSA.
*sigh* Nevermind. Was a suggestion.
That central page will be visible and on top. Someone must maintain it, sure, but its maintenance will be simple, because it really should be just adding a link whenever a new one comes up.
If they forget to? If maintenance that is really simple isn't being done, it's most likely because the person who does it forgot to. The people whose interest it is to get that maintenance done should then remind the person responsible for it. I.e. Devs ask a moderator/moderators to add their link.
And so we have it - a visible list of links of our local developers, maintained by a few so it's not gonna get spammed, and kept as relevant as those whom it affects - the devs - keep it.
I'm not necessarily saying we should build one here though (it seems like a fair bit of work). Though I think a system that is maintained by the people it promotes the easiest system to keep up to date (because the individuals and companies can maintain it themselves, and if it's implemented like SAGameDev it is fairly visible).
If it can be implemented like a forum thread that just has a special category, that might be a fairly painless solution.
Though having said that, there are 56 threads posted in the portfolio section at the moment. "Portfolio" doesn't quite cover what I'd like to use this for though...
In any case I actually rather like the "What are you working on" thread that's happening one or two threads over. It's not a substitute for a directory, but in some ways it's more useful (in that you find out what forum users actually do, rather than having to interpret something like "System's Engineer" written on their CV, or rather than seeing a page for a company who mostly does client work and so doesn't seem to be working on games at all).
@Nitrogen and I are getting together this weekend to work on it.
That value isn't financial. It's pretty much the same reason I post art here. I'm proud of my work, so I want to share it. I want local developers and artists to be aware that I exist, that I'm here to help teach and mentor prospective artists if they're committed to it. I want to be a part of this community, rather than some basement recluse. I would imagine that game developers/studios are similar.
Whether I maintain a page with the same thing on it here as other places I need to is not in any way indicative of my level of engagement with this community :)