10 posts to post images...

[NickFalk]

Hi, as you can see I'm new on these forums. Frankly I signed up to post info about my upcoming game Squid Drop. For obvious reasons I wanted to include some images in this post but was told that in order to do so I need to make a minimum of 10 posts first.

Is this not perhaps, a little bit counter-productive? I get that it's a rule set in place to prevent spamming, but as I need those 10 posts my next 9 might not be the best I've ever made...

 

[Alli]

Hi Nick,

We even understand from a developer point of view. On the other hand, do you realize how many of you there are? And every one who creates an app or game wants to come in and post photos and links to them - that is its own kind of spam.

We welcome you to the community. Feel free to participate in the developer forum. You'll be at 10 posts before you know it, and people are more likely to try an app from a name they know, rather than someone who has visited the forum once to announce a new game.

 

[NickFalk]

@Alli

Yes, I am painfully aware of how many of us there are.

As for these post constituting spam, well I see your point but your contact-page actually states:

If you?re interested in submitting an iPhone application announcement, we encourage you to register in our forums and post your announcement in our iPhone App Announcement forum.

..so that's what I did.

I definitely see your point about people rather buying from someone they know, and I'll certainly check out these forums in greater detail. Being another one of those daytime-working-nighttime-coding-developer/publisher/graphic-artist/composer/game-designer/dad there are only so much time to spend in the different web-forums.

No worries though, I'm already up to 2 posts. I merely suggest that you might perhaps lower the threshold, at least for the Announcement forum (if possible).

 

[gutenbergn]

I have to agree with NickFalk here, at least for the Announcement forums maybe it would be better to lower the requirements!

 

[kch50428]

Ten posts is nothing if you intend to be one who will be a forum participant - key word - "participant" and not someone who is just looking for free advertising space.

 

[ctt1wbw]

Yeah, because forums never get spammed.

 

[anon(5335877)]

I had an issue with this too. I believe I needed to have ten posts to post a link. I was new, but I think I was trying to help someone with their problem and wanted to post a link to a tutorial that would help.

But yes, spam is a problem. I hate opening up a thread only to find that it's a few months old and has been "bumped" to the top by a spam post.

 

[NickFalk]

Ten posts is nothing if you intend to be one who will be a forum participant - key word - "participant" and not someone who is just looking for free advertising space.

I get why TiPb does this, other forums are bombarded with bots selling DVD-rippers, cheap phones etc.

Yes, I readily admit a huge part of the motivation for signing up was to get some much needed attention for Squid Drop. I have done this in other forums as well, but not in forums where this is explicitly forbidden. In the words of Marina and the Diamonds: "I am not a (ro)bot", me posting information does not necessarily mean I disappear. I certainly monitor the threads in case someone has lodged a complaint or, more pleasantly, want to know more about my games.

As I commented above however TiPb actually recommend developers sign up and post information in the forum if/when we have something to share. At the moment it seems slightly schizophrenic when you're unable to post images/links while doing so.

 

[Alli]

The thing is, for the thread requesting reviews or announcements, you don't really need photos or links.

But Keith hit the nail on the had with the word "participate." I don't know if any of you have been in the game long enough to remember the 600+ page (not post, but page) thread on Treo Central inside the developer forums on TaKePhOnE. We had engaged developers back then. They hung around and had their own forums on T|C. They engaged their users, and asked for feedback.

It would be nice to see that again.

 

[NickFalk]

It is obviously possible to make an announcement without using images. Games is very much a visual medium (with a few exceptions). I find that the old adage "a picture is worth a thousand words" rings very true in this situation. If you were to describe my own game "Squid Drop" and the other newly announced "The fish dies in the end" exclusively in writing, the only difference would probably be the title and the species of the protagonist.

Anyway, I am well passed 10 posts and still around, so the original problem no longer pertains to me. I still believe however that it is something that would be worthwhile for TiPb to discuss internally.

 

[PsychoChris]

@NickFalk

I fully agree! There must be a better solution, although i actually don't have one...

 

[PavloG]

I am developer and to post announcement I need todo 10 posts
I am here almost week and still not reached this limit
Please make it less, at minimum for announcement forum
Thanks

 

[Alli]

You shouldn't have any problem posting your pics and links in the App Announcements forum.

 

[Rene Ritchie]

The only problem is if we turn off minimum post requirements even in just the announcements forums, they get spammed by the usual garbage as well, almost immediately. (We've tried in the past).

It's hard to both let in real developers and keep out drugpr0ndvd crud.