OMG TIGForums!!!

By: Derek Yu

On: February 15th, 2007

That’s right! Spurred on by Fost’s incendiary words and the recent upheavals at the Indiegamer forums, we’ve set up forums at TIGSource once again. Honestly, I started an account at Indiegamer a while ago, but stopped going shortly thereafter. Not that their forums are bad, per se – just very little that was going on there appealed to what, in my mind, indie gaming was all about.

So what’s the idea behind TIGForums? Well, to start with, hopefully no threads like this one. Seriously, that is shameful!

Our forums are split into “Player” and “Developer” sections. Kind of to highlight the idea that behind the spirit of independent gaming is that close relationship between those two groups. I know that’s really cheesy, but I actually did think about it that way!

The player section is there to chat and talk about games. You know “DISCUSS.” Much like the front page of the site, but with more accountability and more organization. But there’s also a forum where developers can post their games to receive direct feedback from the players! Also a good place to post news for the front page.

The developer section is for developers learn from each other. Not crap like “what game genres are hot and should be cloned right now” or “should I put an American flag on my website to increase my sales?” or any of that BULLSHIT, but actual, honest-to-Kenta-Cho strategies for people who want to make good games and find success by the virtue of their passion and talent.

But casual gamers and developers, don’t think that the forum is necessarily off-limits to you. Because it’s not about casual versus hardcore (I hate that term). It’s really about how you view independent gaming and why it is you’re gaming/game-making in the first place. And there are plenty of great casual games out there, in fact!

…oh yeah, and aside from all that fanatical “hardcore” rhetoric I just spouted, I think having forums is going to be fun as hell, too! I can’t wait!

[ONWARD TO TIGFORUMS!]

Posted in Community

http://www.tscreative.net BMcC

Onward and upward!

Kenta Cho bless us every one.
moi

forums are overrated
Albert Lai

Hurray, another forum to waste my less-than-copious amounts of free time at!

Sign me up!
TIGDev367

Great, you have ideals! You realize that web forums are the natural enemy of ideals, though, right?

I think the player forum is a good idea. However, I don’t really believe that many developers are clamoring for the death of IndieGamer just because one (prominent, talented!) guy took his balls and went home. It is a great resource, and for every lame thread you dig out, I could probably show you three that have helped me in a material way. I say, contribute your perspective there, and don’t encourage the fracturing of the community. Peace.
http://www.tscreative.net BMcC

Don’t worry, 367. We mean no ill will. :)

But I do think this forum could be a great alternative for the more creatively minded developers out there. And the few that _did_ want to leave with Fost.

Everyone’s welcome, of course.
TIGDev367

Again, that’s nice, but everyone’s welcome at IndieGamer, too. If you achieve that same breadth and diversity of membership, you can expect the same Art-vs-Commerce skirmishes to pop up in your threads. Then what? Torch the place and move on to the next one? I guess we’ll see.
http://www.tscreative.net BMcC

But we’ve started out with a clear stance on that issue and IndieGamer hasn’t been torched.

I think it’ll be good. :)
negative zero

sounds good. never been to the indygamer forums though. might give it a looksee.
Derek

For the same reason Flaming Pear started TIGSource instead of contributing to GameTunnel: alternatives are nice. Plus, the community is already like the Grand Canyon in terms of fractures.

Regarding art versus commerce, that question should never even arise at TIGForums because you can have both. That’s kind of what I’m trying to prove. What I have a problem with is developers that place commerce above all else, including creative integrity. It makes us all look bad.

Plus, the forum is a place for developers and players both. Because the game industry, and especially indie gaming, relies on the closeness between the two groups. The two should always be intermingled. Indiegamer doesn’t really have the player aspect in there, and I think that’s pretty key. With a bunch of developers together things tend to become pretty insulated, I feel.

Actually, thanks, you gave me a bunch more ideas to write about in my “Spirit of Independent Gaming” thread. Which may or may not be bullshit idealism, but hey… I think it’s nice to have something to think about. :)
gum

great!

but how come the feedback section is under player instead of developer?
haowan

I guess because you want feedback from players :D
<3

Love ya, Derek! =*
fartles

Architecture is politics and the architecture of web boards encourage inanity and dittoism. Can we at least tie the comments in so there aren’t two archives of discussion on this site?
http://kwickfix.org Rz.

this may just be the best thing since bread came OnDemand!
moi

Seriously I think the indieamer forums are sufficient for my needs, very informative, professional, and you can have any opinion you like over there.
Nevertheless on the TIGforums you can have avatars and use 4chanisms and post in stupid pointless threads, while at indie gamer you can cultivate a spotless soulless faÃ§ade, so I’ll use both!
Felan

I don’t post here much anymore but Fartles does make a good point: surely there’s some way to make each TIGSource post and its respective comments thread act simultaneously as a thread on the forums, so that you don’t get the split?
http://web.mac.com/shinjisixteen Shinji16

Hm… Taking bets for “Will the forums help or kill the TIGSource community?”.

Being the bookie, I’ll stay neutral… or at least try.

moi said: Nevertheless on the TIGforums you can have avatars and use 4chanisms and post in stupid pointless threads, while at indie gamer you can cultivate a spotless soulless faÃ§ade, so Iâ€™ll use both!

Again, I’m going to try to stay neutral.
Derek

There probably is, but I kind of like the split. The way the comments for the front page are set up, it’s fast and furious. :)
negative zero

nah, don’t bother merging. the comments section serves its purpose. it’s quick, user friendly, and intended (i say that loosely) for replies to official news topics…why re-iterate that on the forums? forums are for the hardcore among us. yeah baby, hardcore.
http://www.joy90.co.uk Moschops

I used to like the old TIGSource forums back in the day, but it was the only forum I read ‘coz the posts directly related to the current site contents. Now we have this system that lets us put our ramblings as comments to the news post, I don’t see much of a need for TIGSource forums.

I read IndieGamer forums a few times but never felt compelled to sign up and join in.