Well, I sent Rikus a message on facebook. It's been a day and I haven't heard back from him.
I don't know if the general intent is to let the site die or let it rest until Rikus can devote more time and attention to it. I'm pretty sure we could rally at least a few of the site mods to produce some more updates if we can pitch in to drive more traffic to tDC. I was hoping this post could act as a sort of collective brainstorm so users could think up ideas to promote the site, advertize, or generally spread the word so that the last unofficial klik community site doesn't completely disappear.
No idea is too involved or outlandish. If you can think of anything, put it out here so we can consider some action.
Graphic designers can create banner ads. Writers can advertise on gamedev forums. Programmers could consider creating search engine SEO content generators. I'm not saying these ideas are feasible - they're just ideas. Discuss?
ChrisD> Employer: Say, wanna see a magic trick?
ChrisD> Employee: Uhh… sure, boss.
ChrisD> Employer: Your job! It just disappeared! Pack your things and leave! Pretty good trick, huh?
One problem I think is that the site looks dated now. We were promised a new look months(years) ago and it never materialised. couple that with the lack of activity and from the outside (and inside at the moment) it would appear that no one seems to care about the site anymore.
I still think the main problem is a lack of traffic and that should be easy enough for a handful of people to commit to whether or not the site looks like it stumbled out of 2001. I'd offer to lend my web design skills if Rikus would freaking respond. If he wants to let tDC die off, no amount of traffic is going to fix anything.
ChrisD> Employer: Say, wanna see a magic trick?
ChrisD> Employee: Uhh… sure, boss.
ChrisD> Employer: Your job! It just disappeared! Pack your things and leave! Pretty good trick, huh?
Site overhaul is a popular topic on the board these days.
My idea would be to downsize and start with 3.0 which wouldn't be an update that contains old stuff.
Because I believe dragging over old stuff was a problem with the back-end of this site (if I am wrong, please correct me).
Also I would organize a lot of things just in forum board sections, like reviews, projects and articles. Because that way it's way easier to maintain. Actually all those things from the navbar could be moved into a forum section.
And then use the frontpage to select/promote whatever is going on in the boards.
So TDC would become boards with a frontpage.
I'd like to see a website to helping hobbyists become better developers. Bring Projects to the forefront, and institute a feedback option that increases someone's exposure, status, or community prestige. It would be like mentorship for newbies.
A weekly/monthly roundtable that discusses current projects and their highlights, challenges, or bugs. The difference between this and a typical troubleshooting forum is that current builds are played or demo'd for/by the participants and they can offer immediate feedback. Implement some sort of video chat or audio chat roundtable feature. Pursue low-cost or low-entry-threshold video apps and so on to allow maximum participation, and implement a "kudos" or "thumbs-up" referral process that rewards those who continue to be supportive and encouraging to other developers.
Not to drive traffic away from this site or anything but how many people here would be interested in setting up a new "Daily Click"
It would/could incorporate a lot of the changes mentioned here and would be member driven even down to features. We could have a feature request section where members can +1 suggestions and once a threshold is passed the feature is implemented if it is possible,
Do away with the points thing, it is worthless. Instead implement a Rep feature where the most knowledgeable members gain rep when helping someone.
New mods could be voted on by the users of the site. A new project section in the form of blogs and an upload option for users share their ideas and downloads. One problem I have with this site at the moment is that you are forced to upload your file elsewhere before linking it here, the same with pictures. This would resolve the dead links issue and if needs be a tiered membership system could implemented. I hate the idea however we could offer more storage to subscribed users thus alleviating the costs of running the site from the owner/owners.
I appreciate that a lot of you, myself included, would be lost without this site but we need to do something to pull it out of the mud.
Quick update, but it's not much of an update. Rikus messaged me on facebook a few days ago and basically said he needed more free time to devote to explaining the situation with tDC. He said he would contact me sometime this weekend. I'm still waiting for that second contact.
I imagine Rikus plans to do something to revive the site - I can't say that for sure, but I'd suspect that if he wanted to stop supporting tDC, he probably wouldn't be logging in every couple of days anymore. I can't imagine Rikus simply ignoring tDC with the intention of letting it fail without officially saying goodbye somehow.
It's all speculation until tomorrow night, but for what it's worth; if the news be bad, I'm willing to brainstorm new community site ideas with y'all and devote what I can to accomplishing that goal. I know that most everybody is up-in-arms about a redesign, but I don't think an initial redesign is realistic with so few regular visitors.
ChrisD> Employer: Say, wanna see a magic trick?
ChrisD> Employee: Uhh… sure, boss.
ChrisD> Employer: Your job! It just disappeared! Pack your things and leave! Pretty good trick, huh?
I think the site might benefit from more admins and the ability for the admins to add games to the site, back in the day we had folks make their own download page here but most folks now decide to just make their own website or make a download page with far more popular sites. If the admins can add games they like to the download page and add the authors original name to it that would help.
Also another section that tells you in what program the game was made in would also be a nice addition. Currently the site is being hosted by club and the domain name is being held by clickteam so in the end they will decide what will and will not happen, because of that disconnect with the limited time I have i dont feel its worth it putting so much time in the site anymore. I try every now and then with a splurge of updates cause I cant help myself but the return on it is not worth the time anymore.I have some ideas but i dont know if its worth putting that into tdc
So yes new admins will for sure keep the site active, but I think an entire overhaul is needed for the site to gain new people to come and visit, all the suggestions posted above are all valid and I urge you to tell them to club directly.
Be sure to follow us on the twitters for the latest and greatest: @dailyclick
Rikus - I kinda talked a bit with Jeff at Clickteam and he says he's aware that they are holding the domain, but unaware of any plan to do anything with tDC. I guess I don't understand why you feel Clickteam has a final say in how tDC operates or if it continues to operate. I can certainly understand a lack of freetime though.
So, about them new admins who will keep the site active... when? Soon maybe? That'd be awesome.
ChrisD> Employer: Say, wanna see a magic trick?
ChrisD> Employee: Uhh… sure, boss.
ChrisD> Employer: Your job! It just disappeared! Pack your things and leave! Pretty good trick, huh?
It's difficult to maintain a presence as of late due to some behind the scene information that has come to light. Also, honestly there isn't much that can be considered news worthy.
I did a massive splurge of updates and with little to no gain. I've now completely moved into my house and I hope I'll do a little more front page news.
I can understand the frustration.
thinking is like pong, it's easy, but you miss sometimes.
Updates are still sporadic as heck, and no definitive word from Rikus or Clubsoft.
Here's what I'm getting - tDC is pretty much dead. Clubsoft and Rikus aren't trying to advertize or improve the site, let alone admin or moderate it. They've got no plans to pass-the-torch to anyone willing to take over. They won't qualify or approve mods with enough free-time to be effective. Apparently, the site as it sits right now is only being kept alive for posterity-sake. Everyone seems to be purposely and intentionally hands-off-the-wheel around here and there doesn't seem to be any decent explanation other than a lack of time.
Does that pretty much sum it up?
Edited by The_Antisony
ChrisD> Employer: Say, wanna see a magic trick?
ChrisD> Employee: Uhh… sure, boss.
ChrisD> Employer: Your job! It just disappeared! Pack your things and leave! Pretty good trick, huh?
You know how I found this site? It was on the sidebar of Clickteam.com a long while ago if I remember correctly. Now I don't see a mention of it anywhere on their mainsite.
EDIT: Looks like they still have a link here on their forums though.
Since we're all nostalgic and crap I wanted to post my personal experience with TDC and Clickteam products before offering a biased and uninformed analysis followed by some unrealistic suggestions. Here goes:
I found this site when I started using TGF before the dawn of the new millennium. As a kid I started selling my LogoWriter games to other kids at school and made $20 (a lot for me at the time) til I got busted for making a profit on school grounds = ) later discovered K&P and TGF, the former was purchased from a bargain bin and the latter was unashamedly burnt and cracked (and luckily some people here will not know what I'm referring to). In light of this TDC was THE place to go to participate in the original "no-programming-required" community, which at the time was vibrant and full of enthusiasm. Heaps of lurking, a few posts, university, a day job and a few years later I'm still keeping the dream alive armed with a legit copy of F2.5 - it's now possible to make professional quality games and cash in on it, how cool is that! So now I have a side hobby/business which would not have been possible without clickteam products and this site.
There was some discussion about the direction of the site, whether for hobbyists or unabashed spruiking. Why choose, and where are the other options? Forums that have a general theme ie. "creating games" don't have to go in any direction, in my opinion the more open the better. No reason there can't be sub-communities within a community. Look at mapcore.org for instance, this is a site dedicated to... level design. But it's huge, covers everything from game engines to concept art and is a regular hangout for industry pros as well as utter noobs like me (Cryengine). It may or may not be directly affiliated with game dev companies but they get big sponsors. TIG is a general indie dev site that is also huge. I'm not saying TDC should become or directly copy these sites, the point is this site (with its domain name) would benefit from a more open approach which could ultimately attract more users and create a unique community. It should definitely keep the Klicker soul, the mantra "anyone can and should make games", and I think it could be a big success. The rise in indie gaming, the changing needs and tastes of the amateur community, the increasing competition of "easy" game making software and the amazing quality of games that can be produced with them is evidence of this. There is a niche to be filled here, I think.
Last point, the site definitely needs an overhaul. Nobody likes using a dated looking site with broken features. What are the 'cool' forum tool thingies people use nowadays? Use those!
TLDR; i like Cickteam, indie game scene has changed for the good, TDC needs re-branding and when it does so it will rise from the ashes.
Another idea besides a new forum, which is a good idea. Is for everyone who uploads games to the net. To do so by bundling a link to the click in with their game.
I REALLY hope that new life is put into this site! I love this site. It, and two other sites, are the only ones where your game will ALWAYS be accepted. As a matter of fact.....I submitted a new game a few games ago. I am waiting for someone to approve it. There is one other site where I submit games, but much of the time, they will not accept what I submit no matter what I do. Perhaps Clickteam will finish Fusion 3 this year.....or sometime in this century. Maybe then, that will breath life into this site. In the meantime, I will be making more games into a few months and keep submitting them here. I hope THAT will help. Let's all work together to keep this site going! Cheers!
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Edited by The_Antisony
