Once upon a time I created a game but only gathered a handful of constructive feedback. Thus, my motivation lessened and I eventually placed this game on the "To-do List" and moved on. But I have read many articles and through my experience, have come out a better game developer. I have some suggestions for those who are lacking feedback on their project and are quickly losing motivation.


So you created a BYOND game, but lack feedback. You have gone through many hours of testing and now your friends are no longer around to play. You realize that you have a great game in your possession, but need the adequate advice to perfect it. You have displayed numerous ads within the BYOND site but understand that the BYOND community may not be your target audience. You could pack up and quit producing your fun game. Or you could get off your butt and actually work harder to get your game noticed.

---

Your game has reached the beta development stage but you cannot find anyone to play it. That is fine, you are creating an indie game (non-commercial), there is not much anticipation in being paid much, so motivation frequently becomes an issue. We all go through this, but there are solutions.

Some of the most successful indie games started off a bit rocky and received no feedback. But a game matures with age; a lack of feedback could mean that your game is not there yet. It could take a few more months or many more years, but if you are persistent with updates, your dedication will pay off.

But as stated in my second paragraph, the BYOND community may not be your target audience. The majority of those who use BYOND will seek to play an Anime related game. Therefore, if your game does not fall into that fashionable sub-genre you will need to promote your game even more. Remember, a lack of decent feedback from this community does not mean much. An Anime game will automatically receive a certain amount of recognition and acclaim. Essentially, the game is riding on someone else's coat tail.

But a BYOND game does not have to remain on BYOND. Try creating a website that displays many pictures, the interesting features, and a noticeable download link. Make sure you provide contact information, preferably an email address. Not every person possess a BYOND membership or account, consequently they will not have the capability to freely page you.

Next, you should try visiting many indie game related forums. But do not go spamming; many of these communities despise those who join just to advertise. Introducing yourself, respond to many threads, and let the community realize your presence and willingness to contribute. Once you get a handful amount of posts, 10-20, only should you think about advertising your game in the respected forum-category. Your post should provide detailed information, but keep it moderately short; no one wants to read a novel a a forum. Provide many pictures, a link to your website, contact information, and most importantly, make your download link noticeable. Try placing it at the top of your post and at the bottom. You also need to ask for feedback, or else people will play your game and then move on.

Lastly, when I play a moderately new indie game, I would like to know if the developer(s) are still participating with future releases. Every game has a bug, and if a game breaking one appears and the developers are not around, I have wasted hours for nothing. So make sure you're known as "That Game Developer Who Will Not Quit Updating." Respond to most questions, be respectful, and provide near-weekly updates. Minecraft is a great example of this method.