Too bad none of those is true.

Eh, sorta both. The last one is true, and occasionally the first is true, but the second is far from true and the third is all about what you consider "low".

Curiously the Google Analytics traffic suggests the site traffic grew on January, by about 10%, that traffic being more individual users and more new users. For our year on year trends, February usually sees a slump after January's "new years resolution" phase, so this is good news.

I suspect stagnation in this sense is a relative notion, taken when we compare one instant to another, as opposed to a trend.

Corax Software wrote:

Yes, I should have been more specific. I have no doubt people are coming and going, I mean in terms of the number of polished original games.

This is after I look at other game makers like Yo Yo games. http://yoyogames.com/game_showcases

BYOND's community is much smaller so it'll naturally produce fewer games in the same period of time. That makes the site look stagnant but that's always been the case. On the bright side, everyone is used to BYOND seeming so dead that a single new game could have a huge impact.

Maybe its time I discussed my countless myriad of ideas with someone then. But NOT the nexus.

Orange55 wrote:

The fact that byond currently claims to give users free software and a place to host it -and then turns around and does this stuff is retarded as hell...

Where is the "place to host it" part guaranteed? I've never used BYOND with the thought that I am owed or somehow entitled to my hub space. Frankly, I'm amazed they even offered it in the beginning. Especially for free. As far as I'm concerned, it just gives a little bit of meaning to the memberships I donate now. As they actually provide an entirely useful service instead of a nice little perk.

The software is free. You can download it at any time. You can even download ancient versions that should never see the light of day again. This will never change. That is the one mandate Tom seems intent to hold onto until they end: You can always use the software.

All you have to do now is put a little effort forward as a developer to actually advertise your game. Which every indi-developer has to do. If anything, BYOND is now helping you learn the process of designing, developing and distributing independent games.

BYOND worlds can still be hosted by non-members, without hub entries, so the literal mechanism of providing your game exists, if you can get that byond://world.564565 URL to your target audience.

You are quite right though, you do need to be a member to publish a hub entry on BYOND. You're paying $25 a year to publish as many games as you like here, that may be searched and found by 20,000+ potential players. The general feeling is, that's quite a fair deal, but it's not the only way of getting your game out there. It's just the "BYOND way".

If you cannot see a way to release your work without a BYOND hub then I wish you good luck in your future game making endeavors without BYOND. You'll need it.

But yes there is a way to post server links on your website. You just use--wait for it--HTML!. Of course you can get more sophisticated than that and create your own hub system. Simply maintain a database of online servers with whatever random stats you want associated with them and use php to report the server links and stats to players as they visit your website. It's not hard at all.

I don't know how you expect to move past BYOND when you don't even have any idea of how you can distribute your game without someone holding your hand.

Orange55 wrote:

Stephan and rober,I honestly Ike these suggestions but I am under experienced in HTML and have not tried anything like this with it before is there somewhere where you learned this,if so please specify so I can try it out...

I learned it by looking at html tags and studying an html/css tutorial series. Google is your friend.

Brick, a bit ignorant post you seem to think byond is all that's out there and sense you seemed to post in reaction to my opinion I ask that you ignore my future posts

That's not what he said at all. I imagine he was implying that if you can't handle basic HTML/CSS/web design, chances are other programming languages and platforms are going to be over your head. The fact is, BYOND does hold your hand far more than any other platform out there, for better or worse.

My general opinion towards the topic remains unchanged however, I
believe it takes away a incentive to use the dream maker among other things..however whatI generally would liken a response to this is a solution or rather finishing the suggested solution up above, where I can get that basic understandingofHTML so I can jump this hurdle

If the only reason you would use DM to make a game is the hub, you're due for a serious wakeup call. The hub is a minor perk to using BYOND, the big advantages to using DM are the fact that the language is incredibly easy to pick up and get into, and that it handles a lot of the more complicated details(such as networking and graphical displays) for you.

However, if you insist on moving to something else(I don't really blame you, but it's not going to be quite what you're expecting), I suggest C#/XNA. I'm sure you can google it or something, but before you do so, learn enough html/css to set up a simple mockup website with functions equal to a hub, then look into the prices for proper webhosting(none of that free subdomain 1GB bandwidth/250MB storage BS either, that won't cut it if you have a game that succeeds on any level) and tell us again that the hub isn't worth $25/year.

BYOND is not dead, not even close. In fact, to me it seems better than it use to be; at least a little. That's up to the viewer, mind you, but that is my opinion.

Now, I know of a BYOND Anime game that can't even have a HUB because of how it is set up, which is why I won't link to it, but even it has a website that shows the server statistics and that the game maintains 60+ players on a regular basis. If people like that can manage it when they're likely not even Allowed a HUB for their game, I do believe you could easily manage your games on your own website.

As for the right direction? Google, yes, but here is where I went thanks to google: http://www.w3schools.com/default.asp
It's a very good website, and it taught me a lot about HTML, and CSS. Don't leave BYOND unless you want a much tougher time, just further your website capabilities. It's a lot easier, and just as effective for what you most likely want.

That is my opinion on the matter. Hope you don't take any negative sense from it, I just can't imagine leaving over this, and completely understand why HUBS would cost money now. BYOND Memberships could, however, use some improvements; but that'll come with time. I know they want to improve them further.