I've been working on a game for several years now, (with some big stops however) and with the help of many really nice members of this forum such as Ocelot, Remix, philat, kivik, trooper6 and so on, I've reach a result that is, imho, not too ugly, rather entertaining and really promising.
On another large site with a forum somewhat equivalent to Lemmasoft but more popular (whose name begins with an F followed by a number), the content offered by my game was very well received because it was immediately acclaimed with enthusiasm by their community.
However, here, in this forum, it's the opposite while it's the site I frequent and which, let's face it, helped me in large part to develop this game by patiently answering my questions when I was a beginner in this area..
Some time ago, I post a thread HERE, on the compelted adult game section, to let you know I had finally release my game. The other game published some days before have 1267 view and the game published few days after has 2776. Mine have 25 views.
So maybe I didn't realize it but : does my post smell bad? How come people avoided it so much, like if it was a half-dead bum on the sidewalk that people would rather step over than meet his despairing gaze.
Do people on this forum feel brutal hatred followed by deep unease just reading the word 'apocalypse'?
I honnestly don't understand so if you have an explanation let me know
“He asked me to calm down, close my eyes and be quiet. He explained to me that if I was afraid, the shadow that ran barefoot in the street would feel it. I got scared seeing Jumanji on TV, so let me tell you, we didn't stay hidden for long and had to start running again.”
Jessica's Diary.
Taking a brief glance at the Completed Adult Games forum, it seems like there are plenty of other recent posts with around 20-30 views, and others that have been around longer in the low 100s, so I imagine your view count is far from out of the ordinary. Maybe the developers with views in the 1000s have larger followings elsewhere on the internet and linked their posts in places like patreon updates where more people from outside the forum clicked on them, or maybe they're coming up in google searches for some related topic or something. Either way, I would advise not taking it as a slight against your project or you personally that people didn't happen to click on your thread. Getting people's attention on the internet is always a difficult and slightly random process, since you're competing with all manner of other things that might catch their eye instead. Be happy with the positive comments you got on that other forum, and continue working on projects you're passionate about, and maybe you'll build a larger audience as you go.
I don't know if it's the reason but : Your thread title says "Episode 1. Prologue". Personally, I do not consider that { one chapter = completed game } so I would not click on it. A lot of game projects are abandoned before reaching completion after all. And even if they do get finished one day, I might have forgotten the story when the complete version is out.
I'd also say that this is very much a developer-oriented forum, not a player-oriented one. Posting your game so your fellow developers can see and comment on is is something that's always been done, but this isn't really the place to find an audience, especially for adult games.
Supporting creators since 2004 (When was the last time you backed up your game?)
I also visit the adult game site that 'starts with f followed by a number'. Some of my work is posted there; it gets many more views and comments there than here. Your experience here is not unique. Se Pytom's comments in post #4.
Very respectfully,
Some of my visual novels are at http://www.the-new-lagoon.com. They are NSFW
Poorly done hand-drawn art is still poorly done art. Be a Poser (or better yet, use DAZ Studio 3D) - dare to be different.
There's also the option for users to hide the "adult games" section if they don't want to see adult-oriented games (and iirc it is hidden automatically if you set your age and it's under 18). We wouldn't be aware of your thread at all if we have that setting on.
Big factors here, including the obvious which were stated, besides the "stink"...
Yes, this is heavily a "developers forum". Also keeping in mind that the majority of developers here are also more into "hand drawn", and there is a slight stigma to "using rendered 3D" or "using real images". (Which is more of a new-age thing to do.) Unlike the F## forum, which is kind-of an opposition. There, being a more "new" site, it has a greater focus on "new-age creations", as opposed to new classic-art creations.
WARNING: I can not word this part below, to sound "less harsh". It is FULLY intended to be "constructive criticism" and just an observation of facts.
As for the "chapter-1, prologue" issue... I too, would possibly turn away from that, unless I KNEW there was some kind of content in there. By the way, that is kind-of an impossibility. It can't be "chapter-1" AND a "prologue" at the same time. It is either one OR the other. Is it the prologue, or is it chapter-1? (The fact that it implies that it is both, is also a bit of a deterrent. It implies that you may not have a basic understanding of writing-structure.) That would be the same if you stated that it was "chapter-1, ending", or "chapter-1, climax", or "chapter-1, index".) I know, you may be thinking that they are the same, but being chapter-1, which comes before chapter 2, 3, 4, 5... does NOT make it "A prologue". That is a separate component of a literary production, like an index or a foot-note or a summary.
Prologue: A separateintroductory section of a literary or musical work. (EG: Not a chapter, which eventually follows a prologue, as the "chapter" IS the story, as opposed to being an "introduction to the story".)
Quick fix for that... Just reverse the order of words and change the "comma" to a "plus-sign" or "ampersand". The title would now say, "Prologue + Chapter-1". (Unless it is just the prologue, or just chapter-1 that you made. Then you simply have to remove ONE of the statements. Leaving "prologue" will also make many ignore it, since it has zero chapters and is just an introduction to a story.)
Also, you used the term "completed", but only one chapter, or just a prologue. That is a contradiction, in a sense. Expectations are that the term "completed" refers to a "whole game" or a "whole story" and indicates that "you have stopped adding more content". (Many VN's stop after one chapter, and are described as "completed", because they have no intentions of making any more chapters.) I realize that you are saying "Chapter-1 is complete", but that is kind-of redundant to state. Just saying you have started on chapter-2, says everything you need to say. Chapter-1 is done and you are STILL working on the story.
Though, notably, here, it will not matter much. On F##, it may matter about 25-75%, depending on who is actually reading what you wrote. To be honest, there is not a lot of actual "readers" there. (Not an insult, its just a fact that many people there are just into quick-click ADHD content.) Many of them will download ANYTHING, and come back to post a quick "love or hate" or "MOAR!" reply, or thumbs-up. But some will just snag and run, never returning until they see a new update, if they remember that they liked it, after having deleted it. (Here is a tip... Change the cover art or title art, and they are less likely to "remember" having downloaded it, and will download it again and play it. It's not like they are going to be upset if they got tricked into viewing MORE.)
As for the content... It's something I like. It interests me. But, honestly, I have not come across the thread in F## before. (Found it now, searching for it.) Google and F## both LOVE TLDR content. (Here is another tip... You can EDIT TLDR content after posting a much shorter post. Just after everyone has read it, but before Google has indexed it, or even after it has indexed it. Few people read ALL posts in a thread. It is a great place to hide good "search details" which your story actually contains, without flooding forum post readers in the process.
Don't worry, it takes time to get a good following. Once word of mouth spreads, and people start re-posting your game on other sites (ripping it), which they will do. As well as ripping the entire "thread", to make it look like you are an active poster on some other fake forum that is actually just a ripped mirror of F##. (Remember, they are making money off your creation, by posting it all over the web, for google to find. That is why it is always best to include a LINK, within the game or VN, like a funnel, to bring those lost souls BACK to where you want to be found. Specifically, whichever FAN thread you are actively keeping updated with new content. As opposed to a DEVELOPERS thread, where you might be expecting development feedback or help.)
Well, if they already saw it/read about it/downloaded it from elsewhere, why would they visit it again here? If I am looking for adult games, I go to the previously mentioned site or throw a few bucks to a dev's Patreon if the game is already established and I like it enough... I don't come here to hunt for adult games.
And just a quick comment... I did play it, about a week ago, and while the interface isn't my favorite, I adjusted to it pretty quickly, and enjoyed what you have to offer so far. BUT I found it over 'there' so didn't bother to click the link here. I come here to find (and very rarely give) advice on development, writing, and program logic. I go there to find raunchy games
Eezergoode - AKA Rabid Penguin
Team Lead
It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop. Confucius
Chinese philosopher & reformer (551 BC - 479 BC)
