Lemma Soft Forums

Is bumping a thread offering services allowed if our thread falls off the front page of the forum, but we're still open/available?

Short answer: no.

Long answer: You are never allowed to just bump threads; however, you may update a thread with new information, such as recent examples of your services. This will also give your thread a temporary kick to the top. *hint, hint*

Thank you! I'll be sure to take note of that hint.

Will free projects be able to be transfer to commercial projects section? I'm not paying collaborators currently, but I may decide to do so in the future.

I see no reason why not. Projects can always change.

Would it be acceptable for someone running a non-commercial project but willing to commission assets for that project to post a thread in the board for "We are offering Paid Work" as well as in "We are a Free Project looking for Partners" simultaneously?

No, one thread per project only, please.

Taleweaver wrote:No, one thread per project only, please.

Would We are a Free Project Looking for Partners or We are Offering Paid Work be a more preferable place to post for a free project willing to pay commission?

If you're willing to pay, you're offering Paid Work, even if your game will be eventually released for free. "Free Project looking for Partners" means "we won't pay you for participating, but you're part of something awesome".

Taleweaver wrote:If you're willing to pay, you're offering Paid Work, even if your game will be eventually released for free. "Free Project looking for Partners" means "we won't pay you for participating, but you're part of something awesome".

Thank you!

Taleweaver wrote:If you're willing to pay, you're offering Paid Work, even if your game will be eventually released for free. "Free Project looking for Partners" means "we won't pay you for participating, but you're part of something awesome".

There is a degree of ambiguity in this. "We are offering paid work" implicitly guarantees that the work will be paid. That may not be true for a project which is looking to fill positions both paid and unpaid, where the producer is willing to pay for work, but not necessarily going to turn away someone who offers to work at no charge. In "We are a free project looking for partners," there is no inherent implication as to whether the positions filled will be paid or not. In the sentence structure, "free" modifies "project," not "partners," which is what leads people to see it as a place for free-on-release projects, not free-of-charge work.

In short, this policy leaves no clear place for "A project which will be free upon release, and is recruiting members irrespective of whether their work is paid or unpaid."

RotGtIE wrote:In short, this policy leaves no clear place for "A project which will be free upon release, and is recruiting members irrespective of whether their work is paid or unpaid."

You're right, there is some ambiguity here.

Solution: Either post your game in the "free project" section and mention in the text that SOME positions are paid, or post your game in the "paid work" section and mention in the text that you are also looking for unpaid partners. Your choice.

I'd suggest that the former might be the right choice. Just remember that the difference between a partner and a freelancer is that the former can expect a degree of creative control and input into the project - such that the reward they get is seeing their ideas come to life. If you're willing to give them that, the issue of pay is secondary - and if you're not, you'll likely have trouble recruiting.

If that is the case, then it may be for the best not to officially declare the "We are a free project" subforum as being a place where, above all else, team members being recruited can expect not to get paid. Many content creators offer different pricing schemes for commercial and non-commercial projects - telling them that the Free Project subforum is a place for free work rather than free-on-release projects when that is not the case has the potential to cause confusion and needlessly drive them away from it. If the policy on thread creation is "one per project" even across multiple subforums, then the project lead or recruiter cannot cast the net across both the "Free Project" and "Paid Work" subforums simultaneously, causing them to possibly miss out on potential team members who expect either to be paid or unpaid before they go looking for recruitment posts in one subforum or another.

If it is acceptable to recruit for paid and unpaid positions in the "free project" subforum, or if the purpose of the subforum is primarily for free projects rather than free work, then official statements from moderators should reflect that consistently.

Your original question was about

a non-commercial project ... willing to commission assets

which fits neatly into the definition of "we offer paid work". Your contributors are commissioned, meaning they probably won't be offered participation in the game concept, and you tell them what to do for you.

If you're willing to release your project for free and are looking for partners (e.g. artists given the liberty to flesh out the looks of the characters, with their artistic choices eventually reflected in the game script), that would definitely be a case of "free project looking for partners", even if you're willing to pay said artists.