What is the purpose of the cork-board in my profile? I couldn't find anwhere on this forum that explains all the features.
cork-board
Tue, 02/10/2009 - 20:12
Tue, 02/10/2009 - 20:55
#1
You can write things on it
You can write things on it for others to see, when they visit your page. Others can write things on it for you to see, when you visit your own page.
Tue, 02/10/2009 - 22:22
#2
Ah
There's a feature that gets no use... User pages in general, actually. Nothing wrong with that, they'd be nice in a bigger community. Which leads to another question. I had no trouble finding this place a few weeks ago. In the entire internet, are there only the, what, 20 of us? This seems to be the only board like this. Are there a bunch of poor lost indie boardgame designers out there, or is the community just this small?
Spot the guy who's new to this.
Wed, 02/11/2009 - 03:02
#4
I know several designers who
I know several designers who don't frequent this board, and (as far as I know) don't even have accounts here. I find out what they're doing when we meet for game nights or proto testing, not online. So they (we) have a community, it just isn't an online one.
Over at BGG there are any number of wannabe (and real) designers who also don't seem to come here. At least every third gamer, in my experience, is designing a game of their own, so there's no shortage of indie designers! I don't know why they're not here; we all take every chance we get to proselytize BGDF.
It may be a critical-mass thing. BGDF isn't a terribly active place, in part because there aren't many of us who post often. I suspect the more people we get, the more we'll attract.
Wed, 02/11/2009 - 04:48
#5
It's probably also worth
It's probably also worth noting that more than 1200 users have registered here since the software was replaced 7 months ago, the vast majority of them being real users interested in the site (as opposed to spammers). That's just those who've registered: many thousands more have visited the site and read through things without registering.
I've been here since very nearly the beginning (jiminy, how many years has it been now?) and lots and lots of people have come and gone, many thousands of them. The truly active community -- those who post, say, at least once a week -- rarely goes above 30-40.
Wed, 02/11/2009 - 08:14
#6
the elite
I think i saw BGG as a member on here. Is BGDF a member on there? I agree with all thats been said (mostly). I also know a few designers in my corner of the world so there must be many, many, many more about - and with a name like Board Games Desiners...I'm really surprised it's not busier.
I love chatting about games personally and to read other peoples idea; maybe people are scared we'll pinch there ideas so they don't want to talk about them? I dont know
ttgames
Wed, 02/11/2009 - 08:15
#7
They come in waves
Activity on the forums varies. It comes in waves, with periods of high activity, and periods of low activity (or higher lurker to poster ratio).
Also, a lot of users seem to be active on the site for a year or two, then disappear. Sometimes they return after a while, sometimes they don't. Some just abandon the hobby, some others just feel it's more productive to design games than to discuss about game design; some have children, switch jobs, or whatever in real life that leaves them with less time to be active at the forums.
Something similar happen with the BGDF chat: some people is there every day, all day, some just log every now and then, some are regulars for a while and then stop coming, some return after a while.
But remember that for every one posting, there are many silent ones reading that are just a bit too shy to post, or simply not interested in playing an active role, but interested in what is posted. And a lot of people is reading old posts all the time.
Wed, 02/11/2009 - 10:18
#8
Lurkers, lurkers, lurkers....
It's probably also worth noting that more than 1200 users have registered here since the software was replaced 7 months ago...
...and...But remember that for every one posting, there are many silent ones reading that are just a bit too shy to post, or simply not interested in playing an active role, but interested in what is posted. And a lot of people is reading old posts all the time.
I strongly believe that there are a lot of lurkers. I know that many of the members of a small local game design group I meet with occasionally have accounts here, but rarely post. I think that this behavior is not unique to my group.
For what it's worth, I like the "small community feel" of the BGDF. I have a pretty good understanding of who each of you are, and I know what to expect.
Wed, 02/11/2009 - 15:46
#9
Lurkers
I actually know one of them, so I have no excuse for not thinking of that. Nice!
I also enjoy the small community feel on BGDF. It makes it easier, somehow.
Fri, 02/13/2009 - 09:59
#12
Personally speaking
I just don't have the time to post anymore like I once did. I either have to choose to work on game designs or post, and often times it's neither. As one's responsibilities increase, you have to choose to cut activities. That's just life. I imagine that's where all of the old 'regulars' went.
-Darke
Spot the guy who's new to this.
I've been wondering the same thing.