tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16044716911492728892024-03-13T12:56:12.609-07:008-Bit Funding BlogGeoff Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03545231976426075428noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1604471691149272889.post-80951116249820087852011-11-22T06:45:00.001-08:002011-11-22T07:07:15.863-08:008-Bit Funding v1.0<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE4ZFYeLfsD68EDn7RT0y2CrIi6DIVlvwdbQDjj5sxam4awiJIxQxed59psRd1bxO8rXbm5Nr7qpnbAO_5Mg-JX6MzY9H4EH3TA5W9vPWXhjFX_Z-JpsUVcdOvJfk-mGi062gsnldM_o8/s1600/8BitProfiles.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE4ZFYeLfsD68EDn7RT0y2CrIi6DIVlvwdbQDjj5sxam4awiJIxQxed59psRd1bxO8rXbm5Nr7qpnbAO_5Mg-JX6MzY9H4EH3TA5W9vPWXhjFX_Z-JpsUVcdOvJfk-mGi062gsnldM_o8/s400/8BitProfiles.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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This is it! Over the weekend we pushed live our biggest update ever. Well,, biggest in terms of what's going on under the hood. As of right now we have fully fleshed out profiles which will allow you to see what you have backed, what you are following and have easy access to all of those things. We also have some new, and easy-to-understand privacy features for determining who sees what.<br />
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Fancy huh?<br />
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The big deal about this is that, on a feature level, it brings us up to par with the bigger crowdfunding websites. Up until this moment we were a fairly barren site offering really basic features.<br />
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We've still got some minor updates coming soon like the ability to sign up and login with your Facebook account.<br />
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After that we'll begin preparing for our next big update which will help us further stand out from the other crowdfunding sites to give indie developers a truly new choice when it comes to finding funding for their games.<br />
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P.S. Also achievements!Geoff Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03545231976426075428noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1604471691149272889.post-14233366905088691722011-11-02T12:41:00.000-07:002011-11-02T12:41:21.116-07:00New 8-Bit Funding Updates Pushed Live!Some of you may or may not have noticed, but last night we pushed through some major updates that will help you all better maintain a community within the site as opposed to needing to go through emails and such.<br />
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Also, this update is also a preparation of sorts for the big profile update which is coming soon!<br />
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Anywhere, here's what's new!<br />
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<b>First, In-site private messaging is now ACTIVE.</b><br />
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You'll have noticed this when you logged in and looked towards the top bar and saw some new text that says: "0 New Messages." You can now send messages to each user by simply typing in their usernames in the field. Easy-peasy.<br />
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It's pretty simple right now but it will ultimately tie into the new profile system in a big way, especially with regards to notifications, which are always important for simply keeping up with your favorite projects.<br />
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<b>Second, when you view a project you'll notice a new section that says "Screenshots." This is exactly what you think it is, screenshots of the project.</b><br />
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A project creator now has the opportunity to upload up to three additional screenshots of their project for users to check out. This gives users who are unable to watch the video a quick glance at the project. Also included is the thumbnail project post in its original size so, for you creators out there, make sure that picture is large enough to actually see!<br />
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We've got more coming as well as a large marketing push and many many more updates and features planned so stay tuned. We know we're not the largest crowdfunding service and we know the advantages of each other service out there. Our goal isn't to overtake those other places but rather offer an alternative.<br />
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If you have any questions feel free to comment below!Geoff Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03545231976426075428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1604471691149272889.post-5362113865705549522011-10-03T13:44:00.000-07:002011-10-03T13:48:04.761-07:00Some New Bug Fixes and Info on the next BIG UpdateSorry I haven't been updating this blog recently. With all the writings I do over at DIYGamer.com I find little time to actually post updates here. That said, today we pushed live a slew of fixes which should help a lot of people market their projects as well as put to rest some anxieties.<br />
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Here's the exact list:<br />
<ul>
<li>Logging in now actually keeps you logged in for a maximum of 2 weeks. It used to not function at all...</li>
<li>Twitter and Facebook buttons now work appropriately! Sorry this one took us so long.</li>
<li>Project widgets are a little cleaned up.</li>
<li><b>PASSWORDS ARE ENCRYPTED</b>. We don't send em to you, we don't have access to them. This has been a long time requested security feature. Sorry it took us so long to implement.</li>
<li>Properly alphabetized the categories. </li>
<li>When creating a project all fields must now be filled out. </li>
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Essentially we've patched up most of the larger holes that were left over from the first iteration of the site, which was a testing ground.</div>
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Moving on, we're now working on the next large update which we hope will be done within a month-ish. I can never say exactly how long they will take.</div>
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Essentially here's what it will be:</div>
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<ul>
<li>Completely revamped profiles</li>
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<li>Activity stream which shows what you have been doing whether you've commented/updated, funded or created a project.</li>
<li>Increased privacy settings to allow varying degrees of access by others to your account.</li>
<li>Achievement system whereby you can gain little badges for different accomplishments. I can promise you this will be expanded to something really cool in the future, but for now they serve as little congratulatory niceties. </li>
</ul>
<li>Sign up via Facebook</li>
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<li>Not everybody wants to create an entirely new account. Those of you with Facebook will have an easier time of accessing our system.</li>
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<li>Private messaging</li>
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<li>Currently the only way to contact each other is with a project update. With the new update you'll be able to message each other privately with access to perks or just with simple questions. </li>
</ul>
<li>Screenshot upload</li>
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<li>Project creators will now have the option to upload 3 additional screenshots which will be featured just below the video. As great as videos are sometimes a screenshot can be a better way to promote your project.</li>
</ul>
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Really this update is all about bringing the site to the same level as other crowdfunding sites. We want to be able to compete with the biggest of sites even if our niche is relatively small. You guys definitely deserve it!</div>
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As for the achievements, again, for right now they're just little niceties. Something to reward users for being awesome. That said, we're constantly brainstorming ways to expand on the concept and we've got some ideas floating around with how to do just that. So while they might be superficial in the beginning they're really just the beginnings of something truly unique and awesome.</div>
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If you have any questions feel free to sound off in the comments!</div>
<br />Geoff Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03545231976426075428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1604471691149272889.post-86031422562564942912011-08-09T11:45:00.000-07:002011-08-09T11:45:57.074-07:00New Design is now LIVE!So a little while back I revealed what the new design was going to look like. Well, despite taking a little longer than expected, the new design is now LIVE! Celebrations all around!<br />
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Seriously, though, this has been something I've wanted to do for so long but it just wasn't within my finances to do so. When we were finally able to start working on it back in June, I wanted it to look perfect. While I now know that nothing is ever going to be perfect, I'm damn proud of the design we have now. No longer will I have to explain to everybody why the design was so lackluster.<br />
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There's still some more work to be done, of course. Next on the list is a private messaging system and a forum for discussing/marketing projects. I also want to completely re-do the user profiles, but in what capacity, I'm not sure. I'd like to add a "high score" system and maybe some achievements to help bolster the community some. It's all up in the air, really.<br />
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I also need to redesign the blog a little bit better. The logo, obviously, is just a stand in for now until If ind the time to rip the real one from the .psd.<br />
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So what do you think? What do you want changed? Over the next month or so we'll be tweaking some designs here and there so let me know now what you want done.<br />
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<a href="http://www.8bitfunding.com/">www.8bitfunding.com</a>Geoff Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03545231976426075428noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1604471691149272889.post-50528647139979065732011-07-13T12:09:00.000-07:002011-07-13T12:10:03.665-07:00Instant Funds for Project CreatorsA while back we were forced by PayPal to essentially offer a no refund policy. Simple fact of the matter was that their system didn't allow for us to effectively refund people's money without getting our account locked down. Frustrating to say the least.<br />
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The good news is that, since we no longer are able to offer refunds, we've instead changed our system so that project starters are able to get their money immediately. Instant gratification for all!<br />
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Essentially what happens is that a contributor will continue to fund your project via PayPal. It used to be that that money would then funnel into our account where we'd hold onto it until we would release it to you after your project finished funding. Instead, once a contributor funds your project now it will be deposited directly into your account minus our fee. So, if somebody contributes $10 to you, you'll see that $10 in your account immediately and you'll have access to it right away.<br />
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Everything else remains the same. Perks still need to be fulfilled as you are able to fulfill them. It's just now you can use the money as it comes in as opposed to needing to wait until an arbitrary date is finished to get your money.<br />
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We'll be going through our current projects now and funding them what they've earned up until now. From that point on, all contributions will come directly from users.<br />
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If you have any questions please sound off in the comments!<br />
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P.S. Redesign is still coming. Looking good! Can't wait to move it live...Geoff Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03545231976426075428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1604471691149272889.post-45402615834437526082011-06-27T09:39:00.000-07:002011-06-27T09:39:43.520-07:00Introducing the New 8-Bit Funding [Screenshots]When I first started this website back in January I knew that certain parts of the site were... rustic. I made no qualms nor apologies for the sites crude design. This was a one man site pioneered on my own savings for what I perceived to be a necessary step to helping indies get the funding they need to pursue their dreams.<br />
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Luckily, as of a few weeks ago, somebody else saw the potential in the site and had generously invested in it enough so that we could afford some basic upgrades, many of which you've probably noticed incrementally over the last few weeks.<br />
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The biggest and largest update, however, is yet to come and will be implemented before the end of July. That update being the new design. Normally, I like to spring the new design on site visitors completely by surprise as I've done in the past with DIYGamer. However, given the nature of 8-Bit Funding, it would probably be best to reveal it now and give users a look at what they can expect. Here's the new site design:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.imgur.com/8vBSa.png"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkajyjVIKdVoheDVc3X4q-LKXYCf7lkvoDQAkD1hxWRoaiGc-or5jheLMAXJHKOEyEKejB8xiDbxzHY4OJtNjEjVTjGVhVZl1y_iMo0N7yg1JGurXLC9jJCHDCm2H9MpRt0UBWcKPzIgY/s400/8BitFUndingHome.png" width="367" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As you can see, the new home page is much brighter and more dynamic than the old one. Gone is the "Featured" section that just mimics the "Popular" section. Instead we've placed a flash/java slider to better highlight premiere games. Additionally, the widgets now have actual monetary sliders to give an additional visual cue as to how much money a project has earned.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.imgur.com/Mcf0D.png"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0UxSaeP5YCY9kcLtaLunruKGL0NBUgV6NF0bS9sh9VyiD6p9hJcmYgkVXjmvmno__btYpnau65XyaeUx4wEWiYzYwIc6h3faNWwHiieE8sLnoy4Id0g7djK8mCc9Rx4nUuCZBrd6jTP8/s400/8Bit-Funding-Project.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The project pages layout will largely remain the same as before in terms of the layout, but the overall aesthetics will be much cleaner. We'll also be removing those pesky artifacting found in the textual formats with this new design.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.imgur.com/a7rX2.png"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfitLnfJfopABZ0yWp_Wl-iyMyt0TL-diuwhq6K2-wKrWUr_HLa1719duiQ2hc_5Rhcdti0XSyJz6L0LAxdOqzsLMaMTgrSHukfnhcLopN4E98bcTJfeeXrpFpc9hF8rRHK101iJEvsw/s400/8bit-browse.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Finally, the "Browse" page will be very similar to what it is now, but with the new cleaner aesthetics.<br />
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Shortly after the redesign we'll also be implementing a slew of feature updates including private messaging, better updating/commenting, and a "high score" system for contributors. Look for all these updates and more to be out before the summer ends.<br />
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If you have any questions don't hesitate to comment below.Geoff Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03545231976426075428noreply@blogger.com10Portland, OR, USA45.5234515 -122.676207145.412436 -122.8587801 45.634467 -122.4936341tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1604471691149272889.post-5156890037134801012011-05-11T11:56:00.000-07:002011-05-13T13:46:05.380-07:00Updates and Comments... err updatesWe've introduced a few new updates to the site this week that should help both followers/funders and project creators communicate better. We've always had a system where by users could comment on a project and project creators could post updates about their project. However, that in and of itself was pretty basic and unless the others routinely checked there was no way a user/project creator would know that a comment or update was posted.<br />
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From now on, whenever a user/project creator posts a comment or update an email will be sent out to each letting them know there is new information to be had about the project.<br />
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Additionally, project creators now have the option to allow only funders to see an update. So, should a project creator wish to put in a beta link in their updates for contributors they may do so without having to worry about it leaking all over the web.<br />
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Finally, people who contribute to a project are now automatically following it. This should allow funders to more easily access the projects they're tracking.<br />
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We are currently working on a new design right now which will bring enhanced abilities in the future. We'll keep you guys posted!Geoff Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03545231976426075428noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1604471691149272889.post-30853107240754318992011-03-17T08:40:00.000-07:002011-03-17T08:40:59.313-07:00St. Patrick's Day Bug...So we stumbled upon an unusual bug this morning. We're not quite sure what happened, but it completely took us by surprise. Currently, despite having time left in them, and being able to confirm as much, every single project is shown as "Finished Funding" meaning there's no more time left to fund them.<br />
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We're looking into this as we speak and I'll update as soon as there's a fix and everything is restored. I'll also add on time should this problem persist for an inordinate length of time.Geoff Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03545231976426075428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1604471691149272889.post-29492576088227370652011-03-10T12:00:00.000-08:002011-03-10T12:00:12.534-08:00Ending the "Grace Period" and why refunds are impossible...Well we've sort of come to an impasse here at 8-Bit Funding. We've unfortunately been unable to work with PayPal in extending the refund period to 120 days instead of the 60 days normally allowed. They basically told us, flat out, "no." As such we've been forced to give up the "Grace Period" until such time as we are able to either find a new payment processor or work out some sort of deal with PayPal.<br />
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The good news is that:<br />
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1. This does NOT apply retro-actively. If you've already made a contribution to a project, it is still safe under our former "Grace Period" rules, out of our own pocket if need be.<br />
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2. We are removing the 10% fee altogether. Developers will retain the entire amount they've collected minus our normal 5% fee. <br />
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This really isn't how we wanted to run the site as it leaves everybody a little more vulnerable. However, we assure you that we'll continue to screen projects that look shady to ensure that any contribution opportunities are safe.<br />
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So, on a final note: <b>Please do not contribute unless you are 100% willing to depart with your money. We can't afford to refund anybody else from this point on.</b>Geoff Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03545231976426075428noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1604471691149272889.post-23420433643677849922011-02-15T10:50:00.000-08:002011-02-15T10:50:56.101-08:00I'll be at GDC! + Other NewsYou may have noticed a distinct lack of communication via this blog over the past couple weeks. It's not that I don't love writing here, honestly, it's just that we didn't have too much to report on. <br />
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Anyway, I'm writing today because we do actually have some news to report on:<br />
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First, as the title states, I'll be at GDC talking with developers about 8-Bit Funding as well as doing some DIYGamer duties. Should be a fun time! Note: I am explicitly not scheduling very many appointments as I want to ensure that I'm available should any developer just want to sit down and talk for a while with me about their games.<br />
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Next, as of this morning most of our bugs are now completely fixed. I know it might seem like everything took a while (3 weeks!) but when you're a very small team relying on work from volunteers or people who have day jobs, things just can't move as fast as you'd like. Fortunately for us, as of this moment we can begin plotting out our feature list for what we want to accomplish next. (hint: profiles need a huge make over!)<br />
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Finally, as our launch developers created their projects in a turbulent time, we will allow said developers to request a one month extension on their project. Hopefully this will encourage said developers to reinvest their time into finding additional people to help fund their games.<br />
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I'll have more to post on as GDC gets closer.Geoff Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03545231976426075428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1604471691149272889.post-87104301767921629542011-02-03T12:04:00.000-08:002011-02-03T12:04:32.180-08:00Whoooo! Our first project was fully funded!It's been a stressful couple of weeks, no doubt about it. Aside from launching the site, we've been actively trying to market the site, fix bugs, and communicate with our project starts on an almost-non-stop basis. It's been tough, to say the least.<br />
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Luckily it's all been worth it as our first ever project was funded to completion early this morning. I can't tell you how much of a relief this brings me. When you're working on something so hard like this, it makes everything feel better once you've actually succeeded in what you originally set out to do.<br />
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The project in question is Expedition: The New World, a quirky little rogue-like that has you commanding a team of ships as you prepare to settle the new world. It has a sort of "Oregon Trail" feel to it, which is a good thing in my opinion. The total amount funded thus far is $715.<br />
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Of course, the game with the most funding thus far continues to be Cardinal Quest at $2,986, quite impressive. Followed by Means of Escape at $836. Both very impressive games that we hope to get funded through our own site before their project timelines are up.<br />
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Anyway, back to work...Geoff Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03545231976426075428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1604471691149272889.post-52908479118985138472011-01-31T09:53:00.000-08:002011-01-31T09:53:15.726-08:00Week One Post-MortemWhew, it was an insanely busy launch week. Looking back we probably should have delayed the launch until today, but that's not how things happened. Despite the state of bugs, etc. during the launch week everything went far better than expected. In fact, I'd say that the launch was a phenomenon. Not only did we get written up by the likes if IndieGames.com, Joystiq.com and Wired.com, but we also had two projects see a surge in contributions: Cardinal Quest and Means of Escape. Huge congratulations to both of those projects.<br />
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Digging in a little deeper, our total traffic for the site was impressive. Between last Monday and yesterday we had 16,405 unique visitors and a whopping 84,000 page views. I don't know how familiar you are with site traffic, but that amount within the first week is pretty astonishing, at least as far as we are concerned.<br />
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Still, despite this good news, now is no time to slouch. We've got to redouble our efforts and make an honest attempt at becoming a frequented site for gamers everywhere who are interested in helping to fund indie game development. To do that it will take a valiant effort on behalf of:<br />
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<b>8-Bit Funding staff</b><br />
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This week we plan on marketing the site in such a way so as to partner up with many different organizations. Already we are speaking with a few prominent names, although we have nothing to announce as of yet. In addition, we plan on launching mini-marketing campaigns around the web to drive traffic and keep people interested. Stay tuned for more information on that.<br />
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<b>Project Creators</b><br />
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It is imperative that project creators actively keep people talking about there game and driving people to their project on 8-Bit Funding. We can drive traffic to the site, but you'll need to drive people directly to your project. To do this I urge creators to talk to their friends, family, and fans. Also don't be afraid to show off your game in various forums and game discussion communities. Your project will be 100% funded based on <i>you</i>.<br />
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<b>The Community</b><br />
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As a member of the 8-Bit Funding community it's very important that you keep talking about games you like on the site, or share the site with friends/family online. If you like this idea of a site dedicated to funding indie game development then please help spread the word.<br />
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We've got a lot of work to do heading into February and it certainly won't be easy. 8-Bit Funding will be 100% judged based on successful projects. So, with that said, it's time to double our efforts and get people excited about seeing their favorite games come to life.Geoff Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03545231976426075428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1604471691149272889.post-88127883370453564862011-01-28T12:55:00.000-08:002011-01-28T12:55:55.343-08:00Bugs we are aware of...Many people keep sending us emails about the same bugs this isn't a complaint per say, as we love that you guys are helping us figure this out as we go. However, there are certain bugs we are well aware of and is on our list of fixes incoming. Here's whats what:<br />
<ol><li>Currently you can't select a perk and then add more funds on top of it. Selecting a perk locks you into that perks price point.</li>
<li>Using the "Contact Us" form upon submission relays a bunchof gobble-de-gook code.</li>
<li>Widgets aren't working correctly.</li>
<li>The Twitter "Share this Project" button is not working correctly.</li>
<li>Formatting is placing "\" whenever an apostrophe is used.</li>
</ol>If you find something else please leave us a comment!Geoff Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03545231976426075428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1604471691149272889.post-82834604391279810782011-01-27T12:54:00.001-08:002011-01-27T12:54:20.436-08:00Marketing Your Project 101It's come to my attention that many project creators probably don't quite understand the notion of project marketing. Heck, in all my years of working with indie developers I've found that the greatest weakness of developers, in general, is marketing. Which isn't too surprising given that it's actually a really difficult proposition.<br />
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So, with that in mind, here are some tips to help you promote your project in order to get some funds:<br />
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<b>1. Friends and family</b><br />
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Oh yeah, these guys are gonna be huge in generating contributions. It's important that you let your friends and family know what your working on, why you need help, and how they can help. Being close to you they have a vested interest in helping you along, after all that's why they are considered your friend, or even better, family.<br />
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Of course, most project creators will, instinctively, blast Facebook and Twitter, both of which are fantastic means to communicate a brief idea of what you are working on/need help with. However, when dealing with your close friends and family, go the extra mile. At the very least send an email to them specifically letting them know that you'd appreciate anything they can offer, even if it's only a couple dollars. Putting something up on your Facebook wall these days is pretty impersonal, you've got to make the extra effort to ask.<br />
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<b>2. Fans</b><br />
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If you're developing a game, you should have fans or at least people curious about your project, unless you're intentionally keeping it quite, in which case, why are you creating a project at all?<br />
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Many developers acquire fans through their dev blog, of which many use services such as ModDB and IndieDB. These are great resources to help build your fanbase.<br />
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Anyway, where I'm getting to with all this is that fans are the next best source of contributions, especially the ones who are fans prior to the games actual release. Offering up contributions that include them in some way is a huge motivational factor in getting them to donate as they'll feel like they actually helped development (which they did).<br />
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Beyond that, as fans of the concept, idea, etc. they naturally want to see the game become the best it possible can be. Let them know that by contributing they are actively funding a better game.<br />
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<b>3. The community at large</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
In no way am I encouraging you to spam. Don't do it. It will make you look bad, it will make us look bad and overwhelmingly people just won't respond positively if you try and spam your project.<br />
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That said, utilizing the community at large isn't completely against the rules. Let's face it, as gamers we like talking about games which means your probably apart of some sort of gaming community out there be it a forum, reddit, digg, etc. Use these places to your advantage. Put a link in your signature and/or request an admin to allow you to put up a post about your game.<br />
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Bottom line, the gaming community is VERY generous. Over the past few years we've seen how generous they can be in supporting endeavors of other gamers. Use your communities in this manner and don't be afraid to put yourself out there to communities you are a part of.<br />
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<b>4. Appeal to press</b><br />
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<b></b>This is something I've been telling indie developers since the first day I founded DIYGamer.com. Talk to the press, get them interested in your game, offer up previews, reviews, interviews, etc. Once you've got a project running, go the extra distance to get anybody and everybody to talk about your game. From there, get them to include a ink to your project fund somewhere in the article.<br />
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These guys are there to promote you, don't just sit back and wait for them to come calling. Believe me, as a member of the indie press, there are about a thousand other games I could be looking at on any given day.<br />
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<b>5. Think outside the box</b><br />
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</b><br />
Don't rely on this list as your only means of getting the word out. There is always an opportunity to talk up your game, your project, your need of help. Go to conferences, meet up with local developers in your area.<br />
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Keep in mind that funding a project is a job. This is not something you can create and then just let loose and expect to be successful. It takes work, it takes commitment, most of all it takes the desire for you to actually want this kind of funding.<br />
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I hope this has helped you in some way. If you think of anything else that you've found successful, feel free to chime in on the comments.Geoff Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03545231976426075428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1604471691149272889.post-36228160191758151982011-01-26T08:22:00.000-08:002011-01-26T08:22:17.130-08:00Okay, time for some new developersI've just been royally screwed by my current developers as they failed to fix some critical bugs. I'm done. Finding new developers as we speak to take care of some of these issues asap.<br />
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I know this is really frustrating for some of you, especially those who don't have project funds that are adding up correctly. Believe me when I say everything will be righted soon. We are keeping a log of what's what and everything is being recorded correctly on the backend.<br />
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Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.Geoff Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03545231976426075428noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1604471691149272889.post-43306159922268641962011-01-25T10:53:00.000-08:002011-01-25T10:53:07.643-08:00Project Approvals on Hold Until TomorrowJust a heads up to everybody, due to one very specific bug, we are freezing all projects from being approved until tomorrow. The bug does not current affect any of the actively running projects, just the ones continuing to be submitted. This is why we have not yet seen any new projects.<br />
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Feel free to contact us at any time if you have any questions.Geoff Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03545231976426075428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1604471691149272889.post-57869937464465250692011-01-25T08:14:00.000-08:002011-01-25T08:14:45.327-08:00Bug Fixes and a $1000 ContributionSo, as you can imagine, yesterday I was cracking off a million requests to the developers to fix this or that bug. You guys helped me find a bunch of them so thank you for that. Unfortunately, there were so many this has now become a 2-day job. Meaning my developers won't be pushing these fixes live until tomorrow. It's unfortunate but thats the way it is.<br />
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On the lighter side of the news, big congrats to <a href="http://www.8bitfunding.com/project_details.php?p_id=65">Cardinal Quest</a> as their game received a sizable donation of $1000 today, bringing up there total to $1170. His game does look fantastic and I'm not surprised somebody would be interested in contributing that amount.Geoff Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03545231976426075428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1604471691149272889.post-16778732604465450912011-01-24T15:37:00.000-08:002011-01-24T15:37:58.080-08:00PSA: Funding not adding up correctly is a known issue.It's a problem with our anonymous contributors. For some reason, upon funding a new project and wishing to be anonymous doesn't add up the total. This is on our list of things to fix. Should be done by tomorrow.Geoff Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03545231976426075428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1604471691149272889.post-29926503091673961782011-01-24T09:04:00.000-08:002011-01-24T09:04:07.140-08:00And our first major bug pops upArgh!<br />
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I knew this wasn't gonna go smoothly. Alright, so for anybody who is currently trying to use widgets to put on their site, etc. They aren't working properly right now. This should be fixed by tomorrow.<br />
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Sorry for any inconvenience.Geoff Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03545231976426075428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1604471691149272889.post-66552565073844656442011-01-24T08:42:00.000-08:002011-01-24T08:42:56.725-08:00We Are LIVE!Whew!<br />
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While there are still some problems with the site that I'm not particularly happy with, we have officially moved the site to the "live" site at www.8bitfunding.com. Hooray!<br />
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I've also begun to send out the press release and notify anybody important that we now exist. Now we just gotta hope it catches on. Haha... but seriously, I don't plan on just "hoping." I'll be working my butt off all day to get exposure.Geoff Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03545231976426075428noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1604471691149272889.post-22954934595411616032011-01-21T16:51:00.000-08:002011-01-21T16:52:17.242-08:00Editing Projects ProblemAlright so mini disaster struck today and unfortunately my developers are off for the weekend. Very frustrating that this happened just a few days before our official launch, but it's okay we'll just roll with it.<br />
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The original idea was that upon submitting a project, your project would go into our review queue where we could check it out and either approve it, or let you know of some fixes we require. From there you could always go into your "My Projects" area and your project (even though not yet approved) would be there and you could then edit it base don our suggested fixes. Pretty simple, right?<br />
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If only...<br />
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Unfortunately, while trying to convey that idea to my developers something got lost in the mix and instead of adding said features above they just removed the "Edit" ability altogether. So now nobody can edit anything, not even we admins.<br />
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We hope to have this fixed by Monday, in the mean time we have a rough fix for you. Should you require a few edits or changes we will approve your original project. From there you can open it up from your "My Projects" area and then copy and paste parts of the original so that you don't your work altogether. It sucks, granted, but it's the best immediate fix we have right now.<br />
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Terribly sorry for any inconveniences this causes guys.Geoff Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03545231976426075428noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1604471691149272889.post-48133752769496778262011-01-21T09:49:00.000-08:002011-01-21T09:49:00.635-08:00Preparing for the launch...It's been a tad bit quiet around here lately, particularly for this week. As much as I'd love to be able to do nothing but write blog posts updating everybody on the happenings of the site, I simply don't have enough time.<br />
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Rest assured, however, the site is complete, developer projects are being submitted as we speak and we are generally gearing up for a fantastic launch on Monday.<br />
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Next week we should be updating this blog a bit more often.Geoff Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03545231976426075428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1604471691149272889.post-66812857395459203862011-01-17T08:29:00.000-08:002011-01-17T08:29:05.215-08:00Following Projects... New Feature<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUIXi7hM7kEXs36jmB-jCGybaEgLJeb__H6D_mLDPcU6IDe7yEmXmb9s9p6mkkysiX4JKjM-mDqrIG2xWQ6U-1RI0a-Vj1p0IEMLk_-MUiLDxDGukppl7HSA1Eg6KBG7QfQJbje2CPLL8/s1600/FollowProject.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUIXi7hM7kEXs36jmB-jCGybaEgLJeb__H6D_mLDPcU6IDe7yEmXmb9s9p6mkkysiX4JKjM-mDqrIG2xWQ6U-1RI0a-Vj1p0IEMLk_-MUiLDxDGukppl7HSA1Eg6KBG7QfQJbje2CPLL8/s400/FollowProject.png" width="400" /></a></div>Just last week, I believe, a request was made to allow users to follow projects. Just a simple way to keep tabs on a project to make sure that the developer was active and communicating with the community prior to funding. This wasn't originally in our design scope when setting out to create this website, but it was such a great idea that we had to do it. Also, this should prove just what kind of impact you guys can have on the development of the site going forward.<br />
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Anyway, here's how the system works (and it's pretty simple):<br />
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1. On each project's page there is a green button under the "Fund This Project" button that says "Follow This Project." Clicking on it will have you following the project.<br />
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2. From there, should you want to see the projects you are following you can just go to the very top right of the page and click on the "Projects I'm Following" link to see them all.<br />
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Ta-dah. Simple, easy, and to-the-point.<br />
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We've also made it so that for each project you fund, you'll automatically follow so that you can stay updated through new postings, etc. from the developer.<br />
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What do you think?Geoff Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03545231976426075428noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1604471691149272889.post-7801672496322494712011-01-16T10:47:00.000-08:002011-01-16T10:47:20.936-08:00Site Launch Delayed Until January 24thSo I sent out an email blast to all my contacts a couple days ago, but, just inc ase you weren't on my list I just wanted to inform everybody that the site has been delayed from its original launch tomorrow January 17th ot the following Monday, January 24th.<br />
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While this is an unfortunate delay, it will give us some much needed extra time to get some very important developments completed as well as ensure that our marketing efforts for the launch go as smoothly as possible.<br />
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Feel free to email us should you have any questions or concerns.Geoff Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03545231976426075428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1604471691149272889.post-54778299162168727262011-01-12T10:46:00.000-08:002011-01-12T10:46:48.006-08:00Project Submission ReviewsAs we near our January 17th release (still on target, I promise!), we've come to the conclusion that having a curated process for reviewing projects is probably the best way to start off this site. I mean, let's be honest, the amount of projects the site will have in the beginning will probably be fairly low anyway. Still, in order to keep quality control and ensure that no obvious scammers are creating projects we've decided to create a review process. Here's how it will work:<br />
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Creating a project is still really easy. Simply sign up and click the big "CREATE" button. From there you'll fill out all the information you want, etc. etc.<br />
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Upon finishing your project creation, and clicking submit you're project will be sent into a review queue for one of us to check out. There we will assess the project, ensure that it is a legit game development project, and make sure everything looks solid. We will even offer a bit of proof reading to those international projects who might worry that their English is a bit off.<br />
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Once finished reviewing, if we determine that everything looks good, we'll simply hit a button, send you an email, and you can go in and set the project live at your leisure. Easy-peasy. Giving you the opportunity to set the project live at your own discretion is something we've done so that you don't lose valuable time to market your project. Every second counts, after all.<br />
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If, for whatever reason, we feel that your project does not fit in with 8-Bit Funding we will make efforts to inform you what is wrong with it and why we didn't approve of it. From there, you can edit the project based on our suggestions and resubmit for evaluation.<br />
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Of course, there will always be those, hopefully, rare occurrences where we'll just deny a project altogether for reasons that could be anything from an obvious scam, not being game-related, or even if we feel you're asking too much money while showing no gameplay or work having been competed. Our success will rely heavily on your success.<br />
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Hopefully this doesn't sound too complicated, but should you have any questions/feedback regarding our review system please feel free to comment below. We are more than interested in hearing your take on it.Geoff Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03545231976426075428noreply@blogger.com4