8-Bit Funding v1.0

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.

Fancy huh?

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.

We've still got some minor updates coming soon like the ability to sign up and login with your Facebook account.

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.

P.S. Also achievements!

New 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.

Also, this update is also a preparation of sorts for the big profile update which is coming soon!

Anywhere, here's what's new!

First, In-site private messaging is now ACTIVE.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

If you have any questions feel free to comment below!

Some New Bug Fixes and Info on the next BIG Update

Sorry 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.

Here's the exact list:

• Logging in now actually keeps you logged in for a maximum of 2 weeks. It used to not function at all...
• Twitter and Facebook buttons now work appropriately! Sorry this one took us so long.
• Project widgets are a little cleaned up.
• PASSWORDS ARE ENCRYPTED. 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.
• Properly alphabetized the categories. 
• When creating a project all fields must now be filled out. 

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.

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.

Essentially here's what it will be:

• Completely revamped profiles
• Activity stream which shows what you have been doing whether you've commented/updated, funded or created a project.
• Increased privacy settings to allow varying degrees of access by others to your account.
• 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. 
• Sign up via Facebook
• Not everybody wants to create an entirely new account. Those of you with Facebook will have an easier time of accessing our system.
• Private messaging
• 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. 
• Screenshot upload
• 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.

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!

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.

If you have any questions feel free to sound off in the comments!

New 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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

www.8bitfunding.com

Instant Funds for Project Creators

A 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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

If you have any questions please sound off in the comments!

P.S. Redesign is still coming. Looking good! Can't wait to move it live...

Introducing 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.

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.

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:

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.

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.

Finally, the "Browse" page will be very similar to what it is now, but with the new cleaner aesthetics.

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.

If you have any questions don't hesitate to comment below.

Updates and Comments... err updates

We'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.

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.

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.

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.

We are currently working on a new design right now which will bring enhanced abilities in the future. We'll keep you guys posted!