Weekly Community Recap Jan 24th - 30th
by Scott Burns · 02/02/2010 (12:15 am) · 10 comments
I hope everyone had a good weekend and had a good time at Global Game Jam if you participated this year. Hopefully by now everyone's recuperated from it. Before I get to recap I've got a couple PSA's (Public Service Announcement) first.
PSA #1 - Spotlighted BlogsSomething that we look for when spotlighting blogs is the preview picture used for the blog. You increase your chances of being spotlighted by using a picture of your game, or something relevant to the blog, for the preview picture. If you don't add a preview picture the blog will use your avatar and blogs that just use the default are less likely get spotlighted. The reason for this is because the preview picture is the first thing people see in the Spotlight, so it's best to put something there that gives them an idea of what the blog is about.
PSA #2 - Online Code RepositoriesIf you use an online code repository from sites like Assembla or Google Code make sure you set the repo to private. Most of these sites have the default setting for repos set at public and you have to set it manually. Make sure you do that so that you don't find yourself unknowingly violating the EULA.
Blogs and DiscussionsCascadia Kart Now in the App Store
Test Your Game Ideas with The UAISK!
Paintings and Screenshots Image Heavy
Mach 1 Demo now Available
T3D Environment Pack, Completed Wetland
Warscale 57 - A morale lifting gift (updated)
Sunday....Tuesday SoW Update 2
Twistum: New iTGB powered puzzle game for the released!
Shinobi Ninja Attacks Now Available in the App Store!
NO2 Racing Return and Me!
Digital Shock's Group Content Pack
Warscale 58 - Everything is in ruins...
GuideBot is Beta Now! Pricing, RoadMap and Video.
Flower Power Out, Gold Mine Close and a New Ancient Empire
Something different.
RPG System Tool Kit - One step to the future.
T2Di 1.3.1 Released
Discussion about the iPad.
ResourcesFixing non-looping, streaming audio in TGB
Access prefab Sub Objects from torquescript
Until next time everyone, Happy Torqueing!
#2
;)
02/02/2010 (2:47 am)
It's either something to do with your prostrate or Public Service Announcement.;)
#3
I don't know what you're talking about. *waves hand* The dates were right the whole time. ;)
Stupid copy/paste errors.
And yes, PSA means Public Service Announcement.
02/02/2010 (3:06 am)
@HoussenI don't know what you're talking about. *waves hand* The dates were right the whole time. ;)
Stupid copy/paste errors.
And yes, PSA means Public Service Announcement.
#4
02/02/2010 (3:08 am)
I always like blogs with the default image because I get this nice feeling of instantly knowing that someone I recognise has posted a blog. It's the really nice community feeling we have here with so many people sharing their real names and pics of themselves. But ah well. 
#5
02/02/2010 (7:10 am)
So a company logo cant be used to be spotlighted? How so? Should i just make a different one then? 
#6
Does this mean that to get my blog spotlighted I have to include pointless game screenshots that don't give the reader any information or any real benefit whatsoever? I'll do it if I have to, but it's kind of silly.
On a side note, I’m glad you started doing these weekly updates again. I’ve already seen some good stuff that I probably would have missed otherwise.
02/02/2010 (7:44 am)
Most of my blogs have to do with my AI kit. And as I've pointed out before, having still images is pointless in an AI blog because there is no way for them to properly convey what the AI is doing or how it functions (unless it's a diagram).Does this mean that to get my blog spotlighted I have to include pointless game screenshots that don't give the reader any information or any real benefit whatsoever? I'll do it if I have to, but it's kind of silly.
On a side note, I’m glad you started doing these weekly updates again. I’ve already seen some good stuff that I probably would have missed otherwise.
#7
02/02/2010 (9:05 am)
Regarding PSA#2, online repositories: Assembla charges for private spaces, so should be easy to know (if you have it for free, something is wrong) and Google Code is wrong altoguether for Torque related projects, as it is for open source projects only.
#8
02/02/2010 (9:35 am)
The reason for the preview picture is it's the first thing people see in the Spotlight from the What's new page, so it's best to put something there that gives them an idea of what the blog is about. It's not a hard and fast rule as there are some people, like Twisted Jenius or Dave Calabrese, whose default picture is what nearly all of their blogs are about (UAISK and Shinobi Ninja Attacks respectively).
#9
As I said before, I think these recaps (and even the PSAs) are helpful and I’m glad you’re doing them again. Your work is appreciated.
02/02/2010 (9:52 am)
Thanks for the clarification. So the suggestion is really closer to “the preview image should fit the blog.” It’s just that, in general, that means using an in game screenshot that’s different from your default avatar; but there are a few exceptions. As I said before, I think these recaps (and even the PSAs) are helpful and I’m glad you’re doing them again. Your work is appreciated.
#10
02/02/2010 (5:18 pm)
A good online repository I've used is XP-dev.com. You can get 250MB free and private. 
Sam.E
PS: What does PSA mean?