Insights on Hobbyist / Open Source / Indie game development
Hello.
I'm a long time Open Source user / booster / contributor, and a sometime hobbyist game developer. I expect that describes a lot of people here, especially if you include "game artist" in the "game developer" category, and I do.
I've recently started a website for my games, and it's made me realize something that never really hit me before.
If you are on a site, and you like that site, you like their games, the best thing you can do for them is click on their ads.
I run adblocker. I can't blame anyone else for running adblocker. But now I know some of these sites I go to regularly rely on ad money to survive (I don't, it's just a hobby for me).
If you like a site, turn your adblock off for a few minutes and click on an ad. It will only take a minute and the site owner will get some cash that they can use to keep that site running.
I'm not asking you to click on MY ads. Note I have not linked my site here. This is just general advice that has recently become clear to me.
Thanks
I find this... contextually odd, since OGA doesn't have any ads.
No, the best thing to do is to donate or to buy something ;)
If the indie game is open sauce I wouldn't have adblocker on, but then I don't play stuff on compy that isn't free as in freedom so :P
Of course, if it's things like stuff on the non updateable not internet connected NES/SNES/GENESIS then I don't have as much of a problem with it being closed sauce. I do take issue with those funkey lockout measures they had though...
I agree a buy or dontate is best. But an ad click doesn't cost you anything, and can make a big difference to the developer.
My context here is sites that offer free to play games, but don't sell anything.
Since OGA doesn't have ads, donation is best. I love that they take bitcoin. :)
You do realize that clicking ads just to score clicks can be construed as click fraud by paranoid ad brokers *cough* Google *cough* and get the publisher banned. Instead of helping your favorite developer, you'd be leaving them without an income source. So please don't. Donate if you can, buy if you can, but don't click ads at random.
That is a good point. I guess I meant 1 click, not click on them all.
My whole point is that I always ignore ads / run adblocker. I never even see the ads. But if you like a site, you should turn adblock off for that site, and if they have an ad that interests you, click it. It's an easy way to give a little help to sites you like, and doesn't cost you anything.
Also, clicking the Facebook "like" links and similar, will give that developer more exposure, and also give them a nice warm fuzzy feeling. :)
Just another thing you can do to help out people you like, for free. Also a thing I never do, and now I vow to start.