Why must games be free?

There are a few reasons why the situation as described above is set as it is now.

1. The staff checks most (if not all) games that are being posted here. We do not want our younger visitors who come here being disturbed because someone posted a game with some 16+ or 18+ content in it. This can be horror based or even sex based. We have children visiting here that go down as young as 8 years (perhaps even younger).

I cannot imagine a parent who would let a child of that age browse the internet unsupervised.

Then again, these days 1st grade girls have a Facebook profile and 1st grade boys play Counter-Strike, which just proves that, these days, the only things that can disturb kids are

1. Getting humiliated on Facebook
2. Losing in CS
3. Someone killing both of their parents and their dog.

2. This forum is made to share great free games you have played and you want to tell others about it. Its not the kind of forum to just chat about any popular game, also because this might overshadow Nifflas' game or even create a popular vs indie gamewar. Sure, I could make a topic about Call of Duty 4 (Though this would break the 16+ age limit) and tell how good I am in this game and how much I love it, but this is so much different from what games are generally being posted here. Besides, there are a lot of great gamesites to feature these games. If you really want to start a conversation about one of these non-free games, then use IRC.

Not everyone who plays these so-called "popular" games is a mindless fanboy who will buy anything that has Nintendo or Sony plastered all over it just to have it. It may seem shocking, but some people, such as yours truly, play these games so they can have fun and enjoy themselves.

And "overshadow Nifflas' games"? Really? Is he that scared of anyone on this forum even thinking about a game that isn't his?

3. The staff cannot change the way Nifflas brings his games. We're merely happy to be part of it all, just like you. Besides, we do support Nifflas and the way he wants to make a living out of his gamedevelopment.

Well, obviously he can't live on comments saying "This game is awesome." I support Nifflas and have played many of his games and enjoyed every one of them.

4. True, its possible with Nifflas' games to come to a point that someone seeks help and doesn't have the full version because it costs money. Nifflas' games do not cost much, and I think I'm safe to say that when you speak of a Nifflas game, whether its free or not, you know before you play it, that you'll have a great time. Its almost an insurance that you can safely buy his game because you know on beforehand that it will be a great game anyway.

While I admit this is true, when you put it this way, it sounds like "Hey people guess what! We have decided to turn the Other Free Games board into a WORSHIP NIFFLAS HE IS YOUR GOD board. In this board, you can post about how his games changed your life and how happy you are to fork over money to him and how you converted a pagan by making them play Knytt Stories. Post away, first one to post gets a free meal."

Nifflas' dedicated fanbase is looking more and more like a dedicated cult.

5. Don't forget, we created this forum as part of the off-topic chatter that we used to have but got out of control. In the worst case, where it seems that people do not want to have this very forum in the way it is now, is that we remove it all together.

I guess it all comes down to this: The vision of this forum is, share things for free, with the exception that Nifflas needs a little bit of cash to support himself.

So this board is a waste of space?

=|=

I do not really see a reason to answer the rest of the questions, as you probably know the answer yourself. As stated earlier, this is not open for debate. But this last question, I'm eager to answer by projecting it back to you.

Quote from: LPChip on July 29, 2010, 23:47:57

5. Don't forget, we created this forum as part of the off-topic chatter that we used to have but got out of control. In the worst case, where it seems that people do not want to have this very forum in the way it is now, is that we remove it all together.

I guess it all comes down to this: The vision of this forum is, share things for free, with the exception that Nifflas needs a little bit of cash to support himself.

So this board is a waste of space?

=|=

Do you think its a waste of space?

So this isn't a waste of space?

I don't consider it a waste of space, because it still adds value to the forum.

People sometimes have an extra moment in which they like to be entertained. They can play a free game for those occasions.

So it's a waste of time?

...nah, just kiddin'.

OK, what is with people trying to use the excuse "but Nifflas's games aren't all free" to say the rules on this board are wrong?

Point me to the topic ABOUT a Nifflas game on this board.

OK, what is with people trying to use the excuse "but Nifflas's games aren't all free" to say the rules on this board are wrong?

That's not an excuse, it's a fact.

Point me to the topic ABOUT a Nifflas game on this board.

What the heck does that even have to do with what we're discussing?

I agree with the rule to only post freeware games.  I just disagree with its justification.
When you post a game here, what you're basically doing is advertising.  And advertising something that's free is fine; you're probably doing it because you want people to enjoy it, not because you want money.  If you're advertising something that costs money, you're probably doing it to make money - perhaps not for you, but for someone.  This is a powerful motivator, and I'm certain that if the rule was removed, this subforum would quickly be flooded with hundreds of games - which defeats the purpose of the subforum entirely.

Now, obviously there is a lot of overlap here; free games that request donations, free games with non-free expansion packs, and a lot of other things.  But if you want to advertise, there are plenty of other places to do it.

Quote from: Pick Yer Poison on August 19, 2010, 18:05:27

OK, what is with people trying to use the excuse "but Nifflas's games aren't all free" to say the rules on this board are wrong?

That's not an excuse, it's a fact.

Quote from: Pick Yer Poison on August 19, 2010, 18:05:27

Point me to the topic ABOUT a Nifflas game on this board.

What the heck does that even have to do with what we're discussing?

It's relevant because some people are trying to say that the board should allow games that aren't free because not all of Nifflas's games are free. However, that has nothing to do with this board; none of Nifflas's games have ever been posted in here. Saying that they support your position would require them to have been posted in here, thus breaking the rules in place; however, they haven't been posted in this board. They're completely separate from it, and trying to reference them is basically referencing something completely irrelevant to your argument.

It's relevant because some people are trying to say that the board should allow games that aren't free because not all of Nifflas's games are free. However, that has nothing to do with this board; none of Nifflas's games have ever been posted in here. Saying that they support your position would require them to have been posted in here, thus breaking the rules in place; however, they haven't been posted in this board. They're completely separate from it, and trying to reference them is basically referencing something completely irrelevant to your argument.

First off, it's MY argument. And second, why would you actually post about Nifflas' games in here? It's not called "Nifflas' Free Games", it's called "Other Free Games".

But this is not relevant, what IS relevant is why I brought up Nifflas' games in the first place: to prove LPChip wrong. His excuse was that someone could try to help a person who has the full version, and then find out they have the demo. Well, excuse me, but this can happen with Nifflas' games too and no one can say it won't ever happen.

And minmay, really? Because, just yesterday, I told my friend about a new game I just got. Did I do that because I wanted to earn some money for a corporation? OF COURSE NOT, I did it because I wanted him to play it and see if he likes it.

Besides, as you said, when you post about a freeware game, you're advertising that one too. And when freeware developers become famous, they just rub their grubby little hands together and say "Okay, I've got a dedicated fanbase, I've released many popular free games, and now let's make those poor saps PAY!" And bam, freeware developer turned PAY PAY PAY PAY FOR MY AWESOME GAMES MY UNDERLINGS developer. It happened. It happens. And it will ALWAYS happen.

And I don't think this forum would get flooded with thousands of games, first of all, I don't think there's enough active members to do that, second, I don't think people will start talking about, oh, I don't know, Call of Duty, or Half-Life 2, or something like that: everyone knows about those games, and I think most of the members here are mature enough to NOT starting posting about those. I never wanted THAT to happen, what I had in mind were games that aren't exactly mainstream: the ones that are more obscure and the ones not everyone has in their library, but they still require you to pay.

Why am I replying anyway? I know NOTHING will ever change. We've got our own little controlled, claustrophobic forum here, with the rules that will never change. (unless the mods have to do some "under-the-table" work, if you know what I mean)

=|=

It's relevant because some people are trying to say that the board should allow games that aren't free because not all of Nifflas's games are free.

But that doesn't mean you should post them here.

Saying that they support your position would require them to have been posted in here, thus breaking the rules in place.

And why would that be? I don't see any reason why they should be posted to support our position.

However, they haven't been posted in this board. They're completely separate from it.

But still, they're not separate from the forum.

Trying to reference them is basically referencing something completely irrelevant to your argument.

No, it's not. Read all of Yukabacera's posts again, and you'll understand.

And minmay, really? Because, just yesterday, I told my friend about a new game I just got. Did I do that because I wanted to earn some money for a corporation? OF COURSE NOT, I did it because I wanted him to play it and see if he likes it.

Exaggerating everything your opponents say is not a very good method of argument.  Obviously I don't mean that every time you talk about a game, it's to get someone else to buy it.  It's possible that you would never have that motivation, in fact.  But a single person does not represent the entire forum.

Besides, as you said, when you post about a freeware game, you're advertising that one too. And when freeware developers become famous, they just rub their grubby little hands together and say "Okay, I've got a dedicated fanbase, I've released many popular free games, and now let's make those poor saps PAY!" And bam, freeware developer turned PAY PAY PAY PAY FOR MY AWESOME GAMES MY UNDERLINGS developer. It happened. It happens. And it will ALWAYS happen.

Of course it will, but it doesn't happen to every game - indeed, most games posted here will still be free when this forum is gone.  Just look at the 25 oldest topics; how many of those games are still free?  Almost all of them.

And I don't think this forum would get flooded with thousands of games, first of all, I don't think there's enough active members to do that, second, I don't think people will start talking about, oh, I don't know, Call of Duty, or Half-Life 2, or something like that: everyone knows about those games, and I think most of the members here are mature enough to NOT starting posting about those. I never wanted THAT to happen, what I had in mind were games that aren't exactly mainstream: the ones that are more obscure and the ones not everyone has in their library, but they still require you to pay.

It doesn't matter whether they're "mainstream" or not.  Some people are still going to just post every game they have, and with several people that adds up.  Furthermore, a lot of people here are obviously just waiting for a chance to post these games.
And I guarantee that much of it will basically be advertising; people will want to support the game's developer, and figure that the best way to do that is to get more people to buy the game by posting it here.

Why am I replying anyway? I know NOTHING will ever change. We've got our own little controlled, claustrophobic forum here, with the rules that will never change. (unless the mods have to do some "under-the-table" work, if you know what I mean)

Agreed.  But irrelevant.

I have no problems with discussions, but I think its pointless to discuss something that is not subject to change. As I've stated a few times, questions can be answered, but asking for a change won't happen.

I've let this become a discussion so far, but its turing into an argument.

I've discussed this matter with the staff, and we all agreed that we should stop this here and now.

I'm therefor locking this topic.