6 ms·

Show HN: Indiedevs.net – A place for indie game developers

82 points by pulse65535 5y ago

me_smith 5y ago
Thanks for sharing. I just signed up. I’m a member of TIG as well but that community seems to be fading. I haven’t touched gamedev in some time but looking to be motivated again with a vibrant community.
pulse65535 5y ago
If you are a creative individual of any type but especially if you are an indie game developer, you are more than welcome to our forums. It's supposed to be a comfortable and clutter free environment for developers to hang out and exchange ideas. The site just launched recently so there is not much content on it. If you are interested in generating some, we will see you there! :-)
- julianlam 5y ago
  Why not NodeBB, Vanilla, Flarum? Etc.
  - pulse65535 5y ago
    The real answer is I'm nostalgic for phpBB. :) I also think it stood the test of time. It may feel clunky at times but it's familiar to most of us that grew up around the early 00s.
nice_byte 5y ago
i opened an account. miss forums very much.
vimy 5y ago
There used to be a successful forum like this. I don’t remember the url though, it was a decade ago. Don’t know if it still exists. The guy from Positech Games used to post there frequently. There was also a guy from Finland with a blog called gameproducer or something. Does this ring a bell for anyone?
- agd 5y ago
  Perhaps this? https://forums.tigsource.com/ https://forums.tigsource.com/ Lots of indies post there.
  - tarr11 5y ago
    Famous tigsource Minecraft post https://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=95koo9rn3nerk6fs35d8u2of95&topic=6273.msg200782#msg200782 https://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=95koo9rn3ne...
    - asddubs 5y ago
      huh, kind of weird seeing notch have a trans flag as an avatar given his politics these days e: apparently the avatar and account name was changed in response to transphobic tweets by notch, at least according to a random twitter user
      - codetrotter 5y ago
        > e: apparently the avatar and account name was changed in response to transphobic tweets by notch, at least according to a random twitter user That’s an overstep on the part of the admins/mods IMO. Either ban someone if you don’t want them there, or leave their stuff alone. Don’t go editing other people’s names and profile pictures. No bueno.
      - cyber_kinetist 5y ago
        It’s basically because of a meme created after Notch was outed for his transphobic tweets (and was even kicked out from the credits for Minecraft), people were all saying that Hatsune Miku created Minecraft. Hence the anime character with the trans flag on it, I think its actually a bit hilarious. https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/hatsune-miku-created-minecraft https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/hatsune-miku-created-minecraf...
  - pulse65535 5y ago
    The problem with TIG is that it seems to be fractured on the admin level, and it seems to be in a death spiral right now. The front page hasn't been updated in years. I used to be an active member there and loved it. The site I made is very much inspired by it.
ddtaylor 5y ago
Reminds me of Blizcoder
asddubs 5y ago
my advice is to try and create a website that has useful resources, and attach the forum to that. It's going to be tough to grow a forum that isn't attached to anything else that draws people in these days and try to keep the number of forums as small as possible, especially at first, so activity isn't spread out over 12 dead categories
- pulse65535 5y ago
  Decent advice. I originally intended for a homesite, but as I was considering what to put on I realized I would have to conjure up a lot of content for it to be worth it. For now I think it's simply easier to just have a forum, if the demand grows for a homesite I can always add that at some point. I've actually already cut down the number of forums to what I feel are the manageable and topical ones, I think it should work for now. It's all improvised anyway, I'll see what the demand is over time and remove or add subforums as appropriate. I'm open to community feedback as well.
Rd6n6 5y ago
I’m hesitant to participate in more game dev communities unless the people in that community are unusually serious about their projects. That seems somewhat rare unfortunately. Actually making a commercially viable indie game takes incredible amounts of time, effort, and skill-building, but a lot of people think they can do it without that investment, and it ends up being more of a (highly rewarding) hobby. Talking to them isn’t the same as talking to somebody else who is also neck deep in their own serious project that has real stakes and real complexity Game jams and small non commercial games are awesome though, that is a great hobby to have if that applies to any of you!
- DizzyDoo 5y ago
  Yeah, I have to agree. I've been a full-time indie game developer for six years now and I'm fortunate that my peer network consists of about 90% people in the same boat, they have a few shipped titles under their belts. If I want to seriously talk about Steam's discovery algorithm or get some feedback, that can't really just be anyone. And if I want to talk about the game publicly its to get customers, not to show to other game developers. Not everyone would think the same, and that's okay!
  - rmbyrro 5y ago
    Making the same switch now. Any advice on a guide for starting in the right direction?
- dqh 5y ago
  I just quit my job to pivot to full time indie game development - what serious indie game dev communities can you recommend, if any?
  - Rd6n6 5y ago
    Unreal slackers has a good c++ channel. The others, I got invited to through good luck as I got to know people. Some of the less hardcore channels still have smart, interesting, skilled, and hard working people in them btw, I met a lot of really cool people in them.
vgel 5y ago
Signed up and posted a bit :) Very nostalgic! If anyone on HN has fond memories of forums, you should make an account!
9387367 5y ago
Are you blocking Tor browser?
- pulse65535 5y ago
  Not that I'm aware, but I have very little knowledge about Tor.
stanislavb 5y ago
I love that this is a simple good old school forum type of a community.
xyst 5y ago
It's definitely been awhile since I have used a "phpBB" forum. Glad it's still being maintained
slava_kiose 5y ago
In my opinion, this is a great resource for game developers.

82 points by pulse65535 5y ago

Thanks for sharing. I just signed up. I’m a member of TIG as well but that community seems to be fading. I haven’t touched gamedev in some time but looking to be motivated again with a vibrant community.

pulse65535 5y ago

If you are a creative individual of any type but especially if you are an indie game developer, you are more than welcome to our forums. It's supposed to be a comfortable and clutter free environment for developers to hang out and exchange ideas. The site just launched recently so there is not much content on it. If you are interested in generating some, we will see you there! :-)

julianlam 5y ago
Why not NodeBB, Vanilla, Flarum? Etc.
- pulse65535 5y ago
  The real answer is I'm nostalgic for phpBB. :) I also think it stood the test of time. It may feel clunky at times but it's familiar to most of us that grew up around the early 00s.

nice_byte 5y ago

i opened an account. miss forums very much.

vimy 5y ago

There used to be a successful forum like this. I don’t remember the url though, it was a decade ago. Don’t know if it still exists. The guy from Positech Games used to post there frequently. There was also a guy from Finland with a blog called gameproducer or something. Does this ring a bell for anyone?

agd 5y ago
Perhaps this? https://forums.tigsource.com/ https://forums.tigsource.com/ Lots of indies post there.
- tarr11 5y ago
  Famous tigsource Minecraft post https://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=95koo9rn3nerk6fs35d8u2of95&topic=6273.msg200782#msg200782 https://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=95koo9rn3ne...
  - asddubs 5y ago
    huh, kind of weird seeing notch have a trans flag as an avatar given his politics these days e: apparently the avatar and account name was changed in response to transphobic tweets by notch, at least according to a random twitter user
    - codetrotter 5y ago
      > e: apparently the avatar and account name was changed in response to transphobic tweets by notch, at least according to a random twitter user That’s an overstep on the part of the admins/mods IMO. Either ban someone if you don’t want them there, or leave their stuff alone. Don’t go editing other people’s names and profile pictures. No bueno.
    - cyber_kinetist 5y ago
      It’s basically because of a meme created after Notch was outed for his transphobic tweets (and was even kicked out from the credits for Minecraft), people were all saying that Hatsune Miku created Minecraft. Hence the anime character with the trans flag on it, I think its actually a bit hilarious. https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/hatsune-miku-created-minecraft https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/hatsune-miku-created-minecraf...
- pulse65535 5y ago
  The problem with TIG is that it seems to be fractured on the admin level, and it seems to be in a death spiral right now. The front page hasn't been updated in years. I used to be an active member there and loved it. The site I made is very much inspired by it.

ddtaylor 5y ago

Reminds me of Blizcoder

asddubs 5y ago

my advice is to try and create a website that has useful resources, and attach the forum to that. It's going to be tough to grow a forum that isn't attached to anything else that draws people in these days and try to keep the number of forums as small as possible, especially at first, so activity isn't spread out over 12 dead categories

pulse65535 5y ago
Decent advice. I originally intended for a homesite, but as I was considering what to put on I realized I would have to conjure up a lot of content for it to be worth it. For now I think it's simply easier to just have a forum, if the demand grows for a homesite I can always add that at some point. I've actually already cut down the number of forums to what I feel are the manageable and topical ones, I think it should work for now. It's all improvised anyway, I'll see what the demand is over time and remove or add subforums as appropriate. I'm open to community feedback as well.

Rd6n6 5y ago

I’m hesitant to participate in more game dev communities unless the people in that community are unusually serious about their projects. That seems somewhat rare unfortunately. Actually making a commercially viable indie game takes incredible amounts of time, effort, and skill-building, but a lot of people think they can do it without that investment, and it ends up being more of a (highly rewarding) hobby. Talking to them isn’t the same as talking to somebody else who is also neck deep in their own serious project that has real stakes and real complexity Game jams and small non commercial games are awesome though, that is a great hobby to have if that applies to any of you!

DizzyDoo 5y ago
Yeah, I have to agree. I've been a full-time indie game developer for six years now and I'm fortunate that my peer network consists of about 90% people in the same boat, they have a few shipped titles under their belts. If I want to seriously talk about Steam's discovery algorithm or get some feedback, that can't really just be anyone. And if I want to talk about the game publicly its to get customers, not to show to other game developers. Not everyone would think the same, and that's okay!
- rmbyrro 5y ago
  Making the same switch now. Any advice on a guide for starting in the right direction?
dqh 5y ago
I just quit my job to pivot to full time indie game development - what serious indie game dev communities can you recommend, if any?
- Rd6n6 5y ago
  Unreal slackers has a good c++ channel. The others, I got invited to through good luck as I got to know people. Some of the less hardcore channels still have smart, interesting, skilled, and hard working people in them btw, I met a lot of really cool people in them.

vgel 5y ago

Signed up and posted a bit :) Very nostalgic! If anyone on HN has fond memories of forums, you should make an account!

9387367 5y ago

Are you blocking Tor browser?

pulse65535 5y ago
Not that I'm aware, but I have very little knowledge about Tor.

stanislavb 5y ago

I love that this is a simple good old school forum type of a community.

xyst 5y ago

It's definitely been awhile since I have used a "phpBB" forum. Glad it's still being maintained

slava_kiose 5y ago

In my opinion, this is a great resource for game developers.