90% of the past month's games have been from Alawar. Aren't other companies donating?
[closed]
Why all the Alawar games?
(24 posts) (4 voices)-
headman
MemberActually, Alawar just distributes games from various developers. Obviously, some developers (the makers of Snowy, Foxy Jumper and the much-maligned Brave Dwarves come to mind) are willing to let us try just about their whole bag of tricks. I don't think the games are bad, but they do get repetitive. Count your blessings. At least we haven't been subjected to the plague of DoubleGames from months back. Some of those were flat-out awful.
It all boils down to the fact that big-name developers don't need the exposure a site like this can give to the lesser-knowns. And the lesser-knowns are lesser known for a reason. Besides not having the big-name talent and technology, some might get scared off. Put yourself in developers shoes and read the daily comment section. You have to admit there's not a whole lot of incentive for them. There are some exceptions, but the vast majority of comments come from people who are happy to get the games but have no inclination toward buying anything, or people who trash a perfectly good game just because it isn't to their taste. Not a whole lot of constructive input.
I've been around this site since it started up and I can tell you two stone-cold facts: 1) We'll get whatever GOTD can give us and not everything we'd like, and 2) We could do a hell of a lot worse than Alawar.Posted 16 years ago # -
Lockett
MemberI just read the most shocking thing. On their "About" page, it says that this site actually picks the software that they offer - there are no donations. So they're VOLUNTARILY foisting this junkware on us, despite the angry protests in the comments.
On a scale of ten, my level of respect for this site just went from five to about two and a half.
Posted 16 years ago # -
Do you have a link where you read this? GOTD can only giveaway the programs that the distributor gives them.
I'm not positive, because I don't sit across the table from Alawar when these matters are discussed (and I assume, neither do you) - I believe Alawar might give GOTD a list of maybe 30 games. And permission to giveaway each game for one day.
Perhaps the selection of which day is for which game is left up to GOTD.
That's how I would think it works.
Posted 16 years ago # -
Lockett
Member>BuBBy
For a mod, you don't seem to know much about the people whom you are working for. I'll quote their "About" page:
"Basically, every day we nominate one software title that will be a Giveaway title of that day."
Nominate means choose. Look it up.
"We will pay the software publisher for the Giveaway license, and our visitors will only receive those after downloading a special verification program and agreeing to the Terms and Conditions, thus protecting software publishers’ interests and making our initiative beneficial for both clients and publishing companies."
Not only are they choosing these "plates of dirt", as I like to call them, but they're PAYING the companies for them, giving the companies an incentive to make more(as if they didn't sell enough on their sites already). There are no donations involved. It sickens me.
Oh, and I thought that it was funny that "headman" is a Member, and "BuBBy" is a Mod. Har-har.
Posted 16 years ago # -
Wow, arrogant and rude.
Yes nominate can mean choose. Or to "put up" or "put forward".
If Alawar gives GOTD a list of 30 games and says, "you may give these away, one per day". Other developers or distributors might do the same.
On the first day - GOTD "chooses" the first game in the list - they have nominated one of the games in the list. On the second day - they nominate a second game. The point is they nominate from "what is available".
If game distributors gave GOTD some full price new release games a week before the games actually hit the store shelves for the first time - I'm sure GOTD they would "nominate" these games. Do you think if they had 10 "good games" and 10 "bad game" GOTD would only give away the "bad games" because of some evil plan?
You can only "win a prize" from what is currently in the "prize barrel".
If you don't want to eat the "plates of dirt" (as you like to call them) - then don't.
You can see what is on the menu, and you don't have any intention to eat, don't stand in line telling everyone how much you hate the food, and abusing the chef. The chef cooks the best he can with the ingredients he has available.
Truth is, if you don't own the restaurant, and you don't have to pay for the food, and you don't have to eat there - it's silly to protest that you are somehow being ripped off.
Oh, and I thought that it was funny that "headman" is a Member, and "BuBBy" is a Mod.
Yes. Funny that.
Posted 16 years ago # -
headman
MemberBoy, howdy! Boffo sense of humor, there, for sure.
The beauty of this site is no one will press charges if you don't like what's offered. In case it's still not sinking in after Bubby's explanation, GOTD is not in the business of making games. They offer to us what is offered to them. There's a big ol' internet full of alternatives for anyone whose emotional well-being is jeopardized by a tiny animated fox. You don't need to be a moderator to understand that.
Please excuse any typos - I'm still reeling from that "member/mod" hilarity. Woot!
Posted 16 years ago # -
Lockett
Member>BuBBy
"Wow, arrogant and rude."
I'm sorry, I was under the influence of caffeine and sleep loss when I wrote that(and still am, to a degree). After re-reading my post, I agree with you and apologize for my almost-flaming.
Okay, so I might be wrong about the game selection process. But I don't understand why Alawar would be the only company donating. You'd think that it was OWNED by Alawar, judging from their selection this past month.
>headman
"There's a big ol' internet full of alternatives for anyone whose emotional well-being is jeopardized by a tiny animated fox."
True, true, but I'll pass on warez and adgames.
"Please excuse any typos - I'm still reeling from that "member/mod" hilarity. Woot!"
You're mocking me, aren't you. By "funny", I meant mildly amusing.
Posted 16 years ago # -
The beauty of this site is no one will press charges if you don't like what's offered.
You don't have to like it - but appreciate that someone decided to giveaway their "work" for nothing. It mightn't be something you want or even like. But they didn't have to give anything away.
If we had to have consensus on the majority liking a program - what if the site worked like this:
- Everyone has to register on the site.
- Each day everyone votes on tomorrows giveaways.
- You can vote Yes or No - if you want the listed Program.
- You can vote Yes or No - if you want the listed Game.
- If the Yes votes are over 50% for the Game - That is the Game Giveaway the following day.
- If the No votes are over 50% for the Game - There is no Game Giveaway. The Game is discarded - and not up for a re-vote for perhaps 12 months.
- The software giveaways work in the same way.
This is probably the fairest way to decide on what should appear.
Everyone gets one vote - everyone's opinion gets heard. ;)Posted 16 years ago # -
But have you considered if there is a game you really wanted (like a shooter or action game), and other people who usually like the "match 3 in a row" games vote "No"... you miss out.
No matter how much you don't like a giveaway - someone else is going to think it is great. No matter how pointless you think a program is - someone else cannot believe their luck - it is just what they were looking for.
And you are correct - there's no way it's going to happen.
Posted 16 years ago # -
FreewareFan
MemberI'm jumping into this thread, relatively late, having just read the entirety of it. I've read several threads similar to this one over the course of time, all having the same basic message and intent. I finally feel motivated to express my opinion.
Simply put, it AMAZES me and ASTONISHES me that there are people who have the audacity to complain about a free gift.
For someone to be offered a gift, absolutely free of charge, with no effort required, no personal investment required at all, then to turn around and have the nerve to complain about that free gift, to say that the free gift is not good enough, that they want something else that is better, goes way beyond what I term to be bewildering. To say to someone who offers you a free gift, that you loose respect for them because the gift is not good enough in your magnificent viewpoint, is the height of being callous and shallow to the extreme.
It occurs to me that people of that nature will never, ever, be happy nor content with anything in life, and that is a true shame! Nothing one can ever do, nothing one can ever say, nothing one can ever offer, will be good enough for them.
How unpleasant life must be for those types of people......
Posted 16 years ago # -
Lockett
Member>FreewareFan
Okay, first of all, Foxy Jumper was free and it was still horrible, like a free plate of dirt(although that's fast-becoming a catchphrase of mine, it fits the situation perfectly). Secondly, if somebody doesn't like what the site is offering and wants something different, they are completely entitled to voice their opinion. That's what the comments sections and forum are for - if people can only say, "oooh its free i like it because its free its free so you cant say anything bad about it," then why is there a comments section in the first place? How would it be if every film critic gave every new movie five stars and everybody went to movies regardless of whether they liked them or not? There wouldn't be any film critics anymore and movie companies would be able to make whatver garbage that they could in time for Christmas(no, excuse me, WINTER). And, contrary to your bleak description of "people of that nature", there are actually things that are "good enough" for me to like - such as today's giveaway. Seriously, have you even read my comments today?
Oh, and your statement that "To say to someone who offers you a free gift, that you loose respect for them because the gift is not good enough in your magnificent viewpoint, is the height of being callous and shallow to the extreme," is completely unfounded(and grammatically incorrect, but I'll let that go). I was under the impression that GGAOTD had full choice of what was offered on their site, which, looking at the solid block of Bejeweled clones and "platformers"(Mario is a platformer. Foxy Jumper is hardly worth the use of the word) that they just offered, would definitely lower my respect for them.
Posted 16 years ago # -
Lockett
MemberSorry about the double post, but I can't edit the last one. Then again, I don't know how I would integrate it, so no big deal.
I just read their "For Developers" section and, yes, they are at the mercy of donations. However, programs can only be donated once at a time, ruling out BuBBy's theory.
Posted 16 years ago # -
I was under the impression that GGAOTD had full choice of what was offered on their site, which, looking at the solid block of Bejeweled clones and "platformers" that they just offered, would definitely lower my respect for them.
If you had purchased a subscription to this site and were being charged $20 a month for access, then this criticism might be valid (If alternate content was promised but witheld). But everything on this site is offered for free - you lose nothing if a giveaway is not to your liking. (Would it help if GGOTD offered a 100% refund on the purchase price if not completely satisfied?)
... and "respect" for my local cinema is "lowered" when they screen 2 or 3 weeks of movies I have no interest in watching
However, programs can only be donated once at a time, ruling out BuBBy's theory.
I'm sure everything can be discussed/negotiated in special circumstances. My theory was only that a distributor could offer multiple (different) programs. Alawar is an example of this.
Meridian93, Doublegames, Magnussoft, elefun, play.pl, realore, 300AD, merscom, exosyphen studios, Elephant Games are all distributors or development houses that have submitted multiple games (some would say - a majority of their product range) to GGOTD. Many of the games offered by the above have been given away more than once.
Posted 16 years ago # -
FreewareFan
MemberI wish you nothing but the best, Lockett. Hopefully life, in general, will become acceptable to you in the near future. Enjoy the journey, if possible.
Posted 16 years ago # -
Lockett
Member>BuBBy
I understand your first point. I thought that they were limiting their selection to match-3s on purpose. With regards to your second, I can see how that would work as well.
>FreewareFan
You, too!
How odd, while I was writing my post, BuBBy wrote one of his own.
I don't understand FreewareFan's logic - just because I happen to dislike match-3s doesn't mean that I hate everything else. That would be like someone's distaste for onions preventing them from eating anything at all.
Posted 16 years ago # -
FreewareFan
MemberWho says I have any logic at all? :-)
Lockett, you don't have to own any of my comments or opinions. If some thought or opinion of mine does not apply to you, just move on, don't own it as yours.
If you don't like onions, don't eat them. By the same token, do your best not to fault others for giving onions away free to people who do like onions. And, if perchance, onions happen to be in season, and there is an abundance of onions to give away, just pull your belt tight another notch, and hang tough. Carrots will be in season before you know it.... :-)
Posted 16 years ago # -
FreewareFan
MemberIs that a trick question? ;-)
Posted 16 years ago # -
Lockett
Member>FreewareFan
"If you don't like onions, don't eat them. By the same token, do your best not to fault others for giving onions away free to people who do like onions. And, if perchance, onions happen to be in season, and there is an abundance of onions to give away, just pull your belt tight another notch, and hang tough. Carrots will be in season before you know it.... :-)"
True. But these onions are out of season. And I was referring to your comments about how it must be impossible for me to like anything.
Posted 16 years ago # -
FreewareFan
MemberOK, Lockett. I'm attempting to make light here, see? Just carry on, things will get better, yes? Yes! I'm outta this thread. Later.
Posted 16 years ago #
Topic Closed
This topic has been closed to new replies.