That’s a reasonable place to start… but you’ve had multiple people sharing links where Jason explained that CoG’s use of “public” refers to the invite, not necessarily making the whole game text public. It’s OK to stop triple-checking how other websites use the term when you’ve had clarification on how this one does. 
I agree that a rewording of the FAQ language would help make that clearer to people who haven’t read the forum threads that unpack CoG’s intent.
…oh god. I’m so sorry. It’s just…well um… he never actually said “public” in the quoted parts.
I’m sorry!
AAAAAAAAHHHH
If you read the context in the linked threads – not just the quoted excerpts – it’ll be pretty clear. Certainly clearer than Googling a bunch of other companies’ language.
Or you can take our word that the language you’re pointing to in the HG publishing process was the same then as it is now. That use of “public” is what was being discussed and explained.
I’m going to crawl back into my hole before someone tries to murder me.
Side note, would anyone be opposed if I made a re-creation of the guidelines for CoG and HG and linked them in the master links thread? It took more investigation that I would have liked to find those. 
Edit: @HarrisPS @Eiwynn Sorry to keep bugging you guys. I want to make sure I get a go-ahead from someone before I do anything. 
Honestly no I don’t think they are. They are a great way to get more feedback for the game. And if you feel like there’s nothing to see after you play it all. Well just don’t play it lol. Nothing is stopping you from playing the game all the way through. Like fallen hero I love the game and only played part way through cause I didn’t want to ruin for myself.
You have more self control than I do lol.
This is me when I finish a WiP that I like:
If I really like it I might give it a whole play through. Like Lords I played it through a few times but it always feels new to me.
I try not to play WiPs or early access or betas because doing so ruins the end experience for me, but going through that process helps tremendously with the final product in my opinion. When I get around to a game that has been vetted through extensive playtesting, it certainly seems like it has had a positive effect on the end product.
My big problem is games that stay in WiP/EA forever. Interactive fiction with the many-year development time of AAA games that end up being 4 hour experiences or something, or that the developer can never just decide is done and ready for them to release and move on to their next project.
Ngl it does feel like a huge bummer when great wips disapear aowl before they can come out but it’s a risk you gotta take to have a taste of the cake lol.
I love testing a game, then purchasing the finished product and seeing that suggestions that I made, made it in…or even seeing that errors I may have corrected, be fixed. It makes me feel proud to have been helpful in the end product.
Downside is seeing your favourite line has been removed.
True, but that happens way less often (in my experience, anyway)
WiPs are a good feel and indicator of several things:
So, if you say they are spoiling us, I think it would be a gross oversimplification. Allowing us to see what the author is up to is necessary for us to provide constructive criticism. It’s like improving the recipe. That way, once the game is out of the oven, it will, for the majority of the people, taste nice. Some games need more time in the oven and some less, but what is important is that it has to taste nice.
Especially true, given that indie authors (like you know, basically everyone on here) don’t usually have access to professional editors to help them refine their work; comments and beta readers are what we use to help improve our craft.
Maybe…But then again, you can you keep a person interested in a WIP if you only share like the first Chapter and then suddenly you release a game 1 year later?
Ultimately, I think it comes down to whether you are someone who like to reread books or rewatch movies. If you aren’t, then of course playing the game while it’s in development is going to make buying it less fun for you. Reading WIPs spoils the finished product for people who only want to play the game the one time and never pick it up again. But it’s an optional spoiling. The WIP being accessible isn’t the problem; it’s choosing to read it know it will spoil you, like looking up the tag for your favorite show before you get to see this week’s episode.
I think any project – whether it be a videogame, a novel, or an IF – can take years. The difference is that a novel or an IF typically only have one or two people doing most of the work, as opposed to the teams working on AAA games.
Facts since most authors are broke and working full time jobs