Interest Checks (A Discussion Thread)

[Writing_Fever]

I agree with a lot said in this thread, but I also kind of feel that the internal motivation that some people are talking about may only come after someone perceives that their idea is worthwhile, which an “interest check” could help with. I don’t necessarily think this is a bad thing – everyone has different things that motivate them to write, and I don’t see one way as inherently better than another.

[rinari]

I personally believe that external feedback and support is a powerful motivator, especially when a work is in progress–I know that some projects would have taken much longer for me to finish without hearing what people thought about it at intervals. BUT I also believe if a person doesn’t already innately believe their idea is worthwhile from the start, without being told so first by others, it will be extremely difficult for them to finish that story, because there were always be some level of dependence on that external worth and validation (which, as @rose-court said, is fickle and unreliable). That said, it’s just my personal opinion.

I do think a single interest check thread could achieve what you’re talking about: allowing people to see that others think their idea is worthwhile and giving them the push needed to start a demo!

[N1GHTMAR3]

Very good points. I’ve seen lots of great interest checks (though, it is easy to make an interest check filled with good ideas in theory, but impossible to execute in reality) abandoned. I dunno, maybe you should make a small draft beforehand to not get confused as to what you’re trying to accomplish. When I first posted my interest check, I already had a small demo (around 5000 words), so at least I had a small sense of direction. I didn’t post the link for like a month though, so that’s probably the only thing I can suggest.

[Szaal]

Nah, I simply believe that when people put up an interest check, they’re basically having a great idea, not necessarily the will to work them.

I mean, in general, you probably want to go to the game ideas thread instead of creating an interest check.

[fairlyfairfighter]

I can’t tell if this is a complement by linking directly to my post () but I shall take it as one!

Whilst interest checks are super useful and good at gauging interest, it’s important to know 1) How much you can do and 2) Undersell until you can be pretty sure you aren’t overselling.

Posting ideas in one thread would help people mix, combine and adapt ideas, and focus less upon super interesting. overly ambitious games but more upon practical games, that are still fun but don’t raise expectations.

I mean some examples of this are obvious, in cases where interest checks have more likes than an almost finished WiP, but due to overselling and over estimating how much is possible it never turns into an actual finished game.

[RETowers]

Okay, so it looks like there’s generally positive thoughts regarding the single thread, so unless someone wants to convince me otherwise, I plan on implementing it later today.

[fairlyfairfighter]

All in favour don’t say no, all against say yes

I vote not no.

(But seriously I think a single thread would help de-clutter the forums and some other stuff I’m too tired to see the benefits of)