That's a really good idea Ward!
Definitely something I think we should consider. Things like IRC chats and Discord channels are becoming increasingly popular for projects and groups with relevant interests both in GameDev and outside it. Almost every new group I've looked into in the past while has had it as a feature.
Thank you for your suggestion, I'll start a list so I can keep track of these :)
Clare
+1 for Discord
Also... does every post need to be approved for it to show up on the forums ? :)
+1 for Discord
Ya the approval thing is a little aggravating. I think I double posted a few times and can't edit my posts. I think the unity forums are a good example of functionality.
A better forum software would be great.
Sometimes I the response from GameSparks support guys here takes too long, well this is understandable I imagine you guys must be very busy making GS great ;)
I've suggested few things like:
- Update/upgrade admin screens like update styles to match portal v2, more handlebars for things like pagination and sort like you guys have in the portal already. https://support.gamesparks.net/support/discussions/topics/1000082826
- Downloadable sub-folders for better organization. https://support.gamesparks.net/support/discussions/topics/1000083320
- Built-in tournaments feature. I know we can build this ourselves but would be great thing to have built-in instead.
- WebGL support for Real Time services. I know this is coming but who know when.
- More live-ops tutorials
- Your youtube account is kinda death maybe more tutorial videos too?
- Better monitoring tools for things like users etc.. right now comparing GameSparks with BrainCloud and Playfab BC and PF are way much better on this side of course they are no match at all at the flexibility GS provides with Cloud Code, Test Harness etc (this is the main reason Im here)
- Better iOS authentication. And tutorial.
- Add custom properties to Virtual Goods, Achievements etc.
Posting with chrome in this forum always throw this error for me. My message was posted but this is really annoying.
Oh by the way I noticed there is new SDK but the website has not been updated so no clue what's new.
+1 for the IRC channel. It would definitely boost the development and issue resolving speed. Identically, as mentioned by Ward, Unity IRC has been a massive help.
@Christopher - noted! Also, I'm not 100% sure if everything needs to be approved, I'll check with the team. If it's something you see with every post then I think that's something we need to look at.
@Pavao - I've not used the Unity IRC myself but from what I can tell it's mostly community driven rather than staff driven, would this be true?
@Hjupter - We are also making a continuous effort to improve our tutorials, in the near future this will also include a significant expansion to our YouTube channel. If you have any suggestions for videos and tutorials, please let us know (I'll probably create a separate thread for this however)
Significant expansions to our analytics system is currently underway. Other features listed such as built-in tournaments and WebGL support for Real-Time are also in progress. Please keep your eyes peeled on the forums and our blog for announcements concerning these.
@OneMoreTurn - Sorry I missed your post before, I'm going to have a chat to the team about the approval issues.
@Hjupter - Have you submitted a ticket about this error you're getting on the forums?
@Clare, could we get release dates on SDK section rather than just version numbers ? Hard to tell of-hand if a newer SDK exists based on version number alone, without looking into the project.
@GameSparksClare
Irc channels are indeed often community driven but they are also moderated by moderators.
These moderators have the power to kick trolls and make sure the chat stays on topic.
Usually they should be veteran users or even Gamesparks Staff.
If you need help how to set up a proper IRC channel and/or choose the best IRC servers i'm happy to help out but i'm sure you got people on your staff that can handle this.
There are also ways to have this IRC channel on a website and ofcourse there are several desktop and mobile apps for it too.
I believe the Unity IRC is community driven, but populated with either Unity staff or people close to Unity staff. At least that's what I remember, oh roughly 8 years ago :)
mIRC ftw
It would truly be awesome if there were a chat channel where you could drop in and just discuss Gamesparks stuff.
@Christopher - Makes sense, added to the list for the team!
@Ward - thanks for the info, good to heard how someone from the user side finds the Unity IRC. Not sure if IRC or Discord would be preferred on our end, but it's definitely something we'll chat and consider on our end. I'd much prefer a moderator to makes sure the trolls are kept at bay and don't get in the way of communal productivity =)
Will keep you in mind in case I come up with any other Qs!
GameSparksClare
Hi everyone!
I thought it was time to introduce myself - my name is Clare and I am your friendly neighborhood Community Manager.
My job has many aspects, but one of the biggest ones is the forums and you guys - The GameSparks Community!
Over the next little while, I want to dive deeper into what makes the GS community what it is and look at how we can make it even better. This is why I'd like to hear from you, members of the community and the people I want to see get the most out of it.
So, what kind of things would you like to see in the community end of GameSparks?
Would you like us to expand on something we already have?
Is there something new you'd like to see?
Is there something you think could be changed up a bit?
Let me know, I'm open to all thoughts and ideas. Also, if someone suggests something and you think it is a good idea please say - it'll be a good way to gauge the popularity of ideas.
I look forward to hearing what you all think!
Clare