BGG Game Design Journals

I usually get along with "everyone"... But BGG "Design crowd" is very ... well critical. People who I don't even know, or know me - and know nothing about the game that I am working on... had the nerve to tell me "I should be more humble..." Everyone who posted was super critical - as if there to bash on some one who was NEW to BGG at that time.

I rarely post on BGG, I let my Publisher do the BGG interaction.

I don't want to have any discussions with people like that. Word of the wise is watch what you say, and if a bunch of people "gang up on you" ... just ignore them and don't post on that thread.

And I have had examples of other designers too... Their threads got locked on BGG and those same idiots over at BGG followed them to continue their bashing conversation on BGDF - NOT ON MY WATCH... We locked the thread and told the designer to calm down and not post anything. Because anything he wrote 10 people would bash whatever it was he was claiming.

Generally speaking we don't have these kinds of issues on BGDF. But it has happened on a couple occasions.

So that's why I'm not so keen about BGG.

I honestly don't really like BGG. I have an account but I rarely post. Whenever I do, it gets lost in the mess or, as others have said, can get pretty abusive. I've pretty much left BGG for BGDF. The users here are a lot more helpful and supportive than on BGG, at least from my experience. I'd suggest using BGDF over BGG for your game design journal just because you can get some awesome feedback and advice here that you probably would have a hard time getting in BGG.

One thing people hold against BGDF is that it is frequented by "novice" designers...

Rich (Durham) created a Game Database to show what games have been created by designers FROM BGDF. That database is pretty important - as we say it "cuts the cheese". In other words, it shows that BGDF has Game Designers who have published or been published and adds real credibility to our website.

My only comment to all designers who "LIKE BGDF", is to update the Game Database once you have a published game... Again this is to show that many great designers frequent BGDF and it is NOT ONLY a website for "novice" designers.

That database demonstrates how much expertise the designers who write on and post comment on BGDF really have. And it's a mixture, some are published others are self-published, some use The Game Crafter, other use Victory Point Games, etc.

As Rich put it: "It gives BGDF 'street cred'..."

So go out there are design SUPER, AMAZING, FUN games and attribute your success to the help you got from BGDF and add your game to our database... That's our wish from the BGDF Staff to all of you.

Cheers!

Most reasons have been named why I don't post on BGG.

As for BGDF. I really like it here.

For those that actually have published a game. Their oppinion has more value. Is it possible to have some sort of a simple ranking system, right under their avatars? Like stars or so, for having a published game (succesfull)?

Personally I'd prefer a couple different badges be available, but each would come with its own headaches. If we did go with one badge, published would be it. That falls to questccg to curate.

A badge for helpfulness requires a voting systems for posts. Probably not worth the effort.

Badges for longevity and total posts would be simple, though I'm not sure how useful they'd be.

Moderators/admins would get a badge just for identification. Might make sense to have one for new members as well.

While we're at it, everyone gets a "Everyone gets a badge" badge :-)