Well, sorry for the late answer, had to give your question another thought. I get codes - on a regular base - from three devs, when they release new stuff... without asking. Other people, which are considered trustworthy by the devs, receive codes in this way, too. Devs who know these forums, learn about us and know whom to talk to. But some the older members prefer buying games over having free codes anyway. There's always a little taste of bias when you get something for free. And nobody wants to bite the hand that feeds. Anyway - you don't get this free codes status just because - you'll have to earn that status. Be nice to devs, criticize in a constructive way instead of just telling them how shitty the game is. It's all about respect. If you do that right, be sure that a lot of devs get back to you. They support their fan bases. Sometimes, devs just feel generous and post a batch of codes for the people to enjoy. That's a nice move, so just leave it at that. Devs, who really want to have some feedback / impressions, will give out the codes in another way. Like per PM or some kind of contest. It's not our business to tell the devs how to give out promo codes. And even when the devs decide to just post a bunch, it's not our duty to tell them that this "might be wrong". If we're acting like this, we're not better than all those "nasty promo code leeches". Then we look just like a greedy, elitist bunch of forum members who think to have the right to demand free stuff. And that's - imho - not a way I like to be seen. It's just like in real life. Sometimes you win some, sometimes you lose some. And if you use the search forum - this topic comes up ever year, once or twice. And always with the same results. I am here since 2009 - and it was the same back then as it is today. I was thinking in the same way as you do now. Until I understood that this is nonsense. So, to answer your question: you don't need to change the devs or the system, you need to change the normal gamers and users. But that's impossible to accomplish. No matter if years ago, now, or in the future, some people will always beg for codes, some people will always take without giving and some devs will post codes for everybody to enjoy. This "system" already lasts for years. Some people expected everything for free in 2009 and some will in 2017. This always stayed at the same level, without getting worse or better. It's just as it is. The sooner you start to live with it, the sooner you don't care anymore. Fighting leeches and beggars is like Don Quichote fighting windmills. There is also no fair promo code distribution system; there's always someone who will moan and whine. Some people sometimes really sound like the the self-proclaimed Dev- or Promocode-police. But you guys don't need to protect them. If you REALLY care about the devs - stop hunting promo codes, buy the games and leave valuable impressions. This way, you help them most.
A lot of devs still don't seem to realise their promo codes are going to be grabbed by lurkers. It'd be fine if they were aware of the possibility and still chose to post them, but often I see developers posting a batch of codes then bumping the thread in vain asking if anybody is going to leave impressions. These are the ones who should have been recommended the PM approach.
That was quite the statement. Very well said. When you said 'nobody wants to bite the hand that feeds.' I immediately thought about the achievement 'biting the hand that feeds you' lol.
How can you tell the number cause it's a subforum? And most people just go there for a short time to see whats todays frees and sales. But I bet you it has a ton of users that look at it everyday, more than almost any other section on this board.
@Vovin Yeah, this is more my point, to make developers aware that there maybe other better ways to hand out their 50 promo codes than to just post them for lurkers, and to help elongate the theory that all games should just be gotten for free. And to make things worse, then more lurkers come and keep begging for codes. Really, I don't care too much about this subject or if developers want to do it that way. It probably is easier at times to do so cause they can just post all at once, but a more effective policy would be to encourage feedback and reviews even if as you say, they maybe a little tainted.
That's just part of the system, mate. There will always be devs who are new to the forums. People who need to learn about particular things. Sending them in the right direction is a sure thing we should do. But this system, as a whole, will still work as it did before. One funny things is just... and I am stepping now on some people's toes... that people rarely practice what they preach. There are forum members, who complain in threads like this about the greedy leechers, but all they do is leaving just a "Took EA64RB1HG, thanks.", and then never return to the thread again. There are enough examples you can check.
