Closing postponed

[Marked 197]

Hi all 

 

A few days ago, I put up a closing notice for GDU. Since that time I have been contacted by a developer interested in taking over GDU. We are in discussions at the moment. The most important point is that if GDU were to be taken over, then the existing data needs to be preserved - otherwise it's just another new website. That obviously adds some complications, but more than likely the data would need to be ported to new software. 

 

Some existing things are being discussed, particularly on the software side. Then again, I'm easily excitable. 

 

Watch this space. 

[Bob423 52]

Well I'm interested. Let Pol and me know how it goes :)

[Ardaceus 21]

This interests me, hopefully maybe GDU can be taken in a new direction to head back to how it used to be.

[yamina-chan 1]

Well, fingers crossed that the best possible outcome can be reached from this.

Whatever that may be, heh.

 

Though, I can't lie: I would be happy if GDU could keep going in a new form. I've seen far too many comunities and creators dissapear in the last years; I'm thankfull for everything and everyone who is still around.

Especially if it's something that has been around a long time.

[Marked 197]

Yep, we're all dying out except the top few sites who have the most visitors and focused solely on the latest engine.

 

GDU peaked around the same time RMXP did, just before RPG Maker VX came out. I ran the numbers when making the closing down page, and I was a bit shocked that 2010 was GDU's best year. That was most of its life ago. We didn't adapt. 

[Noob Saibot 38]

This is crazy. Makes me wish I had money to buy it. So depressing.

[Noob Saibot 38]

Sorry for the double post, but I don't see an "edit" button.


Honestly I was surprised you never went out of the RPG Maker comfort box and added more Engines to help support. However, I could also see the frustration and possible pointless work as it begs the question of which engines to add. Stencyl, Game Salad, Construct 2 & 3, GM, Unity, Torque Builder 2D & 3D, RPG Maker Kit, Godot Engine, etc. Each has their own community of help and support. In fact most major players in the RPG Maker area are archived, dead, upgraded, or dying (RMXP.org became hbgames.org)

RMRK.net is still up, but activity is sporadic to a few forum sections. The original gd underground (gdu.net) died years before RMXP became "outdated".

Heck their are even sites that I can't remember the name to and thus i'd assume they died along time ago.

Plus, Facebook's groups almost act like a Forum so most people are found there or on the official engine sites forums.

It definitely needed and update.

[Marked 197]

Honestly I was surprised you never went out of the RPG Maker comfort box and added more Engines to help support. 

 

We kind of did when we moved to GDU, or at least that was kinda of the intention but probably didn't commit like you're probably saying. Things like the games section and refinery were all non-engine specific attempts to attract general game devs. However, I'm not sure doing this would have helped our cause (not that you said it would). Changing the subject the matter of the website is making it something it wasn't previously, and that's difficult. I think it's easier to pull off something that's really specialised/niche than something that's really, really general. 

[Noob Saibot 38]

So are they going to try and preserve the forum posts or will they be lost?

[Marked 197]

My requirements are that the current posts, members, refinery, games etc. are all preserved and publicly available, because that is what GDU is. Otherwise it would be just giving away a name and a logo, and I don't think that works. 

[Noob Saibot 38]

Hopefully it works out. Do you have a back up plan if not?

[Marked 197]

I was content with it closing down. 

[Noob Saibot 38]

Okay, but that isn't fully what I asked.

[Marked 197]

No back-up plan, other than the sweet release of death.