I'll be honest I really don't like the idea of doing "rate for rate". It has the same vibe as "sub for sub" and I feel like that takes the fun out of what we're trying to do. The problem is that I know I don't have a choice. The only way any of you will play my game is if I play yours and I really want some honest feedback. It just seems toxic.
I think you're missing the point? Giving people feedback because you like what they're doing or because you earnestly want them to improve is different than purposefully withholding feedback until you're given some. To me, sharing feedback with someone willfully isn't the same as using it as a commodity.
https://itch.io/jam/brackeys-5/rate/926956
Went for a rage style game this time.
We feel you. it is extremely depressing to see that the only reason people are playing your game is that you played theirs and wrote some lines of feedback. But we also think it is quite understandable(?) to go for "rate for rate" because everyone put their heart into their games (I mean, did anyone realy sleep last night?) and thenn you want people to play it. If you have like a bigger "fanbase" (e.g. on Twitter) it might be easier. But if it´s your first ever gamejam and you see that everyone is doing rate for rate you might start too, beacause you don´t see any other way.
It's understandable how you feel, but look at all the submissions. SO MANY. If there's any way you can optimize the views of your game, why not? At least be honest with your reviews instead of a canned response that involves nothing of the game you probably didn't play.
It's marketing and that sort of stuff doesn't just stop at businesses. You are your own business and you have to act like it...without undercutting the premise.
