No more cactus! That guy hasn't got an ounce of talent, yet keeps being spammed around. Why not stay silent about him and post about talented indies instead?

Sure, and while we're doing that we shouldn't allow anonymous posters to post complete garbage.

GO CACTUS!!! WOOOO

I doubt that was a real concern, and just trolling, but I'm going to treat it as if it were.
If Cactus has no talent, and is getting recognition at the expense of other, better indie creators, who are they? If they are better than Cactus, I would really like to see them.
Also, I would remind you that this is a blog, and under the control of Tim W.'s personal willies, and he seems to like Cactus, judging from his place at the top of all of Cactus's highscore tables.

How is stating an opinion trolling? Is it trolling because my opinion is different than yours? Cactus is all we hear about here. He does not put any effort in his games, and releases one after another. He is like a writer who writes per kilo. It's been ages since we heard of actual indie developers, like Jon Mak and Konjak, or what Buster or Pixel are up to. It's been ages since Kenta Cho has released anything as well or even announced anything. That, or attention whores like Cactus take up all the space here so there is no room for the real thing.

What the Christ?

Be it your opinion or not, you have no right to decide on the attention cactus gets on this blog. I doubt getting mad over it will accomplish anything.

cactus you attention whore letting people interview you

attention. frakin. whore. CACTUS

CACTUSSSSSSSSSS

I don't have the right to the detention he's getting on here, but I do have the right to voice my disdain of it. You, on the other hand, do not have the right to take that right away. This place is not Commy Heaven. If there is too much of one person and not enough of talented persons, voicing such a concern should not be beaten down, but concidered.

An excellent point. Well played, sir.

good to have you back raph

Cactus would get a lot less attention if he wasn't so prolific. Blame Cactus, not Tim and gang.

The only thing you can blame Cactus for, is making AWESOME games!

Keep up the magnificent work CACTUS! Fans won't let you down.

So what's happening with Freehare these days?

"How is stating an opinion trolling?" - Anonymous

First of all, you posted the exact same phrase in the previous cactus-related post (regarding the very enjoyable Stallions). That doesn't reflect that you want to discuss specifics or even try content before fighting it.

Secondly you don't take the time / don't want to post a user-name, suggesting you are just doing it for reaction-kicks.

Thirdly, in the initial post, you did not give any examples to power your argument - the alleged lack of talent - also suggesting just a blurt, rather than invitation to discussion.

To respond to your points. I think that cactus is just a new type of developer that runs parallel to more large-project indies out there. It is all a matter of current technology. You can expect more of these developers to rise in the upcoming months/years.
With larger developers this is different. For example, Pixel worked three years (or more) on Cave Story before releasing it, making a lot of changes over time, as we have seen with recently released material. He is not the type that discloses much of his WIP work and he is Japanese and needs people to translate for him.

Anywho I think that cactus and the likes are a refreshing addition to the field of indie gaming, showing lots of neat new concepts in small doses. Game bonbons or some such :)

First of all, you posted the exact same phrase in the previous cactus-related post (regarding the very enjoyable Stallions). That doesn't reflect that you want to discuss specifics or even try content before fighting it.
If it's posted in one post and not the other, it will get ignored. To be able to get the point across and to discuss things on a level higher than "OMG YOU SUX! I WONNA SUX CACTUZ COCK!!!" it is necessary to make sure the discussion takes place, instead of ignored.

Secondly you don't take the time / don't want to post a user-name, suggesting you are just doing it for reaction-kicks.
It does not accept my name. If John isn't accepted, why should I fill in Jack instead? It makes no sense. The name can just as well be left blank then.

Thirdly, in the initial post, you did not give any examples to power your argument - the alleged lack of talent - also suggesting just a blurt, rather than invitation to discussion.
1) The gameplay of his games are beyond acceptable. Controls often don't respond on time or at all, and precision is often lacking in accuracy.
2) His graphics show no effort at all. There's a difference between pixel art and just not trying. There is also a difference between cartoonish art and just not trying. He simply doesn't take the effort to polish his games up enough to ensure they have the quality the hypers claim they have.
3) How can anybody take a real game developer serious if the main point of sale of a game is: "it has been made within 8 hours!". Adding to the insult is that it always goes without proper testing, ending up in those that take the time to try the games out having to do the testing, instead of being given a proper, finished game.

To respond to your points. I think that cactus is just a new type of developer that runs parallel to more large-project indies out there. It is all a matter of current technology. You can expect more of these developers to rise in the upcoming months/years.
Easier ways to make games does not mean it's ok to praise crap as if it were gold and push the real gold aside. It's always Cactus this and Cactus that on here, but what about Kenta Cho's newest games: 'Masashikun Hi!'? What about the PS3 and the AmigaOS ports of Cave Story? What about the full release of Buster's game 'Buster'? What about Srehpog's upcoming game, 'Umbrella Adventure'? We don't hear about those on here anymore. It's all Cactus and similar. Due to yelling fanboys, this site has gone from providing top-notch, fresh-hot news to being a place that caters to a fetish-group that like nothing more than halfbaked games, happily ignoring all the real indie news out there.

There are indies that make quick games to fill up the time between the big releases that are far more worth mentioning on here than Cactus. Nigoro, Orsinal and the likes. Instead, they seem to be given second place here, in favour of Cactus and the likes.

Anywho I think that cactus and the likes are a refreshing addition to the field of indie gaming, showing lots of neat new concepts in small doses. Game bonbons or some such :)
Game concepts, ok. Don't mistake a concept for a full product. That is what's been happening with Cactus' games for ages now. They are just that: concepts.

Your right, Tim should post about that idiot Jason Rohrer instead.

"but what about Kenta Cho's newest games: 'Masashikun Hi!'?"

I think that's a couple years old, IIRC his newest game is "Mazer Mayhem."

Yet it hasn't been mentioned on this site, which proves my point. I dare you to find Masahikun Hi! on here. If it is a few years old, it shows all the more that Cactus and the likes -- yes, Jason Rohrer belongs to them too -- are taking away the spotlight from actually talented developers.

But, doesn't this blog cover all independent game activity?

For instance, there will be Cactus games and Nigoro games and games from whoever else is making games, and all or most of those games get covered by the blog, whatever the editors can catch. It's not possible to tell when something gets "pushed aside". It's not like tim or anyone is going to run out of paper and ink. If there's indie game news, it can be just be typed up and reported, and the blog will cover it easily, even if it's just a short write-up.

I also noticed that sometimes, I guess when tim or another editor starts a post and doesn't finish it--saving it for completion later and then posting it--the material will display out of order. New posts may appear beneath posts that are old. So remember to scroll downwards past entries you have read already to make sure nothing has sneakily appeared.

It might also be possible to become an editor. Maybe tim can accept an application and this blog can achieve more coverage than before.

You can become the solution!

Or maybe a "submit breaking news" field can be made that will help to alert the editors as to when something is up.

That is what it used to be. Nowadays, it's all just Cactus and shit, ignoring the others.

t's always Cactus this and Cactus that on here, but what about Kenta Cho's newest games: 'Masashikun Hi!'? What about the PS3 and the AmigaOS ports of Cave Story? What about the full release of Buster's game 'Buster'? What about Srehpog's upcoming game, 'Umbrella Adventure'? We don't hear about those on here anymore. It's all Cactus and similar. Due to yelling fanboys, this site has gone from providing top-notch, fresh-hot news to being a place that caters to a fetish-group that like nothing more than halfbaked games, happily ignoring all the real indie news out there.

It might also be possible to become an editor. Maybe tim can accept an application and this blog can achieve more coverage than before.

You can become the solution!

Or maybe a "submit breaking news" field can be made that will help to alert the editors as to when something is up.
The second part isn't half a bad idea. It will allow those who have no place to announce the release of their game to announce it here.

That's not half a bad idea, that. It will give those that do not have any place to announce their game's release a place to do so.

Instead of whining and complaining about the problem, Kon-Tiki, (which has never achieved anything) and if you hate it so much, start your own blog..

Tim has never hidden the fact that he enjoys Cactus' work, so what is all of this going to change? Nothing.

Mosh is right, if you hate it when Tim mentions Cactus, start your own blog. There you can write about developers other than Cactus.

Well, this is the most interesting page of comments I've seen on this blog.
Although I disagree with how 'John's' opinion has been voiced (calling many of the readers a 'fetish-group that like nothing more than halfbaked games' is not the best way to facilitate intelligent discussion), I do have to agree a little bit. I have also been rather taken aback at the myriad of Cactus related news. I am pleased to see him get some recognition, but I also regularly visit his site, and know most of what is written, whereas many of the other indie developers covered are unknown to me, or I don't follow them closely. I doubt Cactus-related stories are being published at the expense of others, but it would be nice to see a bit of consolidation (or more stories overall).
Moving on.
"I don't have the right to the detention he's getting on here, but I do have the right to voice my disdain of it. You, on the other hand, do not have the right to take that right away. This place is not Commy Heaven. If there is too much of one person and not enough of talented persons, voicing such a concern should not be beaten down, but concidered."
I'm sorry to inform you, but this is, in fact, a dictatorship. Also, it is rather amusing of you to defend your right to voice your opinion by bashing someone voicing theirs. Also, 'concidered' is not a real word :/

"If it's posted in one post and not the other, it will get ignored. To be able to get the point across and to discuss things on a level higher than "OMG YOU SUX! I WONNA SUX CACTUZ COCK!!!" it is necessary to make sure the discussion takes place, instead of ignored."
I only saw this post when I had written that. I saw your comment in the other tread later.

"How can anybody take a real game developer serious if the main point of sale of a game is: "it has been made within 8 hours!"."
What is a real gaem developer? If a AAA, AA, or even A studio did the same, I would still play the game.

"Game concepts, ok. Don't mistake a concept for a full product. That is what's been happening with Cactus' games for ages now. They are just that: concepts."
Which is apparently bad?

I find it hard to belive that you have any interest in indie gaming, being so closed-minded. Don't you have a Halo to go play?

He does, actually. He seems to strike me as the type of guy who thinks S.T.A.L.K.E.R is a piece of shit and thinks Doom 3 is the greatest game of all time. I don't know why. He just does.

The return of Kon-Tiki? He's the only one I know who hates cactus so much...

Anyway, if the blog's audience like cactus's games, why shouldn't the blog give them what they want? Even if you don't like his games, you have to admit that many people love them. So they're still worth posting about for those people, no?

I never said that it shouldn't be mentioned. My entire point is that there are other indies out there who deserve a mention more, who have more merit, higher quality of games, but which don't get mentioned while it's all Cactus and consorts instead. It seems more like Cactus News than Indie News.

I think it just seems like Cactus gets more coverage than he deserves because his output of games is probably about twenty times higher than the average notable indie gamemaker.

The other indies you mention who you say are better don't seem to be working on anything right now, or don't want people knowing if they are, or are doing so very slowly...

Here is a summary of the last 30 headlines:

E3 2008: Indie Games
Indie News: July 26th
Interview: cactus (Gamemaker TV)
Freeware Game Pick: G:plus (Marc-André Weibezahn)
Freeware Game Pick: Stallions in America (cactus)
Freeware Game Pick: Boondog (Matthew Hart)
Assembly 2008 Gamedev Entries
Preview: Braid (Number None)
'N+' Expansion Coming This Week, Developer Hold Competition
Freeware Game Pick: Ceramic Shooter (Theta Games)
Browser Game Pick: Galcon (Imitation Pickles)
Madagascar
Freeware Game Pick: I Was in the War (Bisse)
Freeware Game Pick: Super Sniper (Radnom)
Browser Game Pick: Stick Ranger (DAN-BALL)
Freeware Game Pick: Destructivator (Pug Fugly Games)
Preview: Machinarium (Amanita Design)
Preview: Minotaur China Shop (Flashbang Studios)
Browser Game Pick: Inquisitive Dave (Eddy Larkin)
Preview: Castle Crashers (The Behemoth)
Freeware Game Pick: Pazzon (Jesse Venbrux)
Preview: Fedora Spade Episode 4 - The Last Job
Preview: Flower (thatgamecompany)
Browser Game Pick: Pandemic 2 (Dark Realm Studios)
Freeware Game Pick: Loot (Casey Sillito)
Freeware Game Pick: Deaths (Jesse Venbrux)
Freeware Game Pick: Whodunnit - Think Quickly (Nandrew)
Freeware Game Pick: Dwarf Fortress (Tarn Adams)
Freeware Game Pick: Savior of Lapratan (Plaid Notion)
Trailer: Cowboyana (messhof)

Only 2 are cactus related.. oh but it's cactus news.. yeah right. Making melodramatic over-statements doesn't help your argument.

Mosh: There is always at least 1, but most often 2 or more posts on the front page about Cactus.

Sergio: I quote from one of my previous posts, which I already quoted once before, due to people apparently ignoring it:
(...)but what about Kenta Cho's newest games: 'Masashikun Hi!'? What about the PS3 and the AmigaOS ports of Cave Story? What about the full release of Buster's game 'Buster'? What about Srehpog's upcoming game, 'Umbrella Adventure'? (...)

Is there any new info on the games you want to be mentioned? If not, why should they get a news spot?

They haven't been mentioned at all. Try searching the site for 'Umbrella Adventure', for Buster's full release on 'Buster', for 'Masashikun Hi!' or for those Cave Story ports. That's my entire point! There's nothing posted about them, while every odd day, there's something about Cactus or the likes. 'Masashikun Hi!' is, as mentioned above, old by now, but still hasn't had a single mention here, while every game Cactus poops out is mentioned three or four times.

just dont read it? WOW

There is always at least 1, but most often 2 or more posts on the front page about Cactus.

Considering my last post, that argument doesn't even remotely hold water. 2 out of 30 does not = always 1 or 2 posts about cactus on the front page all the time.

Haven't seen any updates on freehare for a while. man that site sucks shit

I agree with anonymous not Tiki honest. Cactus is obviously stealing the limelight.

I've been waiting 3 years now for a mention of Veer Kicalde's Rotolotion and Efen Huffings Simbo Lock. Not forgetting Grib Gen's Space Goggle Y.

I'm sure were it not for Cactus accounting for precisely 84.621% (Tes, I went there. I counted. It's true) of the blogs posts in recent years, that all of these games would have been mentioned.

I wish to register a complaint with the management and would like this hideous oversight corrected ASAP.

Same here! Please stop it with the Cactus exposure!

I mean, who owns this place? I'm reporting the writer of this piece to the management.

who can enter the mind of a sociopath?

I'm not a huge fan of cactus, but I did like Psychosomnium. Of course, I found out about that because this blog linked to Auntie Pixelante's and I read through a bit and she mentioned the game.

Generally I don't think Cactus's games are great, but it doesn't take long to throw up a post with a couple links. And I do think that the more free content this blog exposes the better off I am.