JoshB

More products and services are shifting from one-time purchases to subscription models. How many subscriptions are you currently managing across all categories? Have you reached a breaking point with any subscription category? Do you have strategies for keeping track of and managing multiple subscriptions?

There's another wave of the anti-adblocking taking place within YouTube. Now you'll receive more ads within your YouTube Premium Lite tier, which is great right...right?! NeowinGoogle confirms more ads on your paid YouTube Premium Lit...It is a well-known thing that browser adblockers often fail to play nicely with YouTube these days. However, even if you paid for Premium Lite, Google says it will soon push even more ads. YouTube is also fighting back still, with making the user experience worse if it detects that you are using ad-blocking extensions. By not showing the video for several seconds of a blank screen but, giving you a passive aggressive little pop-up "Experiencing Interruptions? Find Out Why" in the lower left of your browser window. Those pesky, dangerous ad-blocking extensions are the enemy and must be squashed. For all of the vast amount of money and resources YouTube is burning through to fight ad-blocking, it could be better used in fighting malicious and dangerous comment bot spam and better enforcement of those ads that scam users.

Time to spill the tea! Share your unpopular opinions about the creator economy, gaming trends, platform policies, or industry practices. Keep it spicy but respectful!

Adobe Creative Suite, Spotify, streaming services, cloud storage, analytics tools... Our monthly expenses add up quickly. Which subscriptions do you consider essential vs. nice-to-have? Any great alternatives to expensive services?

From OBS to DaVinci Resolve to GIMP, there are amazing free alternatives to expensive creative software. Where do you save money with open-source tools, and where do you invest in paid solutions? Share your software stack!

With Kick gaining traction and offering better revenue splits, have you considered making the switch? What would it take for you to change streaming platforms? Discuss the pros and cons of platform loyalty vs. opportunity.

Hey everyone! 👋 So I was browsing around this morning and stumbled across something that made me pause and think. Invision Community (you know, the forum software) just posted that they're slowing down their development releases. Now normally, when a platform says "we're slowing down," that's usually code for "we're dying" or "we ran out of money." But this actually feels... different? Here's what caught my attention: They were doing weekly releases since their v5 launch - which sounds awesome in theory, right? New features every week! But they basically said "okay, we're stable now, let's actually think about what we're building instead of just shipping stuff." And honestly? That's refreshing as hell. I can't tell you how many times I've logged into a platform and everything's moved around AGAIN. Or a feature I relied on just... disappeared. Anyone else deal with that Instagram update that randomly hid half your tools for a week? 🙄 What they're doing instead: - Taking time to build features that actually matter - Two bigger releases coming (end of June and July) - Still supporting their older version for people not ready to upgrade - Actually telling people what's coming instead of surprise updates Here's what I'm wondering though... Are we finally hitting a point where platforms realize that constantly changing everything pisses off users more than it helps? Like, I LOVE new features, but I also love knowing where the hell the upload button is going to be next week. Quick question for you all: - Do you prefer the "move fast and break things" approach, or would you rather have fewer, more thoughtful updates? - What's the most annoying platform change you've ever experienced? (I'll go first - when YouTube removed the thumbs down section for no reason other than blaming it hurt some people's feelings, when we all know it was from advertiser pressure 😤) I'm genuinely curious because part of me misses the excitement of constant updates, but the other part of me is tired of relearning platforms every month. Maybe this is just me getting old, but I'm kinda here for the "let's actually plan this out" approach. 🤷‍♂️ What do you think - is this a good trend or are platforms just getting lazy? P.S. - Totally unrelated, but there were some people in the comments talking about migrating FROM XenForo TO Invision. That's... interesting timing given some of the discussions we've had here about platform alternatives. --- Anyway, curious to hear your thoughts! Anyone else notice platforms you use changing their update strategies lately?

With constant algorithm updates and policy revisions, how do you stay on top of changes that affect your content? Which recent changes have impacted your channel positively or negatively? Are smaller creators being left behind?

We all started somewhere – maybe recording on a phone or using basic free software. Share photos or descriptions of your setup evolution. What was your first major upgrade that made a real difference? What's next on your wishlist?

AI is increasingly being used for thumbnails, scripts, editing, and more. How are you incorporating (or avoiding) AI in your creative process? What are the ethical considerations? Where do you draw the line?

YouTube, Twitch, TikTok, Instagram, Podcast platforms... The list goes on. How do you decide where to focus your energy? Are you spreading yourself too thin, or is being everywhere the key to growth? Share your platform strategy.

Each generation develops different skills based on their environment and technology. What skills from previous generations do you think are being lost that still have value? Conversely, what new skills are younger generations developing that older generations might not appreciate? Is there a skill you wish you had learned that was common in a different generation?

How did you develop your unique style or perspective? Share the journey of artistic self-discovery and how it's evolved over time.

With changing user preferences and emerging platforms, the social media landscape continues to evolve. Have you joined any new social platforms recently or abandoned longstanding ones? What features would your ideal social platform include? Do you think we'll see more niche communities or fewer, larger platforms in the future?

Content creation can be mentally and physically exhausting. Share your techniques for avoiding burnout, maintaining work-life balance, and keeping creativity flowing. Do you batch content? Take planned breaks? Have backup content ready?

With so many portable gaming options available, where do you prefer to play your indie favorites? Discuss performance, game libraries, battery life, and overall experience. Are certain types of indie games better suited for specific platforms?

Just finished diving deep into Call of Cthulhu, and wow... this Lovecraftian psychological horror has been living rent-free in my head since I started playing. For those unfamiliar, you play as Edward Pierce, a down-on-his-luck private investigator who gets pulled into a supernatural mystery on the ominous Darkwater Island. What caught my attention: • The atmosphere is absolutely nailed - Using Unreal Engine 4, the environmental storytelling in that mansion is *chef's kiss* • Deep skill system that actually matters - Your choices in Spot Hidden, Psychology, Strength, and Eloquence genuinely change what you discover • Smart audio design - Instead of constant background music, they use strategic silence and ambient sounds to build tension • Investigation mechanics feel meaningful, not just "click everything that glows" Here's what's interesting though: The game deliberately avoids cheap jump scares and relies purely on psychological tension and atmosphere. Some might find the pacing too slow, while others (like me) appreciate the methodical approach to unraveling the mystery. Discussion starters: 🤔 Do you prefer horror games that rely on atmosphere over jump scares? What makes psychological horror more effective for you? 🎯 How important are meaningful skill systems in narrative-driven games? Does having different investigation paths based on character builds add enough replay value? 💰 At $20 regular price (currently 80% off), what's your threshold for indie horror experiences? Quality vs. price point - where do you draw the line? 🎭 Lovecraftian horror in gaming - Which games have done cosmic horror right, and which ones missed the mark completely? Drop your thoughts below! Have you played Call of Cthulhu? Planning to pick it up during the sale? Or maybe you've got other hidden gem horror recommendations that nail atmosphere over cheap thrills? Looking forward to hearing your experiences! 👻

From manual save points to physical instruction booklets, gaming has evolved dramatically. What elements from gaming's past do you miss? Split-screen multiplayer? Cheat codes? Games that didn't require day-one patches? Let's discuss what made old-school gaming special.

Share your hidden gems! Whether it's a pixel art platformer, a narrative adventure, or an innovative puzzle game, tell us about an indie title that deserves more recognition. What made it special? How did you discover it? Include screenshots or gameplay clips if you have them!

Now that the dust has settled from the latest gaming showcases, which reveals and trailers are you still excited about? What disappointed you? Did any indie games steal the show from the AAA presentations? I think for me there was the game Out of Words, which is a two person style game similar to It Takes Two. I really liked the hand crafted look to the characters and the overall world.

How do you do and welcome on in to our new home on the internet. I'm Josh and I've been a live streamer/content creator for close to 10 years now. From starting out my simple beginnings streaming on Twitch before exploring the alternatives of the day. I enjoy finding these new places that are either just starting out or, have been around for a bit. It's the excitement of seeing what these platforms are trying to accomplish in being different than the status quo. Where by simply trying to copy Twitch, isn't what creatives are looking for. They're looking for something that is similar but is offering a newer, fresh approach to the creative and viewer experience. One thing I've been learning more about not only with myself but, my content is that I find enjoyment of education of these platforms, software, and resources to others. Finding out how something works and presenting to others to the best of my abilities is fulfilling. The simple fact of if I can share what I've found with one other person is well worth it. I hope that within this forum and throughout the Indie Creator Hub and 2TonWaffle Community, you too can find something new and share your experiences with others.

Imagine having unlimited resources and technology to create your dream game. What would you create, and what elements would make it special? How would it differ from existing games?