I think it's best if we try to start losing old habits, and learn new ones.
If I want to announce a project, I always feel I need to update. Why? I've been the little kid on the forums begging, eager, and wanting to see things. When someone posts a new project, and doesn't post much about it besides "Thank you", or "I'll try that", and results to those trials, you don't seem to get a lot of public attention or support. Instead, people can tend to feel "left out", and want to see updates.
For some, begging is a bad habit. "Can you post a picture, please?" "I wanted to know if you were still working on it."
Things like those are honest alone, but when repeated by many people asking, I can drive someone crazy. Which brings me to my conclusion.
If you can keep up with updating, then don't post project before they are finished. You will have to do the following if you do to keep people from annoying you:
- Update accordingly or frequently.
- Respond to feedback. (Helps form a connection between creator and user.)
- Set aside what you know to take in new tips or advice. (This helped me with many problems. Thanks again cascaderailroad with that PRR Route.)
- Understand that you are now committed with this project until the end.
Here's the advantage that makes announcing finished projects much easier:
- No pressure to get it done. (Bad if you lack self-inspiration or motivation.)
- Can cancel projects at your leisure.
- Can work on your time with your life.
- No need to update. (Null and void if project is released with fault and needs additional work.)
- Reputation as a "vaporware" creator is less common. (Since people can't know you ever canceled some projects. Let alone started them.)
Disadvantages:
- No advice giving to prevent huge problems during creation.
- You may not learn new things or techniques.
- You are left alone to reflect upon your own creation, while you see other's creations. (This can make some people doubtful about their work and cause them to cancel or withdraw projects.)
- You don't get my opinion!
When I announced my route in progress. I literary took a baseboard, had fun with the elevation and whatnot, and randomly laid track. After "for fun" posting it on Freeware announcements, I got inspiration, advice, and whatnot that lead the crap baseboard into the development of a small PRR module route that I couldn't have done so well without all the support, inspiration, and motivation of the community. However, if you look back on the old thread about it, you will see I updated often. With pictures of scenes, and then, I gave almost a straight two weeks of almost complete devotion to the route.
However, I'll tell you, it's the best experience I've had for quite some time.
Cheers,
Joshua
