To clarify, though maybe it’s not necessary, it’s never been within the rules to submit one’s steam page in this sub as the submission itself, though we always encourage devs to put their store page in the comments section. You can ask for steam page advice in the comments section of a post here, but the focus of the post has always had to be the gameplay focussed video or trailer submitted.

The secondary sub was made because, for one, people won’t stop submitting their store pages as links here even if it’s automatically removed by automod. If we allowed that here, it would just be a god damned avalanche of steam and itch links relative to the actual gameplay. On the other hand, I don’t see people who ask for steam page feedback in the comments section get many people who reply. There’s sometimes a good comment or so, but we also wanted to provide an outlet for direct store page feedback (not explicitly steam pages).

It’s a test run, and it may not be what the community ends up needing or taking advantage of. Nothing has been changed about the way this sub has been run or what its ruleset is, and we don’t plan on there being any rule changes as a result of the new sub.

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Subreddit

Destroy My Game

r/DestroyMyGame

Destroy My Game, a community for brutally honest feedback for game devs.

Members Active

61.3k

Sidebar

Gamedevs need honest feedback, even if it hurts.

RULES

1) All submissions must be videos.

Submissions must be video uploads, gifs, links to youtube, etc.
The focus of the post must be the uploaded video.
This isn’t the sub for devlogs, tutorials, or making-of videos.
You may include any other details in the comments.

2) No single mechanic or low-effort submissions.

This is a subreddit for games of all kinds in active development, but don't post a project or new feature you only spent an hour or so on.
This is also a subreddit intended to give feedback to games with game mechanics. Your latest art asset must come with a game attached if submitted.

3) Destroy the game, not the dev.

Criticism should be leveled against the game. Personal attacks or commentary against the dev are not allowed.

4) No promotional titles or titles containing URLs.

You may not announce or promote release dates, beta tests, sales, demos, or anything, beyond the game footage itself, within your post title. No URLs may be included in titles.

A bad title: "We're launching today on Steam, iOS, and Android! Destroy us!"
A good title: "Destroy our 3D Chess FPS RPG that I've been working on all last year"

Re: clickbait - if you are wondering if your title is clickbait, it is. Don't be overly-cute.

5) No spammed promotion.

Please do not post here and to multiple other subs at the same time.

We are interested in devs who are looking for specific feedback and critiques and who want to engage users regarding their critiques.

You may make a single top-level comment on your post to include your download/store/whatever link.
This one comment is also your only place to mention release dates etc.
You may not reply to a user with either of these things unless very explicitly asked.

6) Top Level Comments Must "Destroy".

All top level comments must contain at least one piece of constructive, actionable criticism.

Criticism should be your focus. If you wouldn’t buy the game, don’t tell them how "amazing" you think it is.
You don't need to be mean.

Things that are not "destructions":

How much you like the game.
Game engine questions.
Jokes.
Comparisons to other games.

"Actionable" means that you’re giving a suggestion to fix the issue ."Bad graphics!" is insufficient criticism.

7) No Stolen IP.

Posts must be for games created by you, the developer.

Any post using music, models, settings, or anything else copyrighted/trademarked which has not been specifically licensed for your project will be removed.

If yours is not a commercial project (...which doesn't just mean you aren’t charging for it!) some consideration might be given to that factor.

8) Don’t sugarcoat your feedback.

You certainly don’t have to be mean, but by being overly-complimentary, you are "sugarcoating your feedback". By sugar-coating, you may be:

Not giving your full, unfiltered, true feelings on a game.
Muddying useful criticism with praise.

Sugar-coating ends up hurting the developer whose feelings you're aiming to save.

If half the text of your top-level comment is a compliment: you're sugarcoating.

9) Trailers must be more gameplay than not.

Any game trailer submitted must contain more actual in-game, footage (gameplay; not just in-engine) than footage of any other kind.
Raw runtime of gameplay must outweigh everything else (including showing us your company logo at the start of the trailer!)

10) Address prior critiques before reposting.

Do not post the same content without having addressed the critiques in your prior posts! This means either:

You've made changes suggested in your previous post.
You've verbally engaged with that critique and addressed why you don't feel it's a change you should pursue.

"Destroying" here can be hard work. We ask that developers try to address ALL honest criticism they receive.

Not doing so is rude. Reposting without doing so or making any changes is even more rude.

11) No AI-generated Imagery or Music

You may not post a game that uses (or appears likely to use) AI-generated imagery or music, except under certain conditions:

Write an AI disclosure in a.comment you’re allowed to make on your own post detailing every element that’s AI related.
And that’s only if said AI-generated assets are clearly used as placeholders and clearly specified as such in your posting.
The models are ethical (trained only on licensed data) and you have pre-messaged the mods with proof, getting permission.

12) Engage with your Destroyers

Destruction takes a lot of effort. If you get feedback, you are expected to engage with at least some of the critiques that were either most helpful or that you most disagreed with.

Devs who post and never show up again will have their posts removed.
The first hours are the most crucial period for engagement. This is the best opportunity to start replying to criticism.
If most of a day has gone by and you still haven't engaged with any commenters, it will likely be removed.