Ready for some updates? We’ve added some new issues for undertaking looking and classification.

Tools, Engines, & Devices

A great way to seek out cool stuff on itch.io is to filter by means of video games with our wealthy set of tags. From a excessive degree, our tagging system contains recommended tags that we encourage builders to make use of, and free-form tags that builders can set to no matter they need. We control free-form tags to get new concepts for tactics for builders to categorise their work.

In right this moment’s replace we have added a brand new means so that you can classify what your undertaking is made with (or what it helps). You can discover the Tools, Engines, & Devices part on the metadata tab in your recreation’s dashboard.

We’ve added this as a result of we wish to make it simpler for builders to share how they construct their initiatives, alongside giving individuals a fast means to take a look at video games made with a particular instrument or engine. For instance, you possibly can check out video games made in LÖVE, Ren’Py, or Unity. 

Some instruments & gadgets have further choices to allow you to be particular about the way you assist one thing. For instance, for VR gadgets like Rift, you possibly can specify if you happen to assist contact controllers and what the play space is. If you are an asset creator you should use the part to inform us what engines and instruments your property are designed for.

Add your personal instruments to itch.io’s browse pages

Game improvement instruments come from all sizes of builders, and there is already a handful accessible proper on itch.io. In order to ensure we have now a whole database of instruments to select from we have constructed a Tool software to allow you to submit a suggestion. (If you are logged in, you possibly can take a look at the appliance right here). Although we have manually added over 100 issues, we recognize any assist you to’d be prepared to offer to provide builders extra choices to select from.

On prime of that, as a result of we all know that so many instrument builders are already on itch.io, we have supplying you with the choice to assert possession over instruments. Owners might help construct out a taxonomy of classification and authorize/delist video games that is perhaps utilizing the tags incorrectly. Owning a instrument web page on itch.io is an effective approach to begin constructing a group round your software program (or gadget), whereas supplying you with a straightforward means to assist observe which video games are utilizing what you have made. Tool taxonomy will enable for builders to make use of a customized set of tags related to your instrument, so individuals looking can filter with related parameters. Tool pages will be linked to itch.io undertaking pages, giving them extra publicity instantly from itch.io’s browse pages.

When suggesting a instrument please point out that you’re the proprietor of the instrument and we’ll get in contact with you as we undergo the purposes. Tools that you just personal will seem in your dashboard.

More genres & recommended tags

This replace truly got here out some time in the past, however we forgot to announce it! We’ve refactored how genres work and addressed the 2 largest complaints:

• There are actually much more genres! 18 in the intervening time, and we might be glad so as to add extra.
• You can now use as many genres as you need. We merged genres with tags, so as to add extra genres simply place them within the tag field.

Additionally, we have been including many extra recommended tags. If there are any tags you assume we should always recommend to different builders say so within the feedback.

Tag normalization

We spent a while going by means of how individuals have been utilizing tags and observed typically individuals would use totally different phrasings or phrases for a similar factor. This makes tougher for individuals to browse, for instance if they’re taking a look at the zombie tag, they is perhaps lacking out on further video games within the zombies tag. 

To handle this we have added tag normalization! Essentially, we added a handful of tag re-mappings that may mechanically convert related tags right into a single normalized tag. For instance, training -> instructional, or pixelart -> pixel-art, ggj -> global-game-jam, and many others. We mechanically up to date all present pages, so you do not have to do the rest! Making video games present up in the fitting place means individuals have extra alternative to find your work. If you see any tags that you just assume must be redirected then go away a remark.

Tag descriptions

Before we shut out this submit, I wish to spotlight tag descriptions. For all of the recommended tags we have now a area for explaining what the tag means. (See screenshot beneath.) We’ve been asking for assist from our group to assist fill out these descriptions.

If you come throughout a tag that does not have an outline, and you have a while, we might recognize if you happen to clicked Suggest description and provides us a brief blurb in regards to the tag. Descriptions are reviewed by our admin staff earlier than they make it into our database. Adding an outline makes it extra clear for individuals who won’t know what they’re looking. If you feel significantly bored, you should use this web page to see all tags that do not have descriptions.

That’s all for right this moment, see you subsequent time!