small bits plus small bits equal medium bits...I think. »

Before I get into anything else, can I just take a second once again to complain about SPAM? My blog is small. There aren't that many readers. Yet my comment boards still get hit with spam bots left and right!

It got bad enough today, that I was forced to lock down the code a little more today. Now if you supply a URL with your name, you'll be asked to verify the captcha (and you still get asked for it if you put a link in the content of your post)...it's not a big change, and it should cut the spam down by almost 100%...but at the same time, it's annoying from a user's standpoint because now those 'real' people have to work a little harder to post with a URL. Such is life though.

On other news, based on player feedback (thanks Ken) I made a small update to the text/description for when you are analyzing other fighter skills. Hopefully it makes it more clear on just what data you are seeing.

Motivated by the news that MySpace released their app network into beta today, I got around to releasing another handful of updates to the facebook version of BotFu fight. Now you can invite your friends to install the app, and you can fight with your friends.

I played around with it a bit today as well, and I think it needs some more tweaking to be really 'playable'...but for now it's at least a little better than it was.

On related news, a RockYou rep. contacted me about the BotFu facebook app wanting me to advertise with them...I thought about it for a few seconds, but once I saw the rates, I was out. Basically they charge a little under $1 for every person they get to install your app. (start at 5k for 6500 installs)...I guess from a marketing point of view, that's not a bad cost of acquisition. But for my app, which doesn't have a clear revenue stream (or purpose for that matter), it's WAY too steep.

Instead, I went ahead and joined up with the Zynga ad network on facebook...what they do is require you to install a toolbar on top of your app...and essentially you trade your clicks for others...we'll see how it goes. I like the fact that it doesn't cost me anything, and the banner you install is not that annoying. So I figure it's worth trying out for a bit.

Oh and yes, I do have a MySpace version in the works. I've been dragging my feet on it while I focused more on the real site (and the facebook version). But now that the app network is out there I sort of feel obligated to get to work on it again. We'll see.

I've also got a few other things going on in the background (of my life) that I'll be sharing with everyone soon (as they develop)...but for now I'm off to watch Lost and Eli Stone