Advice: leave contact info

[Jerry]

I have been working to approach game owners to point out that the webgamefavorites.com voting system has gone live this week. During my work for this, I have noticed something: many owners do not leave any contact info at their site. No msn, no skype, no chat... not even the basic email adress.

Yes, I know, if you leave an adress, you are bound to get emails (wow, no shit, einstein?). And we all know emails are annoying, because they take your time, right?

Wrong.

You should always leave an email adres at the public (not logged in) bit of your site. This, for a number of reasons:

1) EU legislation states that any website selling any services or goods (yes, a DP is a sold service) MUST have contact info on the site. Actually, the legislation states you must leave a number of ways of getting into contact with the site owner. I reckon email is the easiest one. Both for you, as for the one getting in touch.

2) By not having an email contact, you are basically telling your members, your clients to sod off. They may join, they may send you money, but they should not get any weird ideas, such as trying to send you a mail expressing their gratitude for such a great product ;)

3) You appear less professional. Yes, I know, this is a hobby. You own a game for fun. Just like I own webgamefavorites.com for fun. But that doesn't mean we can't try to at least APPEAR to be somewhat professional, right?

4) You may be missing out on cooperative opportunities. I am persistant, so if I want to invite you to cooperate, I will find a way to get my message to you, but some other people may just move on, and make their offer to someone else. Just imagine... Bill Gates wanting to pay you a gazzillion dollars, just to put "This site is best viewed with Internet Explorer 8.0" on the front page... and he cannot find you... what a waste ;D

But seriously, I reckon the first point should actually be enough reason already.

But, my players will spam me or or people will spam me appealing bans

sure, that will happen. Just make sure you write down somewhere that anything game related should be dealt with in-game, by the assigned staff, and that any mail regarding in game will result in a three day ban (or fedjail, or dungeon, or whatever it is called in your game). It will happen a few times, and you will fed a few times. Word will spread, and people will stop doing it. :)

And you don't even have to check the mail every hour :)