IconBuffet | Free Icons, Stock Icons, Custom Icon Design

Betty on Aug 04, 2008

it's not just you.

debbye on Aug 04, 2008

apathy is a good word! …

bjendrick on Aug 04, 2008

Well, thank you for confirming my suspicions.

soprano on Aug 04, 2008

Maybe 250? Let's hope.

misterhaan on Aug 04, 2008

i am also disappointed. i really like this site and the chefs, but very little has changed since the few months after i joined (other than getting new icon sets). when people point out things that don’t work all that well and the chefs don’t do anything about it (or even say anything about it most of the time), it looks like they don’t care about this site.

if they don’t care about it, how can they expect anyone else to care about it?

ZsaZsa on Aug 04, 2008

It's not you, it's me.

B3llit0 on Aug 04, 2008

I'm a little disappointed as well. PackRat should be a side project of sorts– heck, if this site didn't exist, PackRat probably wouldn't either, so why do the chefs put in the minimal amount of effort required? They're not doing their best IMO, and they could be putting out a lot more icon sets.

animuson on Aug 04, 2008

they seem way too preoccupied with packrat and you can't even download icons with it. i wouldnt mind so much if you can download the sets once youve collected them or something, but just a boring game like that isnt worth more than the buffet

davethegr8 on Aug 04, 2008

I'm pretty apathetic as well.

louiemctool on Aug 04, 2008

well, to play the devil's advocate here: PackRat pays the bills. IB looses money. So I can understand why the emphasis is placed on PackRat.

That being said, it does irritate me that we get little love around here. The reason most of us "early" IBers got addicted to this site was that in addition to getting lots of great icons, we had a fair amount of interaction with the Chefs. That gave us a sense of "connection" that we don't have now...

*sigh* oh well...

Darkneo on Aug 04, 2008

yeah, hopefully things will improve. But they really have put enough into packrat

a2 on Aug 04, 2008

I agree with animuson. If you could download the icons on packrat it would be a lot better. I dropped off playing it because for all the work to complete sets I wasn't getting any satisfaction from it. Being able to download a completed set would be really cool.

As for IB, it's slowed down around here for sure, but I use the icons in projects so I'll always be checking in to pick up the news ones and spend my tokens. Once I have all the sets I'll probably slow down too.

animuson on Aug 04, 2008 wrote:

they seem way too preoccupied with packrat and you can't even download icons with it. i wouldnt mind so much if you can download the sets once youve collected them or something, but just a boring game like that isnt worth more than the buffet

Darkneo on Aug 04, 2008

or at least the chefs can make it so you can download packrat sets from here, that would get more people to come here.

debbye on Aug 04, 2008

it is not that there is no interaction with the Chefs. (not completely)

it is the fact that they do not respond to requests by implementing changes.

i remember when we had no whisper option, could only see 5 friends @a time, had no way to look at stats, or had the tabs @the top of the forum. these changes were put in place as the need & suggestions came up.

now, if there is a suggestion there is nothing! no response, except maybe an offer to go play packrat!

tmharter on Aug 04, 2008

Yes, I am disappointed too.. For all the reasons listed above, especially the few sets being released.

misterhaan on Aug 04, 2008

@debbye - that’s exactly what i was getting at

lauraness on Aug 04, 2008

I'm with ya there. I became a VIP late last year and have been wasting tokens lately with no new sets being released. I'd even caught up in PackRat over on Facebook, probably because I have no life, but now they've put out a few new sets so I've got 2 sets to finish and 2 to start on with the release of the Olympic-themed set. They're being stingy with those pop-up cards, though, dangit.
I'd love to reach some milestones on here like getting a halo and wings, but there's no good reason to hang out here anymore since there aren't a lot of sets being released. Why can't they release sets here based on the PackRat sets, even? That would help.
I had a lot more fun with the old setup where everyone got 10 deliveries to send of each icon set and collected them that way. It seemed more fair then because we all had the same limitations. Now I feel like I'll never get my halo or wings.
Thanks for the opportunity to gripe. :)

bochgoch on Aug 05, 2008

Better apathetic than pathetic?

angelamaria on Aug 05, 2008

I've been holding back on getting VIP status mostly because of the low turnout, myself. I don't play PackRat because from what I see, you end up "wasting" a lot of time on the game, and that's something I don't have a lot of time for. Plus I guess I've never been too Facebook-y. :P

rc on Aug 05, 2008

I'm also disappointed ... for all the reasons written above.

fresh2 on Aug 05, 2008

Do the Chefs hear the murmur in the cafeteria? The restaurant is full, the vibe is great, but they're serving through another hatch. Its always a bummer to see your favourite eatery starting to go...

Anybody live in Texas? Maybe we should send a messenger with a formal invitation right to their front door...

cry187 on Aug 05, 2008

@ louiemctool

With the VIP rolling back then even before packrat, I'm sure they're not losing any money on IB even with IB members giving out free publicity for the site.

josh on Aug 05, 2008

Hey Guys — Just wanted to pop in and let you know that I've been keeping up with this post. While it may seem like PackRat is a side project for us, PackRat currently does over 100x the traffic (yes, over one hundred times) and visits that IconBuffet does. It requires over nearly 30x the server resources to keep up and running.

So yes, we are spread a bit thin — and we wish we had some more time to devote to the Buffet. Unfortunately there are only so many hours in the day and we're doing the best we can. Thanks for understanding. : )

debbye on Aug 05, 2008

in other words … business as usual.

bjendrick on Aug 05, 2008

@josh: Thank you for responding, and it's good to know that you are keeping tabs & doing what you can. I've been there, so I understand... sorta. Granted, I haven't had an application like PackRat in my past.

@All: Well, at least it's clear that the chefs are still around, and doing what they can. I'm sure some of you see this as "typical" & I get that. I'm just glad to know that our conversations aren't falling on totally deaf ears. So to that end, I'm going to hang in there. Plus, I'm sure it doesn't hurt that they have a popular application in a popular framework like Facebook.

SawanM on Aug 05, 2008

Hey Josh, so what about a 200 sets badge?

brannon on Aug 05, 2008

@josh: If you guys are spread so thin, why not look to add staff? Is that not an option?

misterhaan on Aug 05, 2008

thanks for posting, josh — it’s encouraging to see that you haven’t decided to abandon the buffet because packrat is the exciting new thing! i know it’s sometimes hard for me to put time into a project i started before i knew what i know now...

hopefully you can get some more people or get packrat more self-sustaining soon and have more time to spend on the buffet again — we miss you guys!

michaelkpate on Aug 05, 2008

Wasn't there a thread on this topic already? Because I am pretty sure I wrote about how disappointing it was to spend 4 tokens last month. At least things have been a little bit better this time (I have 20 tokens left and need to pick up NYOF).

iamback on Aug 05, 2008

Things have been "slow" for me too - but everyone here seems to be slowing down, and that's a shame.

Personally I don't give a rat's about Packrat - I'm not on Facebook and never will be. I came here for the icons, stayed because of a friendly community ... but by now I pretty much have all the icons I want (and even a few I don't want); I'm into my secondary list of "would be nice as well" for my wishlist, and if in the meantime no new icons come out that I really want I'll just sink into the background, I guess.

Chefs, never mind that Packrat gives 100x the traffic - that is not good reason to practically abandon what you created here. That is not the way to deal with community building. A community can't be maintained by just keeping it ticking over - that's just starving it until it dies. I agree with @brannon here: if you can't manage, add staff! Get an intern, whatever, but it feels like you are ignoring us and you shouldn't.

KatieK on Aug 05, 2008

I'm a little sad that we don't get as many free icons as we used to, but, nothing lasts forever. I will still be happy when new icon sets are release. :)

tmharter on Aug 05, 2008

Add more chefs! I still want icons!

thedudedean on Aug 06, 2008

Yeah Chefs! More cowbell! I think I know the solution to this issue. Invite every packtrat person you know that isnt on IB.

And why no IB Facebook App? Look at Flixster!

Grusella on Aug 06, 2008

It's not you... I've almost forgot to spend my tokens last month...

AnnaPerenna on Aug 06, 2008

I'm pretty happy with the site, except for the fact my tokens get "zero'ed" down to 10 every month.. so the tokens I have left from last month dissappear :(
I do love Packrat and I am collecting like there is no tomorrow. In my opinion it is really THAT feverishly addictive.. also, there is actually a neat way to get hold of the prettylicious cards that you have collected :)
With all the Packrat issues, the amount of programming and kerning out new, beautiful packrat collections all the time, I understand the chefs have virtually no time left to live, let alone tend to IB.
It would be really awesome if the chefs also made some icon sets here, that reflect the packrat collections.
Man, I would kill for a Montezuma Icon Set here on IB (or a whole Montezuma family!)
:-) Or Lucha Libre, or In Bloom, or that enchanted forest thingie..

In all, I am not dissapointed :)

Darkneo on Sep 17, 2008

CHEFS!!!! bring this back up, how about the packrat icons being traded on here :) You could bring in more people here :)

MOAR TRAFFICK!!!!!

elka on Sep 17, 2008

I am here for just one month, and I AGREE. Can you imagine it? It's just basically left to die. Let's face it, it's not being worked on (besides new sets)... no search option, etc. And yeah, as a VIP myself (I wouldn't be if I weren't so damn addicted, but that's MY problem ah!) I realiza in fact besides more tokens, not much about us. Poop.

VINZ on Sep 17, 2008

i'm like you, disapointed. Paid for a year of vip just to get all the icons but no extra (like the damn cool stickers!)
anyway, i don't even come often on the blog now. i just grab my icons each month...

Darkneo on Sep 17, 2008

eh, at some point they may try to get more people here from PR, we shall see

iconmaster on Sep 18, 2008

"PackRat pays the bills. IB loses money."

Words of wisdom.

bkendall on Sep 18, 2008

how about letting the devoted help come up with ideas to help ib at least become self sufficient?

B3llit0 on Sep 18, 2008

http://trends.google.com/websites?q=iconbuffet.com

Maybe the problem here is that nobody bothers to advertise. If PackRat is earning so much money, then why is it that somehow virtually none of it gets spent on IB, which is the whole reason PackRat exists?

Where is all this PackRat money going, anyway?

gswd on Sep 18, 2008

So, how does PR make money? IB got pimped out for it's ad space, so maybe more IB users/visitors would mean more money from IB.

jconstant on Sep 19, 2008

@iconmaster - "PackRat pays the bills. IB loses money."

If that's going to be your reply, why are you still running this site? Just shut it down already. (Though there will be those of us, myself included, who will be sad to see it go).

You know there's another phrase you might try instead, "You have to spend money to make money". Why not work on IB to make it pay for itself (or at the very least contribute towards the bills). If you improved some of the features and added additional sets (like from PR as others have suggested) perhaps you would get more VIPs (which do pay you money). You might even be able to convince some of us who used to be VIP to come back.

jconstant on Sep 19, 2008

One more thing, your family doesn't pay the bills your job does. Yet you still go home to your family ever night (and the weekends too). All we are asking is to share the love.

thedudedean on Sep 19, 2008

I think inviting all the Packrat players here would give the chefs the much needed kick in the ass to make the IB rocking again,

louiemctool on Sep 19, 2008

@jconstant: actually, i said that, and i said it 'cause it's the cold hard truth.

it costs more to host this site than any sales they could possibly still be getting from Stock Icon sets or the pittance they ask for a yearly VIP membership.

packrat, on the other hand, is hosted on one of the single most frequented sites on the internet right now, and probably pays for itself many times over.

as anyone who has taken econ will tell you: businesses, in the end, have to make money to stay viable, even if it means possibly alienating a small percentage of their original customers...

i don't like it either, but bitching about it doesn't achieve anything either.

Darkneo on Sep 19, 2008

at least bring the packrat sets here then advertise it, then they can get packratters here and make more money on both places, it wouldn't take too much work to port the images...

jconstant on Sep 19, 2008

Louie, I accept that this site is expensive to run. My comment is not a complaint about the lack of attention we get, (not to say I don't have complaints). It was more to point out that I'm are tired of hearing how it costs so much and PR pays the bills. If they think that IB is such a dead end, then they should just close up shop. However, I think they could do more here and make some money. Also, I'm not so sure I would call IB a small percent. I think ifbthe chefs would spend a little less time fueling this fire (by responding) and a little more putting out sets, most of us would stop complaining.

Darkneo on Sep 19, 2008

an idea

more sets = not enough tokens for people to get all the sets = more people upgrading to VIP = chefs making more money

problem helped ;)

gswd on Sep 20, 2008

So, let me ask again....

How does a company make money by having a game like PackRat on Facebook? Do they get a share of FB ad revenue based on the # of players/subscribers to the game/application? I can see how it could have a lower overhead if they do not have to pay for the server space and bandwidth, but how does the "PackRat pays the bills" statement become true?

Also, as far as IB being able to make money, since the launch of 2.0 they have yet to put out a new stock set, and it was mentioned many times that they were working on new stock sets. Maybe if they ported over the PR sets, they could be stock/"paid for" sets instead of "Fresh Free Deliveries". Just a thought.

Darkneo on Sep 20, 2008

maybe not many people bought the stock sets

DarkMystress on Sep 21, 2008

it's not just the lack of love from chefs that has meant i have lost interest here - it's the fact if you ask for trades, you get a dozen gold sets sent by people saying 'I have no tokens, but sent you stuff anyway' and very few people responding to the trade part of your request!
Even after not looking at the Buffet for a while, I've logged in and found 4 gold sets sent by people I don't know, yet no one seems willing to accept any!
I've finally succumbed to Face Crack and am loving PackRat at the moment (though it is frustrating!) so if anyone here wants to add me as a friend, drop me a message!
And if anyone does fancy trading, also please drop me a message!!!

Darkneo on Sep 21, 2008

I think this site could be quite profitable if the chefs build it up again,

@chefs, how do you make money from an app on facebook?

iconmaster on Sep 22, 2008

If that's going to be your reply, why are you still running this site? Just shut it down already.

If the company were run by accountants, I'm sure it would be. For better or worse, we're more sentimental than that.

How does a company make money by having a game like PackRat on Facebook?

I'm not at liberty to say. ;)

bjendrick on Sep 22, 2008

Interesting response, but I like that IB is sticking around for more than monetary reasons.