Creating and Distributing PAD files...

I'd like to start distributing my game demos to download sites but I feel a bit lost when it comes to PAD files. I've never used them or know anything about them...

Could someone please point me in the right direction?

Thanks :)

http://www.asp-shareware.org/pad/index.php

And

http://www.asp-shareware.org/pad/padgen.php

Thank you, Gabriel :)

I have not included a PAD file with my software (yet), but having a quick look at the links it looks an interesting concept. Has anyone any experience of the benefits of PAD files? Regards, BP.

I use padgen (after Gabriel's recommendation a while ago), it's pretty good.

PAD files mean that a shareware site can read all the info about your game in a standard format. Plus you can put them on your website and then the shareware sites can update your game info from the online PAD file.

OK, I've submitted my PAD files to a couple of places now... Any tips on how to get more site traffic and attracting more customers?

I've been wanting to do this for so long :D :D

Good links from that resident Grey Alien (Whenever I read that name, Mark Snow theme tunes comes into my head) ;-)

http://greyaliengames.com/blog/how-long-to-get-a-game-on-a-portal/
http://greyaliengames.com/blog/ive-finished-my-game-now-what/

Also finds some indie community and post there, asking them to check out your game/demo, My personal favorite haunt is:
http://forums.indiegamer.com/index.php

Also why not get your game reviewed on:
http://www.bytten.com/
http://www.gametunnel.com/

Thanks for all the links :) Will have a proper look through them all. I'm banned on indiegamer LOL think my account was hacked and someone posted all kinds of naughty things ;)

I wouldn't waste your time with PAD Files. Unless you want a momentary surge in site traffic, no increase in downloads or sales, and a lifetime of junkmail.

So, it seems there is disparate views on PAd files, at least it's balanced...

Well to be fair, the problem is not so much the PAD file idea (which is actually a good idea). The real crux of the matter, is there are so many low-traffic shareware sites around that aside from some of the bigger sites like Cnet and Tucows, there is no one particular site that's worth bothering with.

Even if you put your game on Cnet, you're thrown in amongst millions upon millions of other software titles and as a result, you're as good as invisible.

Well, PAD files take about 10 minutes to make and upload. Can't see why you wouldn't take the time to do that, even if it doesn't make that much of a difference.

Gfk:
How would you recommend getting traffic to your site and attracting more customers? I see that you've done this for a long time (games etc). I don't want to go down the whole portal route tho...

Dunno. My site (which is due for an overhaul) doesn't have much traffic, maybe a thousand or so unique visitors per month with the odd sale here and there and a couple of people a week joining my mailing list.

I just let it sit there so I have an internet presence, I've never actually marketed it but its there if anybody wants to look.

When I used Gabriel's service to submit pad files to shareware sites I got increased traffic (and made money from Adsense), increased downloads, increased sales and affiliate sales from other games on my site. Can't comment on the spam as it always varies.