H1_To

I launched my first product on Product Hunt recently, and while it definitely wasn't the launch I'd imagined, it taught me a lot.

Like most first-time founders, I thought the hardest part would be finishing the product.

It wasn't.

The hardest part was getting people to discover it.

Looking back, here are my biggest takeaways:

Building a good product isn't enough. If nobody knows it exists, they can't use it. A launch lasts one day, but an audience takes months (or years) to build. I underestimated how important it is to consistently share what you're building before launch day. Comments were more valuable than upvotes. The feedback I received highlighted things I hadn't noticed while building. Marketing is a skill. I used to think marketing meant "posting a link." Now I realize it's about telling a story that makes people care. The launch wasn't the finish line. It was just another milestone.

I didn't hit the rankings I was hoping for, but I don't regret launching.

It gave me feedback, exposed weaknesses in my product and marketing, and reminded me that building a startup is a marathon, not a single event.

For those of you who've launched on Product Hunt (or any similar platform), what was the biggest lesson you learned from your first launch?

I've been experimenting with an idea that sits somewhere between a game and a productivity app.

Instead of treating habits like a checklist, I designed a progression system where real-life actions become game mechanics.

• Completing habits earns different powers (Strength, Wisdom, Focus, etc.).
• Powers can be combined on a strategy grid to discover stronger abilities.
• Your hero evolves as you stay consistent.
• Missing a day doesn't punish you or reset everything, it's built around positive reinforcement instead of loss.

As a game developer, I'm curious about the design side of this.

Do you think progression systems that work well in RPGs can create long-term engagement for real-life activities, or does the novelty wear off once players realize there's no traditional gameplay?

I'd love feedback specifically from a game design perspective. What mechanics would you add, remove, or rethink?

If you'd like to see what I've built so far, it's here: Habit Hero

I'm currently working on a small social platform and I'm trying to make sure I handle notifications correctly before opening it up to more users.

Right now users can send friend requests and room invitations, and I'm considering adding email notifications so people don't miss them when they're offline.

My question is: if I send emails for things like friend requests, room invites, and account-related notifications, do I need to explicitly mention that in my Terms of Service or Privacy Policy? Are there any common mistakes I should avoid when implementing this?

I'm also interested in general feedback about the platform itself. I'm still actively improving it, so honest criticism is welcome.

Link: The Hideout

A few things I'd especially like feedback on:

• First impressions
• Account creation and onboarding
• UI/UX
• Social features
• Anything confusing or frustrating
• Features you think are missing

I'm looking for real feedback rather than promotion, so don't hold back if something needs improvement.

Not sure if it’s just me but Reddit has been feeling a bit weird lately.

Seeing more posts about bans, shadowbans, AI stuff popping up, and even some big threads don’t really feel as “normal” or casual as they used to.

Could just be overthinking it or spending too much time here tbh.

Been messing around with a small side project called Hideout that kind of came from that feeling — just trying to make something more low pressure and simple to use, nothing big.

Anyone else noticed this or nah?

The Hideout

I’ve kinda been using Discord a lot and lately it just feels a bit much for me.

Like there’s always something going on, servers are super busy, roles everywhere, notifications nonstop, and it feels like you’re kinda expected to always be active or replying. It’s not really bad, just kinda overwhelming sometimes.

I’m 16 and I started messing around with this idea called Hideout. It’s nothing big yet, just something I’m building and seeing where it goes.

It’s kinda like a mix between Discord and Reddit. You still have rooms and chatting like Discord, but it’s more chill like Reddit where it’s not all about being online all the time or keeping up with everything.

I’ve been trying to keep it really simple. Less pressure around identity and presence, and just easier conversations without all the extra stuff.

Not saying Discord is bad or anything, it just feels like there could be something a bit lighter.

Curious if anyone else feels like that or if it’s just me overthinking it.

The Hideout

I keep wondering if social media actually got worse over time, or if we just accepted the noise because there wasn’t an alternative.

Most platforms now feel like algorithms first and people second. Everything is optimized for attention, not connection. And it’s kind of exhausting.

I’m 16 and I’ve been building a small experiment called Hideout. The idea is basically the opposite direction: quieter spaces, private rooms, control over presence, and less pressure to constantly perform or be “active.”

I’m not claiming it’s the solution or even a good idea yet. I’m genuinely trying to figure out if people are just used to how things are now, or if there’s actually demand for something simpler.

So I’m curious Would you even use something like this, or does “simple social media” just not work anymore?

The Hideout

adding: a better friending system more customization options more games

and to the guys who think my last post was promotional (fick dich) i only asked for feedback and u always have an option click the link or leave it alone...it"s not like i held ur family at gunpoint and told you to click the link🤣🫵

anyway thx guys

hey, i’ve been working on a small project for a bit called the hideout.

it came from something i noticed using discord — it’s great for big communities but sometimes it’s kinda annoying to just quickly start a game with people. usually you need bots, setup, someone explaining the rules, etc.

so the hideout is basically just rooms where people can join and play right away.

right now there’s:

• mafia
• spyfall
• wordle

people have been using it for a few different things:

• quick games with random players
• small study rooms where people just hang out while working
• friend groups that want a place to chat and play something together

recently two random people ended up playing and talking in a room for almost 2 hours which was pretty cool to see.

we just passed 100 users and i’m trying to grow it a bit more.

if you want to check it out or give feedback:

The Hideout

i spent some time this week building a small wordle clone and integrating it into my app.

the process was actually pretty fun. the main parts were building the word validation, handling the tile states (correct letter / wrong spot / not in word), and making sure the guesses update instantly for the each player. the UI took a bit of tweaking too so it feels responsive and not laggy when revealing the tiles.

the interesting part was fitting it into the rest of my app since it’s more of a social space with rooms and games (we already have mafia and spyfall). so the wordle game had to work cleanly alongside those without breaking the flow of the rooms.

it’s still pretty simple right now but it works well and people have started playing it.

if anyone is curious, you can check it out here: The Hideout

I have been building a small browser multiplayer project that was text only. Mostly social and party type games.

Recently I added room wide voice chat using WebRTC. Everyone in the room can join the call if they want, or just stay in text.

What surprised me was how different everything felt.

Before voice Small rooms with 3 or 4 people felt kind of dead Conversations were slower Social deduction games felt less intense

After adding voice Even 3 people feels active Accusations hit way harder when you can hear hesitation People stay longer once they join voice Some users join just to listen

Nobody is forced to join voice, but once one or two people join, others usually follow.

Has anyone else added voice to a text based project? Did it change engagement for you?

link

I have been building a small browser multiplayer project that was text only. Mostly social and party type games.

Recently I added room wide voice chat using WebRTC. Everyone in the room can join the call if they want, or just stay in text.

What surprised me was how different everything felt.

Before voice Small rooms with 3 or 4 people felt kind of dead Conversations were slower Social deduction games felt less intense

After adding voice Even 3 people feels active Accusations hit way harder when you can hear hesitation People stay longer once they join voice Some users join just to listen

Nobody is forced to join voice, but once one or two people join, others usually follow.

Has anyone else added voice to a text based project? Did it change engagement for you?

link

Quick update: I added some small but handy improvements to The Hideout:

1. More accessible GIF & emoji console – now you can type while browsing emojis or GIFs at the same time

2. Game browser console – see all available games in one place without leaving the room

These make hanging out, reacting, and switching games smoother than ever 😎

Thanks Guys for all the support and feedback it really helps💙

Check it out: https://joinhideout.vercel.app/

Feedback welcome — curious what people like or want next! 💬