It is truly amazing that my synchronizations skyrocket and then fall back, as if they were stocks on the stock exchange. I begin to think that FACER plays this game with many of us, and that the famous 5000 synchronizations are just a red herring … And we always fall for it, hoping that one day we could reach that goal …I’M LOSING MY HOPES AND YOU?
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Hi @miani67, I totally can sympathize with that frustration. I came in here after being among the winners of one of the more significant design contests Facer has sponsored thinking I would just waltz into the partner program. Well, I was wrong and it turned into a long bumpy road before I got there. My best advice is simply keep making faces for the enjoyment of it, if you have aspirations of being invited into the partner program use the time to continue to develop your brand concept and your presence on the platform. The Facer staff is definitely keeping an eye out for exceptional designers (and in this context, that word can mean a lot of different things). I think many people read the partner criteria as an objective threshold to punch your ticket (5000 syncs in 30 days) but I think the most important words on that page are “If you satisfy these criteria AND are selected by the Facer team”. They do stress that it is “invite only”. I can see it now from both sides of the situation, now I have insight into why it’s so selective but I also think it sucks that some really talented and prolific designers have moved on after investing a lot into their Facer efforts and feeling no reward.
So I hope you stick with it, have fun and see what happens.
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I sympathize too. I’m in the same boat. My initial observation is that getting featured is key to having a significant number of syncs. Creating a good face on its own is not enough. And that is entirely at the hands of Facer. In this regard, I think they could do a better job of making it a fair balance between designers, but in their defence, the shear number of new releases makes it hard to keep on top of. They’re not Google… they don’t have endless resources to cater to the designers.
Relying on Facer for any income is a high risk - you are dependent on so many things and in tech, that’s not a great place to be. You’re dependent on Google maintaining WearOS and/or Samsung maintaining Tizen. Neither are sure things. You’re dependent on Facer maintaining their platform, paying their server bills, and improving the software. This isn’t a sure thing either.
Becoming a partner seems to be quite an interview process. Lots of pieces that need to come together to get the job. But there’s little competition out there in terms of alternative platforms, and Facer’s limited resources means that this is unlikely to change. It’s best to design for the love of it, and not worry about the ultimate goal, which may or may not come about.
This phase is like going to university. You spend years studying for something that may or may not result in a job at the end. The price tag of university is a lot higher than a Facer subscription! You have to do something that makes you happy, and that engages you. Do it because you enjoy doing it. And if you don’t enjoy it… find something else. Life is too short to be bitter about things you cannot change. I work at a university and talk to a lot of students and faculty. Those who get a great experience from the university, are those that are passionate about their interest, and pursue it regardless of the reward.
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Trust me, you are not alone. 
The top 100 is partly by syncs and also manual by a family/friends popularity contest. For example, you have some designers magically appear with like 30 followers and very poor designed faces who are able to sell their faces and immediately skyrocket to the top of the standings. I’m sure many talented designers have left Facer because of it. I have seen some partners who do have great faces but some who do not but yet are still partners which is mind boggling. I just have fun designing for my almost 12K followers and counting and not thinking about the partner thing because it’s really no use. They all get free faces from me. My suggestion is just to have fun designing and forget about it. Good luck to you. 
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That is not true. I thought we straightened out your misconception of that in another topic.
@miani67 It seems to be normal, at least in my case, for syncs to skyrocket and drop down. As with any shopping experience, people who like a design will grab it right away; others will shop around for a while. Some members think they should be invited into the Partner Program shortly after they arrive. Success in life needs to be earned. Enjoy what you are doing. Be patient and do your best.
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But unfortunately it is true … to say who and with what work will be in the top 100 … and who and to what extent do not infringe “copyright” … thought-provoking. I’ve already given up to ever be a partner and get some earnings supplement with that. No matter how many followers and syncs I have, no matter how good I do any good work, I hardly get into a “featured” group. And this is a prerequisite for a lot of downloads … Sorry if my English is not correct, but google translator understands Hungarian so much 
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Prove that it’s not. You are always so defensive because you know it’s true. You didn’t straighten out a damn thing. Why are you so obsessed with me? You harass me on my watch faces and you always comment on any comment I make in the forum. Again, my response was to the original poster on this thread not to you. I thought you got that straight last time. I have zero interest in your opinion. Not really sure how you became a partner.
It is true, just have fun designing faces. They will pick whoever they want. Criteria does not matter.
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Well one strong piece of evidence is the number of Rolex knockoffs routinely (and currently) in the top 100. If Facer was devoting even minimal resources to manipulating the top 100 those faces would never be there.
There is the point. And i lost faces because i did use one type of screw…
That’s not proof, by the way, I’ll bet some of those are family or friends of Facer staff, that’s the reason they are there. Also, there are not only Rolex knockoffs but every other brand too. I see nothing wrong with it as long as they don’t use their name. I have one in the top 10. I rarely do one of those but I felt like doing one so I did. How do you explain the designers with less than 30 followers selling their faces and magically appearing in the top 5? Why doesn’t Facer put the number of syncs visible in the top 100? You know why they don’t? Because it’s rigged.
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haha, My friend I think you like to argue. Strange how fixated you are on the “family and friends” idea. You couldn’t be more off-base with your conspiracies here. I’ve given you solid evidence, try to allow yourself to think about it objectively. The knockoffs are a HUGE pain in the butt for Facer. The threatening letters from the lawyers for the big brands and swiss watch organizations are no joke. I know for a fact which brands specifically sent threatening letters to the other app, so there’s no reason to think they wouldn’t be sending them to Facer too. They won’t hesitate to use their massive resources to shut down the watch face apps that are facilitating infringements of their IP. It’s not just watch brands actually. I remember for instance Monster Energy Drink was one of the brands, what the hell are they concerned about random free watch faces for? That’s just how it works for big companies and their fiercely protective stance of their brands. Some of the big watch brands regularly scan Facer (and the other app) and issue take-down notices. Why do you think the TOS stipulates no knock-offs? And anyone can (and frequently do) flag a face. people get irritated seeing knockoffs occupying the Top50 because it’s rewarding violating the rules at the expense of those who are following them, so you can be sure that emails are sent. The support email burden to facer support staff is something I’m sure they’d love to do without. you say “I see nothing wrong with it as long as they don’t use their name.” I promise you, “they” meaning the big watch brands don’t see it that way. There’s much more they protective about than a properly spelled Rolex in the name.
It is absolutely absurd to think Facer “family and friends” are responsible for even one knockoff.
btw… The designers with few followers who are selling is a completely different issue. I explained some of what factors into that phenomenon to you in the other thread.
Look my friend, I won’t argue that there isn’t a degree of unfairness with how faces and designers may or may not get a lot of traction on Facer, but it’s not because of any of the things you allege. It’s just normal stuff like luck and timing along with the whims of trends and fashion. The only subjectivity that influences how a face may or may not get extra exposure is which faces get added to the featured categories (like analog, hybrid, etc…) I know firsthand how those features impact syncs. unlike the Top 100 which is simply an automated algorithm, there is an editorial “team” that selects those. And yes, partners definitely get the lions share.
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Haha… It’s funny how you say I like to argue for simply stating what I believe, so since it does not follow what you believe you classify it as I like to argue. I’m not fixated on anything, just giving my opinion just like you are fixated on your opinion. You say you’ve given me solid evidence but I have yet to see that evidence. What you’ve given is your opinion which is completely different from solid evidence.
If the knock-offs are a big pain for Facer then why have they not done something about it? I have been on here for 2 years and see them all the time. If it’s such a BIG problem they definitely have done nothing about it.
I think the only thing we agree on is the unfairness of Facer to many good designers that are deserving of becoming partner and the partners getting the lion’s share. Again, I am not the only one who believes this, I have received the same feedback from many of my followers and other designers on Facer. Even on this thread they mention how they are losing hope and feel the whole criteria thing is complete BS.
there’s a difference between informed opinions and uninformed speculation. I’m just not a fan of misinformation, that’s the only reason I bother to step in here. I’ve tried to share some knowledge (some facts, some informed extrapolations) about things you appear to not have considered or be aware of. It’s your choice to be open minded about it or not. But just because you won’t accept that some of the people trying to enlighten you about some of this stuff have some knowledge that you do not does not make that information any less real. You are certainly welcome to your opinions but they come across less and less credible when they are willfully dismissive of facts. But I’ll leave it at that. You appear determined to harbor your conspiracies, so I’ll do my best to refrain from interfering.
Anyway, seems like something else we can agree on is just have fun making faces for the enjoyment of the creative activity! So cheers!
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But wait… aren’t you giving uninformed speculation? It seems you are the one not aware of what is going on and just because you are a partner you kiss their butt and defend them when everything you say is pure speculation as well. It does not make it anymore credible than my speculation. It is your choice to accept it or not. Why do I have to accept the BS you are spewing? You are also welcome to your opinion no matter how full of BS it may be. You appear to be stubborn in your belief and that’s fine, you are entitled to it.
By the way, take a look at the number 2 thru 4 in the top 100 right now. Anything fishy there? Does 2 thru 4 look normal. All less than 10 followers and like 2 faces but yet occupy #2 thru 4?? Complete BS if you ask me.
But yes! We agree on just having fun and making faces for everyone to enjoy! Cheers!
You have to accept as a fact that everything here is a mess. And this mess is getting bigger every day. New unfinished, untested things are appearing and making the mess even bigger. Faceer’s team, judging by their frantic actions, is somewhere on the edge. Business is out of the question. So the emphasis in the near future is on Apple watch faces, which is why they are increasingly in the top 100, and how they fit in between the other watch faces is a mystery or handiwork, they cannot compete or stand on a par with the watch faces for Samsung and the rest. Completely different level of synchronisation. Well all in all it’s a continuation of the pointless mess and multiplying it many times over. I don’t think they even think about what’s being done there anymore. Just trying to save themselves.
I won’t bother with the rest of what you wrote, but nothing surprising about those 3 in the top 10. One is a Daytona knockoff, so, well… Rolex will always surface in the top 10. Here’s some more information for you, fact not opinion, people do get expelled from Facer for TOS violations, and often those people return with a new account and resume making knockoffs. One of those other Top4 faces is by a guy who is relatively new here, KingDavid, , some of us have interacted with him here in the forums. It’s just a nice design that pushes the right buttons I guess. I don’t get why certain styles end up being so popular, rarely are any in the Top50 what I personally like to wear but that’s ok. Nothing nefarious going on there.
Here’s more info for you, about a year ago there was a guy who has just a few faces but each one took off. I remember him telling me that one had 75,000 syncs in a month. I thought it was a typo but it was actually 75k. I think he had fewer than 10 total faces but he got invited to be partner. They recognized that this guy knew how to design a hit. Unfortunately some geo-politcal bs got in the way so he never was able to join. (This was all public info discussed here in the forums, I’m not sharing any inside details). Point is, a face that pushes the right buttons will always make it at least into the bottom of the Top50, from there it immediately is seen by exponentially more eyes and can pick up stream. That’s how a Rolex clone or just a nice original design by people with few followers end up in the Top 10.
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My very first face I made got featured and ended up in top 100.
I had no followers, no syncs before that.
If you ride that momentum (I did not, because I produce 3 faces a year), you can get a lot of benefit with that. As everyone is saying, If you accept that syncs are counted from Sunday, the top 100 makes perfect sense. The only way it seems “rigged” is control over exposure, which is no secret.
That’s a lie! You make not three, but four watch faces a year
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I suspect LR is trying to prove his point by having the same face in the charts twice, but just with a different name and one of those called “The Rigged 100”. 
btw - if you think Facer is brutal - try getting into the top 100 music charts. 
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