On creating and promoting a game

[sundancer 44548xp 0]

Here is the thing: today I learned of someone locally working on a miniature game for 5+ years. He’s also giving demos of it at conventions so I’d say it safe to assume there is already something of a minimal viable product.

Now I would assume that this far into the development process there would be some kind of online presence to link people to who want to know more and keep in touch. A blog, a static webpage or even a simple Facepage group.

But this lad only has a discord server.

Am I just this old and grumpy to feel that this isn’t enough, not even close?

Imagine you being at a convention, playing a game and enjoying it and later when you’re home you can’t find hide nor hair of it. And you can’t find discord servers because they are hidden! So best of luck finding anything.

How would you feel? What is you expectation in a situation like this?

[pagan8th 15279xp 1]

That is a bit like putting planning permission for a house demolition in the planning department of the local council which is located in a basement without stairs and no light, inside a toilet that says beware of the leopard and inside a locked filing cabinet.

So… in summary… it’s hidden from the universe.

[dags 4577xp 2]

If he wants commercial success it seems like a poor way to conduct business.  Snarlcast had the guys from snarling badger games discussing how you get exposure and discord ain’t it unless people are already  joined for other reasons.

Personally I find companies that rely on facebook annoying, its a crap platform and you limit yourself by being on it.  Fine for start ups but if you want real growth have a website.  Getting one is much easier now.

As for when you get to Atomic mass games size and everything goes via social media its a joke.   That’s a complete tangent but it annoys me.  If you want to sell stuff you need to present it to me, not hope I come looking

[sundancer 44548xp 2]

Personally I find companies that rely on facebook annoying, its a crap platform and you limit yourself by being on it.

Totally agree.

[pagan8th 15279xp 0]

Sorry… put something in completely wrong topic. Deleted it now.

[onlyonepinman 18120xp 1]

Realistically you have to cover all bases.  You need multiple social media platforms, YouTube if you can plus a website with a blog and a newsletter.

[collins 16606xp 1]

i think a lot of people underestimate a lot. It strikes me that now in a time where instant gratification, responsiveness and endless doom scrolling promoting a game or a product is as much a full time job as designing it, making it or running the business admin side of it.

You can do all of it if you want, just you’ll do it all badly and the example in the OP is exactly that. a person loves making what their making but then simply doesnt have the time or energy to flood the zone with marketing via every platform to make their passion a commercial success.

[sundancer 44548xp 0]

You don’t have to flood the internet on every social media platform possible. I’d say the best way to start is “own a homepage”. And there is multiple reasons for that.

• You own a homepage, no corporate entity like META or Alphabet can cut you off just on a whim.
• Starting on a platform that requires users to register first before they can use it raises the barrier to entry.
• Using “popular” social media might seem a good ides but everybody and their literal pets is already on there. The noise of it all will drown your presence

And I’d also argue a simple homepage is the least work to keep users informed. You’ve already written story and lore for your game. Copy & paste that shit. You already have some form of art. Made by yourself or someone else, put it on there. Your rules contain anything like a character sheet that has something like “may be photocopied for personal use” written on it? Make a pdf and offer it as a download.

Yes the initial setup of a homepage might take some time but the most of the work should already be done by the creator in order to have something to promote.

Going to facepage, youtube and all the other places is still an option later on.

[Wonkygoblin 126xp 1]

Interesting topic. I think he probably only has discord for playtesting and feedback from his core followers/testers. This is great, but isn’t promotion.

I have the most basic website. It has a form for a mailing list, a basic summary of what I do, a few photos and most importantly links to the project on ott. Also youtube and twitch links.

I think there is a point that is to early. Some of the early stuff that I posted looks terrible, if someone was to see the temporary cards and early miniatures as a first impression, they might lose interest and not bother looking again. Some of the feedback can get savage so waiting for your product to look more professional has benefits. Some say that its never to soon to start promoting. Its a difficult thing to get right, especially when its your first go at making something you intend to sell.

 

 

 

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