Competition 23: Get the Word Out!

[dislekcia]

Comp 23: Get the Word Out!

So, you've made a game. It's cool. People like it...

What now?

This is the question that we want you all to answer. Pick a game you've made and get the word out: Publicize it, scream it from the rooftops, make youtube videos, get interviewed, do wacky promo stuff, whatever! The winning game is the one that's made the most noise and been viewed/played/reviewed by the most people come the start of rAge.

You can work in teams if you don't have a game of your own, but you do require the developer's permission (if not active participation) in order to qualify as an entrant. Plus you MUST use a game that originated on this forum in some way.

So, how are you going to market your game? Might we suggest some helpful links for ideas to get you started:
Building Buzz for Indie Games
Zero Budget Indie Marketing Guide
Your Ideas Don't Matter... Much
Oh for crap's sake, just go through the Dev.Mag news section already!

Rules:

• Competition starts on September 2nd 2009, 02-09-2009.
• Deadline is October 2nd 2009, 02-10-2009.
• Popularize a game that originated in this very forum in some form or other.
• You may work in a team if you don't have a game of your own to publicize (or want to let the world know about someone else's game that you really like).
• Yes, you can write your own game and publicize it during the time provided, but it's not recommended unless you're superman and have 24 hours spare every day.
• Ask for help when you get stuck, share ideas and be awesome to each other.
• Any releases must contain all files needed to run and should not require other bulky systems to be downloaded or installed, exceptions are browser plugins like Flash and self-contained dlls distributed with the game).
• Any releases entry must include a readme.txt that EXPLAINS THE CONTROLS, RULES and any other information you want to get across to your users. IT MUST ALSO LINK BACK TO THIS COMPETITION POST!
• Competition is open to entry for South African citizens, current residents of South Africa and South African passport holders.
• The judges' decision is final and no negotiation will be entered into. All risk or liability in case of copyright infringement or other legal issue resides with the entrant, Game.Dev and NAG take no responsibility for entered games.

Entering:
To enter the competition, start a thread titled "23: <NameOfGame>" (Example, "23: Monochrome" CwhutIdidThar?) and post what you're planning to do and your schemes, plans and ideas. The goal is for people to collaborate and make bigger impacts that way, you all know the drill... As you collect exposure, edit your first post to collect those URLs, images, videos, etc.

Other people WILL reply to your post with their feedback and ideas, it's a fact that games that allow forumites to give their feedback do better in competitions. Please report any offensive comments to me for moderation. Consider releasing your source code if you do go through any bug-fixing, it helps us pinpoint problems that you might be having and benefits the community as a whole.

You may enter multiple games if you wish and can handle the workload.

Advice:
Read. Read. Read read read. Then read some more. Research how other indie games have made a splash, learn how those random games you see on the net get featured, find out who cares about indie games and why.

Swallow your worries. Nandrew has been pointing out that there really is quality here, we just need to get it out there. Stop feature creeping and start getting people playing. If that means you have to cut something short so that it's got an ending, do that! Talk to the forums and ask what your game needs to be a complete experience, but don't paralyze yourself with "perfect release" syndrome.

...

Good luck and enjoy the competition. I'm expecting this to be AWESOME :)

[edg3]

Problem, what about newbies from saw the poster? Hoping to get posters up by the end of this week.

[Evolution]

This was.... well........ unexpected???

[dislekcia]

Originally Posted by edg3

Problem, what about newbies from saw the poster? Hoping to get posters up by the end of this week.

Newbies can work with teams that have a game to publicize. Their enthusiasm should be rather infectious, actually ;)

Originally Posted by Evolution

This was.... well........ unexpected???

When has a competition EVER been run of the mill? I want to motivate people to FINISH games and get them out into the world. This is a big milestone for us.

[edg3]

Somehow the 'you can make computer games' pitch doesnt seem so great that when they get here to find they'll just punt someone else's work for the month.

[Evolution]

Too bad I can't use my latest game for this comp. The rate at which it is being downloaded is increasing. :(


Will have to create a new game for this comp. :)

[vii]

This is a good idea. Seeing as there isn't that much time until rage...

[dislekcia]

Originally Posted by Evolution

Too bad I can't use my latest game for this comp. The rate at which it is being downloaded is increasing. :( Will have to create a new game for this comp. :)

Uh. Why can't you use your latest game for this comp?

[dislekcia]

Originally Posted by edg3

Somehow the 'you can make computer games' pitch doesnt seem so great that when they get here to find they'll just punt someone else's work for the month.

How does that stop them making games? They'll be making things anyway, they just won't have a competition to provide seed ideas, that's all. How's that different to any non-competition month?

I think you're over-emphasising that this isn't a "development" comp. It is, but it's a side of development that we don't expose NEARLY enough. Hence wanting to change that.

[Nandrew]

I think that I should also point out how a newbie's game can quite easily garner some rudimentary attention: if they have a neat, simple idea and manage to put it into action, they've got something to go with. It can get reviewed on places like Indiegames, I've seen it happen. And even if it doesn't, they can earn kudos through blogging, Facebook networking and even something as simple as posting their game in the feedback thread of other forums like TIGSource.

The competition isn't about developing a blockbuster game or something that the dev can earn money from, it's about encouraging people to promote their projects -- regardless of what level they're at. Newbies need to learn this lesson most of all: it'll start them on the right track, and potentially garner them a proper audience. This is a LOT more than most people can say for their initial dev projects.

[dislekcia]

Originally Posted by Nandrew

The competition isn't about developing a blockbuster game or something that the dev can earn money from, it's about encouraging people to promote their projects -- regardless of what level they're at. Newbies need to learn this lesson most of all: it'll start them on the right track, and potentially garner them a proper audience. This is a LOT more than most people can say for their initial dev projects.

QFT.

As always, there's an ulterior "learning" motive behind this competition. I think people will be really surprised by what ends up working the best.

[edg3]

Originally Posted by Nandrew

The competition isn't about developing a blockbuster game or something that the dev can earn money from, it's about encouraging people to promote their projects -- regardless of what level they're at. Newbies need to learn this lesson most of all: it'll start them on the right track, and potentially garner them a proper audience. This is a LOT more than most people can say for their initial dev projects.

I understand that its pushing them in the right direction, but I still believe that this wont catch on with newbies. They'll want to make games, not try promote anything till they are more confident with their own abilities.

[edg3]

Would it be fine to have a readme.html rather then a readme.txt or should I just have both?

[dammit]

I must admit, had this been a design-a-new-game type comp, I wouldn't consider entering as I'm really short on free time this month. However, I'm going to get out the scrubbing brushes and get to polishing last month's entry. Should be interesting to see what kind of strategies garner the most attention :)

[Evolution]

Originally Posted by dislekcia

Uh. Why can't you use your latest game for this comp?

Quote:

Popularize a game that originated in this very forum in some form or other.

So you saying I can advertise a game that originated on another forum?

[DukeOFprunes]

Originally Posted by Evolution

So you saying I can advertise a game that originated on another forum?

How do you get that from the bit where it says "this very forum"?
You confuse me, sir.

[dammit]

Originally Posted by DukeOFprunes

How do you get that from the bit where it says "this very forum"? You confuse me, sir.

Because of the comment D made which said he could use his latest game.

[dislekcia]

Originally Posted by Evolution

So you saying I can advertise a game that originated on another forum?

Originally Posted by DukeOFprunes

How do you get that from the bit where it says "this very forum"? You confuse me, sir.

Originally Posted by dammit

Because of the comment D made which said he could use his latest game.

It has to be a game you made, that's the important part. The rule wording is designed to stop people like me or Aeq entering a game that we were paid to make. I don't see a problem with a game you've built but first showed somewhere else being part of the competition.

Also, which forum? Curious :)

[Evolution]

Originally Posted by dislekcia

It has to be a game you made, that's the important part. The rule wording is designed to stop people like me or Aeq entering a game that we were paid to make. I don't see a problem with a game you've built but first showed somewhere else being part of the competition. Also, which forum? Curious :)

It is a fan made Super Robot Wars(strategy game based on mecha) game. So one of the best places to post it was on a forum filled with mecha fans. I'm currently working on the tools to add stuff into the game, so all we have is the main menu and intro story with 2 background songs.

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I have an artist that wants to work on a Tower Defense Game with me. So I might be entering that game instead.

[edg3]

Evolution, kill the /m/ link, bloody hell, have you even looked at whats there?!