SyntaxBomb - Indie Coders

Quote from: Alienhead on September 11, 2024, 05:14:02

Quote from: Qube on September 10, 2024, 16:49:13The ye-old shareware model was a pretty decent way in the past. Game was usually a few levels with no other restrictions and then for a few squiddly diddly you could unlock the full game. I guess these days you'd just call it a demo version although I still think of demo versions as hampered in more ways.

The pay-per-chapter model isn't a bad idea and could work quite well so long the first chapter isn't stupidly short to the point you feel like you've not even played a game worth paying for.
 

Yes, it would have to have a good 5 to 6 hours of play time. Make no mistake about it, I'm not trying to pull off a cash scheme, I do maintain a regular job for income..I just want to stay motivated for the long haul. With a hit on a first chapter that would be motivation enough to continue all the way through.  I had many games I created that I gave up on after 12 to 16 months of development,  and when I go back and look over them I think to myself "damn why didn't I finish that title.". Motivation was lost due to long development time and being a solo developer.

I completely understand that feeling! As a small developer, it's tough when a project drags on, and motivation can easily fade, especially when you're managing everything on your own. Revisiting old projects with fresh eyes can definitely reignite that spark. In fact, that's exactly where I'm at right now. After taking a good look at my unfinished work, I realized there's a lot of potential in them. I've actually picked up several of those projects again, and it's going well so far. That said, I still struggle with staying on track after long stretches, but I'm still chasing that big hit, even if it's a long shot. The passion is still there, but now I'm approaching things from more of a business perspective. I used to just focus on ideas I liked, but now I also have to consider paying the bills. 

Quoteand judging by steam achievements a lot of people buy a game and never progress very far.

this is quite smart to use 'achievements' to know how players progress in a game, i have never thought of that.

i think that we live in a time where there are many games, many choices, and players who may like your game, will first have to find your game, and then notice it, which is not so easy.

recently i was looking at what steam suggests as 'similar games' or 'games i may like' on the page of a specific game that i bought, and sometimes the suggestions have a totaly different gameplay and most games suggested are well known big games, not unknown small indie games.

worse than that, i have tried to find a game that i had noticed some months ago, and i have never managed to find it again.

so how to have your game found among all the others games ?

and how to have your game chosen rather than another similar game ?

and if you choose to publish on steam, for a small game, how to have your game played more than 1 hour ? (otherwise the player can ask for a refund...)

a part of the answer is to not publish crap or assembled prefabs from the unity store .
but a part of the answer (imo) is to have a fun gameplay, easy enough / not too difficult to progress in the game, a nice presentation (illustration and screenshots and gameplay videos), and to have possibilities / quests which require to play more than 1hour. 
and it may be good idea to make a game around a specific theme / ambiance (in order to be found).

my 1 cent.

Quote from: RemiD on October 24, 2024, 22:28:07i have tried to find a game that i had noticed some months ago, and i have never managed to find it again

So true !

@Alienhead >> so what is your plan, now ?

you continue to make games i hope ? you clearly have the understanding / skill to do it, but my advice : don't try to compete with big productions with realistic graphics, it is too much 'work' for a lone dev...

what we can do is to create small but original games. (in graphics, in sounds, in gameplay / possibilities)
and maybe someday, some people will notice and like our games.

personaly i prefer to create games that i like, which come from my own ideas, rather than to create games just to gain money. ( i bet on crypto memes to make good gains (and losses) )

i miss that demo model. some of the best games of their day i bought because the gameplay in the demo was really good. i bought halo for that reason, there were custom voice actor character i dont remember the dialogue but it was great.

I used to love the old shareware model back in the days of the Amiga. Many an app or game I bought that way. I'd usually get some discs from a PD library and find some good stuff on there and just send a PO or a cheque to the author so I could get a code, or another disk with the full game on. Never, ever got ripped off doing that. The people who made stuff back then were just so appreciative that someone was supporting their efforts.

Nowadays I use Apple Arcade to play games on my iPad or phone. I won't even look at the stores because every pile of shit game is a free download and rammed full of adverts, or just wants endless token buying to progress. Gone are the days when you just paid your fee and got the whole game. Now it's all subscriptions and other micro transactions. Very rare you can get a game that you spend a few quid on and then have the whole experience to play, whether it takes 3 days or 3 years to do it.

I don't mind games that have a few levels and you can pay a one-off fee to unlock the rest. As i'm old school, it just makes perfect sense to me. 

But when you write a game and want to sell it, then it should be complete. If you want a consistent revenue source then write another one.

i guess that everything is possible with good ideas and original gameplay / possibilities (and ugly graphics) :
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1275890/Baldis_Basics_Plus/
wtf ?!

look at the number of good ratings for this game. incredible...

Quote from: RemiD on October 25, 2024, 20:28:23Alienhead >> so what is your plan, now ?

Not really sure.  Been creating games since the early 90's. Some I completed, most I didn't.

For the first time in my indie-dev-career I feel lost, without a direction, nothing to build off of.  It's this junction in my life that I either make a move to go all in or I toss in the towel and say "I gave it a good fight" and move on to something else.

RemiD brought up some good points, small insignificant games; but I can honestly say I've been there and done that. I want something else but I'm not sure I can see that 'something else' title to completion or if it will be any good if I do hit the finish line with it.

I've taken the last year off while waiting for the game engine to complete that i want to use,  so now I have the game engine I've always wanted, I have the idea ( kinda ) but I don't have that push that i once had. It does seem like to me it's a good time to toss in the towel but something inside me keeps me holding on, keeps telling me "there's one thing left to do yet", "it's not time to retire", "there's something you need to give back to the gaming world/community that you've loved so dearly over your life-span", "it's your turn".... etc..  It naws at me, keeps me from tossing in that towel, keeps me from any rest.

This topic has shed some good points and some bad points. Ultimately, I'll go my own way regardless of the opinions in this topic but overall they have been enlightful and have given me a lot to think about.

Thank you all.

an idea for inspiration :
think of a game that you may have liked for its theme / environments / characters / scenario, but you have never gone far in the game because the gameplay was too crappy or too difficult.
look at some playthrough on youtube, and use it as an inspiration to make a game with similar theme / environments / characters / scenario, but with a different gameplay / possibilities.

i have several ideas already !

Quote from: RemiD on October 30, 2024, 09:07:44an idea for inspiration :
think of a game that you may have liked for its theme / environments / characters / scenario, but you have never gone far in the game because the gameplay was too crappy or too difficult.
look at some playthrough on youtube, and use it as an inspiration to make a game with similar theme / environments / characters / scenario, but with a different gameplay / possibilities.

i have several ideas already !

I have tons of idea's as well! I haven't written a game yet though Mine are all 80's slash early 90's though. So i maybe limiting my audiance.

 

QuoteMine are all 80's slash early 90's though. So i maybe limiting my audiance.

unless you do a remake with better graphics or better gameplay / possibilities.

why not...