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JUST A SIMPLE DEMO QUESTION.
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Camupins
405
Camupins
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CloseI've made alot of progress on my game and all I wanna know is how long should my first demo be? I was thinking maybe an hour?
Essenceblade
19
A demo can range from a 5 minute cutscene, to a 3 hour dose. It depends on what you want your demo to actually bear. Via my opinion, there are many types of demos, Story based, Cut-scene based a.k.a Visually based, Prophecy based and just in general.
Visually based is usually a few cut-scenes and a short gameplay introduction, whether it be a battle, or a short walk through an area WITH battles. They are usually 60 - 90 minutes long. Showing off the main beauty of the game, like areas or character design.
Story based usually just go over the problem and antagonist of the game. It usually points out the key points of a story and usually places the player in the middle of a deep plot cut-scene. They are usually 30 minutes long at least. Going over the basics of the story without massive spoilers.
Prophecy based usually go over the games history and its development up until its point. Where the story started, its features, it points out key events and short clips of battles or visual effects with tell of the games Mythology. They are usually very short and range between 5 - 20 minutes. Focusing on the games background and origin.
General based are usually just a mix of everything, and usually plants the player in a selected area and lets them play the game from then on, these types of demos range from 20 - 90 minutes long.
Really it just depends on what type you're looking for, of course, the time I matched with the types of demos can vary, those are just my opinions.
My suggestion would probably be somewhere between 30 - 1.5 hours long.
Visually based is usually a few cut-scenes and a short gameplay introduction, whether it be a battle, or a short walk through an area WITH battles. They are usually 60 - 90 minutes long. Showing off the main beauty of the game, like areas or character design.
Story based usually just go over the problem and antagonist of the game. It usually points out the key points of a story and usually places the player in the middle of a deep plot cut-scene. They are usually 30 minutes long at least. Going over the basics of the story without massive spoilers.
Prophecy based usually go over the games history and its development up until its point. Where the story started, its features, it points out key events and short clips of battles or visual effects with tell of the games Mythology. They are usually very short and range between 5 - 20 minutes. Focusing on the games background and origin.
General based are usually just a mix of everything, and usually plants the player in a selected area and lets them play the game from then on, these types of demos range from 20 - 90 minutes long.
Really it just depends on what type you're looking for, of course, the time I matched with the types of demos can vary, those are just my opinions.
My suggestion would probably be somewhere between 30 - 1.5 hours long.
Avee
5794
I personally think content matters more than length. Essenceblade's suggestions are great, but you should also focus on making the demo interesting enough to have players look forward to the next release:
Make sure the demo introduces and lets players experience a good amount of features and possibilities, in the battle system, menu options and walkabout mode.
Also have your demo end on a cliffhanger, with unanswered questions or with promises of new things to explore and experience in the next release.
Make sure the demo introduces and lets players experience a good amount of features and possibilities, in the battle system, menu options and walkabout mode.
Also have your demo end on a cliffhanger, with unanswered questions or with promises of new things to explore and experience in the next release.
Camupins
405
Thanks guys! Imma play through the game at a normal like speed just to see how long it is where I want it to end~
prexus
309
author=Avee
I personally think content matters more than length. Essenceblade's suggestions are great, but you should also focus on making the demo interesting enough to have players look forward to the next release:
Make sure the demo introduces and lets players experience a good amount of features and possibilities, in the battle system, menu options and walkabout mode.
Also have your demo end on a cliffhanger, with unanswered questions or with promises of new things to explore and experience in the next release.
There is no reason for a demo to end on a cliffhanger, particularly the type of demo being referred to here.
Your demo should...
A) Demonstrate the artistic style of your game.
B) Let players experience your various gameplay elements. (Combat, Leveling System, Persistent Mini-Game, etc.)
C) Introduce the player to your story. In particular, your narration style.
D) Expose enough of your game for the players (who feel enticed) to give you comments and criticisms about the aspects of your game exposed in the demo.
Your demo shouldn't...
A) Keep anything hidden from the player.
B) Allude to gameplay elements but not allow the player to experience them. (Commonly done to create hype for features that may or may not be any good.)
C) Be highly cinematic if your game isn't (or lack any cinematics if your game is highly cinematic.)
D) Be set in stone. If the players of the demo make legitimate suggestions or criticisms over systems or features or styles that don't work, you should not keep those criticized things in your game (in their certain state.)
Avee
5794
There is no reason for a demo to end on a cliffhanger, particularly the type of demo being referred to here.
There is if the developer wants to maximize chances of players looking forward to the next release. That's up to Camupins to decide in this case.
prexus
309
Because, in this community, the point of the demo is to expose the player to as much of the game as possible. To let them get a taste of, and experience, everything it has to offer. So that you can get accurate, helpful criticism so that you can improve the quality of your game for its final release.
LockeZ
I'd really like to get rid of LockeZ. His play style is way too unpredictable. He's always like this too. If he ran a country, he'd just kill and imprison people at random until crime stopped.
5958
Uh I think if the demo doesn't hide anything it's actually the full game.
If you mean alpha release then don't say demonstration.
That's all, just some semantic nitpicking from LockeZ.
If you mean alpha release then don't say demonstration.
That's all, just some semantic nitpicking from LockeZ.
prexus
309
I'm saying don't keep anything unavailable that is available.
Yeah, if the entire game is made obviously its a full release. But don't, for example, say "You can't access the custom levelling system in this demo because its for the full release."
I guess my definition of 'demo' in the sense that the RM community uses is more of a proof-of-concept or short-concept alpha. I mean, it's not a free limited-feature/content of the full version of the game because there is no full version of the game (in most cases) and its not limited feature/content because its usually ALL there is currently available.
Yeah, if the entire game is made obviously its a full release. But don't, for example, say "You can't access the custom levelling system in this demo because its for the full release."
I guess my definition of 'demo' in the sense that the RM community uses is more of a proof-of-concept or short-concept alpha. I mean, it's not a free limited-feature/content of the full version of the game because there is no full version of the game (in most cases) and its not limited feature/content because its usually ALL there is currently available.
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