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DOWNLOADS BEWTEEN YOUR DEMO AND THE FINISHED VERSION?
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unity
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CloseI have a question for everyone: After you've finished a demo for a game, do you just leave the demo as the downloadable until you've finished the game, or do you keep releasing the game periodically as you get new content?
I recently released a redone demo, and I thought that I wouldn't be putting up anything else until the full game is done. And then I realized "I learned so much from the feedback I got on the demo, perhaps it would be better to release the rest of the game in parts so I can get critique on it to make sure I'm doing alright as I go."
Given that this is my first game on this site, I'm curious about how others handle this.
EDIT: And I just noticed a silly spelling error I made on the topic title. I guess I can't change that? XD
I recently released a redone demo, and I thought that I wouldn't be putting up anything else until the full game is done. And then I realized "I learned so much from the feedback I got on the demo, perhaps it would be better to release the rest of the game in parts so I can get critique on it to make sure I'm doing alright as I go."
Given that this is my first game on this site, I'm curious about how others handle this.
EDIT: And I just noticed a silly spelling error I made on the topic title. I guess I can't change that? XD
SnowOwl
5188
Hard to say. Personally I think that sometimes it's better to release just one polished demo (have some people you know playtest it) and leave it at that.
However, even if I say that, I always end up releasing another demo when I feel like: "Hey, this seems like a pretty good stopping point for a demo."
I dunno, if you feel like you need the feedback, a couple of demos is probably good to release, depending on how long your game will be. Just don't overdo it and release a new one every week.
However, even if I say that, I always end up releasing another demo when I feel like: "Hey, this seems like a pretty good stopping point for a demo."
I dunno, if you feel like you need the feedback, a couple of demos is probably good to release, depending on how long your game will be. Just don't overdo it and release a new one every week.
I believe that it's always best to have a polished demo or constantly update it with fixes and maybe more content, if there is a good stopping point.
You want to have your download ALWAYS in tip top shape for ANY potential players. That way you don't hear about the same glitch over and over or you have a good presentation for new comers to the game.
Annd like you said, it's great for feedback just to release as you go, instead of waiting on a completed product.
You want to have your download ALWAYS in tip top shape for ANY potential players. That way you don't hear about the same glitch over and over or you have a good presentation for new comers to the game.
Annd like you said, it's great for feedback just to release as you go, instead of waiting on a completed product.
Xenomic
1752
For me? Whenever I find/am notified of a bug, I generally update my demo (or whenever I update areas/add new content/etc.). That way, it's easier to get people to check them out, make sure they're balanced and there's no bugs, or if they're even needed at all. However, whenever it comes to actual NEW storyline/game content, those usually come out in beta packages. So for instance, for my game in particular, the first 5 dungeons of the game were part of beta1, and then beta2 didn't come around until the next 5 dungeons were done, and so on and so forth. Makes it episodic while containing enough content to make the next beta be kinda worth waiting for (I hope anyways lol).
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
The good thing about releasing continuously improved prototypes is that it helps you improve the game more, and also it helps create a following for your game.
However, yeah, you can overdo it and burn your followers out before the game is ever finished - especially if they have to start over.
Also I've heard that releasing a version of your game that feels like it has a good stopping point can give you basically the same sense of satisfaction that releasing the final game will, basically fulfilling your artistic needs and removing your motivation to continue designing it. However, working in a vacuum for a year or two can kill your motivation too. Depends on the person.
However, yeah, you can overdo it and burn your followers out before the game is ever finished - especially if they have to start over.
Also I've heard that releasing a version of your game that feels like it has a good stopping point can give you basically the same sense of satisfaction that releasing the final game will, basically fulfilling your artistic needs and removing your motivation to continue designing it. However, working in a vacuum for a year or two can kill your motivation too. Depends on the person.
Thanks for all of the good advice! :D I think I'll do somewhere between two or three releases between the demo and the full version. As much as I'd like to think that I can make the rest of the game without any missteps, I made some pretty big errors on my first run of the demo, so I think its best to get the game out in pieces for the constructive criticism if nothing else.
Xenomic
1752
If I may recommend it, having a couple people to beta test it in private or whatnot can help as well, assuming you can trust the people enough to not let them leak it. That's if you don't want to release a bunch of demos or releases, and want to make damn sure that you're not missing stuff, as other people may play differently and/or be much more thorough than even yourself are. Just my two cents. *shrugs*
For me, it’s either full version or bust. There is no demo.
But yeah, if I had a demo version submitted and the game itself was completed – then I’d just remove the demo in favor of the full game. What’s the point of keeping both versions up if the actual game is completed on one end of the spectrum? Well, I suppose it could be beneficial in some ways to keep them both around...but I’d probably just keep the full version instead.
But yeah, if I had a demo version submitted and the game itself was completed – then I’d just remove the demo in favor of the full game. What’s the point of keeping both versions up if the actual game is completed on one end of the spectrum? Well, I suppose it could be beneficial in some ways to keep them both around...but I’d probably just keep the full version instead.
author=unity
I have a question for everyone: After you've finished a demo for a game, do you just leave the demo as the downloadable until you've finished the game, or do you keep releasing the game periodically as you get new content?
I recently released a redone demo, and I thought that I wouldn't be putting up anything else until the full game is done. And then I realized "I learned so much from the feedback I got on the demo, perhaps it would be better to release the rest of the game in parts so I can get critique on it to make sure I'm doing alright as I go."
Given that this is my first game on this site, I'm curious about how others handle this.
EDIT: And I just noticed a silly spelling error I made on the topic title. I guess I can't change that? XD
Work towards your full version, and update the demo as it goes. I know alot of you guys disagree, but consider this, you have a demo that hangs at two chapters. Then, after ten years of work on the game, you have the absolute perfect game (and not an overwrought piece of junk like Kingdom Hearts 3, Just Finish It Already). That night, as you are coming home from the office, flash drive in hand, you get hit in a car crash, and go comatose. Your audience may never get a finished game.
Or maybe, your demo upon playing, has X or Y bug (this always happens!). You may have fixed some of these bugs on further version. Are you really gonna work on updating two game versions? No, it stretches you too thin.
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