Full Games List
Featured Games
New Games
Reviews
Media
Images
Blogs
Game Updates
Images Feedback Summary
Game Design Highlights
Tutorials
Articles
Scripts
Utilities / Plugins
Resources
Engines
Engine Bulletins
What is Makerscore?
Past Events
Achievements
Misaos
Forums
Post History
Chat
New to RMN?
Full Store List
RMN Music Pack (free)
HOW LONG SHOULD DEMOS BE?
Posts
Antilurker77
871
Antilurker77
View playlists
CloseIt's a simple question, how long should a developer make his/her demo? Should it be 15 minutes and barely have any content at all? Or should the demo include half of the full game including a number of major bosses? Or should it be somewhere in the middle?
Darken
3952
IMO In best case scenario you shouldn't have a demo at all, and just release the full game right off the bat (or heck, go by episodes/chapters). However since a lot of people here don't abide by that...
Personally I would rather have a short demo than a 'half of a game' demo. Because after playing the large demo I don't have to wait for the next installment *coughABLcough* like its a sequel or something.
Personally I would rather have a short demo than a 'half of a game' demo. Because after playing the large demo I don't have to wait for the next installment *coughABLcough* like its a sequel or something.
nickad
261
Exactly what Azn said.
Demos are not the entire game. They are showcasing the game and its features, but not the entirety of the game.
So, you can make it as long as you want, as long as it does a decent job of showcasing your game to others.
Demos are not the entire game. They are showcasing the game and its features, but not the entirety of the game.
So, you can make it as long as you want, as long as it does a decent job of showcasing your game to others.
Natook
1000
author=Darken link=topic=3599.msg72330#msg72330 date=1240706038
IMO In best case scenario you shouldn't have a demo at all, and just release the full game right off the bat.
Shinan
4314
A demo should be long enough to give a self-containing scenario but short enough to make the player want to play the rest.
A good rule of thumb is "one". One as in one level, one village, one scenraio, one town, one mission, one whatever. Of course the best is usually one+tutorial.
Another thing I'd say about demos is that while you should have a tutorial (to teach the concepts of the game) the "one" thing doesn't have to be the "first". Instead throw the player into a scenario that is not the beginner scenario instead take something in the early part of the game but not the "training you get right after the tutorial".
And if you don't have One but instead have Two. Make sure it's two very different things to show off what's in the game rather than two consequtive Ones.
Of course I'd also agree with Darken that you shouldn't really release a demo at all unless you intend to charge for the game. In the case of charging for games demos are the best thing out there. But if your game is free anyway I can't really see a point in having a demo.
A good rule of thumb is "one". One as in one level, one village, one scenraio, one town, one mission, one whatever. Of course the best is usually one+tutorial.
Another thing I'd say about demos is that while you should have a tutorial (to teach the concepts of the game) the "one" thing doesn't have to be the "first". Instead throw the player into a scenario that is not the beginner scenario instead take something in the early part of the game but not the "training you get right after the tutorial".
And if you don't have One but instead have Two. Make sure it's two very different things to show off what's in the game rather than two consequtive Ones.
Of course I'd also agree with Darken that you shouldn't really release a demo at all unless you intend to charge for the game. In the case of charging for games demos are the best thing out there. But if your game is free anyway I can't really see a point in having a demo.
author=Shinan link=topic=3599.msg72362#msg72362 date=1240747655
But if your game is free anyway I can't really see a point in having a demo.
Demos allow the community to assist people who suck at some aspect of a game improve it before a final or second release.
Shinan
4314
author=Craze link=topic=3599.msg72372#msg72372 date=1240756528Is it impossible to improve on a completed game? Isn't that what patches are for? Or do you mean a demo as in "A work in progress I want you to look at"?author=Shinan link=topic=3599.msg72362#msg72362 date=1240747655
But if your game is free anyway I can't really see a point in having a demo.
Demos allow the community to assist people who suck at some aspect of a game improve it before a final or second release.
"A work in progress I want you to look at"?
Yes. This is a development community, not a community that releases commercial games.
author=Craze link=topic=3599.msg72372#msg72372 date=1240756528author=Shinan link=topic=3599.msg72362#msg72362 date=1240747655
But if your game is free anyway I can't really see a point in having a demo.
Demos allow the community to assist people who suck at some aspect of a game improve it before a final or second release.
I agree with this. I'd rather fix any issues that the community sees with my game early in the developmental process as possible.
Darken
3952
Problem is, there's a ton you can improve upon with any project, and thus you enter the ZERO PROGRESSION IMPROVEMENT CYCLE. Don't you think it'd be better just to pump out a full game, and apply the criticism to the next one? Just have some beta testers along the way to correct your mistakes before release. Sure it won't be perfect, but I don't think spending 4+ years (with the likelihood of your life changing/your interests fade/etc.) just to make ONE game (while hyping people throughout with demos) is the smart move.
Episodic\Chapter style gets the advantage over both Demo and Full Game though.
I think your definition of commercial game is a little foggy from that context.
Episodic\Chapter style gets the advantage over both Demo and Full Game though.
author=Craze link=topic=3599.msg72411#msg72411 date=1240778721
Yes. This is a development community, not a community that releases commercial games.
I think your definition of commercial game is a little foggy from that context.
Long enough to get the point across and short enough to not annoy the piss out of me when it is finally released.
AznChipmunk
4613
author=Max McGee link=topic=3599.msg72657#msg72657 date=1240884691
47.52 minutes
I disagree. The official DEMO handbook states 47.524 minutes. T-that's a whole other .004 of a minute. That .004 of a minute can be a make-or-break moment...
QUICK
YOU HAVE .24 SECONDS TO FINISH THE DEMO
I think that more demos should be timed, like sim game demos where you have sixty minutes to do whatever you want. It would be both novel and annoying at the same time!
YOU HAVE .24 SECONDS TO FINISH THE DEMO
I think that more demos should be timed, like sim game demos where you have sixty minutes to do whatever you want. It would be both novel and annoying at the same time!
author=Darken link=topic=3599.msg72330#msg72330 date=1240706038
IMO In best case scenario you shouldn't have a demo at all, and just release the full game right off the bat.
Definitely this cause, like many others, I don't think I'll ever finish some of my games, the one's that have only demos.
006
0
In my opinion, I think a demo should take however long it needs to be. A demo is made to show of the games gameplay, graphics and mechanics. It's to hook the player(Speaking commercially here)and make him/her want to by the game. A demo doesn't have to start at the start of the game either, it can be half-way through the game(Just not showing dialogue to spoil the game.) . Does this help?
MayorAnime
282
On a side note, just wondering what the community's opinion is one the content of a demo? Should it contain the first X amount of time of the completed game (such as in Final Fantasy VII and VIII's demo), or should it be some other, possibly later on content?
I actually don't have an opinion on this one, and I'm really curious to hear what the opinions of others are on this matter.
I actually don't have an opinion on this one, and I'm really curious to hear what the opinions of others are on this matter.
I prefer the demo to be from the start of the game as opposed to some arbitrary point in the middle.
I find games less fun if I don't have proper context, and that's harder to do in a demo starting somewhere in the middle.
I find games less fun if I don't have proper context, and that's harder to do in a demo starting somewhere in the middle.
