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HYPE AND HOW IT AFFECTS YOU
Posts
Drakonais
2787
Drakonais
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CloseMy game's getting close to release, but it occurred to me that I've done a ton of work on it while generating almost no hype for it. I'm not an expert on these things (I've never released a finished game to the community before, Tiamat Sacrament will be my first and largest), so I'm not sure how far hype carries a project versus how well a project can succeed on its own merits. And so, I pose these questions:
1.) How much time and effort do you spend hyping your games?
2.) How does hype affect you? What type of hype gets you most motivated to download a game?
If I were to suggest an example of successful hype, Tardis' dropping of gorgeous screenshots has got me following the Colony's progress even though I know almost nothing else about it besides sweet map design.
1.) How much time and effort do you spend hyping your games?
2.) How does hype affect you? What type of hype gets you most motivated to download a game?
If I were to suggest an example of successful hype, Tardis' dropping of gorgeous screenshots has got me following the Colony's progress even though I know almost nothing else about it besides sweet map design.
I think certain games sort of hype themselves, really. The Colony is a pretty good example, even though there's next to nothing known about it, thanks it's unique look and tardis presentation of it, pretty much everyone knows what it is. I think an enthusiastic and active interest by the creator of a project gets a lot of the work done for itself.
Probably only hyped Take Down Legacy Ep.2 which brought on the curse of two HD failures. After that, it was just too much effort for something that's really just for me to play.
It ended up being a major time-kill, and end of the day was useless. Luckilly I got out before I S4D'd.
It ended up being a major time-kill, and end of the day was useless. Luckilly I got out before I S4D'd.
My personal stance is that hyping isn't very useful in a community where no one plays anything anyway.
No one plays anything? I got more than 700 downloads for a game that hasn't even seen a full release yet! I'm sure completed and better games can tout even higher numbers.
Ramshackin
1462
I haven't really spent anytime hyping my game; I just put it out there. It just takes time for your project to pick up downloads and players ready to give good feedback. I'll probably put time and effort into hype when Dego is complete.
What type of hype gets me most motivated to download a game? Other people saying that game is good or making a recommendation.
What type of hype gets me most motivated to download a game? Other people saying that game is good or making a recommendation.
post=131325
No one plays anything? I got more than 700 downloads for a game that hasn't even seen a full release yet! I'm sure completed and better games can tout even higher numbers.
Correlation between quality, completion, and download count is very uncertain.
Correlation between well-used rips and nice lighting effects and download count? Unshakable. (This is not a personal comment.)
1.) How much time and effort do you spend hyping your games?
2.) How does hype affect you? What type of hype gets you most motivated to download a game?
1) Honestly, almost none. Down from QUITE A LOT. But compared to the amount of time I spend making games, I don't hype at all. (Okay, all of RMN, you may laugh now.) I am actually thinking of hyping a little more after making several complete releases to near total apathy.
2) Hype is pretty unimportant to me, including word-of-mouth hype from others, as well as creator advertising. If it was important to me, I'd probably have played games like Exit Fate and Balmung Cycle. Accurate info about a game IS important. If a creator can sell me that a game is up my alley (this means accurately describing its genre/tone/subject matter) that will cause me to play it; saying how awesome it is honestly doesn't help.
No_Id
38
From what I've seen, games pretty much hype themselves and there is nothing you can do about it personally, really. I mean this pertains mainly to independent projects. Great screen shots will almost always generate some form of hype, whether it be great/unique mapping or original graphics (you can almost always guarantee hype from this). Also new and unique scripts will hype up a project as well (for rm).
The reason I say there is nothing you can do personally, is, just because you say you have a great game doesn't mean people should or will believe you or even care. There are so many different projects and different people making similar claims that the only way to distinguish your game from the others is what you can show and prove. This is where having someone well know in communities review and rate your game could help out, which is the best form of hype in my opinion. Because whether you make everything from scratch or stick with the RTP, if someone credible says your game is good then people will play it no matter what. This could also back fire however.
The reason I say there is nothing you can do personally, is, just because you say you have a great game doesn't mean people should or will believe you or even care. There are so many different projects and different people making similar claims that the only way to distinguish your game from the others is what you can show and prove. This is where having someone well know in communities review and rate your game could help out, which is the best form of hype in my opinion. Because whether you make everything from scratch or stick with the RTP, if someone credible says your game is good then people will play it no matter what. This could also back fire however.
Shinan
4314
If I had a game I was proud of and wanted to hype lots I probably would do so. But not until it was either finished or so close to completion I could smell the bacon. When hyping a free game (which is what this is) people tend to want to have that game available after your hype.
"alright this game is so fucking awesome it has like this and this and taht and this and then some of that as well. With a touch of this'n'that"
"Okay... So where is it?"
"I'm still working on it."
"Oh go fuck yourself."
"I'll have a demo out in two weeks!"
"What, you're still about that game? I'm playing this other game AVAILABLE NOW instead and I've forgotten all about your game except for that sour taste of incompleteness in combination with hype."
Once you have a following and are respectable enough (as well as being someone who actually finishes stuff) you can start hyping your next project. Beucase that's when your followers will be all gaga and go "DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THIS GAME. THERE'S A DEMO OUT IN TWO WEEKS!" and you don't actually need to do any of that senseless stupid hyping yourself.
Nutshell:
Hype when it's done.
Let other people hype your game while it's still incomplete.
"alright this game is so fucking awesome it has like this and this and taht and this and then some of that as well. With a touch of this'n'that"
"Okay... So where is it?"
"I'm still working on it."
"Oh go fuck yourself."
"I'll have a demo out in two weeks!"
"What, you're still about that game? I'm playing this other game AVAILABLE NOW instead and I've forgotten all about your game except for that sour taste of incompleteness in combination with hype."
Once you have a following and are respectable enough (as well as being someone who actually finishes stuff) you can start hyping your next project. Beucase that's when your followers will be all gaga and go "DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THIS GAME. THERE'S A DEMO OUT IN TWO WEEKS!" and you don't actually need to do any of that senseless stupid hyping yourself.
Nutshell:
Hype when it's done.
Let other people hype your game while it's still incomplete.
Advertising shouldn't be underestimated, but I agree it's better to do it when you have a complete or at least near-complete project in your hands. If you don't, then it just sets lots of extra pressures and etc, but that's not the question here as you're about to have a complete game.
When you're done with the actual gane, just make a solid little presentable form of it that will get people interested. If you can come up with unique things and show you've spent lots of time and effort in the project, it's more likely to impress people and make them want to try it out. Some eyecandy usually helps as it's simpliest way for people accessing some of the contents of your project without having to download it or having to turn brain on - they have a chance to see if it could be worth their time. Videos work too, or music. You have a custom soundtrack, right? That's a good selling point, at least.
Anyway - by this I don't mean you should make up ridiculous shit that have no actual connection to your game itself. (Look RRR topics for example)
Once your advertisement is ready, just post it everywhere and check them actively and respond humbly.
I've personally never had problems advertising my projects. Even though Ascendence is roughly only one or two hour long game, it has 2,5k downloads. And that project was never advertised outside RMN within its release. I had just posted a lot of screens and videos of it while I was still working on the first demo.
Of course there is always a question if the game will match the expectations the advertising sets up, but just stay true to what you have and don't go promising something ultra deluxe with pretty words and shit.
When you're advertising your project, it's not about slapping everything you have out there, or promising things you don't have, but choosing the right, interesting things.
It's like the fake mirrors and lighting in cloth stores - make the product look good without changing what it really is and people will buy it.
When you're done with the actual gane, just make a solid little presentable form of it that will get people interested. If you can come up with unique things and show you've spent lots of time and effort in the project, it's more likely to impress people and make them want to try it out. Some eyecandy usually helps as it's simpliest way for people accessing some of the contents of your project without having to download it or having to turn brain on - they have a chance to see if it could be worth their time. Videos work too, or music. You have a custom soundtrack, right? That's a good selling point, at least.
Anyway - by this I don't mean you should make up ridiculous shit that have no actual connection to your game itself. (Look RRR topics for example)
Once your advertisement is ready, just post it everywhere and check them actively and respond humbly.
I've personally never had problems advertising my projects. Even though Ascendence is roughly only one or two hour long game, it has 2,5k downloads. And that project was never advertised outside RMN within its release. I had just posted a lot of screens and videos of it while I was still working on the first demo.
Of course there is always a question if the game will match the expectations the advertising sets up, but just stay true to what you have and don't go promising something ultra deluxe with pretty words and shit.
When you're advertising your project, it's not about slapping everything you have out there, or promising things you don't have, but choosing the right, interesting things.
It's like the fake mirrors and lighting in cloth stores - make the product look good without changing what it really is and people will buy it.
I think there's quite a difference between anticipation and hype, yet only a thin line separates the two. Hype is bad and is usually the creators fault.
Something I've learnt personally is it's better to generate absolutely no attention while in the development stage so I can easily work away at my game without any pressure. I don't think that's something that the majority will agree with, at least not right away.
Something I've learnt personally is it's better to generate absolutely no attention while in the development stage so I can easily work away at my game without any pressure. I don't think that's something that the majority will agree with, at least not right away.
1.) How much time and effort do you spend hyping your games?
- I don't actually, at all. Unless I show a screenshot for critique or post an update on my blog to see how much progress i've done, I actually tend to be quiet about it. I have things like spriting projects, work and stuff too so I'd rather not be rushed to have a demo. In fact I tend to just do a private demo instead from a few people I know who will give me good feedback. But I'm not a big advertiser so I pretty much just post my game up when it's complete and then respond to peoples questions or comments.
2.) How does hype affect you? What type of hype gets you most motivated to download a game?
Well it might get me to hear about a game, but I'd have to see if it looks interesting to me first. Or I might try a game that doesn't have any replies and then give some feedback to the developer. I'm usually just spur of the moment in this regard but I'll try something if a person I know tells me it's good.
- I don't actually, at all. Unless I show a screenshot for critique or post an update on my blog to see how much progress i've done, I actually tend to be quiet about it. I have things like spriting projects, work and stuff too so I'd rather not be rushed to have a demo. In fact I tend to just do a private demo instead from a few people I know who will give me good feedback. But I'm not a big advertiser so I pretty much just post my game up when it's complete and then respond to peoples questions or comments.
2.) How does hype affect you? What type of hype gets you most motivated to download a game?
Well it might get me to hear about a game, but I'd have to see if it looks interesting to me first. Or I might try a game that doesn't have any replies and then give some feedback to the developer. I'm usually just spur of the moment in this regard but I'll try something if a person I know tells me it's good.
These days I find that making a gameprofile for a new project suffices for hype. People that are interested in it subscribed and follow along as I post updates.
But as Community Guru it is also my responsibility to promote games, and I try to do so through things like the SNEWS, Staff Awards, Featured Games and whatever-else I can think of.
But as Community Guru it is also my responsibility to promote games, and I try to do so through things like the SNEWS, Staff Awards, Featured Games and whatever-else I can think of.
These days I find that making a gameprofile for a new project suffices for hype. People that are interested in it subscribed and follow along as I post updates.
This, pretty much. Around here, a game's marketing potential is 100% tied to whatever a creator does with his gamepage. Of course there's also stuff like word of mouth and more subtle stuff like name-to-game recognition and all that, but generally a game page and creator involvement markets itself.
I want to add that while 'hype' is a word that has a negative connotation to it, and yeah, constantly pumping up a project that; 1. May never see the light of day 2. Is all smoke and mirrors 3. The creator never shuts up about is annoying and should be buried in the deepest pit of gamemaking hell, there's nothing wrong with honest marketing of a product, whatever it may be, to whatever audience you think will download it.
Let's be honest here, pretty much all of us would rather have people play their game (and if you're altruistic like that, other people's games as well) than not, so presenting yourself to that end is not a bad thing at all, especially considering the concerns of 'not playing anything' this community has! For example, Forever's End has a very well done, well presented, and honest gamepage that got me to play a demo I REALLY REALLY enjoyed that I may not have ever seen if the creator didn't present it so well.
So yeah!
Neophyte
155
I tell my close friends what I'm doing but that's it. That doesn't count towards hype (I don't think), but sometimes I would get random messages from people who I didn't know saying things about what I was working on.
From what I've seen in the rm community, people like to hype their vision rather than their actual game. Big dreams, big hopes, and lots of screenshot/demo mockups happen, and people post them to generate hype for this vision. Seekers of the Sun is a good example of this. Even though it had a demo, it was only a scripted vision of what the actual game would have been. For anybody who has played the game, you knew right when it ended that it wasn't ever going to be complete. Not because it was too ambitious (okay maybe it was a little bit), but because the game was a mess in terms of organization.
Anyway, don't hype the vision of your game. Hype your actual game. I think you're doing it the right way, Drakonais.
From what I've seen in the rm community, people like to hype their vision rather than their actual game. Big dreams, big hopes, and lots of screenshot/demo mockups happen, and people post them to generate hype for this vision. Seekers of the Sun is a good example of this. Even though it had a demo, it was only a scripted vision of what the actual game would have been. For anybody who has played the game, you knew right when it ended that it wasn't ever going to be complete. Not because it was too ambitious (okay maybe it was a little bit), but because the game was a mess in terms of organization.
Anyway, don't hype the vision of your game. Hype your actual game. I think you're doing it the right way, Drakonais.
It's like pretty girls. How hot they are is usually the first thing you notice and (if you are confident enough) finding out about their personality, worldviews and intellect comes after that initial attraction.
That's pretty much human nature and it's hard to combat that in any meaningful way!
...actually, it is more like a book in a bookstore. You have no hope of reading every single book in there. A cool cover can catch your eye, and you are usually browsing in the section of your preferred genre. Some books are featured prominently. You tend to gravitate to authors you like and well-known authors. Books that are set in a universe you like can also attract your interest. If a book manages to attract you, you will often read the back or inset for more information before purchasing it. You may even read about the author's background. If you find a sequel to a book you like, it is almost an automatic purchase.
The best we can do is present a good face, ensure that our games are categorized/tagged appropriately, cultivate a reputation as a maker and write a good inset on our gameprofile homepage!
EDIT:
whoa Max's post tripled in size when I was writing this.
EDIT2:
I expanded my book analogy.
That's pretty much human nature and it's hard to combat that in any meaningful way!
...actually, it is more like a book in a bookstore. You have no hope of reading every single book in there. A cool cover can catch your eye, and you are usually browsing in the section of your preferred genre. Some books are featured prominently. You tend to gravitate to authors you like and well-known authors. Books that are set in a universe you like can also attract your interest. If a book manages to attract you, you will often read the back or inset for more information before purchasing it. You may even read about the author's background. If you find a sequel to a book you like, it is almost an automatic purchase.
The best we can do is present a good face, ensure that our games are categorized/tagged appropriately, cultivate a reputation as a maker and write a good inset on our gameprofile homepage!
EDIT:
whoa Max's post tripled in size when I was writing this.
EDIT2:
I expanded my book analogy.
