LudumData

MetaPhx

LD18

Any one else thinking about taking the “no marketing” approach?

LD18October Challenge 2010 15. Oct 2010 · 23:33 UTC · 56 days after compo start by MetaPhx · 0

I’m a little late to the game, saw the post on Reddit and have been heads-down trying to get a very simple game working for the iPhone using cocos2d by the end of the month.

So I had a quick question for those of us who will be going the app-store approach, any one thinking about going the no marketing approach? Hoping to write a game that will sell itself? Obviously very difficult if you’re making a web-game.

I’m personally writing a simple “distance” game where the player has to make it as far as possible without hitting obstacles. Figured it would be a great way to work with game center for the iPhone; since I’ve never done much with game-kit before. I’m figuring just add achievements and leader-boards. So I think I’m just going to release it as a game-centerable app and see if the new gamecenter area is new and hip enough to gain a sale without doing much in the way of posting to forums, reddit etc. Besides posting here… of course. Whattya think?

Comments

bear
16. Oct 2010 · 13:49 UTC
I’m properly going with no marketing approach, people hate advertising so why make people deal with it.

But I’ve already got lot’s of hype from one facebook post. I think one of my friends told some people and it spread.
timgarbos
16. Oct 2010 · 20:55 UTC
I’m probably doing a Kongregate version of the game with a “Buy on appstore” splash. No idea if it works though
18. Oct 2010 · 19:03 UTC
I think the problem is that you’re thinking of marketing as just advertising. It’s not like that, not really — I think of it as letting people know that my game exists, and that they should play it. I’m making this game, right, and I think it’s freaking awesome. I think it’s so awesome that I want other people to actually play it, because (hopefully) they’ll think it’s pretty cool too, and making things that make people happy is pretty much the single neatest thing I can imagine doing.
jonbro
19. Oct 2010 · 21:18 UTC
I am trying to keep everything silent until the game is actually available on the app store, so that if there is a ton of buzz it will convert into sales rather than become impotent rage. It is also allowing me more time to work on the marketing materials, which is good because the app is pretty confusing.

“All of us are smarter than any of us”

LD18October Challenge 2010 20. Oct 2010 · 18:39 UTC · 61 days after compo start by MetaPhx · 0

Hey Guys,

I just submitted my october ludum dare app to the apple iPhone app store monday morning and it got approved already! I ended up cutting some functionality so I could hope to get the game in the app store by the 31st. The game got accepted way sooner than I thought possible. So I wanted to ask you guys for advice.

Here’s a link, the rest of the post is a little confusing if you haven’t played it. It’s a simple side scrolling distance game a la “ninjump” and “monster dash” that’s astonomy based. http://itunes.apple.com/app/linr/id397913344?mt=8 It’s a free app so don’t worry about price. So if you have an iDevice feel free to check it out and leave any advice you have and I’ll try to get it in by the 31st!

To be honest I think the game is fun at first, some-what pretty with particles, then gets pretty boring. I tried to mix it up by adding achievements and a leaderboard but after a while it tends to get boring. I am currently thinking about adding multiplayer game center functionality but figured I’d ask what you guys thought first.

This is the first game that I’ve finished by myself and it’s entirely thanks to you guys. Read this post on reddit and read the blog posts here and my desire to finish something swelled. So for that I thank you. You guys are awesome.