Integrating payment and upgrades

[Ronkes]

At the moment I'm working on my first game which I hope to release within two months. I'm considering integrating as much as possible into the game itself. So, I want customers to be able to buy the full version directly from the demo. If there are new levels available, I want them to be informed automatically and they should be able to download and install the levels simply by pressing OK. Of course, they still have the option of downloading updates from my web site.

I have checked out a couple of payment processors and only eSellerate seems to advertise with integrated sales. Are there other payment processors who offer this option?

A concern I have with this level of integration is that it takes players away from my web site. I'd like to build a community where people can share their levels with each other. I think I can all integrate this, but doesn't that mean that I lose, for example, the opportunity to cross-sell via the web site once I have another game for sale? Anybody have experience with this?

[princec]

Me. It helped conversion slightly. Didn't detract from the website. You must understand that your game becomes a "site" of its own. It's up to you to keep it filled with interesting dynamic stuff if you're worried about it detracting from website visits.

Perhaps you could advertise your new games inside it somehow? (Unobtrusively)

SWREG also do this sort of custom payment processing.

Cas :)

[Jonas]

Push the commnunity and content sharing website stuff right in the game. have a link right in the game that says "Get more levels" or "Game forum" etc. Anything that you would do on your website to get them to check it out.

You have a pefect tool to deleiver that message. When you depend on folks mendering to your site to find stuff, the power is less in your control. Use your game to let them know about interesting stuff.

As email is becomeing less effective due to those @&*!$!! spammers, using your game to deliver imformation is becomming more and more important IMO.

[Ronkes]

Thanks for the replies, guys.

Cas, why did you decide to only allow in-game purchases? Also, do you have many support issues with firewalls?

[princec]

LOL! No, just no sales :P Actually I should be able to set up RMI so that it can get out of firewalls without too much trouble but I can't really be bothered as most people with firewalls that they can't control are at work and won't be buying games for their work machines anyway.

I just wanted to get away from this whole "HTML is the Internet" thing. It's not quite worked out as well as I originally thought though. So I'm putting a special incentive in Super Elvis - if you buy it in-game, you get a discount. If you buy it from the website it's $19.95.

Cas :)