If you have the time

[rmxsteady]

What are your thoughts/opinions on this (http://gillen.cream.org/wordpress_html/?page_id=693) particular subject as it pertains to garnering media attention for your games.

[sordith]

His enthusiasm makes me want to sit down and develop some crazy indy game instead of pack up and head off to a real studio, which was my plan.

I had always wondered how to build a database of people/places to send new games and press releases. He has some really good tips for anyone releasing a new game.

[alfie]

Very informative and enlightening. It's good to get an insiders perspective on things and how they work/can work better.

[DanMarshall]

Brilliant. Perfect lunchtime reading.

Nice link, thank you...!

d

[James C. Smith]

What are your thoughts/opinions on this (http://gillen.cream.org/wordpress_html/?page_id=693) particular subject as it pertains to garnering media attention for your games.

When posing links like this, could you at least post the title of the article you are linking to or some key quote from the content. Ideally I would like to see a short summary of it or some personal statement from you about what you thought of it.

[PoV]

Yeah, that is a slick article. James has a point. I would have missed it if I had not been in a "read stuff" mood.

Now everyone wants to be that rockstar developer. :D. Good job dude, giving all the kids hopes and dreams.

[Adrian Cummings]

I also thought it made for an interesting read - very good and ta :)

Adrian.

[Christian]

It was interesting at the beginning, but i realized it was too long to read, and then i just readed the boxes that say the important part. Really nice, good advice :D
So the conclucion is that we have to be rock star developers :cool:

[PoV]

Yes, grab that guitar and fire your agent. We're taking to the road.

[dustin1138]

So, the article begs the question... how many of you that have produced games here have actually sent copies to the various mags?

I'm talking beyond the standard PR form letter email urging them to download and try the product. I'm talking about burning a CD, boxing it up and firing it off to PC Gamer, Computer Games Magazine and the like.

Could this be a case of the beautiful girl who didn't go to the prom because everyone was too afraid to ask her? Or does she shoot down every suitor with a "beat it, loser" remark?

Are most indie games not getting reviewed in the mags because the creators aren't getting it in their hands? Or have the reviewers gotten copies of most of the indie games out there and responded, "um, I don't think so" and tossed it in the trash? And if they don't pitch it in the trash, do they review your $20 bedroom-coder game against the $50 AAA title with no adjustment in consideration and end up giving it a score of 30%?

Discuss, please...

[Abscissa]

Wow, excellent article. I can't speak for the accuracy of it (I woudn't know), but from what I can tell, I like it a lot.

[vjvj]

Awesome read man, thanks!!!

And yes, I too almost ignored this post due to the nondescript subject. This thread needs better copy! ;)

[rmxsteady]

When posing links like this, could you at least post the title of the article you are linking to or some key quote from the content. Ideally I would like to see a short summary of it or some personal statement from you about what you thought of it.

My apologies for that, it was roughly around 4am and I was dead tired when I posted the thread; in fear of not posting it at all, I figured I'd just post a link.

[rmxsteady]

Are most indie games not getting reviewed in the mags because the creators aren't getting it in their hands? Or have the reviewers gotten copies of most of the indie games out there and responded, "um, I don't think so" and tossed it in the trash? And if they don't pitch it in the trash, do they review your $20 bedroom-coder game against the $50 AAA title with no adjustment in consideration and end up giving it a score of 30%?

Discuss, please...

I think you have a point. I think many indie developers have this train of thought. You know, the whole 'yeah, I'm so sure I'm going to get noticed' or 'they'll probably hate it because it's a low budget indie game and end up scoring it horribly even if it was reviewed'

So that begs the question: "Is there such thing as bad press?" In this particular situation, uhh, yeah. I think what it all boils down to, is do you have faith in your product. Cause if you do then there's nothing out there that can stop you from getting people to notice it. But if you're somewhat discouraged because what you've made is just another puzzler in hopes that it'll catch a niche market and garner a following of world domination but in reality it doesn't have a snow ball's chance in hell, then hell, at least make us believe that it does.

There are a lot of indie games out there. Truthfully, the game developer in me wants to give everything I come across a try, but the gamer in me wants to be persuaded.

So what are you going to do? Are you going to hope that someone like me, a potential customer, stumbles upon your game and gives it a try. Or are you going to Guerilla Market the shit out of it and make me want it. I think what it boils down to is that time is money. And as a developer you just have to make people believe that your blood, sweat, and tears is worth their time.

[PoV]

Seriously, I love the brutally simple idea of pasting a screenshot on whatever it is you send, instead of the mere tagline or description. Ok, it's one thing if you have a real box and coverbook in a jewel case, but with a downloadable game you might not.

Oh, and don't forget to label your disk with your website url. I did that with business cards once by accident. ;)

[Fry Crayola]

Very good article. It does pump you full of enthusiasm.

[Adrian Cummings]

I used to publish (yes full colour package) my indie games and although I found the article interesting, must admit I tried all that in the Amiga days and to a great extent too for the PC offerings... I'll be honest here tho, it hardly made a difference compared to the online sales and various distribution deals I had back then.

It is worth sending to the mags on the off chance that you get some casual buyers that play your demo and want to buy the full game, but I would say it's rare that many games would become and 'indie hit' from such action sorry to say - tho not impossible!.

I even used to run half page full colour ads in Amiga Format and Amiga Power back in the day but even then (being so expensive) took a heavy chunk of income (made from online sales and direct distributors) out of the bank every few months in advertsiing fees - not good on that point at least.

Worth a go tho I would say as you never know of course.

Adrian.