How to make a review copy on CD look professional ?

[tolworthy]

I know it's always better to send a physical review copy of a game, rather than just an email with a link. But I only have an ordinary printer and my budget is very low. Are there any tips for making review CDs look professional without spending much money?

Or is it better to not send a physical CD if there's a risk it would look cheap?

[Mattias Gustavsson]

But I only have an ordinary printer and my budget is very low.

Don't let that stop you - go to your local print shop, they can usually do real nice prints, small runs, without charging a fortune.

[luggage]

Print a label for your CD, they come out looking ok. Don't forget to add folders on there with game media in it that they can use for reviews. Like game element descriptions, screenshots, etc.

[tolworthy]

re: print shop - good idea - I'm looking at online stores now

re: labels - I thought all serious CDs were printed direct to the plastic? Or is it understood that any review copy will be a short run so a paper label is OK?

re: the folders idea - good tip. Hadn't thought of that. Thanks.

[Acord]

Lightscribed discs on the newer drives usually look nice too:

http://h20219.www2.hp.com/hho/cache/...0-225-121.html
http://www.lightscribe.com/

Yes they're monochrome, but it's not a label. Neat stuff.

[zoombapup]

Make sure you have a high quality DVD style jewel case with it. I know its unlikely to help, but it honestly does look more professional.

One thing you might want to think of is printing REVIEW COPY on the CD label.

Might be worth sending a mail to Keiron Gillen (seeing as your in the UK and all) and asking if that kind of thing is worth doing. He's a press type and seems pretty indie-friendly.

[vjvj]

I think the best bang/buck method I've seen is to burn on diamond, inkjet-printable CD-Rs. Diamond CDs have a silver data side, so they look very similar to professional, printed CDs. And the inkjet-printable CDs look a little better than the labels, since there's no paper edge at the edge of the label. Here is an example:

http://www.supermediastore.com/prodi...amond-100.html

You will need a printer that prints directly to CDs. Epson has one for $169 USD:

http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/c...s&oid=63069505

If you don't want to buy a new printer, then I would suggest doing what luggage said and do your own labels. Just make sure to get the diamond CDs, because they look the nicest I have a spindle of them myself and have used them for "special occasion" CDs, and I've been really happy with how they turned out.

Your other option would be to go through a duplication service, like these guys:

http://www.discmakers.com/selfservicequoter/

You can do short runs with each copy running a few bucks each, and they get cheaper with volume.

[tolworthy]

Thanks for all the ideas. I'm thinking of getting short-run.co.uk to make a nice looking CD with insert - maybe twenty copies for £40 - and sending those to the twenty most important potential reviewers. Then just emailing everyone else.

I'm guessing that reviewers like to get a game before it's released? If so, is it normal to send out a beta test version (labeled as such)?

[Junkyard Sam]

RE: stick-on labels...

Don't risk those big round ones!!! I had one bubble up while in-the-drive and get stuck. NOTHING would annoy a reviewer more than that!

I *have* had good luck, surprisingly enough, with MAILING labels. SMALL ONES. And the tip is, buy them new and use them. Don't let any kind of label get old before sticking-on because the sticky fades, and then they'll come up...

However, I have CD-Rs three years old now with the mailing labels still stuck on perfectly, and they look okay... Not quite professional, but a big step up from writing on the CDR.



But as said above - LIGHTSCRIBE is probably your best bet! And you can even get an external Lightscribe drive!

[Obscure]

As well as a media folder make the review copy a custom build with a cheat mode (which isn't the same as the one in the release copy) and include a short set of review notes. A page at most which lists the features you like the most and where they appear in the game. Make it easy for the reviewer to write about the good bits of your game.

[tolworthy]

I finally went with Accord's suggestion, and got a LightScribe drive. Thanks, Accord. A well known online retailer had an internal LightScribe DVD burner for £16 including postage. Amazing!

So I have a new question: what's the cheapest way to package a CD for posting, without it looking too cheap? Jewel case plus jiffy bag? Plastic sleeve plus mailer box? Any ideas?

[Acord]

DVD cases are best IME - They aren't brittle like jewel cases, and the inserts can usually come straight from your printer and only need to be cut a little if you plan right. Most inkjets will make something nice enough to work.

I'm not sure about the DVD packaging sizes/types in the UK(yes, I've seen this vary from country to country), but in the US you can buy them for $1 or less each if you look around.

Looks similar - colors or whatnot is up to whatever the cover pic is I guess.
http://www.dvdshoponline.co.uk/Black_DVD_Cases.html

Anyways - there's just a plastic cover on the outside, and you can insert something out of the printer into it. Insert a blank piece of paper and close it first, cut that to fit, mark where the spine, front, and back are, and use it to size the printed one properly. It's easier than it sounds.

I used to do wedding vids like that back in the day, and it was always easier and nicer than jewel cases. JCs always break - the hinge, or the front, and then they sit around looking like crap. DVD cases are flexible enough to shrug off the abuse.