I wanted to make sure any viewers that may have skipped out on reading my feedback thread for Jeweltopia didn't miss this, so I'm reposting an excerpt: Jeweltopia is an experiment in many ways. A social experiment to see how the casual audience can handle new-but-familiar gameplay and cost-effective production values. A personal experiment to see if I could create -- from start to finish -- an entire game, including all the yuckies. But most importantly, it is an experiment in development. With my other titles, I followed the rather standard approach of prototype/polish/ship. But this one was an entirely organic development. I started with a question: Who am I making this game for? And from that moment, every decision I made was in the interest of that target personality. I began with the music, sifting through royalty-free sites until I found something acceptible -- something that would inspire the direction of development. And who was I trying to hit? Huggies moms. Yes, diapers. I wanted to emulate the upbeat, happy, family fun that is expressed in Huggies brand diaper commercials, and the music reflected that. From there, I asked myself what type of game would appeal to them (simple, but contemplative), what other games I could use to draw out familiarity (Bejeweled), and the theme (or lack thereof) was borne from a combination of these factors. Development went straight into a Bejeweled clone, and from there I moulded the gameplay in such a way as to not alienate those already familiar with match-3's, but still be unique on some level. I've also got a lot of interest in contrasting components, and I'm rather fond of the idea that the player plays against herself. (Each action has an opposite reaction.) The game went through dozens of iterations with significantly varying mechanics, until I found one that I was most comfortable with. (And I think I've achieved my goal of simple to learn and difficult to master.) I wanted to see what a game borne from theme turned out to be, and I am not surprised at the result. I was also very interested in using the music as the primary driving force behind the product, and from some of your comments, I think it shows. For this, I am greatful. Would I have done things differently? Of course, but I am glad I went through this rather non-standard approach of development, because it introduced me to a facet of development with which I was not intimate. (Spaghetti code!) But, now that I've taken this approach, I'm rather satisfied with the ususal prototype/polish/ship approach I've taken with my other titles. (Well, sans the "ship," anyway! ) I'd strongly recommend not doing what I did with this title -- it's just not worth the trouble. (Retooling the same code for significantly different purposes, building from theme to gameplay rather than vice versa, etc.) There were really too many problems that have arisen to make this type of development worthwhile. This is evidenced in the time it took to develop such a slender title -- four months. (Or is it five, now?) I did have a personal crisis come at the end of the project (2 months ago) which severely affected my productivity, and that was a major factor of why this took so long to develop. I think, with what I know now, this game could have been developed fully in 2 months or less. (Entirely by one person, mind you.) I've learned a lot through the development of this game, and it will be interesting to see if it has the capacity to sell more than a couple copies. (I'm considering that it's not.) Nevertheless, I am satisfied that I have finally completed (sans the couple bugs and tweaks) my first game, and I expect I won't be hearing any more, "You haven't made a game!" comments. Right? Jeweltopia: Dedicated to the cats at Indiegamer. Without you, I wouldn't have known where to begin! And also a very special dedication to the many supportive souls who have afforded me this opportunity. Without you, I wouldn't have the opportunity to begin! (I was going to write a post-mortem, but I think this will suffice, and any additional analysis would be a waste, but if you'd like to hear more, just ask!)
There is obviously a lot to be said for geting a game finished and out there. Apart from anything else it allows you to feel "validated" that you can see it through, then go on to make bigger and better games. I know my first game will be the hardest to release (with the minefield of things to consider) but very probably the least advanced game I will ever make. As for your game announcement, I knew there was something more to it than just the one game, I knew you must have other games in progress from what you have said in the past. It has some issues (the lack of being able to play it on my system which runs most other things being the main one - moreso than gameplay/polishing at this time) but it looks like a solid title. I am still not sure how you consider it theme-led or derived from a theme, unless you are solely talking about the music thing, because to my eyes it looks generic and totally theme-less except for the abitrary backdrops.Did you mean you started out more theme based and whittled it down to this? Be good to see it run on slower PCs (Though I don't consider 800mhz + gf4ti4200 to be slow when it comes to very simple looking casual games), as the main audience for this kind of thing are very probably going to be extremely casual and therefore may well have celerons, durons and what have you. The flash thing (for a fullscreen/bitmap loaded game) is obviously causing some issues with low end systems which is a shame. You could probably port it over to blitzmax in a couple of weeks and still have x-platform but a lot more speed! Out of interest, are your other games using flash or have you done the more advanced ones with something a bit more powerful? Good luck with it anyway, you are now a member of that exclusive club "I have released a game therefore I have an opinion that's valid" which we all aspire to
I am currently using Flash as a platform for development on all my titles, but I've got a custom C++ engine waiting in the wings. As of yet, however, none of the games required the horsepower, so the RAD in Flash was more of a turn on. I am also exploring other RAD tools, like GameMaker and MMF, because I've had a fascination with simple gameplay mechanics lately and these seem like ideal tools for development. However, even compared to the action title I'm working on, this speed problem is unique to Jeweltopia, and I've torn the program apart trying to figure out the cause. It remains elusive, but I am working to port it to Flash 8 to see if the bitmap cache feature will enhance performace to an acceptable level. However, some strange bugs are popping up and I'm having difficulty pinpointing the cause, other than to say it only exists when compiled as a Flash 8 file.
I appologize for not clarifying this earlier: I may be using incorrect terminology when I call it a "theme." Specifically, the idea -- the theme -- was to create a game that was light on the budget, but still attractive. The "theme" then became abstract graphics, because this is clearly the most cost-effective art production. However, I could have gone with many abstract themes: Parchment and quill pens, legos, blueprint, etc. However, I thought the futuristic/digital theme would resonate the most with my target audience. It is also, conveniently, very affordable to produce. However, there was signficant thought into the style you currently see. Now that I'd finally narrowed the theme down to a futuristic or digital theme, I had to further quantify what that meant. Was I to use a shiny OSX style, or perhaps a dark, gritty old school Aliens style? I chose a shiny, polished look with allusions toward femininity (purple, animal print) and playfulness (exagerated UI, gooey jewels) because I thought that, too, would resonate well with my target audience. (It should be noted that many casual games use strong, warm colors, and I consciously chose to use softer, cooler colors.) Okay, so the visual look is complete. We've got a cool, modern, vaguely feminine interface. What's next? Jewels seemed like a logical start. I played around for a while with regular jewels in the beginning, but decided against it after considering the alternatives. I wanted the casual player to notice the similarity to other products they're familiar with (why it's called Jeweltopia), but I also wanted a distinct uniqueness to the jewels. (So they're not "just more jewels.") I also decided (again, I'm using this theme-begun, organic development approach) to include a smiley face, somewhere. Gem Shop was doing fairly well and I wanted to tie a unique feature of Gem Shop to Jeweltopia so the screenshot would potentially evoke a memory of enjoyment. The overall goal of the visual design of the game was to invoke a feeling of familiarity, contentment, and a slight bit of curiosity. ("Why is the board not full of jewels?") The desire is that the player will become intrigued enough to try this similar(?) game. Once I've got them in the game, then I have an active role in these players' experience, and I can mould it at will. With the casual gamer now playing a game that may or may not be similar to the last game, I introduce a couple new concepts to them. As the game progresses from a simple and easy jewel-swapping match-3 to a contemplative puzzler, I've convinced them to try something new without their even realizing it! (And if you readers think Jeweltopia is just another match-3, then you're missing something.) This is how I wanted to introduce a level of innovation -- even if just the smallest bit -- to a group that seems to have an aversion to new things. I'm experimenting with the model as we know it (flashy, expensive graphics) to see if I can still attract players without huge cost by manipulating their senses and experiences into making them feel comfortable enough to try the game. The entire theme and look of the game (down to the playfield layout) was specifically designed to be appealing in screenshots. (The name was chosen for the same reason, but textual.) The idea was to draw as many eyes as I could, since I'm not using flashy, expensive graphics. And once they're in the game, the music was specifically chosen to appeal to them and emoke pleasant emotions. Once they got in the game, they were welcomed by the finely-targetted music and distracted by the exagerated animation -- perhaps they would continue to not notice the lack of elaborate 3D wizardry. And then it's just a matter of showing them something new in a comfortable, non-invasive, and welcoming environment -- a place they'll be far more willing to accept new things. The entire development of the game has been to manipulate the targetted audience from first notice ("Jeweltopia") through to the introduction of a new gameplay mechanic. It's not about convincing them to spend their money. In fact, all I want is to demonstrate the ability to introduce new mechanics to casual players and with an effectively low budget while maintaining financial worth -- I wanted to show the developers of Indiegamer that it's still possible to compete in this growing market, and still possible to develop innovative gameplay. And we'll see how that turns out.
Thanks Daniel, Interesting read about your thought process. It's funny you consider it innovative though as it appears (from what you say) that only kicks in later on. First impressions count so I imagine most people will judge it straight away as being highly derivative (maybe the name furthers this) without giving it the chance to get to the meat of the game. It will be interesting to watch it's progress anyway. Now.. I'm taking bets on whether or not this will end up on Savants blog as he seemed to turn against all "puzzle" games and not just parasites
That's the idea. I'm not concerned with converting hardcore players (like the Indiegamer crowd). I am specifically interested in the 28-36, midwest, new mom. Had I been developing for hardcore players, I would have taken a much different approach to the development of the visual aesthetics and would have chosen an appropriate distribution channel. (Casual portals aren't it.) However, I am greatful I chose the path I did, because I never would have created this game -- I wouldn't have started with Bejeweled. And when this game works at that right moment when everything is balanced correctly, it is an enourmously engaging and fun time. I'm satisfied with the gameplay and hope I am able to tune it well enough to make the whole game appealing. I considered this, too, and I expect it will be. However, I pray he has the courtesy to wait until the final version is released so I can at least have a proper landing page for him to link. Some Tetris Attack fans have decided to check out the game, and I'm sorry they'll be disappointed by the differring gameplay. I specifically chose not to go with a Tetris Attack-like play because I wanted something without time pressure (something that I believe is important to my target audience), and I wanted to invent original gameplay as a commentary to the developers on Indiegamer. Even if I decided to throw those to the wind, it was legally questionable, especially with the style I chose*. I am aware of a patent they have on a 3D version of Tetris Attack (the 3D, rotating playfield), and knew they were still developing Tetris Attack games for their current consoles. As such, I knew they would actively defend their property, and using an identical (or close) gameplay mechanic would have been a risky endeavor. I am content to know the Tetris Attack fans aren't satisfied with this game, because I have no intention to compete with Nintendo or their products. *Tetris Attack, ironically, wasn't a thought when the jewel style was created -- that gameplay influence came later.
You know, calling it a Post-Mortem isn't just 'kinda' wrong, it's totally wrong. Call it a pre-mortem as you have't started selling it yet
good luck with this. Feels good finishing a game doesn't it? Although it sounds like your's sin'tquite finished from the feedback thread.
Well, you're game is up and running, but thats just 50%. You're now in the club of those who finished a game, but didn't sell it yet. What do I mean by that? Nothing negative at all. I believe we all think that soniCron now has in his hands a game high-potential for sales. Fulfilling that potential is that 50% work or even harder. whats in that 50%? Work on www: Building an appropriate website, submitting to download sites (you Really don't know how time consuming job it is until you've done it), submitting for review to e-magazines (there's tons of Indie game magazines, didn't knew how much till i checked), track downloads, calculate CR% from each website to see where you'd better spend some $$ on publicity. Business wise: Setting up an ecommerce / merchant account, Declaring yourself as self-employed / company, Delivering tax reports about your earning (You really don't want to mess with the IRS by not reporting Income and paying income tax) Further work on the game: Improve Installer (add links to your website on the menu, tag it with where did the user get the download for affiliate sales and tracking downloads), Fix reported bugs, handle piracy with some kind of software defence. Publicity: Creating banners, Making a survey of types and prices of publiciy in different dl-sites/magazines ect. There are tons of other items, but I think you've got the Idea by browsing the several threads in the forums here. Good luck, and let us know hows it going.
Hehe, yeah I think it's a little too early to be doing a Post-Mortem when the game isn't even done yet. (Unless you never plan to finish it) I think Post-Mortems are best when done about a couple months after release. You can better reflect on the things you did right and wrong. Also, listen to Gil. You got your game to a late stage Beta, but it's still not done. And once it's done there's still a ton of things to do. I think you're getting quite a bit of praise now because a lot of people are happy/surprised that you got as far as you did. But remember your game still isn't finished yet. You're still in that deadly final 20%. How you complete the game from here will determine how good your sales will be. You'd be surprised how just little quirks or minor annoyances, which might not be obvious to you, can drastically affect sales. This is where it becomes a challenge. It's always easier to critique someone else's game because when it's your own game you're too close to it and lose perspective. It makes it easy to miss the obvious in the final 20%. This is something I struggle with as well, but the final execution is just so important. When people here say, "What games have you released?" this is what they're talking about. Until you release a game it's hard to appreciate or know all the things that can go right or horribly wrong when finishing up a game and then trying to sell it. This is why some people are skeptical of taking certain advice from those who've never completed a game into a sellable product.
Ok ok ok...it's not supposed to be Tetris Attack. (any good TA clones out there by chance? now I want to play it...guess I can fire up an emulator...) I still like the game and look forward to seeing it all polishy and shineded up!
i hope he does finish it ! the darn thing grew on me. I did not understand that you had to plan your everymoves and that you had as much time as you needed to do so. I kept playing really fast because i thougth more blocks would fall ! so i was always gameover and didt feel the the gameplay. I never read the tutorials Now that i understand it , i think its fun ! its the third time i go back for a game.
Well, there's a reason I put "(kinda)" after the post mortem! I really wanted to reflect on the main development since it was such a unique process, and I wanted to do it immediately, while it was still fresh in my mind. I know there's still a lot of work to be done (both development and sales), but the intent of this post-mortem (kinda) was to describe the organic development that led to the feature-complete version you see. (You'll notice there is no mention of mundane tasks or bug fixing, for example.) There will be a part-two once the game is complete and I've had a couple months to sell it. And, finally, there will be a retrospective in the future. (A year, maybe?) I hope this clears up my intent with these texts, and I appreciate all the feedback I've been getting! I'm really looking forward to the next phase! (Completion and sales.) I'll let you all know how that progresses, as well! @steve bisson: I'm glad that you're enjoying it now! However, if you didn't understand the pace of the game, then that means other players didn't as well, and that's potentially dangerous. I've got to find some way to enforce that upon them...thanks for the heads up!
I like the idea of politely coercing casual gamers into a similar-looking (and sounding) product, and then getting under their skin when they least expect it with new gameplay. By the way, something you should add to your post-release to do list - listen to your customer feedback too, and improve your game even after it's been released.
Thank you. I appreciate the acknowledgement. While the game isn't highly innovative, I'm happy to introduce them to a different facet of play; something more strategic. The current (unreleased) iteration of the game has been modified to better appeal to the casual gamers' immediate perception, while offering a depth of play that more advanced users will find compelling. Like Donkey Kong Country, beating the game is small potatoes, but really accomplishing anything takes focus and dedication. I feel this gives the game vast amounts of replayability and increases the value exponentially, even though the player may not realize it from the beginning. Thank you for the suggestion. Once the game is released to the public, the experiments certainly won't cease! I plan to go through many iterations in an effort to analyse many unexplored or previously unquantified data, and to build a framework for further exploration with other titles. The next beta release will reflect what the first public version will look and function like, but it's very likely that the game will change noticably between now and the portal release, or even more by next year. I know there are certain ramifications for such an unorthodox release process, and I'm prepared to accept them. However, I feel the experimentation is far more valuable for the time being. Frankly, the entire project was created as a platform for experimentation, and I will leverage that purpose to its fullest extent.
Sorry to bump this old thread, but I was crawling through the archives and I ran into this topic, which I think deserves a follow-up. Now that it's been several months since the release of Jeweltopia, do you have any new reflections/experiences to share? After your beta test, I haven't heard much about Jeweltopia. I think it would be interesting to hear your experience with it considering there's quite few new devs here recently thinking about jumping to the casual space despite it being highly competitive. I'm not asking for sales figures or anything but how is your game doing generally? You talked about your unique process of coming up with the theme and design of the game for your target audience, how has that translated to sales? At the end of the day, are you still satisfied that you spent all those months developing a match-3 instead of a non-casual game? Basically, give us the real Post-Mortem now...
Interesting that you bumped this, because I was just going to make a post about it! After the initial release and some additional development to get the game to its final state - what I called the "presentation beta" - my life got turned upside-down. A string of unfortunate circumstances temporarily thwarted my development essentially keeping the game at an unfinished state. (Note the soft-release on my website.) With all marketting efforts - including various portal distribution contracts - on-hold, I've been slowly finding the time to rework all the changes I wanted. What should have taken 2 months has gone on well over 4. Fortunately, the end is in sight, and the final release of Jeweltopia is nearing completion. The total work-time equalling aproximately 5-6 full-time months of development by an individual, from start to completion. Nevertheless, I think a brief update is in order: Despite the utter lack of marketing,* the game has been converting very well. It has drawn a sort of cult following in certain circles, which was unexpected. The daily downloads have dropped to little more than nothing in the last month or so, but that is only the fault of my reluctance to market what I deem to be an incomplete product. I appreciate the interest this game and discussion has garnered. Fortunately, things have settled in my life and I'm back to a regular development schedule. With hope the game will be complete by September. I'll be posting some screenshots on here later tonight, so look for those! *The little "marketing" I did do was submitting the game to Download.com and Grab.com - the real intent to test deploy my file downloader tracker. More on that in the future.