82 replies to this topic

[Desert Dog]

That's even worse. Are you saying Fred believes graphics are most important, but won't say so because he happens to be an artist? That's can't be right.

Well the question wasn't what you think is most important in a game, but which one would make you want to play a game. (assuming you haven't played it before).

It's definitely the graphics for me, too. Although there have been plenty of games which I've put down.. simply because the gameplay isn't that enjoyable.

I have to say that story is something that really springs to mind as something that keeps me in a game. I've never really made a game with a story, but I've struggled through some games with average graphics, and fairly boring gameplay.. just to see what happens to the hero, or his friends. And when I find out what happens, it's all worth it. =)

Edit:

What I meant to do with my last post was to reassure FredFredrickson that he shouldn't be ashamed of his own non-fanboy, justified and agreeable stance.

Ahhh.... Fred the fanboy.
In all honestly, I don't see how his post was fanboy-ism. If he 'hated himself' it was because graphics do not make a game, or a movie, or anything else.. it's simply the visual part of it. So it sounds silly to say 'I like a game for the graphics' when the game is about.. playing the game, really. But graphics are an important part of the game.. especially in getting someone to try the game!

Edited by Desert Dog, 07 December 2010 - 02:09 AM.

[freko]

OKAY..Everyone just cut out the fancy crap discussion of someones hated ass. Chill out!!

SO, when do we get to see the results?

Edited by freko, 07 December 2010 - 08:42 AM.

[A saurus1]

SO, when do we get to see the results?

Once the submissions start fizzle out.

[chance]

What I meant to do with my last post was to reassure FredFredrickson that he shouldn't be ashamed of his own non-fanboy, justified and agreeable stance.

Well, then I guess we agree. Perhaps it was just worded oddly. Nobody should feel guilty about their preferences.

Mine always run toward graphics. I don't care much for role-playing games, so "storyline hints" mean little to me. From a marketing standpoint, it's the graphics that attract me to one particular game versus another.

SO, when do we get to see the results?

Once the submissions start fizzle out.

Sounds like it's still going strong. That's good.

Edited by chance, 07 December 2010 - 12:40 PM.

[A saurus1]

SO, when do we get to see the results?

Once the submissions start fizzle out.

Sounds like it's still going strong. That's good.

Well, it's starting. I was hoping to release it along with my game Neuculi, and get some shameless promotion there too. Just to prove that marketing works.

[TerraFriedSheep]

SO, when do we get to see the results?

Once the submissions start fizzle out.

Sounds like it's still going strong. That's good.

Well, it's starting. I was hoping to release it along with my game Neuculi, and get some shameless promotion there too. Just to prove that marketing works.

It might interst you then that I hadn't noticed your game until this post- however I had noticed the

"~ Find out if your SIGNATURE is doing enough for you! ~"

part of your sig before now...!

[BluePotato1994]

The Survey is turned off?

It looks like the form "The Game Maker Games Marketing Survey" is turned off.

Try contacting the owner of the form if you think this is a mistake.
Visit our help center

Edited by BluePotato1994, 07 December 2010 - 08:55 PM.

[A saurus1]

The Survey is turned off?

It looks like the form "The Game Maker Games Marketing Survey" is turned off.

Try contacting the owner of the form if you think this is a mistake.
Visit our help center

Yep. I'm working on getting the results ready.

[JAk HAk]

This should be interesting. I, too, chose graphics as the major draw. Gameplay is the most important part, but graphics are its crutch. Great ones won't make the game, but bad ones are a sure way to break it, kinda like it wouldn't matter how good a book is if the font is distracting or hard to read.

[Phantom107]

It's very simple really, if either graphics or gameplay is bad, I'm not playing.

[chance]

if either graphics or gameplay is bad, I'm not playing.

But you have to buy the game to know that. You can't judge the gameplay without playing it.

So from a marketing viewpoint, graphics trump gameplay.

Edited by chance, 08 December 2010 - 12:28 AM.

[Rusty]

Which of these makes you want to play a game the most? * Assume you've never played the game before.

* Good Graphics
* Good Reviews
* Good Gameplay videos
* Other: _______

I was actually surprised with this question. I thought storylines and characters would have made it into the default selects.

Well, maybe I worded the question wrong. I'm not talking about the in-game stuff, but rather the stuff you do outside the game.

Storyline description and character marketing is advertising the game...

In the Works In Progress section I always see basic storyline descriptions written above a download link (which annoys me).

[JAk HAk]

But you have to buy the game to know that. You can't judge the gameplay without playing it.

Not necessarily. Certainly, plenty of GM devs make gameplay trailer videos, in addition to explaining basic play design or controls. AAA titles have similar, in addition to review videos on sites like IGN. I always make sure to check out a gameplay video of something before getting into it if there is one provided. One video can kill both the graphics and gameplay birds, so to speak, which makes them handy.

[chance]

But you have to buy the game to know that. You can't judge the gameplay without playing it.

Not necessarily. Certainly, plenty of GM devs make gameplay trailer videos, in addition to explaining basic play design or controls.

Yes, that's true to some extent. Videos may be the "next best thing" to actually playing the games. Saurus was wise to include "Good Gameplay Videos" as a survey option.

[A saurus1]

Results Published: https://docs.google....vc8r_37d7n2nndx
If you appreciated the time I put into this survey or found the results useful, please consider taking some time to play my games or click on my Neuculi sig, thanks. (This is another example of good marketing.)

Edited by A saurus1, 09 December 2010 - 02:46 PM.

[poizen]

Are you sure that's the right link? Because I don't have the rights to access it.

Edited by poizen, 09 December 2010 - 02:24 PM.

[TerraFriedSheep]

I couldn't get at them either, can you upload them elsewhere other than google docs?

[A saurus1]

Try this link: https://docs.google....vc8r_37d7n2nndx

If you appreciated the time I put into this survey or found the results useful, please consider taking some time to play my games or click on my Neuculi sig, thanks. (This is another example of good marketing.)

Edited by A saurus1, 09 December 2010 - 02:47 PM.

[GameGeisha]

I just read the survey results. It was actually a surprising read and an excellent wake-up call for me.

One thing that jumped out at me was how much more forum-based (private) advertisement accounted for compared to Internet-based (public) advertisement. It is a good indicator of how members market outside the forum, and frankly a visible portion isn't doing that very well. Assuming that everyone who used Internet-based distribution media (e.g. teaser videos) also used forum-based advertisement, about 1/3 use advertisement but are boxed in by forums like the GMC.

The relative ineffectiveness of the more "random" methods, such as advert PMs and random searches, has been pretty obvious to me since the beginning. But what I'm surprised about is that they still work on approximately 1 in 2 people (advert PMs and emails, I'm looking at you). I'm personally not someone who would spam people, but others may be interested and now I know why they would try. Adding meta-tags so that they have a chance to show up on random and pseudorandom keyword searches doesn't hurt, so I'll try that and see what happens.

The real wake-up call, though, is the overwhelming effectiveness of existing clients and reputation as marketing media. I've personally put some effort into making a website, opening a Youtube channel and other more "personal" media, but generally I have neglected the people market. Allowing recommendations via microblogging ("Add to Twitter/Facebook/StumbleUpon" links), on-site reviews (guestbooks), and promoting my Youtube channel remains to be done. That'll definitely become my primary marketing goal for next year.

And yes, A saurus1, I'll be returning a favour by playing one of your games. Funny you didn't include this kind of marketing in your survey, eh?

GameGeisha

[chance]

If you appreciated the time I put into this survey or found the results useful, please consider taking some time to play my games..

I do appreciate your time, so I'll check out your games.

There were a couple of interesting results here:

1. Nearly one third (27%) said they'd pay little or no attention to forum posts. That's a minority, yes. But given they're on a forum whose purpose includes posting games, that's surprising large. Perhaps it means the Creations/WIP forums are becoming over-shadowed by YoYo Games.

2. Two thirds (67%) would play a game they see in someone's profile, if they like other games by that person. This isn't the least bit surprising. But it confirms the notion that if you already have a good game, it's easier to get your next game played.

Overall, nice survey saurus. I nominate you for "Official YYG/GMC Pollster".