All Questions
119 questions
104
votes
5
answers
21k
views
Why are games built on cross-platform engines sometimes exclusive to Windows?
If an engine supports Windows, OS X, and Linux, why do we sometimes see games using these engines, like Space Hulk: Deathwing, restricted to Windows only?
- 1,085
84
votes
3
answers
17k
views
Should I worry about Youtube Let's Plays when I'm creating a story-heavy game?
A few years ago, I watched a full playthrough of the first three Phoenix Wright games on Youtube. I enjoyed the story and characters a lot, hence why I pretty much binge-watched what is a series of ...
user97936
61
votes
6
answers
13k
views
How to calculate the price for acquisition of a mobile game
I searched long and hard thru the Game Dev community here and I didn't manage to find a good enough answer for a situation that I need help with.
Here is the deal - I've spent about a year to single-...
- 721
58
votes
9
answers
70k
views
Where to promote your indie game? [closed]
Possible Duplicate:
Where to advertise my game?
Let's say I have developed a game and I want to "get it out there". What I have in mind is open-source, non-commercial games.
What websites do ...
50
votes
6
answers
19k
views
How can I promote my game? [closed]
I am a beginning indie developer, and I want to get the word out about my game. What sites can I go to to ask about reviews of my game, and where might I be able to talk about and get feedback on my ...
45
votes
2
answers
5k
views
Effective marketing strategies for independent game projects [closed]
I would really like to hear how other independents generally approach marketing their game with limited resources. I know how critical marketing is since I've seen it first hand on several fronts. I'...
- 4,071
34
votes
11
answers
10k
views
Do 2D games have a future? [closed]
I'm currently working on a 2D soft-body physics engine (since none exist right now -_-), but I'm worried that there's no point to spending what will most likely be years on it.
Although I love ...
25
votes
3
answers
4k
views
Should independent game developers target older hardware?
A developer I work with tells me that indie developers should target hardware that is around six or more years old (at max settings). I get the idea that one should allow everyone that wants to play ...
- 627
24
votes
5
answers
3k
views
Marketing: Angry Birds - How it's done [closed]
Why do some apps, like Angry Birds, dominate the market while other cool/fun/addicting apps are never heard of?
I'm trying to figure out the best marketing strategy, or best way to sell an app to ...
- 351
23
votes
2
answers
1k
views
My game is just about finished! What do I do now? [closed]
I have an HTML5/canvas game just about finished and ready to launch. It's a 2d game in which you explore and disrupt a procedurally-generated landscape, crafting items and structures to survive. I ...
- 410
22
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Looking for articles/books on: How do games make money? What models do they use?
I'm trying to research the ways in which games make money. I want to know more about the models they use (free/premium, trial/subscription, free-to-play with micro-transactions, etc.). In addition, I ...
- 431
20
votes
5
answers
2k
views
Do iOS users use Facebook and Twitter buttons within games?
Does anyone have any insight or experience into the successfullness of placing Facebook or Twitter "share" buttons within an iOS game? For example, when a user gets a high score, presenting them with ...
- 313
17
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Process of getting DEJUS rating (Brazil)?
I would like to get DEJUS rating for my HTML5 game on the Firefox
Marketplace, so that I can tell Mozilla to make the game available
to users in Brazil. I want the game to be rated as: Livre (general)
...
- 431
16
votes
1
answer
485
views
How should I prepare for pitching a game to potential sponsors?
We have developed a mobile game, and are preparing ourselves for demo day. We will be presenting our game to potential sponsors, and we are having trouble deciding how to make a quality presentation.
...
- 223
16
votes
9
answers
20k
views
How to capture video of my mobile game?
I've been keeping a blog for my current Android game and as I get closer to an actual playable version of the game, screenshots just aren’t enough to show new progress anymore. What I need is video. ...
- 1,217
15
votes
15
answers
2k
views
How can I record my vector graphics game without blurring the graphics?
A lot of people asked for a trailer for my game, because screenshots do not do it justice. I have tested PlayClaw, Fraps, CamStudio, VirtualDub, and some other minor tools; none have produced a viable ...
- 1,402
15
votes
6
answers
2k
views
Should developers make their games easier with new versions?
It seems that the game Angry Birds is becoming gradually easier with new versions. Maybe so people get the illusion of progress and satisfaction of breaking new records?
I would like to know if ...
- 203
15
votes
10
answers
893
views
Grow first, Ads later for mobile games?
Facebook's strategy has been to Grow First, include Ads Later. For mobile games, is there any evidence that ads hinder popularity, or that people are more likely to share games without ads? Or as ...
- 6,756
15
votes
6
answers
816
views
Public Relations for Game Developers [closed]
What is the most important thing to know about PR for indie developers?
I'm considering spending some time learning about PR in general, but it seems that the indie field is quite different than ...
- 1,427
14
votes
4
answers
12k
views
How to get a game popular without a publisher?
I have just finished a game I had been developing last month, but whilst making the game I was pestered by the fact that I had no way of getting it to the public eye. I didn't want to pitch it to a ...
- 171
13
votes
6
answers
1k
views
How can I get into the educational market? [closed]
I believe that my current game project is very well-suited for educational gaming; so well-suited, in fact, that I know of several different schools (one community college and at least one or two high ...
- 243
12
votes
2
answers
768
views
What defines a AAA game?
I tried to find a precise definition. I found clues on Wikipedia and on Gaming SE, but I cannot find more than an approximation like:
Equivalent of blockbuster movie in cinema, an AAA game is a ...
- 1,039
12
votes
3
answers
2k
views
What is a good way to measure game virality?
I have added some social features to an iPhone game (Lexitect if you're curious), such as email, Twitter, and Facebook integration for sharing high scores. Along with these features, I am measuring ...
- 390
12
votes
2
answers
496
views
How to make a market test for the game?
I'm making a casual game on iOS platform. But I'm not sure Do the consumers like my game. How can I make a market test for my game?
- 121
11
votes
1
answer
5k
views
Will working with a publisher help me prevent my game from being cloned?
I read many articles on "How (or why not without) to make mobile game without publisher". But the question that bothers me is:
"What if I make a game, that really hits the market in the eye and ...
- 121
11
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Tips for creating great game trailers
Impressive trailers for your game can really help show players how awesome your game is, but I'm having trouble finding tips that describe how to create a great trailer. I would like to learn about ...
11
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Promoting a Browser Game? [closed]
I have a new browser based game that I've worked on for a few months. Obviously all that effort goes to waste if no one sees it.
I know there's topics to do with games promotion, but browser games ...
- 113
11
votes
2
answers
415
views
Game upgrade launch : Cross-platform release timing
I just finished doing a major upgrade for a old mobile title, that haven't seen an update in over a year. Lots of new content, things are looking nice.
Sadly, these days it takes an average of 12 ...
- 642
10
votes
7
answers
1k
views
Is there a way to make money from indie downloadable games? [closed]
It appears that there are ways to make money with flash games through portal and aggregator sites and embedded ads.
But I do my programming in C and C++. I've started a prototype which relies on a ...
- 631
10
votes
6
answers
996
views
To sell or give for free [closed]
I am currently making a game that I was originally planning to sell. It is a simple 2D arcade style game for the PC. I've seen many indie games become popular and generate revenue from advertisements, ...
- 441
9
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Advantages of Steam Greenlight
Let's assume that I can pick a fairly decent game, build it, and finish it with sufficient chrome plating; let's also assume that I can market it myself to some extent, through my own website.
What ...
- 11.3k
9
votes
3
answers
691
views
Why don't top selling mobile games have localization? [closed]
For example: Plants vs Zombies 2, Angry Birds, Bad Piggies, Candy Crush Saga, Temple Run 2 and so on. These games are available in English only. These companies have huge resources; why don't they ...
- 191
9
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Novice Mobile Game Developers | Publishing on our own or Publisher? [closed]
So we are almost done with our first indie game, developed on Android. We believe that the game has potential, our graphics guy is damn good so we have some good eye candy in our game.
Now we are ...
- 203
8
votes
6
answers
1k
views
Why the shareware (not demo) model died?
In the early days of the industry, instead of fighting piracy, companies let the users share their games freely, and put some nag screen or something like that on the game.
Then they would sell DLC ...
- 1,402
8
votes
7
answers
8k
views
As a indie, how to protect your game?
As a indie, you might not work in a company. And you may have a great game idea and you feel it gonna be a big success. When you released your game. How do you protect it as your own creation? So that ...
- 89
8
votes
6
answers
1k
views
Finding testers [closed]
I am making my first indie retail game, I hosted a prototype on www.agfgames.com but I am struggling to find testers...
Being a company made only of myself, and having no budget (actually, I have ...
- 1,402
8
votes
1
answer
478
views
Promoting independent iOS games [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What are effective marketing strategies for iPhone games?
I'm interested in promoting my latest iOS game. What have you done that really helped spread the word? Any smaller ...
- 1,951
7
votes
2
answers
573
views
How can I acquire marketing and sales data for games?
I need to evaluate a marketing perspective for a videogame in order to predict its income, sold units, etc. Since this sounds like quite a bit of an impossible task, I thought I could collect some ...
- 1,454
7
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Will an optional device type specific permission hide my game in the Play Store for those types of devices?
I have heard in many places that if my app uses a permission not applicable to a certain device, it will not show up in the play store for that device. Now, in my code, I am playing audio. I mute that ...
- 409
6
votes
5
answers
3k
views
Methods of player retention and conversion in MMO games?
What are other retention and conversion (free to play to paying to spender) strategies in MMOs?
I know some like promotions, social viral, content generation, intentional imbalance, perks and ...
6
votes
5
answers
1k
views
Why do some videogame sequels become bigger?
Sometimes I'm wondering why sequels in games usually strive to have new features, making them more complex, taking much longer to finish and also sounds much harder to keep motivated into it.
I ...
- 903
6
votes
2
answers
737
views
Legal issues concerning using superheroes in games
Before proceeding on with the idea of developing a mobile game that involves superhero characters from both Marvel/DC Comics, I am taking a serious dip into looking into things from a legal point of ...
- 185
5
votes
1
answer
2k
views
I need to sell an almost-complete MMORPG project. How can I do that? [closed]
I need your help. We have to sell MMORPG at an advanced stage. The game has a unique engine, written on the need for the game, graphics, sound, map editor, web site etc.
As it happens in the play ...
- 77
5
votes
2
answers
2k
views
What is a good strategy to recruit test players for a chess app?
We developed a chess app for iMessage and we would like to have people try it out and tell us their opinions.
Do you know a good strategy to give away free promo codes for the pro version of our new ...
5
votes
2
answers
3k
views
My game is mostly complete, how do I find a publisher?
I've been working for quite a while on a game.
I'm mostly done with it.
Simply finishing the project, adding banners and just publishing it on google play / appstore probably won't bring in any ...
- 369
5
votes
3
answers
509
views
Pricing an application [closed]
I decided to make my application for free but introduce donation button. For this I would use paypal. What are the advantages of this monetization model and what are other models to consider? My ...
- 163
5
votes
3
answers
360
views
What distinguishes a free to play game from one worth paying for?
There's a heck of a lot of free games available out there, some of which are as good as games that you have to pay for. My question is, what makes the difference between a game that people will be ...
- 291
5
votes
3
answers
319
views
Other than the ESA are there other sources for demographic data?
I'm pretty interested in seeing demographic data as I find them good targeting tools. But other than the ESA reports (free) and NPD numbers (paid) does anyone know any other sources for such data?
4
votes
6
answers
390
views
Where can I advertise my engine, library or framework to attract users?
I have just finished my hypothetical game engine, library or framework.
Now, I want to share it with people who may find it useful in their projects. Where can I advertise it to gain users?
By ...
- 10.3k
4
votes
7
answers
681
views
What are some Game Development Publications that accept outside articles [closed]
What Are some Game Development publications (electronic or otherwise) that aren't so large that there is no chance to potentially get included in the publication after a few well-written articles sent ...