How do YOU attract viewers?

[Sharm]

Um, edited your post.  This is a PG-13 board, I felt I was pushing it with how blunt I was being.

 

[KanaX]

@Sharm Wow, things are strict...

Still, I apologize!

 

[C-C-C-Cashmere (old)]

I was joking, by the way.

 

[KanaX]

I think we all know, C-C-C-CombobreakerCashmere, don't worry about it

 

[Sharm]

You were? Ooops. I just know too many people who wouldn't be joking or who would use the "joke" to say what they really wanted to say.

 

[C-C-C-Cashmere (old)]

OK, I'll be serious about this topic now that I've been a naughty boy by inspiring misunderstandings with my cheap sarcasm.


In all seriousness, I love the mantra, "if you build it, they will come." Nobody wants a build-ups. In my culture, that means someone who is all talk but no play. Make a good game, and don't worry about whether 5 or 5000 people play it. Then and only then, if you want more players, do you market your game. Too many developers market their game before it even has gameplay. I admit, to some extent I do this sometimes by posting screenshots of games that I most likely will never finish. But I think that's a different case; people like seeing strange screenshots, or at least I do.


When "promoting" my game (the thought of which makes me want to puke even when thinking about it, but if I were), I think about what I want. And then I make what I would want someone else to make, and I market it how I would like other people to market it.


That is:


1) I want the screenshots to do the talking. I want interesting pictures that make people go, "Oh wow, this guy's doing something different from everyone else."


2) I want a promise of a short game, because I have precious time. That's why I put "Duration: ~15minutes" on my gamepage. Part of my design philosophy is that I don't want to waste anyone's time, because I hate my time being wasted as well.


3) I don't want to waste people's time with meaningless words. I probably took this to the extreme with my project, just stating "it's a puzzle game." That's all they need to know. Pure and simple. There's nothing more to it.


4) I want a big fat download button that goes "here I am, plain and simple. Click me and the game will download."


I don't like having a huge list of features because I don't like boasting about my game. I'd rather the game speak for itself than have you talk it up.


As for networking, I do more of that on RPGMaker.net than I do here. Basically, they play my games because I play and review theirs. But I play more games on RPGMaker.net than I do here. The way I got more integrated with the developer community was through a chat channel for RPGMaker.net, and also posting a status saying, "This is my Skype, anyone who wants can add me." (BTW, my Skype is "cashycat" if you want to add me.) Then some developers I didn't know very well added me, but also some notable and prominent developers added me, and I got to speak with some developers I really admire, even for a little bit.


But in the end, each model is different. I've seen first-time developers make better games than me. They aren't connected in the community, which proves you don't necessarily need to be involved with other developers to make a great game. But it sure helps. These devs often end up being integral to the community's workings in the end. Plus, you get friends.

 

[KanaX]

I... kinda want to see some of your projects now...

Also, having such an honest, honorable system is admirable!