PolyMars x ScoreSpace

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My plan was to promote my dream game with this Game Jam. It didn't goes well.

A topic by Goxie198613 created Aug 01, 2024 Views: 182 Replies: 4

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Goxie198613Submitted190 days ago

Hi! I am working for more than a year on my dream game, I even managed to gain 3000 wishlists on Steam, but I need to collect more that 7000 to have success with my release. So my plan was to make good speed jam game and get some visibility with PolyMars. But I've got just 7 ratings. And some of rating is from "people" rating 3 games in minute and put coment: "Great! Please rate mine!". I guess how generous they were, considering they didn't even check screenshots and descriptions. I need more honest votes. I started my game dev journey 2 and a half years ago here, on Brackeys 2022 Game Jam. It was my first game ever. Now I am really close (September 2) with release of my first commercial game. So if you have time, please rate my game. And if you are super cool and awesome, add my dream game to wishlist, and shasre it with your friends. Thanks for your time, and have a great game!

my gamejam entry: https://itch.io/jam/polymarsxspeedjam/rate/2863858

my Steam game: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2692890/Castle_of_Lord_Velimir/

ENDevourSubmitted190 days ago (1 edit)

I feel you. I got 9 ratings and from what I gathered only 6 of them have actually played through my game.

I don't really think that game jams are a good way to boost awareness of your game. It's difficult to get any long term attention here. If there is a jam that gives people awareness of you, then that would be GMTK Game Jam. When people rate games they don't really put a long time on them - and certainly not on the creator. You should however market it more. Put it everywhere you can - even if it may sound cheesy. On your game's itch.io page you could put a link to it. Also on your profile page. I even saw people putting their games' titles in their nicknames on discord.

Your game looks promising at a first glance. What about YouTube? Twitter? Discord? Are you making devlogs of any kind? That could help you gain awareness. Like making a video - 2 years of making my dream game. It is cheesy but it gives people awareness that a game like this exists and THAT is important. Maybe ask some streamers to playtest your games. A single playtest like this would bring a lot more people than a game jam entry would. A game jam brings like a 100 ratings at most (I don't even know what percentage of those ratings is even real but anything above that is wishful thinking at times).

No one likes marketting but it's a crucial part of making indie titles. You said that you started game dev on the Brackeys Game Jam? That's great! Use that. Brackeys game jam is in September. Admittedly it starts after the release of your game but thats's also good. You could for example say

If you enjoyed it take a look at my dream game that just released: Castle of Lord Velimir on Steam.

Good luck, in any case!

P.S.: I suggest you watch this video. That's where some of that advice comes from.

Goxie198613Submitted190 days ago

Thanks a lot! Really great advices. I will try to participate in GMTK game jam. Thank you for checking my game out, I have YouTube, tiktok, twitter, and try to post some things on reddit, but it does not do much in terms of numbers. But I'll keep doing it, as something is always better than nothing. Most of current wishlists came from Steam Fest, that I would suggest to everybody to try, as it can really boost your wishlists. I will try and other stuff you suggested, especialy trying to find streamers to play my game, as I didn't try that out yet. Thanks again, it really means a lot! And good luck on your journey!

QuasarArt189 days ago

Also, DO NOT underestimate the power of good visual design in UX / UI. This is not a criticism on what you have (on your steam page) but simply feedback on what you could do better. Make it unique. By that I mean try your hardest not to use assets for UI. Find your own way there even if it looks bad for a while. Get a good logo and don't use a basic font (this is VERY important for indie devs). A lot of people look at UI as a component of the polish of a game.

I will pass over SO MANY steam games because they look like UE5 Quixel games with very obvious purchased assets. It's one thing to use them to prototype but if your game art looks like it came from 12 different places, it doesn't matter how much promotion / advertising you do - people won't play it. Look at Valheim. The UI is ugly as hell, but it works so well because it's unique to that game. The art is objectively trash but the composition is gorgeous.

If you're making your own assets, you can also stream the creation and build SO MUCH more of a following that way. And people will see the work that you put it as a singular dev.

If I'm objectively rating your game thought your jam game, I think it had the best graphical 'look' and you're doing some interesting things with depth that's nice and appealing, albeit a tiny bit generic. However, the level design was very 'this is my first game' and the gameplay seemed like it came from a template. For a game jam it's probably fine if it's fun enough but I didn't feel like I wanted to keep playing it.

You did good work though and should be proud of that for a 72 hr jam.

NomidoSubmitted189 days ago

I feel you, similiar ideas for gamejams... so I will give you a follow and an honest review. Return ll be welcome

https://itch.io/jam/polymarsxspeedjam/rate/2864094

Thanks for ratings ...