Vault Dweller: Age of Decadence needs to sell 45,000 copies to be successful

[ghostdog]

Vince should move to Poland.

 

[laclongquan]

Poland is expensive nowaday, I hear~

 

[Jedi Master Radek]

Would brought him a free pizza if he moved to Poland

 

[felipepepe]

You could always pull a sea/felipepepepepepepe and spam up Gamasutra.

This is actually a cool idea. VD sure can write and Gamasutra is taken by posts on indie platformers and "muh pixel art", a nice article talking about the hardships of a hardcore RPG that took 5 billion years to complete could be interesting.

Or you could stir up DRAMA. The whole "Awesome / Normal" difficulty setting and the GOOD FUCKING RIDDANCE events. No other indie dev dares talk like this, that could get people curious, promote the challenging side of AoD in a Dark Souls "Prepare to Die" kind of way. Or just create butthurt - that worked well seven years ago: http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2008/02/01/against-design-decadence-vince-d-weller/

Any gaming website would want a controversy that could spam 252 angry comments...

 

[SniperHF]

a nice article talking about the hardships of a hardcore RPG that took 5 billion years to complete could be interesting.

I've always thought this to be the best angle in gaining the most exposure as a curiosity. Might not directly reach the AoD target audience but it couldn't hurt.

 

[laclongquan]

This is actually a cool idea. VD sure can write and Gamasutra is taken by posts on indie platformers and "muh pixel art", a nice article talking about the hardships of a hardcore RPG that took 5 billion years to complete could be interesting.

Or you could stir up DRAMA. The whole "Awesome / Normal" difficulty setting and the GOOD FUCKING RIDDANCE events. No other indie dev dares talk like this, that could get people curious, promote the challenging side of AoD in a Dark Souls "Prepare to Die" kind of way. Or just create butthurt - that worked well seven years ago: http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2008/02/01/against-design-decadence-vince-d-weller/

Any gaming website would want a controversy that could spam 252 angry comments...

I have no bro and I must fist~

Good article. Am rereading it~

 

[Infinitron]

I've always thought this to be the best angle in gaining the most exposure as a curiosity. Might not directly reach the AoD target audience but it couldn't hurt.

That's the second-best angle, maybe. Stories of vaporware are interesting, but they also aren't entirely uncommon (and also don't have entirely positive connotations)

The best angle is THIS IS AN ANCIENT ROME RPG NOTHING LIKE THIS HAS EVER BEEN MADE OMG (well, okay, Nethergate)

In fact, I'd go further than that. It's the closest thing you'll ever get to Rome: The RPG (that is, the TV series Rome). That's a hell of an angle.

 

[felipepepe]

"I spent 10 years creating a RPG where most people die on the first fight - and I'm ok with that".

Then rant about how modern games are too easy, how players are lazy and want to be pandered, about the "awesome mode" and how spoiled brats can't take failure.

 

[SniperHF]

The best angle is THIS IS AN ANCIENT ROME RPG NOTHING LIKE THIS HAS EVER BEEN MADE OMG (well, okay, Nethergate)

In fact, I'd go further than that. It's the closest thing you'll ever get to Rome: The RPG (that is, the TV series Rome). That's a hell of an angle.

TBH when I play AoD I don't really feel the Roman vibe all that much. I think the games scale and mostly modern styled writing don't really payoff that angle. The only time it ever feels a little "imperial" is in a few sections with Gaelius. It's more post-western-Roman but not Rome itself, more the outskirts, feeling with a dash of low fantasy. That doesn't really drive home the grandiosity most people associate with Rome in media.

The backstabbing and double dealing could be a way to brand it though. I was especially pleased with on my most recent playthrough seeing all the different ways my Thief could switch sides.

"I spent 10 years creating a RPG where most people die on the first fight - and I'm ok with that".

Then rant about how modern games are too easy, how players are lazy and want to be pandered, about the "awesome mode" and how spoiled brats can't take failure.

That would certainly be good drama.


Oh, and long live the awesome button.

 

[laclongquan]

I think it's more eastern roman empire, like the period of Justinian hold Constantinople (aka Byzantium and Istanbul), than post-Republic.

 

[Infinitron]

TBH when I play AoD I don't really feel the Roman vibe all that much. I think the games scale and mostly modern styled writing don't really payoff that angle. The only time it ever feels a little "imperial" is in a few sections with Gaelius. It's more post-western-Roman but not Rome itself, more the outskirts, feeling with a dash of low fantasy. That doesn't really drive home the grandiosity most people associate with Rome in media.

Well, I am talking about marketing.

 

[SniperHF]

I think it's more eastern roman empire, like the period of Justinian hold Constantinople (aka Byzantium and Istanbul), than post-Republic.

If you work for the Aurelians and a little bit with the Merchants you can get that vibe. But most other playthroughs really don't see that angle very well. You spend a lot of time in shit holes like Teron or the Maadoran slums. Or the Arena for example, feels a lot like the first town in the movie Gladiator where Maximus was a prisoner.

Well, I am talking about marketing.

True.

 

[Lacrymas]

Stirring up drama worked for Hatred and that game, I'm told, is shit. The Masses(tm) are easily impressed by fake controversy and could be taken advantage of if one knows how.

 

[Lurker King]

Guys, this debate about possible strategies involving youtubers and game reviews is cool and stuff, but we need to ensure the more obvious work is done. Vahhabyte gave the best advice on the ITS forum:

What really matters now is increasing game coverage and promotion via reposting, translating and writing articles.

It would probably do the trick if AoD fans from different world countries started reposting AoD information and reviews at their local RPG fan boards, communities and publics the way I have been doing on Russian speaking Internets since around 2010.

The steps are easy:
- google a dozen RPG communities in your language and get registered there
- post a detailed and vivid review including game features, screenshots, videos and your personal impressions
- repeat x 12 times
- monitor the replies and respond to praise and criticism. Feed the trolls, to make the discussion lively and emotional Wink

Global English speaking RPG fan communities and boards should be targeted especially. Even Craig's list and Reddit, there are many RPG discussions there.

Make it viral and it will work! It did work well on the Russian speaking Internets. Various Russian game magazines and dedicated RPG portals were retransmitting the news and even interviewed Vince a couple of times.

 

[Lurker King]

I expect a lot of people intend to do 2nd playthrough. Especially since, you know, its fucking free.

All due respect, but I don't believe in a word of it. Moreover, with playthroughs or not, that is not an excuse for not buying AoD.

 

[IHaveHugeNick]

All due respect, but I don't believe in a word of it. Moreover, with playthroughs or not, that is not an excuse for not buying AoD.

Believe whatever the fuck you want. Every game gets biggest peak in Steam sales first on launch, and then when it comes on sales. Its a niche genre, and when part of the fanbase during launch is interested in playing somethng else, that hurts your exposure badly. That's just how it works.

 

[Lurker King]

Believe whatever the fuck you want. Every game gets biggest peak in Steam sales first on launch, and then when it comes on sales. Its a niche genre, and when part of the fanbase during launch is interested in playing somethng else, that hurts your exposure badly. That's just how it works.

Any intelligent person who have a clue about the quality of AoD would never miss its release just to replay W2 or D:OS.

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

You can also try some SEO-ish stuff (not that search rankings matter as much as getting people over to your site): create info graphics, videos, compelling content about RPGs for other rpg sites to link to. Not directly AoD related.

For example, an info graphic on what makes an RPG (just an example, come up with your own ideas based on what's relevant and what the market likes). Then shop around your content to various RPG sites.

Probably more useful to do this after AoD is released though. The initial pr boom of a newly released game is probably more link worthy than an infographic, video or interview on the nature of RPGs or whatever.

 

[Kem0sabe]

Don't think the sales increase, if any, will be worth the effort. The core audience for the game has for the most part bought the game already, and new sales will either come from it being featured in the front page of steam/gog or discounts.

 

[Lacrymas]

I haven't bought it yet. Mostly because I had forgotten about it at one point and only after my signing up here did I remember about it. Now that it's so close to release I'll just wait for it. I'm assuming that I'm not the only one in a similar situation.

 

[Infinitron]

I think a lot of the people who bought AoD probably aren't part of the core audience but rather random Steamers who bought into the Early Access fad of 2013.

 

[Vault Dweller]

We didn't have a strong start and sold about 3,500 copies on Steam in 2013. We sold about 6,000 in 2014 and about 4,500 in 2015 so far.

 

[IHaveHugeNick]

Any intelligent person who have a clue about the quality of AoD would never miss its release just to replay W2 or D:OS.

How fucking thick are you? Please go to your nearest post office, buy a big box that can handle your 500 lbs, go inside, mail yourself to some deserted island , go out and preach your worthless opinions to some coconuts.

To "have a clue" about AoD's quality, you would have to buy it in a first place. People who already bought don't count into the whatever additional sales ITS needs to break even.

Jesus Christ, you are literally brain damaged.

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

Or they could play the demo...

But yes, they'd be pretty far into the sales process to get that point.

We didn't have a strong start and sold about 3,500 copies on Steam in 2013. We sold about 6,000 in 2014 and about 4,500 in 2015 so far.

well, it was early access and it's not like you had a Kickstarter or anything.

What's been the deciding factor in the sales increase over the years? Word of mouth? Coverage from various interviews? Steam sales?

 

[Infinitron]

Or they could play the demo...

But yes, they'd be pretty far into the sales process to get that point.
well, it was early access and it's not like you had a Kickstarter or anything.

What's been the deciding factor in the sales increase over the years? Word of mouth? Coverage from various interviews? Steam sales?

The game was released in November 2013. I don't think sales increased much over the years.