Yes gameplay is more important than graphics...but graphics is like the sexy dancing girl in a videoclip...They're not the priority but they sure make the videoclip more interesting And yes you have to improve the graphics of your game man and put upgrades, different maps/levels, bosses...maybe some nice musics and sound fx would be nice too... If you need any help for your project contact me via msn: [email protected] Good luck! Dom
Thanks for all your comments. Besides the graphics i'm also tweaking the gameplay to make it more fun. In this review he writes about alot of thinks i'm now trying to fix http://ifanzine.com/ipirate-battle-review
I would imagine 1) Regular updates 2) Keep yourself in the news 3) Get a background story and theme together that gets people involved and caring for what happens to game characters 4) Be interactive with game players so they become involved with the game's development
Do you bother to look at all things Apple sells with a lower case 'i' in the name? iPhone, iPad, iPod, iMac, iEverything...
further reading! I found this book very helpful http://www.amazon.com/iPhone-iPad-Apps-Marketing-Biz-Tech/dp/0789744279/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1288713254&sr=1-2 Which kind of lead me to the conclusion the app doesn't have to be great but the way you sell it does! To get good coverage you need to use as many tools out there as possible like facebook, twitter, blogs, ads, reviews, PR companies like P.R Mac etc, which has helped us take our sales from very poor to ok! Another thing to consider is what do you want with regards to sales? As we've found it makes sense to plan and aim for sustainable growth but always keep an eye on the big hit, which hasn't come yet!!
Chillingo has just release a new game (wackyland Boss) a few days ago and it got featured! I guess the only working marketing strategy cannot be told to the public.
I agree big publishers have a direct line to apple but working at that disadvantage indies can still make money!
Personally I think what matters the most when it comes to marketing is visibility. The more people see and know about your app the more people who are going to buy it. No matter how crappy your app is, or how terrible the description, or how ugly the art or the icon, if it is displayed somewhere prominent that A LOT of people see (like the App Store featured area), you are going to get a bunch of downloads. Obviously the better your app, the more likely it is that it will get featured for free, either by blogs writing about it, or maybe by Apple featuring it, or maybe even fans posting on forums and gameplay videos on youtube. Otherwise you can always pay to get your app featured. If a blog won't write about, you can simply buy their banner ad. It is important though to know which ads are worth the money. What I recommend doing is looking at which apps are in the top lists, especially new ones, then looking to see where they are being promoted. FAAD for example seems to work very well for free apps, and almost every game featured on FAAD seems to end up being in the Top 25 list. Oh, and don't think that a game like Angry Birds doesn't need advertising to stay in the top. It wasn't that long ago that I saw an Angry Birds banner ad on Touch Arcade.
my 2 cents worth Hi Just thought I would give my two cents worth, since you asked. please dont take offence, this is being provided as constructive criticism Commercial advertising rarely works for indie developers, budget is simply not there, nor is know how. Word of mouth is the strngest real tool you have. To get word of mouth in your favour you need the following 1) Your graphics need to be more interseting, eye candy is what will get people to pay attention to your advertising, this includes your icon (advertising includes but not limited to posting in appstore), your youtubes, your screen shots and the actual game itself. if you need help, check how the pro's show off there apps and imitate them without ripping nthem off. 2) Originality is lacking - I titles work for Apple, everyone else who uses it automatically feel like imitators. Pick a smarter name. Possibly linked to story line, etc. Be creative - If your going to reinvent the wheel, make sure its better. As it stands, there are literally thousands of tittles that are identical to yours, most of which are , (please dont take offence0 better. Your game is just fine but doesn't bring anything to the table. 3) Compeling story. Do not underestimate the ability for a story line to keep people playing and get them to talk about your product. 4) gamplay with a difference, need to provide different levels with different textures goals etc, even if its just a survival game, you need variety and it has to be fun, balanced and rhythmic. Whats rythmic, basically the pace and tempo of the game must start slow and build tension up effectivly. The player must never feel overwhelmed and the game must last longer than a few secondsor even a few minutes. This is the art of level design. 5) Gameplay depth, people need a reason to play your app a second time. Either to reach a goal or to beat some record, or best of all, to continue a story. 6) Easter eggs, finding unexpected unique stuff along the way has the ability to keep people playing, looking for the eggs, hard to impliment this without experience as people may just find it silly or inapropriate if done wrong. Be subtle and assume the players will be smart enough to find your eggs. The appstore is great for indie gammers, puts you on near the same level as the big boys, in fact, many indies made it to the big time thanks to the app store. But There is way too much competion for people to notice or care about something that lacks in any of the above. No other platform isd more over exposed as the I devices. Ipirates is a good learning experience and shows your potential. I would use it as a learning experience and begin a new title. Something with more vision and scope. You obviously have the courage to make a game, now do you have the courage to make a great one?
