Unhealthy interest in sales figures

[Vault Dweller]

Everyone likes women.

 

[Jaesun]

That art is fucking KICK ASS <3

 

[Urbanolo]

So should i buy it now or will the discount increase this summer sale? 21 euro is a lot for a poor potato.

 

[Goral]

VD has explained everything here: http://steamcommunity.com/app/230070/discussions/0/598198173702591630/
The game is already with a discount. After Summer Sale it will go up to 28 euro and stay like that for 6 months so grab it now, it's worth way more than that.

Gra jest naprawdę świetna, najlepsze cRPG w jakie grałem (nie licząc Fallouta 1). Jak nie kupisz teraz to będziesz żałował, bo cena na pewno nie spadnie prędko. A piracenie tej niszowej gry byłoby zbrodnią, to już lepiej olać inne gry i dopłacić do tej.

 

[t]

So should i buy it now or will the discount increase this summer sale? 21 euro is a lot for a poor potato.

Kupuj dusigroszu.

 

[Urbanolo]

Bought it fellas

 

[Kos_Koa]

That art is fucking KICK ASS <3

<3 Once I finish some of the few remaining tasks I plan to polish it up a bit and post it as a wallpaper for those who like that kind of stuff. It's been a low priority since there were a lot of essential things we needed to implement into the game sooner, but now that we're so close to release I can eventually focus on it, and IF we get some media coverage we can use it for promotional material as well.

Just to give you guys an idea on how close we are to release, this is the list of remaining tasks I made for myself about a week ago, and their current status.

-"Mysterious Orb" (Done, as well as slipped in another artifact icon for good measure)
-Two City Maps (Almost completed one of them, I should be able to send it to the guys later today for feedback/implementation)
-Promotional Illustration aka Capsule (Uploaded to Steam early due to the sudden summer sale suggestion, will eventually improve it)
-Remaining portraits

Lydia
Bassar​

Spoiler

and "super evil" Meru

-Remaining achievements.​

So that is the list from last week, so it might take another week or two to complete the remaining work, and we will see what pops up from here to release. Some low priority stuff (like improving the main UI and dialogue window, portrait improvements, etc) will likely be the last remaining things I have left. ITZ coming fellas!

 

[Ninjerk]

 

[StaticSpine]

Just to give you guys an idea on how close we are to release, this is the list of remaining tasks I made for myself about a week ago, and their current status.

-"Mysterious Orb" (Done, as well as slipped in another artifact icon for good measure)
-Two City Maps (Almost completed one of them, I should be able to send it to the guys later today for feedback/implementation)
-Promotional Illustration aka Capsule (Uploaded to Steam early due to the sudden summer sale suggestion, will eventually improve it)
-Remaining portraits

Lydia
Bassar​

Spoiler

and "super evil" Meru

-Remaining achievements.​

+ Steam Cards

I believe they bring some extra potato for the developer amirite. So why not adding them?

 

[Kos_Koa]

+ Steam Cards

I believe they bring some extra potato for the developer amirite. So why not adding them?

I'm not very familiar with steam cards or how they work (is it to trade with players to collect full sets for badges?), but I'm sure I can whip some up once I finish the remaining tasks. If people like collecting them, then why not?

 

[StaticSpine]

+ Steam Cards

I believe they bring some extra potato for the developer amirite. So why not adding them?

I'm not very familiar with steam cards or how they work (is it to trade with players to collect full sets for badges?), but I'm sure I can whip some up once I finish the remaining tasks. If people like collecting them, then why not?

yup and also the devs (along with steam) get a commision from every operation with those cards

 

[Goral]

+ Steam Cards

I believe they bring some extra potato for the developer amirite. So why not adding them?

You know what brings even more potato? Sex cards.

In all seriousness though I don't like the idea but if it helps with sales...

 

[Crooked Bee]

Hey, VD, on main steam page i spotted this:

It is new?
It is fucking great.

I missed this. Did they really (finally) promote AoD on the front page? Incline if so.

 

[Suicidal Meat Slapper]

Hey, VD, on main steam page i spotted this:

It is new?
It is fucking great.

I approve of this new cover. Don't know why I haven't done so yet, but give me a few days and you'll have my money. If it weren't for the liberals, this would have been in my library years ago.

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

I think they are doing a main page slider that is based around your interests right now. I downloaded a weeaboo visual novel and rpg maker a while back and now my main page is filled with weeaboo crap along with RPGs and strategy games - which I actually am interested in.

I see AAA game launches from time to time too though, so I think the promo at launch policy is still in effect as well though, so we can probably look forward to AoD being on everyone's front page too once it is released.

 

[darthaegis]

I think they are doing a main page slider that is based around your interests right now. I downloaded a weeaboo visual novel and rpg maker a while back and now my main page is filled with weeaboo crap along with RPGs and strategy games - which I actually am interested in.

I see AAA game launches from time to time too though, so I think the promo at launch policy is still in effect as well though, so we can probably look forward to AoD being on everyone's front page too once it is released.

You can customise the stuff you see on the front page, but it usually will give you "recommended" crap (I myself have mostly wRPGs on my account but Gaben insists on trying to sell me weaboo shit) and releases.

 

[Zorba the Hutt]

I wonder how much impact being in the sale (and announcing a future price increase) had on sales. I've seen a number of people say they've been thinking of getting it for ages but now bought it while it was on sale.

 

[Vault Dweller]

We went from selling 5-7 copies a day to 50-120 a day.

 

[Goral]

We went from selling 5-7 copies a day to 50-120 a day.

So how many copies have you sold to this day if I may ask? Have you surpassed 15k already?

 

[Vault Dweller]

12,273 copies on Steam, 14,997 overall.

 

[Goral]

12,273 copies on Steam, 14,997 overall.

Thought it would be close.

What AoD needs is a marketing campaign. I remember there were plans for a donation drive for that particular objective and I would definitely donate for that purpose. Then again I wouldn't donate more than 10$ and even if 15k people would donate that amount (which is extremely unlikely) advertisement in a major gaming magazine or a gaming portal must be insanely expensive. Out of curiosity I've checked the cost of advertisement in the biggest Polish gaming magazine (CD-Action, with average circulation of 130k copies) and the prices start from 12.5k PLN (about 3.4k$) for a 1/4th of a page in some obscure place to 78k PLN (21.4k$) on undercover (or whatever it's called in English). I imagine that in the biggest US magazine the numbers would be the same, only instead of "PLN" there would be "USD".

 

[tuluse]

Website and magazine ads are not very cost effective. I believe Charles-cgr tried on on RPS and didn't have good results.

 

[Vault Dweller]

What AoD needs is a marketing campaign.

It does.

I remember there were plans for a donation drive for that particular objective and I would definitely donate for that purpose.

We wouldn't ask people to donate for marketing. We're only asking to buy the game if they liked the demo and help us spread the word.

Then again I wouldn't donate more than 10$ and even if 15k people would donate that amount (which is extremely unlikely) advertisement in a major gaming magazine or a gaming portal must be insanely expensive. Out of curiosity I've checked the cost of advertisement in the biggest Polish gaming magazine (CD-Action, with average circulation of 130k copies) and the prices start from 12.5k PLN (about 3.4k$) for a 1/4th of a page in some obscure place to 78k PLN (21.4k$) on undercover (or whatever it's called in English). I imagine that in the biggest US magazine the numbers would be the same, only instead of "PLN" there would be "USD".

Most likely. I think we're too niche to benefit from magazine ads (the chance to stumble upon a person who likes the game would be very small). Such ads work best for mass appeal games/products.

 

[Zorba the Hutt]

I'd guess that for niche games word of mouth would ultimately work best. When it's finished I plan to buy copies for a few friends who I think may enjoy that sort of game, I'll suggest that if they like the game they in turn buy a copy for someone else. I think many people who grow to appreciate AoD become very big supporters of it, but some are put off almost immediately as it's not for everyone. So by passing it on to, say, 3 suitable people, perhaps one will take the message on in turn.

 

[Goral]

Website and magazine ads are not very cost effective. I believe Charles-cgr tried on on RPS and didn't have good results.

Maybe he should have tried IGN then . Or bribe kingcomrade TotalBiscuit. In all seriousness though, in your opinion what would be the most efficient way to advertise it? Steam ads?

I think we're too niche to benefit from magazine ads (the chance to stumble upon a person who likes the game would be very small). Such ads work best for mass appeal games/products.

You're probably right. Although I imagine that if an ad of your game would appear in CD-Action Age of Decadence demo would suddenly have a couple of thousands more downloads.

I'd guess that for niche games word of mouth would ultimately work best. When it's finished I plan to buy copies for a few friends who I think may enjoy that sort of game, I'll suggest that if they like the game they in turn buy a copy for someone else. I think many people who grow to appreciate AoD become very big supporters of it, but some are put off almost immediately as it's not for everyone. So by passing it on to, say, 3 suitable people, perhaps one will take the message on in turn.

I'm getting an additional GOG copy for myself but nothing more I'm afraid. Maybe once the price will go down I'll buy another copy and give it to someone, although I'm not sure if any of my friends would appreciate this kind of cRPG...