Game News Age of Decadence May Update

[Lumpy]

By it very nature AoD is a niche game, and word of mouth doesn't work all that well on niche games. It's not like it's a sorta new implementation of an existing concept elsewhere like Minecraft or a popular genre with a sorta new twist like Braid or just something that used to be really fucking popular like Meat Boy. Chances are niche games are known already to a sizeable fraction of their target audience long before they're released.

That's silly. AoD is a game that can appeal to all people who played the old Fallouts, PS:T, Arcanum, etc. I very much doubt the majority of those people are hardcore RPG fans - even if they were at the time, they probably went on with their lives since then. But if they happen to see a game review and find the game on Steam, or see the game on Steam straight away, there's a good chance that they might buy it.

 

[Zomg]

If you hit the right tone of internet marketing you absolutely can sell a nutrumbling number of copies for an indie, between the combat demo and the quest design unless you have fucked up something bad that I can't see there is nothing to stop it. Stuff that is much shittier has done it, like that Jap doujinshi game that became a message board fad from a few months back. It probably won't because quality doesn't have much to do with it, but I guess you will regret it if you don't take a level shot at it and shill shill shill

 

[J_J_M]

If AoD is any good, I'll make sure I viral it on every other board I'm on.

As for Steam. From what I've seen, there are a lot of impulse buyers who will buy smaller, cheaper games after hearing positive feedback or seeing a trailer video. All it takes for it is to become the "flavor of the day" on a couple of video game boards and plenty of people will buy it on Steam and spread the word.

Eschalon and some of the other titles mentioned here probably appeal more to older hardcore gamers in general, but if AoD is done right, it has the potential to tap into the Fallout, BG, Arcanum, JA2 crowd who are much more casual in that respect.

 

[sgc_meltdown]

That's silly. AoD is a game that can appeal to all people who played the old Fallouts, PS:T, Arcanum, etc. I very much doubt the majority of those people are hardcore RPG fans - even if they were at the time, they probably went on with their lives since then. But if they happen to see a game review and find the game on Steam, or see the game on Steam straight away, there's a good chance that they might buy it.

How does this conflict with my post? Those are niche games. If they weren't then Mass Effect would be a 3rd person isometric tactical squad combat game with a b-movie plot aka Jagged Alliance 2 Roleplaying in Space Edition. If they weren't then Jeff Vogel would not be whining about not having money come his way to fund PR events for his sequel releases.

If you mean the internet lovefest for these games, it's largely irrelevant for the original creators and borne from decades later discount bin store/digital purchases, rapidshare links and torrents. And all the while their current (spiritual)sequels have what, ten times the sales? You need some serious internet 15-30 manchild cocksucking or to click with the gaming mindset on some primal level to have comparable success. How well did all the dungeon crawlers like Devil Whiskey fare compared to Arcania? If there is this hidden well of receptiveness, where are the smash indie tr00 rpg hits?

 

[Jasede]

Would you think it's fair to say that most of these Indie RPGs just aren't that good? Either that, or how easy they are to Megaupload.

I mean, the Touhou fandom (seems) huge- yet the developer isn't rich as every single fan in the US just downloads them from somewhere.

 

[Awor Szurkrarz]

I haven't seen an indie game that would come anywhere near the level of Fallout or JA2. The same with X-Com remakes. Everything is inferior as it's made by some random beginner indie devs, not fucking veterans. Most of the classics weren't made by a bunch of random guys but by devs who had several games under their belt. And often by whole teams of such devs.

I mean, the Touhou fandom (seems) huge- yet the developer isn't rich as every single fan in the US just downloads them from somewhere.

Are Touchou games even sold outside Japan? Do they have official translations and distribution?

 

[sgc_meltdown]

Popcap games are easy to megaupload as well and yet I think their CEO can afford the good hookers now. I think the profit margin is defined by the ratio of people with aspergers to casual macbook gamers you're attracting to your product

therefore with the 95% to 5% ratio here for touhou games I have scientifically determined the developer is doomed to forever rage at why Recettear outsold all his shit

 

[Castanova]

For what my insignificant opinion is worth, I think the added revenue from random Steam users getting the game would outweigh the loss in revenue from the Steam 25% share of the people who buy it on Steam who otherwise would have bought it direct from Iron Tower. Furthermore, even if Steam meant some loss in revenue on AoD, I think the added exposure would create cachet in the average Steam user's mind that would positively alter their decision to buy future releases (assuming Iron Tower puts anything else out).

 

[sgc_meltdown]

added revenue from random Steam users getting the game

Age of Decadence: Steam Edition

featuring three exclusive magical items that will tip the balance of destiny to your character's favor and a free rpgcodex patron account

 

[Jasede]

Buy Age of Decadence now at Gamestop for the unique GLADIATOR skin and the custom IMPALER spear.

Power to the players.

 

[sgc_meltdown]

Lets just wait for the game of the year edition first so we can experience AoD as the developer intended

 

[Clockwork Knight]

Buy Age of Decadence now at Gamestop for the unique GLADIATOR skin and the custom IMPALER spear.

Power to the players.

That's actually a good idea. People love "exclusive" content.

I mean, the Touhou fandom (seems) huge- yet the developer isn't rich as every single fan in the US just downloads them from somewhere.

Are Touchou games even sold outside Japan? Do they have official translations and distribution?

People could just import, they're shmups. If you really need to know why are you dodging all those bullets, you could just read the script online.

 

[Awor Szurkrarz]

I mean, the Touhou fandom (seems) huge- yet the developer isn't rich as every single fan in the US just downloads them from somewhere.

Are Touchou games even sold outside Japan? Do they have official translations and distribution?

People could just import, they're shmups. If you really need to know why are you dodging all those bullets, you could just read the script online.

Wouldn't they have to get through a moonspeak store and pay for shipping from Japan, though? And is it even sold from Japan to US/EU?

 

[Jasede]

Nah, there's three english web sites importing these kind of games.

 

[sgc_meltdown]

Wouldn't they have to get through a moonspeak store and pay for shipping from Japan, though? And is it even sold from Japan to US/EU?

100% chance there are weeaboo online stores that sell stuff like that along with pillows with pictures of undressed cartoon schoolgirls and pocky. Or anime conventions. Do they have that in potatoland?

 

[Awor Szurkrarz]

I see. It would be weird to collect moonspeak boxes, and instructions, though.

 

[Jasede]

You haven't seen weird until you made friends with a Touhou-nerd who constantly links you pictures to his Japanese Touhou love pillow collection while pointing out at every turn how successful at life he claims to be.

 

[Awor Szurkrarz]

You haven't seen weird until you made friends with a Touhou-nerd who constantly links you pictures to his Japanese Touhou love pillow collection while pointing out at every turn how successful at life he claims to be.

Jesus Fucking Christ.

Well, if he can afford collecting Japanese Touhou love pillows, he's probably pretty successful at life.

 

[sgc_meltdown]

At least you can definitely do something with the pillows. Anime fans of a show where little girls play guitar will now buy real life replicas of the guitars just to hang on their wall.

 

[Awor Szurkrarz]

Jesus Fucking Christ. Kill it with fire.

What a lack of good taste.
It's so disgusting. A good love pillow should be covered with burgundy or gold satin, not with jap shit