Colony Ship Early Access Release Thread [GAME RELEASED, GO TO NEW THREAD]

[Elhoim]

If Colony Ship fails to sell enough to pay for the sequel, we're out of business

Isn't downscaling a posibility? back to more humble ends, older looking graphics, smaller team... AoD's allure wasn't the visual aspect exactly.

Older looking graphics would be an stylistic choice at this point, not a time saving feature. Heck, it's even faster now, I don't have to do the lightmaps on 3DS Max anymore, and we are using lots of assets from the UE marketplace. In these two years in EA we made a lot more locations in CSG than what we did for AoD in those two years (AoD went more content complete into EA, but had way longer development beforehand).

Graphics of the game are better and faster to do than in AoD. Plus the engine itself makes any crappy model look great, I could drop the AoD assets and they'd look much better.

 

[Sòren]

i have heard there is supposed to another training-token password for the terminal in the tunnels at ECLS. anyone knows where i can find that?

 

[Diggfinger]

If Colony Ship fails to sell enough to pay for the sequel, we're out of business

Isn't downscaling a posibility? back to more humble ends, older looking graphics, smaller team... AoD's allure wasn't the visual aspect exactly.

Older looking graphics would be an stylistic choice at this point, not a time saving feature. Heck, it's even faster now, I don't have to do the lightmaps on 3DS Max anymore, and we are using lots of assets from the UE marketplace. In these two years in EA we made a lot more locations in CSG than what we did for AoD in those two years (AoD went more content complete into EA, but had way longer development beforehand).

Graphics of the game are better and faster to do than in AoD. Plus the engine itself makes any crappy model look great, I could drop the AoD assets and they'd look much better.

AoD: Diretor's Cut, when !?

 

[Elhoim]

i have heard there is supposed to another training-token password for the terminal in the tunnels at ECLS. anyone knows where i can find that?

The gas filled ladder in that same level, IIRC.

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

After "CS2" however, there is a high chance that Iron Tower will return to solo only adventures due to massive strain scripting for companion deaths and permutations put upon developers. Because immortal companions is the sort of decline they don't want to deal with, even if it would radically solve the issue.

squad based was always a mistake, especially in skillz heavy game

A full party, with player control over the party members, is necessary in order not to waste a turn-based combat system, especially one that was otherwise rather well designed. Dungeon Rats already demonstrated how Age of Decadence could have been much better for combat playthroughs (though obviously this would not affect paths avoiding combat). The presence or absence of non-combat skills is a secondary consideration.

 

[Elhoim]

After "CS2" however, there is a high chance that Iron Tower will return to solo only adventures due to massive strain scripting for companion deaths and permutations put upon developers. Because immortal companions is the sort of decline they don't want to deal with, even if it would radically solve the issue.

squad based was always a mistake, especially in skillz heavy game

A full party, with player control over the party members, is necessary in order not to waste a turn-based combat system, especially one that was otherwise rather well designed. Dungeon Rats already demonstrated how Age of Decadence could have been much better for combat playthroughs (though obviously this would not affect paths avoiding combat). The presence or absence of non-combat skills is a secondary consideration.

Yes, basically, I like how the combat feels with a party, but I agree that being able to cover most of the skills to a very good degree kinda dilutes the "AoD feel". Or even worse, encouraging having skill monkeys for your solo character going back and forth when exploring an area.

 

[thesecret1]

Yes, basically, I like how the combat feels with a party, but I agree that being able to cover most of the skills to a very good degree kinda dilutes the "AoD feel". Or even worse, encouraging having skill monkeys for your solo character going back and forth when exploring an area.

I thought that was the intended way to play.

 

[Elhoim]

Yes, basically, I like how the combat feels with a party, but I agree that being able to cover most of the skills to a very good degree kinda dilutes the "AoD feel". Or even worse, encouraging having skill monkeys for your solo character going back and forth when exploring an area.

I thought that was the intended way to play.

Dumping characters and every time you find a check leave the area, get them, do the check, go back, leave them and repeat the same action in the next check?

No, the idea is that if you are with a party/character, you explore with that party.

 

[thesecret1]

Dumping characters and every time you find a check leave the area, get them, do the check, go back, leave them and repeat the same action in the next check?

Oh, no, I meant skill monkeying PC while companions do all the fighting

 

[Elhoim]

Dumping characters and every time you find a check leave the area, get them, do the check, go back, leave them and repeat the same action in the next check?

Oh, no, I meant skill monkeying PC while companions do all the fighting

That's fine, it doesn't disrupt the exploration aspect and game flow at all.

 

[Abu Antar]

Not that it would considerably boost sales (idk), but I'd send keys to people who play rpgs on YouTube, like Colonel RPG, Cohh Carnage, Mortismal Gaming, Bumpy McSquigums and some non-English strwamers. Send keys to GameBanshee, RPGWatch, and ask someone on here to review the game.

I don't know if sites like RPGSite, RPGFan, and RPGamer would be interested, but it's worth a try.

 

[Whisper]

This is marketing malpractice. I repeat:

I think Vault Dweller needs to try to aggressively upsell Colony Ship to Age of Decadence owners. That's your surest bet - people who you know have already paid money for that sort of game. Find a way to remind them you exist.

To market anything you need a budget and an outlet (media willing to cover the game). We have neither.

That is easy. Just ask streamers, millions of people are watching them.
This way you do not spend money, maybe only for free copy of game, and get a lot publicity.

 

[None]

Hydroponics beta is out for anyone interested in giving it a whirl.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Not that it would considerably boost sales (idk), but I'd send keys to people who play rpgs on YouTube, like Colonel RPG, Cohh Carnage, Mortismal Gaming, Bumpy McSquigums and some non-English strwamers.

We did it on release. Mortismal did two videos, one on release, one a year later. Bumpy works for IndieBros know who helped us with our EA launch, Colonel did a whole series of videos, Splattercat did two 250k views videos, etc.

 

[oasis789]

can you get sseth or mandalorian

 

[Trithne]

can you get sseth or mandalorian

Of the two, CS is much more a Mandy thing, but given the nature of his videos it's unlikely that he'd be able to put one out quickly, he seems to want to finish the game in question several times to cover all the angles. A Mandalore review of CS is the sort of thing that would be excellent to have happen while CS2 was in EA, but we have to reach a point that there can be a CS2 in EA.

I too bought the game on GoG, and while I'll certainly throw a review up on there, it doesn't help with getting Steam to the magical ratio.

 

[The Wall]

Step 1: Make list of Youtubers whose audience is interested in hardcore cRPGs like Colony Ship. SplatterCatGaming has brought attention of most eyeballs so far
Step 0: Realize that YouTube, Twitch, forums are places where you should be knocking. Fuck GameJewrnalists, GaminingNews sites are DEAD
Step 2: To Be Continued. . .
Codex can help with Step 1. SplatterCatGaming, MortismalGaming are good start

 

[The Wall]

NEXT: What are your MAIN markets? From which countries come most of your purchases, TOP5 countries, historically for AoD franchise and now for Colony Ship. Then do research what are most popular YouTubers from those countries that cover Role-Playing games and SCI-FI as topics. Put them all on the List

 

[Vault Dweller]

can you get sseth or mandalorian

They expressed some interest (meaning they didn't say no) so they might do it in the future.

Step 1: Make list of Youtubers whose audience is interested in hardcore cRPGs like Colony Ship. SplatterCatGaming has brought attention of most eyeballs so far

That was the first thing we did when we released on Early Access.

 

[The Wall]

I'll try to free-of-charge help you with marketing Colony Ship as much as possible. I'll rejoin brainstorming here after Ortodox Easter.
There are some new ideas I have that might be good. Others might have good ideas too. BY THE POWER OF RPG CODEX! Colony Ship will sell well

Quick idea: Give to YouTubers from "Da List" a week early access to new content of new Chapters. Give them something exclusive, they'll more readily give you coverage. Somethin for Somethin

 

[Vault Dweller]

The YTers we contacted (over 100 people) got Steam keys so they can access it whenever they please (which explains SplatterCat's and Mortismal's second videos). We don't do exclusive content; when a new location or update is ready, it goes to the players first, not the media.

Overall, I wouldn't describe the situation as bad or dire. RPGs in Early Access are a very hard sell (megahits like BG3 are an exceptions, of course), so we'll wait until release and see what happens. We got into Steam festivals like TurnBasedFest and the upcoming TactiCon, which is a big plus. We still have all 'visibility rounds' (we spent all AoD's rounds in EA, which was a mistake), planned post-release updates, etc.

 

[Jaedar]

. Or even worse, encouraging having skill monkeys for your solo character going back and forth when exploring an area.

What is the benefit of dumping your party while exploring? Or do you mean swapping in each of the party members as needed for checks, while pc is a murderhobo?

We still have all 'visibility rounds' (we spent all AoD's rounds in EA, which was a mistake), planned post-release updates, etc.

What are visibility rounds?

 

[just]

look at all these armchair marketers
just put something controversial about jews in the game and you'll have all the publicity you want

 

[Butter]

look at all these armchair marketers
just put something controversial about jews in the game and you'll have all the publicity you want

Nothing wrong with this approach.

 

[agris]

Overall, I wouldn't describe the situation as bad or dire. RPGs in Early Access are a very hard sell (megahits like BG3 are an exceptions, of course), so we'll wait until release and see what happens. We got into Steam festivals like TurnBasedFest and the upcoming TactiCon, which is a big plus. We still have all 'visibility rounds' (we spent all AoD's rounds in EA, which was a mistake), planned post-release updates, etc.

I know we’ve spoken about this before, but I still think you’re leaving the lowest hanging fruit on the table: publishing all the beta and non-beta updates to the Steam updates channel. People who have jammed “follow” on CS’s landing page, or just casual perusers, will see the steady flow of work that is actually being done.

You may think it’s trivial, or self aggrandizing, or just noise; yet, every game I’ve ever seen where the devs were diligent about this was both met with widespread appreciation by the owners (you have this already in most CS owners id imagine) *as well as* new people who had just found the game. Especially when it’s in EA, prospective buyers like to see steady progress.

The most recent update shown is from 2 months ago.

You and the team do a good job of communicating and being available to owners / ITS fans. A bit more communication to the uncommitted could not hurt, especially when I know y’all are writing detailed patch logs / notes.

Personally, I think every beta and non-beta update should be reflected there. It’s free, zero cost reminders to potential customers that the game is steadily improving.