(off topic) Regarding game distribution.

Hi folks,

sorry, i know it’s the wrong place to ask, but i realy need your help!
I’ve just finished a game that i’ve developped together with a few friends.
Now we have to publish the game. The problem is that we have (almost) no
ideas how to get the rest of the world aware of it.

The ideas we’ve had are:

  • Announce the game on the usenet (and of course opengl.org).
  • Asking at Shareware/Freeware sites for a link and maybe an assessment.
  • Collecting informations about computer/games magazines and ask them if
    they would:
    1. Publish the game on the magazine’s cd.
    2. Add a link from there website to our (not yet online) site.
    3. Ask (how much it would be) if they would print an assessment.
  • Spammails. Improper, because most people (like myself) get annoyed of
    spammails. I realy don’t like to use spammails, but i’m uncertain…
    Would you use spammails to advert your game? Please let me also know if
    you have any experiance about the successrate of spammails.

I’m uncertain. Most likely we’ve forgotten some other promising ways that
would get our game well known. Thats why i ask for your advice. So please
post a reply if you have any ideas that would lead to a few downloads more.

I’m also very interrested in links to websites of computer/game magazines
and shareware/freeware sites. Please post at least a link to the website of
your favorite computer/game magazin.

Any advice is welcome!
Thanks in advance,
Mike.

Well most obviously you would post your advertisement in a (gameforum) messageboard in a distinctive way, with preferably over 20 000 members, against a low fee. That would be my two cents.

If the game is good and addictive enough it should spread word to word to all the computer game-freaks, like myself ^_^.

I usually get to notice new games via my local television, never in the newspaper, messageboards, popular programming site’s, or in the local shops. I sometimes get friends to share them with me(rare).

Anyway if you can get your game to be as addictive and social contact giving as let’s say Runescape, which you can find on www.jagex.com , everyone there is spreading the word to their friends about the game, wether you like it or not. It’s superaddictive and for me really good example for you on how to start out.

Hope that helps.

Hi again,

thanks for your two cents darketernal!

I’ve found a great site with message boards regarding shareware development and marketing/publishing. It can be found at www.dexterity.com

Maybe this info is usefull for somebody…