If any of you recall, I released a game called Dubious Fudge about two months ago. Since then, I've been updating the graphics and programming of the game, and I've finally release the patch for the game, as well as redesigned my website to be a bit more appealing and information-oriented on the game. Trailers and videos will be coming soon, and I've paid for some advertisements to go up on various websites.
Feel free to go look at the patch screenshots in the Media section on the Dubious Fudge website, http://dubiousfudge.co.nr . You can also access it through my main site, http://murderslastcrow.co.nr . Thanks for all the support I received on these forums leading up to the release, as well as suggestions for the patch. It has been very well appreciated, and put to good use.
The CD order will be available, soon, which will be a nice milestone in the distribution of this game. It will be sold in several retailers in my home state of Utah. If anyone knows of some way I could get better distribution, please contact me via email, hereliespooroldjack(at)gmail[dot]com.
Take a look and tell me what you think.
P.S. Everyone's been asking for a demo of the game, but there is very little to be done about a demo-stage. Sure, it may be fun to create, but I don't see it being very meaningful to the game's main focus. Also, I know it's a good marketing technique, but it's sold pretty well without a demo, and the trailers and gameplay videos will be up, soon. I hope that's enough for most people to see the kind of game it is, and if it fits their tastes.
What is it with these lossless png images on everyone's site?! High JPG's are just as good and are a tiny % of the filesize! ¬_¬ Take a screenshot of that page then slice it up in to jpgs!...?
I could reduce the loading time on that site to like 0.8 seconds at the most rather than 1:28 (that going for each page, too) -_- Oh well. Site issues aside, the game looks cool. Like the style of the characters
When the screenshots finally loaded, they didn't show too much... I think if anyone was to download the game they would want some more information and stuff? Least I would, so others are bound to feel the same. Videos say a lot more than words and static images so the sooner you get one of those done - expect your due money etc
Edit: Having read your post again - this is probably why people have asked for a demo too
It would take less than 10 minutes to make a single-level build of your game and release it as a demo. The fact that you don't want to let people play the game before they buy it usually means that it's probably not very good, to be nice about it. Good to hear that sales are okay anyway, though.
As for the website, I think it could be improved a lot. It probably looked okay in Photoshop but there are a lot of things that just don't work well on a website. As Silvernova said, you've used a 400kb image to display text in Arial font. I don't know why.
Also:
Black text on a grey background.
The navigation buttons look awful.
There's no content?
DaVince This fool just HAD to have a custom rating
Registered 04/09/2004
Points 7998
19th July, 2007 at 16:31:06 -
Silvernova: he seems to have used the right file types at the right moments. The background pic is high colour, big, and therefor JPG, but he can afford it to make the small buttons PNG, even if they contain more than a few colours.
Don't worry. I updated the site as a beta. The slices will be made soon, and the navigation buttons refined. The old website's layout needed a lot of work, so I decided to start again, from scratch. I could certainly make a demo level to show off the features of the game, but I'd want to make a brand new level, rather than give people part of the story that comes with the levels in-game.
But definitely, videos would help a lot. The website's layout is technically still under construction, as well, although functional. Thanks for more advice, although it was forseen. Most of all, this was just to let you guys know the patch is finished.
No demo? No buy from me. What do you do if I don't like the game? Steam and other digital distribution websites offer demos. Shops have a returns policy. What is your policy?
I don't agree with your business practice so I'm not touching this game with a bargepole.
One question- how big is too big for a demo? I mean, in your opinion. I have a pretty clear idea, but please give me your maximum for a 2.5d game like this.
Anything over 50mb would be a no-no. Unless it was a big demo. It's hard to say, just assume the overwhelming majority have broadband and don't mind downloading huge files (I wouldn't).
DaVince This fool just HAD to have a custom rating
Registered 04/09/2004
Points 7998
21st July, 2007 at 03:45:20 -
I'd say it depends on the size of the game. If the full game is over 10 hours, give the people enough levels to play approximately 1 hour. 1/10th usually seems like a good factor, though you can cut off even a smaller part if the game's much longer than that (1.5 hours vs 20 hours, for example).
If the play time is difficult to estimate, you could also estimate it by using the amount of levels you have, and how big they are. If there are 10 levels which each are long enough to last an hour, you give a 1 level demo. If the levels are way shorter and much more in number than that, do give away at least three though.
Thanks for the suggestions. I'll have fun designing a demo level. It'll probably include the enemy set that's only seen in cameos, just so fans can have a little something more for downloading it.
The most important part of this project was for me to experiment and find the best ways to achieve the systems I was planning to implement. I've learned a lot, and I've received a lot of positive feedback from those who purchased the game.
But I agree, without enough footage and details, why would you buy a game you know nothing about? That's why the website's still undergoing extensive rehauls. But yes, if you've already purchased the game, just remember to get the patch- it's got some really neat improvements.
I was just browsing the net and ran across the dear old dubious fudge turd again. You guys should really have a look at the conversation on this other forum. This guy ripped off music artists, didn't keep up his end of any bargains made, and doesn't even show any credit to the artists that helped him. There is no credit anywhere to be found. If there is any chance of it being on the game itself, I will never know. This is because this asshole will never get any money from me.
Originally Posted by DaVince [Ectoprods] How can you even expect someone to make their commercially aimed game freeware only because of the music? That's really too much to ask for.
Edited by the Author.
I'm not completely certain if you are saying this to me or not. If you are, then you have misunderstood what was said. The guy promised free copies to the musicians that gave him use of their music. He also promised fair credit of their musical works. Neither of the two was followed through. And for this, I have no respect for this dude.
Edited by the Author.
n/a
DaVince This fool just HAD to have a custom rating
Registered 04/09/2004
Points 7998
27th August, 2007 at 08:07:04 -
Originally Posted by turbulentovercast
Originally Posted by DaVince [Ectoprods] How can you even expect someone to make their commercially aimed game freeware only because of the music? That's really too much to ask for.
Edited by the Author.
I'm not completely certain if you are saying this to me or not. If you are, then you have misunderstood what was said. The guy promised free copies to the musicians that gave him use of their music. He also promised fair credit of their musical works. Neither of the two was followed through. And for this, I have no respect for this dude.
Edited by the Author.
Ahh, okay then. Yeah, that does sound unfair, not doing your promised part of the deal.
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