A Peek At Marketing

                        

So I've already started the ad campaign for "The Amoeba of Light," and we're getting ALOT of attention!

No, I'm just kidding. That looks pretty good doesn't it?

It's important that my game stands out. There are so many other videogames on the Apple Appstore market. There are too many choices, really. No one is ever going to play every game on there. To stand out, you have to step out. Your game can't stand in a line with the other million apps in the store. You have to present yourself right!

The old saying that states, "you can't judge a book by its cover," may be a good moral idea, but most people don't follow it. Of course, I'm referring to books, people, restaurants...pretty much any product or service.

Therefore, a very, very important detail I need to remember when I present my game to the world is how it looks. It must look different, it must look enjoyable. It must look like it will meet the customer's desires.

Let's try something.

Which of these two games looks like a better one?

                        

Did you pick Zelda?  If you did, I agree with you. Did you pick Dispicable Me 2? I disagree.

If you haven't played either of these games, then you judged them by their presentation.

Let's try one more.

                               

If I had never played any of these games (I've played two...I won't tell you which ones. :D ), I would have almost instinctively chosen Halo over Loony Tunes and Wind Waker over Despicable Me. For one, Despicable Me is a game turned movie, which has a bad rap in the gaming community. Secondly, do you see that little red and white logo in the bottom right corner of the Zelda box? That says Nintendo. And for a similar reason, the Halo series has received so much attention, I can just assume it beats Looney Tunes by a longshot.

The fact that the Halo series has been praised so much that it affects my view of it is an indicator that we don't judge by presentation alone. But I don't have a franchise to draw my fame from. So I have to use other methods. As such:

Outstanding Features

All good games have something unique about them. I've already discussed some of these features, so let me share a few new ones:

Wisenchyme as a smart AI. Wisencyme is the "partner in crime" in the story. I made a special note to myself to make him extra smart. Not only does he help you, he has his own opinion. So he may decide not to obey your every command!

Dynamic Backgrounds. As you traverse wide valleys and tall mountains, you'll enjoy the backdrop of animated panoramas. This will be one of those elements that make game critics remark "gorgeous" and "breathtaking." The backgrounds are meant to add not only super realism, but a sense of depth.

Intragameplay Conversation. Do you know how you may speak with a computer player using menus? Think of an RPG game for example. In the AOL, you can converse as you play and move around. People don't really stand in place when they talk. Also, all of the conversations are physically audible (with subtitles).

Celebrity Appeal

Yes, celebrities. I can use this to my advantage. There are two songs featured in the game, "The Light in Me" by Brandon Heath, and "7x70" by Chris August. Both artists tout high popularity in the Christian music sector, which will be a big marketing point. Even many non-Christian music enthusiasts will be attracted. It is my plan to make advertising arrangements with Chris' and Brandon's agents.

And also, there's voice acting remember. Who will get those parts? 

That's all for now. Next week I will be on a trip and so won't post anything on Thursday. Have a spectacular two weeks, gamers!






Image Credits:
Dispicable Me: manofgame.com
Halo: GameSkinny.com
Looney Tunes: Gamefaqs.net 
Legend of Zelda: zelda.wikia.com