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Show HN: 6 months ago I quit my job to pursue indie dev. Here is our first game

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Re: Show HN: 6 months ago I quit my job to pursue indie dev. Here is our first game

#201

Post by tinco »

alberich wrote: post #164
tinco wrote: post #148

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That wouldn't work at all. Did you even think about writing this comment? A crap game doesn't get good reviews, so boosting the app rating by buying fake reviews is just throwing good money after bad.

Ok, maybe "crap" is a bit of exaggeration. The point was that you really wouldn't need to really struggle to make a great game, as people would download it just because they saw good (fake) reviews. As long as it doesn't really suck, there won't be negative reviews to counter this. Anyway, I wonder how long will it take before this tactic becomes too widespread so that only huge players will have enough cash to game…

Fair enough, I think the amount of reviews (and buys) influences your position too so just the absence of negative reviews isn't enough.

I don't want to sound cynical, but why do you think it hasn't already spread so wide that only huge players can game the system enough to gain the top spots? There was an article on HN this month about how book publishers even game the NYT book rankings.

Re: Show HN: 6 months ago I quit my job to pursue indie dev. Here is our first game

#203

Post by lmirosevic »

VonGuard wrote: post #130

Hey guys, thought I'd throw in my 2-cents as an Independent Games Festival judge, and as press. First of all, your presentation is terrific. Great art and sound. Top notch, feels like it came from a very talented team. With this game on your resume, you've got a great future ahead of yourselves. Now, the bad part: from a gameplay perspective, your game is not unique enough to win out on its own merits in any app stor…

I don't quite agree with your phrasing, but as an indie iOS dev on the app store since 2010, I sadly have to agree 100% with what you said. It is what it is. Some people might find it easier to swallow if instead of "cheating" you simply called it CPI though.

Re: Show HN: 6 months ago I quit my job to pursue indie dev. Here is our first game

#204

Post by VonGuard »

archagon wrote: post #186
VonGuard wrote: post #136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hey, this is not my advice. This was given to me by someone who charts successes and sales in app stores. It sucks, it's ugly, but it's fucking true and it works.

Yeah, we got similar advice when I was working at a social gaming startup. Apparently, it's not unheard of among growing, venture-funded companies like ours. I assure you, however, that the vast majority of the indie games that make the headlines (Super Hexagon, Hundreds, Letterpress, etc.) don't use these techniques.

Definitely true. And frankly, I only found out about some of the games yer mentioning through the IGF. Festivals and such are a great way to get yer name and game out there, but those are kinda limited to quality, unique games.

And, as for Super Hexagon, I'll play anything Terry Cavanagh makes. He is a fucking god. 4-Letter-Word melted my brain.

Re: Show HN: 6 months ago I quit my job to pursue indie dev. Here is our first game

#205

Post by VonGuard »

lmirosevic wrote: post #203
VonGuard wrote: post #130

Hey guys, thought I'd throw in my 2-cents as an Independent Games Festival judge, and as press. First of all, your presentation is terrific. Great art and sound. Top notch, feels like it came from a very talented team. With this game on your resume, you've got a great future ahead of yourselves. Now, the bad part: from a gameplay perspective, your game is not unique enough to win out on its own merits in any app stor…

I don't quite agree with your phrasing, but as an indie iOS dev on the app store since 2010, I sadly have to agree 100% with what you said. It is what it is. Some people might find it easier to swallow if instead of "cheating" you simply called it CPI though.

LOL, give it an acronym and it's a legit business.

Re: Show HN: 6 months ago I quit my job to pursue indie dev. Here is our first game

#206

Post by tonyhillerson »

socialist_coder wrote: post #188
tonyhillerson wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nope, Web is all custom, iOS is all native, but the data format for the levels is shared.

Why spend time writing a web version when it's not really going to help with sales?

Actually the time spent writing the web version was small, and it was as a way to prove the idea and (in a limited way) crowdsource level design.

Re: Show HN: 6 months ago I quit my job to pursue indie dev. Here is our first game

#208

Post by VonGuard »

seanalltogether wrote: post #189
VonGuard wrote: post #130

Hey guys, thought I'd throw in my 2-cents as an Independent Games Festival judge, and as press. First of all, your presentation is terrific. Great art and sound. Top notch, feels like it came from a very talented team. With this game on your resume, you've got a great future ahead of yourselves. Now, the bad part: from a gameplay perspective, your game is not unique enough to win out on its own merits in any app stor…

I just wanted to say I appreciate your perspective and advice here, we've been spending some time in the office talking about your post and the discussion that has emerged from it.

Glad to hear it. Take the advice on cheating with a grain of salt. Some excellent legit strategies have shown up in this thread, too.

Additionally, if you are going to cheat, get that monetization play in order first.

Re: Show HN: 6 months ago I quit my job to pursue indie dev. Here is our first game

#209

Post by mrcharles »

VonGuard wrote: post #130

Hey guys, thought I'd throw in my 2-cents as an Independent Games Festival judge, and as press. First of all, your presentation is terrific. Great art and sound. Top notch, feels like it came from a very talented team. With this game on your resume, you've got a great future ahead of yourselves. Now, the bad part: from a gameplay perspective, your game is not unique enough to win out on its own merits in any app stor…

I hope you lose your IGF judge status for this, if you actually are one.
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