DGMD E-70Principles of Game Design

LESSON #13: Game Marketing #1: Press Materials and Websites

TODAY:

1. Digital Prototype Testing!

2. Game Marketing Considerations: Internet Tools, Social Media,

Conferences, and Press.

3. Marketing Materials Explained: Trailers and Press Releases.

PART 1: DIGITAL PLAYTESTING

SET UP (<5 minutes):1. Teams Choose Tables

2. Set up game digital prototype on 2-3 laptops.

3. Decide initial Observers (1-2) and Players.

4. Discuss: Do you want 1-3 points/ instructions to share with visiting players?

Write them down!

PART 1: DIGITAL PLAYTESTING

PLAYTEST ROUND (20 minutes):1. Observers stay to manage playtest, Players

find other games to play.

2. If team chose 1-3 instructions, give them.

3. Players attempt to play prototype (5-10 min). Observers take notes!

4. Players fill out questionnaire (5 minutes).

5. Time permitting, discuss answers.

PART 2: GAME MARKETING

Programmers, artists, and designers usually “tolerate” or even “don’t like” dealing with

marketing. Part of the issue is that marketing takes a very different set of skills than other areas of game development: regular contact

with large numbers of people, rather than just with the small team. Working with the greater unknowns of audience reaction rather than the

more predictable development tasks of following the development plan.

PART 2: GAME MARKETING

BUT: Marketing your game can be as fun as making it. Marketing itself is a kind of game:

How many people can you reach? How many news-sites or blogs or tweeters or other outlets can you get to pay attention to

your work? What new, fun, and exciting ways can you CELEBRATE the achievement that is your

game?

Question: What is Marketing?

Question: What is Marketing? • Identifying, reaching, and cultivating an AUDIENCE

for your product and organization.

• Creating MEDIA which communicates the intent of your product (designed for your audience).

• Collaborating with other organizations to reach your audience in new ways.

• Establishing a PRESENCE for your audience to find your product.

• HAVING FUN with your product!

Question: How important is Marketing your game?

Or, put another way:what percentage of game

development should be spent on marketing the game?

Question: How important is Marketing your game?

50%

Question: What are the Game Marketing roles?

Question: What are the Game Marketing roles?

Marketing Lead: Designs strategy, directs marketing team, analyzes analytics, manages budget and makes reallocation decisions.

Content Development: Writes press releases, blog posts, promotions and other communications. Arranges for art and other materials from the

development team.

Community Manager: Attends to company forums and other social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, etc) to keep audience engaged with prompt answers

and frequent content.

Show Manager: Plans and attends gamer and industry events to promote the game to audience and press. Works with conference managers, designs and

manages Booth, giveaways and other promotions. In all but the biggest companies this is managed by other team members and sometimes elements

are outsourced.

…and others. Sometimes in a small studio this is all one person!

MARKETING YOUR GAME #1: MAKE A PLAN.

[a]. Research

[b]. Market Alongside Game Development

[c]. Marketing is a numbers game

[d]. Money vs Sweat

MARKETING YOUR GAME #1: MAKE A PLAN.

[a]. Research: Who is your audience? How do they find the games they play? What are ways you can reach them? What are ways you can maintain contact with them to promote loyalty to your company/product, so they want updates, your next game, and to tell others about your game?

MARKETING YOUR GAME #1: MAKE A PLAN.

[b]. Market Alongside Game Development: While marketing will continue long past the time the gam has released, a good marketing team cam build attention to the game– a hungry audience– for more than a year before it is released with early trailers, beta programs, builds, contests, crowdfunding, user generated content, and other teasers.

MARKETING YOUR GAME #1: MAKE A PLAN.

[c]. Marketing is a numbers game. Do you devote a lot of resources to getting a few influential people to notice/promote your game or do you spend time/money/effort reaching out to a much larger number of lower-influence media people? Or a mix?

MARKETING YOUR GAME #1: MAKE A PLAN.

[d]. Money vs Sweat: Do you have a significant budget to promote your game through online and real world ad buys and purchased reviews, or do you need to work that much harder, talk to so many more people, to get the word out that your game exist and it is awesome?

MARKETING YOUR GAME #2: ADJUST YOUR PLAN.

ANALYTICS: It used to be hard to know exactly how much the location of an ad buy or the exact language used had how much of an affect on the intended audience, but these days with online analytics tools for your

website and game we get amazingly granular information about exactly what people do or do not do with our advertisements.

Do they click or not? How many pages on your site do they view before they leave? Do they play your tutorial in your game? How far in the game before they quit? What parts of the game do they see and what do they do? How long is each play session? Any aspect of play or progress an be

measured with a “hook” set by the Marketing lead to analyze player activity and to inform changes for a more enjoyable user experience.

Marketing leads will typically spread a budget across multiple online campaigns, review the analytics data from each, and then devote more

resources to the campaigns that get the best results.

PRESS: Tell a Story Who should you contact?: Don’t just spam everyone. Research destinations and specific writers to find and cultivate relationships with those writers to write about your game.

Why should they care about your project? You have identified writers/etc who are interested in games like your s (style of play, platform, genre) and YOU HAVE A STORY TO TELL

If you are a small/new company, your quest with getting members of the press (established gamer sites, bloggers in your niche, and more general media) is to tell an intriguing story. The American myth of now-great tech giants starting in garages is an example of the “Small town kid makes good” story.

There are heroic journeys and ridiculous situations and heartwarming struggles and all sorts of stories you can map onto the tale of your team’s creation and onto how the game itself was made. As a small game developer, you are telling YOUR story as much as the game’s!

If you are already famous, people you don’t know will fund you. If you are not famous, Kickstarter is a decent way to mobilize the people you do know to fund you.

In either case, it can be a GREAT way to get press and long-term attention to your project, and TELL YOUR STORY.

Here are some particularly memorable (and successful) presentations:

Exploding Kittenshttps://www.kickstarter.com/projects/elanlee/exploding-kittens/description

ABBY HOWARD:https://

www.kickstarter.com/projects/1203079854/2013-the-last-halloween/description

DOUBLEFINE:https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/doublefine/double-fine-adventure/description

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/doublefine/double-fines-massive-chalice/description

Crowdfunding: Kickstarter

WEB PRESENCE

Website: Does anything exist if it isn’t online? Tumblr or wordpress or wix for free CMS, or a custom site (annual URL cost + hosting fee).

Blog: Share news and updates to help make your company look lively! Show parts of the game, teasers, explain tools with tutorials: engage your audience

and other developers! Don’t forget to make your posts more discoverable with tags.

Forums: Get your community to meet each other and share excitement about your game! Can start as a place where tips about gameplay are available.

Giveaways: Desktop wallpapers are free! Also papercraft, short stories in your game world, links to related content (making a zombie game? Put up an “our

favorite zombie movies” links list), even cool paper versions/prototypes of your game for people to print out and play!

Mailing List: MailChimp or Constant Contact, requires a physical mailing address be shared with subscribers. Tools for managing communication with

subscribers, helps to grow and hold onto an audience!

WEB PRESENCE: Connect to your audience’s interests

WEB PRESENCE: Connect to your audience’s interests

WEB PRESENCE: Connect to your audience’s interests

WEB PRESENCE: Connect to your audience’s interests

WEB PRESENCE: Connect to your audience’s interests

WEB PRESENCE: Connect to your audience’s interests

WEB PRESENCE: Connect to your audience’s interests

SOCIAL MEDIA

You know what this is:Create regular content and

engage in multiple audiences

Facebook: Update multiple times a week.

Twitter: Update multiple times a day. Use hashtags, direct messages, retweeting.

Follow people in the industry and the PRESS: organizations and individual writers!

Instagram, Pintrest, Google+, etc

MANAGE YOUR STOREParticipate in promotions like Humble Bundle, offer sales related to

holidays, adjust your store language and tags with new builds, upload new builds with meaningful new content as often as your team can–

helps with store rankings, also offers new content for contacting all of the press, all over again!

GRASS ROOTS ORGANIZINGMaking a kids game? Reach out to Momblogs, post flyers in

parent gathering places, submit to mom forums and mailing lists. Owlchemy Labs sent an employee to a logging competition/festival in the

Midwest to advertise their Jack Lumber game. Reach out to new communities to create new audiences for your game!

ADVERTISINGFacebook and Google Ads allow for targeted games, with decent success

rates when promoting a free (lite?) version of your game. End the game with promotion to buy the full game,

or get on a mailing list for more great games. Also consider even more targeted ads on specific

sites, publications, and public spaces,

MEET YOUR PUBLIC: CONFERENCES

Meet and engage your audience and press at Gamer Conferences like PAX, SXSW, E3, BFIG, Comicon, and many other regional events

including some more specific to particular genre, age range, etc.

Meet Press and potential collaborators at Professional Conferences like GDC, Sandbox Summit, and local networking events.

Give talks to get more attention to your work and games! Participate in panels, offer giveaways to your twitter followers. Attend parties to

meet more people!

Get a Booth: costs $$, so share with others. Consider Kelly Wallick’s Indie Megabooth

ENTER CONTESTS AND FESTIVALSLike crowdfunding, a successful entry in a contest or a festival (Indies

can get free booths if selected for Pax, BFIG, etc) can pay off huge dividends for attracting the attention of press and your audience.

Research and submit to many contests, not just gaming ones!PAID CONTESTS:

IGF – Independent Games FestivalUnity Game Developer Contest

Windows Game Developer ContestIndieCade

Indie Game ChallengeindiePub Games

BIG FestivalDare To Be Digital

XNA Dream.Build.PlayImagine CupKongregate

The Game CreatorsIntel ContestsYoYo Games

…and more!

BRAGGING RIGHTS CONTESTS: Ludum DareTIGSource

Experimental Gameplay ProjectThe Global Game Jam

Retro RemakesThe Daily Click

Game Prototype ChallengeSHMUP-DEV

Something AwfulGameCreationIndie Kombat

PyWeekGameDevGameJolt

The PoppenkastKlik Of The Month Klub

GameBuilder

COLLABORATIONS AND STUNTSSmall Indies need more than anything else to get noticed!

Sometimes we resort to stunts. Sometimes it works.

John Butler, Yin Yang BANG BANG: http://imgur.com/gallery/rJK7J http://imgur.com/gallery/p3KWi

COLLABORATIONS AND STUNTSSmall Indies need more than anything else to get noticed!

Sometimes we resort to stunts. Sometimes it works.

Ichiro Lambe, Dejobaan Games:

Valve/Steam Promotion, advertised on the largest PC gaming portal!

COLLABORATIONS AND STUNTSSmall Indies need more than anything else to get noticed!

Sometimes we resort to stunts. Sometimes it works.

Ziba Scott, Popcannibal Games:

MARKETING CAN BE FUN!

Approach your marketing materials playfully, with a sense of fun and

adventure, hope and joy.

CELEBRATE your game, and others will want to join you in the party!

DGMD E-70: Marketing Materials Due in the next two weeks:

WEBSITE: Use free option like Weebly or Wix.com. Include: Press Kit, Team (bio/class/photos), Game

Download Link

PRESS KIT: High Res images (screenshots, characters, logo), Press Release, and Trailer.

TRAILER: 30-60 seconds, featuring gameplay.Consider audience to decide core message (explain

game vs awesome) and pacing. Capture with Frapps, Quicktime, etc., edit in iMovie, After Effects etc.

MARKETING CAN BE FUN!

Trailers and Press Releases

PART 3: MARKETING MATERIALS EXPLAINED

Question: Why Make a Trailer?

Or… Why do people watch game trailers?

Question: Why Make a Trailer? 1. INFORMATION: Explain the game:

What are the key play mechanics and story elements?

2. ENTERTAINMENT: Grow interest in the game: What is fun, exciting, and unique about this

game?

3. AUDIENCE: Engage the population you want to play your game: use editing/pacing, font and audio style to connect your game to a genre.

Question: Why Make a Trailer? Robot Roller-Derby Disco Dodgeball: Audience/Genre?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUVUIAneLE4

DinoTrucks: Mechanics and Audiencehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSWlfwNcCss

Slam Bolt Scrappers: Mechanics and Audience:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVOyEPyPZCU

Girls Like Robots: Mechanicshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmVoTDjAWBk

Ridiculous Fishing (Pacing): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzKcJ8QFbMk

Kiwanuka (pacing, music): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VH_RAP7_LvU#t=55

Organ Trail (Call back): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kPob1KAQYg

AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAAA!!! (Force = Mass x Acceleration)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51SX-xUNzUs

Shoot Many Robots:Teaser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpt8DQpvrhM

Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Je-zFnjO28QRe-announcement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-imuGQTCIOs

PRESS RELEASE: Tell a Story The press release is to largely do the job for the press: give them all the info they need to share your news with their audience. Engage them with a story: the story of your game or how it was made.

TRADITIONAL PRESS RELEASE: 2-7 short paragraphs. Part 1: Date/location and 1 sentence: the main point!Part 2: Key features: what is unique/exciting? (1-2 par)Part 3: Quotes: developers + reviewers (1-2 par)Part 4: Details: AvailabilityPart 5: info on the company/developers

PRESS RELEASE: Tell a Story … BUT: to get the attention of the press, you may want to break with the traditional mold, and try mixing in other approaches:• Funny/snarky language.• Fantasy story of others creating your work (tradition

of authors pretending to “find” the book).• Wild/ridiculous exaggeration of user responses:

reports of spontaneous death, rapture, etc.• Use your imagination!

PRESS RELEASE: We announce two games coming to Steam March 14th! 2/14/13

Includes BBQ Defense simulator Go Home Dinosaurs as well as the PC port of Slam Bolt Scrappers Cambridge, MA— 2/14/13 — Today Fire Hose Games (that’s us) proudly announces the upcoming release of two games on Steam for March 14th, 2013. The first game is the long-awaited BBQ Defense Simulator Go Home Dinosaurs. The second is an updated PC version of the fast and frantic puzzle-brawler Slam Bolt Scrappers, with porting help from Twitchy Thumbs Entertainment. Both titles will be available together in a Fire Hose Games Bundle for $14.99 (25% off buying the titles separately).

“Releasing one game at a time? That’s for chumps. Two games! That’s what the kids want nowadays. Two games, and their wub-wubs music or whatever,” shouted the bathrobed Fire Hose founder and Fire Chief, Eitan Glinert, at passing cars. The Games:Go Home Dinosaurs is the most important, mind-blowing, and historically accurate BBQ Defense Simulator ever released. Play as an adorable burrowing gopher that is determined to save the grub from rampaging, adorable Dinos. Collect tower cards (from gophers tossing snowballs to oversized lasers to giant magnets that pull meteors from the sky) and place them on the field to keep Dinos at bay. Rotate the uniquely shaped towers to fit them into the board like weaponized puzzle pieces. Purchase power ups and costumes at the in-game store (no IAP) to make your gopher more powerful and stylish. Defend your BBQ in 60 levels spread across three prehistoric worlds. Go Home Dinosaurs is super easy for anyone to pick up and learn but also challenges hardened strategy fans. Oh and did we mention there’s a magnet that pulls meteors out of the sky?

Slam Bolt Scrappers is the PC version of 2011’s Puzzle-Brawler mix-up. Choose your character, tussle with monsters for building blocks, fit those blocks together to make tower weaponry then destroy your opponent’s tower to win. It mashes the best aspects of puzzle games and brawlers for something like you’ve never played before. Up to 4 friends can play at the same time either cooperatively in the Campaign mode or competitively in Battle mode. It will fully support Steam’s Big Picture mode so prepare for large screen living room action for the whole family.

3/14/13 Availability: The games will be available separately for $9.99 each (10% off preorders, $8.99) or together in the Fire Hose Bundle for $14.99. The games are available for preorder now on our website - http://www.firehosegames.com/preorder.###For more information contact: Sean Baptiste press@firehosegames.comFor more information on Fire Hose Games, Go Home Dinosaurs, or Slam Bolt Scrappers visit: www.GoHomeDinosaurs.com www.FireHoseGames.com

PRESS RELEASE:

What makes this a great PRESS RELEASE?:Evaluation by marketing pro Emmy Johnson

Gets to the Point in First Sentence: Most of your press release’s readers will only read your first sentence, which means you need to get to the point.

Captivates ENTIRELY: This press release is E-N-G-A-G-I-N-G! I can’t stop reading. The game’s description is so vivid and unique that I feel compelled to not only read to the end, but learn/see more.

Directs Where to Learn More: Just as I finish reading the game’s description, Dejobaan gives me what I want: where to learn more. Instead of searching the Web on my own (which most will NEVER do), I can easily click or copy and paste the link.

Omits the Egotism: A big buzzkills for a writer is reading about a killer game and then drudging through multiple paragraphs about the creators. Unless your studio’s story is your pitch, don’t talk about yourself so much. Dejobaan gives a brief three-sentence summary with a “learn more” link.

Provides Contact Info: It amazes me how many studios forget to put their contact info at the bottom of their releases. If you produce a sweet press release, make sure to let writers know how to reach you.

WEBSITE: Game Title, Pitch, Gameplay Trailer, Download link, and Presskit.

WEBSITE: Presskit: high res images that the press can use, press release, quotes.

PART 4: TEAM MEETING(if not in class, then outside as soon as you can)

Convene at your team table to discuss observations and questionnaire answers.

• Read responses and review test-runner notes.• Choose a facilitator• Discuss responses—what feel like the biggest ideas,

the most pointed critiques?• Plan to type up and post your notes.

Discuss Production goals for the next class (Marketing plan and next top priority Backlog items, potentially influenced by tester experience/ observations) and

divide work equitably.

Due Next Week:HOMEWORK #13: Game: More levels/art/audio, and initial Website and Press Release (story!) materialsTEAMS: 1. Divide Unity/Art/Audio production equitably.2. Meet with your team at least twice to discuss progress,

solve problems, consolidate build, and plan Marketing Materials.

3. Test game clarity with at least two new players.4. Submit sixth digital build to class next week.Individually: Progress Report #6: Submit typed page in class: What you agreed to produce, what you accomplished, self-evaluation/related screenshots.

Have a decisive week!

And don’t forget to email us with questions:

Instructor: JASON WISERJason.Wiser@Tufts.edu

Available an hour after class and daily email.

Unity TF: Julia Knightjaeteekae@gmail.com

Lab hours: Thursdays 7-7:40, daily by email