Not quite sure yet, we're thinking about having a much smaller select group of beta testers this time! Cheers, Brian
Words can not explain my excitement for the sequel. The original Furdemption is one of the best games in my life time. Such a treat. Filled with all delicious things and addicting gameplay.
Hi there, The first game is out, and you can download it here. Furdemption 2 is still being made, but we can let you know when we release it if you signup here! Have fun! Brian
Hi everyone, Here's an update on the monetization of Furdemption 2! I know not everyone will be a fan of this model, but we believe its a necessary move. We're being transparent early so we can get your feedback, as it is not yet set in stone. All the best, Brian from RareSloth
Have you guys thought about releasing the base game for free, and then releasing paid expansions? Customization could be a cool use of IAP too, allowing you to customize the rabbit. Also with the level builder(That is going to be in the sequel I think) you could release themed level pack kits to add to the game building tools(Sorta like how Minecraft releases DLC). Just some thoughts, wish you guys all the best!
Yeah, lives doesn't sound fun, because if you get to those later levels, you might blow all your lives in just moments. Hints are probably going to be avoided because someone can just look up guides. Level packs sound more plausible but people might just get through the free part and quit. Honestly, there's no true way to get everyone, unless you make a new, unheard of model. I only gave this idea a few moments of though, but what if you had lives that only are lost if you make progress. Or, a certain amount of lives per level (or level pack). If you don't think so I'd like to hear other ideas and discuss.
Man, this is a tough question to answer with the pay model. Like any hardcore iOS gamer we'd like a pay once type thing but I feel that that eventually stops being profitable after the first week (if you get onto the apple recommendations). I don't care for F2P but if the game devs are trusted, or if I know the game would be top notch, I'd drop some cheddar on it (which both apply here). And as much as I hate it F2P gets a pretty big audience because I'm sure people would be like,"Neato, an interesting game! I'll give it a DL!" When it comes down to it, whatever gets you guys enough moolah to keep making games.
Here is what I think is best. I am fine with having hints and the slow time idea sounds fine but the lives is where I draw the line. I am not very good at video games and especially in a game like this, I use trial and error to figure out the solution to the level. Having lives takes the fun out of the game for me and I prob won't play it much. I think that you should have the app free with lives and you can buy more but also have a more expensive purchase like $5 or something for the full unlock without lives. People who don't mind spending the money like me for a full game have the option to bypass the free to play stuff. Just an idea to think about. Level packs are also a good option that I would definitely spend money on
The ONLY type of in-app purchases I can remotely stand is either a game where I have to pay for a full unlock, for the simple fact I don't mind a developer saying "here, try my game, if you like it buy it and support us"... Or the other is for DLC. It's the main reason I'll always be a hardcore console gamer as opposed to a mobile player. I'm willing to pay big bucks for a GTA or Batman: Arkham style game. I wanna get something for my money. Not have to spend money that's simply gonna go to waste as most IAP does.
I would love to see a benefit in Furdemption 2 given to those who supported the original game. Having paid full price for the first game, it would go a long way for me to be at least partially exempt from the pay model in the sequel. For example, if you have a model based heavily on ads, a "no ads" IAP given to supporters would be appreciated. If you were to go with lives and a timer, then an unlimited lives IAP as a thank you bonus would speak volumes to your existing fanbase.
I know you do what you gotta do, and if premium didn't work for you, I understand that going freemium seems like the only option. I'm not sure if the model you describe will work for you because I think that to make enough money with free to play you need a ton of players, not just downloads, players, who remain engaged with the game and love it enough to spend money on it, and I'm not sure that Furdemption is the kind of game that keeps people interested enough to immediately buy lives after they ran out of them. That probably sounds harsh, but it's not a diss against the game, I loved the first one, it made my GOTY list, but I still am pretty sure I would have moved on to another game if it had lives I had to buy. But who knows, maybe I'm an exception, and I certainly don't know anything at all about the mobile games business. I do know that TA people in general are not representative for gamers as a whole, so take everything we say here with a grain of salt. I will say that this: sounds like a contradiction to me. I'm a less skilled player and I hate it when games punish me for that by making me pay (again and again) to get the same kind of experience that more skilled players get for free. It feels strange to me too, wouldn't it be better to get people who really love your game to pay, instead of people who suck at it and probably aren't your biggest fans at that point? I realise that that's easier said than done though, and that you probably can't make a living of just your die-hard fans, but as a gamer it still feels wrong to me. I don't think you can honestly say that your goal is to "maximize fun for all" while you say in the same paragraph that the idea is to have less skilled players pay more. My fun is drastically reduced if I get "pay or watch ads to continue" popups a lot.
RareSloth: (I love your logo/icon/avatar, by the way) I'm already onboard for the sequel. You get my money. You earned it with the first game, and the new stuff you've shown here looks great. I don't buy consumable IAPs, though. I will pay for what I would consider DLC, and I will buy pointless hats or whatever to support a developer. But I don't buy lives or hints.
I agree the limited lives wouldn't be good. I can't count how many times I've messed up and simply killed myself to restart. I'm not even sure if there IS a restart button! My advice would be: Do what you're planning to do, with the three types of IAP stuff (hints, slow down and lives) but give the option like jared here says to buy unlimited lives for a single price. Then have additional stuff like cosmetic unlocks that you can buy outright for IAP or through a random gumball machine like Crossy Road does. Have opt-in video ads for things like earning a slow down or a hint, or earning coins to try for a new unlock. Basically, make Crossy Road but also with an permanent unlimited lives IAP and I think that will please most everybody. Also don't be scared to charge for level packs, I would have definitely paid for the Widows Den levels.
Hey, RareSloth. Like the others, I'm not one for lives systems very much. Hints or ads that you can remove with the iap would be a good idea, as we have seen that with Nitrome. I'm not so sure on the unlockable level packs, but that's just my opinion.
Exactly what Mr. Boardumb wrote! I'm happy to buy infinite lives for $5 (or whatever). Btw, i just deleted a game. 5 lives were given but also one taken, even without dying. Insta-delete modus activated. Thanks for listening up and good luck!
