Cmon Javier dont quit. Since you want your game to sell well how about consider porting it to android and/or palm. I'm pretty sure that the android platform need an RTS but I think the dev kit is free to use I think (dont quote me on that). This would give you some type of income and here's the thing lower your price to a dollar or so and copy what iDracula did. Then update the game with the multiplayer and then raise it to 3.99 or so. Please dont quit the iPhone dev please. You are such a great developer. But if you must leave or choose to just make the game the best you can and hopefully it will sell well and also include a lite version.
Come on Javier, keep going, you're doing a wonderful job! It's true what the other say, now is the time to polish that thing up as much as possible, when your update comes in, have a sale of a little cheaper, put out some advertising (I see only to QC vids on youtube), and keep supporting the game. It's obvious you know RTS games the minute you showed us how group selection and unit selection is now and how you're adding stuff to that area, you have truly done a great job on that part. Now for the masses, improve the UI a little bit and so on (and perhaps the AI if possible).
I really hope you're not quitting dev on the game for lack of sales - they should hopefully pick up as the word gets out (and a lite version becomes available). Have you tried promoting the game on other sites? Some of my friends who own an iPhone (and are RTS gamers) have never heard of the game and don't visit this site to know it exists. Anyways I'm picking up a copy today and will be showing it around to people I know who might be interested. Please keep up the good work!
Sigh... well i don't know the first thing about marketing i'm going the first to admit that. I don't have funds to promote it on websites or put ads so... But thanks for your support everyone, i don't really know what will become of QC. I might still give Multiplayer a go if i decide to go for the iphone 3G-S. But still... what could multiplayer change?, the game will still remain out of sight to 99% of the iphone gamers, even if i release multiplayer they will never know QC is there.
Remember that this is a marathon and not a sprint. While I realize it can be frustrating, it does take time to get the game out there. Look at Blocked...that game was out for months before it finally reached the top. Marketing involves various things, and you've already started by being involved in the TA forum. Other things you should be doing is contacting the various review sites and getting your game reviewed. Developing a lite version is probably one of the more essential marketing tools since this gets people to try before buying. If you're creative enough, you can also use the lite version in promotional contests to generate even more awareness. I know people have mentioned promotional pricing, but even that requires a strategy because if you do it wrong or too prematurely, you can limit future opportunities. Bottom line, don't be so quick to give up on the platform. You obviously have talent.
I've contacted all the review sites, they all said they would review it and took promo codes but so far i've only seen one review.
Is there a video with actual sounds, on youtube? I can't find any videos with game play sounds. The demo video of the update sounds nice- cool idea with the finger touches I might get this but I'm not convinced yet... just need to see a video with game sounds on it.
See Javier alot of people are on the fence about this. Release a Game Trailer and also a lite version so that people can try it. Also remember to include use of air and ground units so they can have the feeling of how it works.
Sorry for the double post but I think this could give you some more views. You could app Plus+ support for it like quickest game ever played, rank, and other stuff if you decide to go on to develop multi-player. this is targeted to Javier. If anyone think this would be a great idea to include Plus+ if we have multi-player please say so.
Yeah. Don't see any other videos...only from the dev on youtube. That one video looks nice but no sounds. The reviews are good on iTunes.
A good start would be to add a signature to your forum posts that link to your product, includes positive reviews, and perhaps a website? Give feedback on other developers work, and become part of the community. As another person said, offer your product to AppVee, and other review sites for free to get reviews. I understand some frustration, but a defeatest attitude 2 weeks after a release is premature, and honestly it is one thing to trump your own product, but learn from the developer of Warfare Inc, he has class. No reason to degrade another's product to make your own look good. And yes I do own both, and yes Warfare Inc has more polish, and yours has potential. Fulfill it. Munkie!
It might have come out the wrong way, i don't think i degraded WI at all, i like the game. All i said is that you get to see all it has to offer in 30 minutes, which is not something bad at all but more of a taste. Some gamers like full power quick, others prefer progresive unlocks.
get a lite version and send a really really good video of the game to Gametrailers.com and other popular sites. I sometimes see iPhone games on there and even though it gets horrible ratings (from all the fanboys of consoles), its a good way to get your game out. I havent even heard of it until now.
I bought QC at full price, but I'm an impulse buyer who isn't too worried about a few bucks for a good game. On the other hand, tons of people seem to think anything over 99c us too big of a risk for a game they don't know a lot about or a game that doesn't have hundreds of great reviews. As many have said, try a light version and a price drop. A hundred sales at 99c is better than ten at $3.99, but the disparity might be even greater than that, and the increased sales could also help get the game noticed. As to the sites that took promo codes and haven't reviewed it, that's just low and cheap.
I think lack of publicity is only part of your problem. There are probably plenty of people here alone who are entirely hesitant to buy QC due to a lack of any replayability and short game length overall. Online multiplayer is one thing that can REALLY set your game apart from the other RTS games, as it'll be the only one to have it. On paper, QC really doesn't look that differently from the other RTS games; the differences really don't shine until you play the game. However, online multiplayer is one of those "on paper" things that can really separate QC from the others. Also, what do you think the developers of Stragea and so forth are doing differently? I really don't see any advertisements by them. These games aren't in TV or magazine ads. I've never seen them as advertisements on websites (though, I might have seen ROTLE). How does a game get itself featured in one of those featured sections? That would really help your game take off, especially if you had multiplayer in there. How does a developer get their game features/reviewed/on the front page of Touch Arcade. Being a member here, I'd have to imagine that you'd be able to get that done easily. What's the hold up with that? What I think would honestly help might be a small price drop, especially if you could get the game featured in iTunes somehow. I think you need to clean up the iTunes description too. Focus on the facts of the game, not waxing epic about how it is the best RTS game ever. Answer the questions, "What is in Quantum Collapse?", "How does Quantum Collapse play?", and "How does Quantum Collapse set itself apart from other RTS games?". Answer those questions with the straight objective facts about the game. Add in quotes about the subjective impressions of the games from reviewers (particularly credible ones), but leave the subjectivity to those people.
I dunno if people will agree with me or not, but I represent the addicted app buyer, and even I overlooked this game, and I'll tell you silly, but honest reasons why: 1. The icon isn't attractive:Believe it or not, just having a nice looking icon will strike peoples' curiosity of the app. Just look at all the idiots who bought DS Effect games. 2.The name is misleading: Quantum Collapse does not sound like an RTS. I can't tell you how many times I saw the official thread on this game and didn't click on it because I thought it was a lame puzzler. To prove that I'm right you put "(RTS)" at the end to tell people it was an RTS game. Now it looks unprofessional. 3. The Screenshots don't really show much going on: or at least I don't really know what I'm looking at. Try your best to really show something interesting and like everyone else was saying; make an epic trailer! 4. Where is the lite version?: You are losing a good 70% (from the top of my head) of buyers because they don't want to buy something that (with all respect) doesn't look promising. The gameplay is what makes this title shine, and what you need to do is give people a taste of the action. Final Point: Javier, as sad as this sounds we live in world that takes what appeals the eye. I myself have always put gameplay as top priority and has always despised the "graphic whores" that surround me. Just look at Star Defense; sure it's a great TD, but does it provide more than all the other TDs in the app store? Absolutely not! It is outselling many of them because of it's presentation. What this game needs is some character. It needs a nice sexy icon and a bad ass name. Remember, every little thing helps and increases the amount of sales. Nothing is worse than doing nothing! Best wishes Javier -Maythius
Some amazing advice from a great group of people here. If the dev actually took it to heart, I have no doubt his game would be at the top in no time. But it sounds like he's more interested in self-pity. A shame. I agree that his comment about WI didn't sound very classy either, and the attempt to clarify didn't help. I bought WI and it's a good game. Yeah, Stratagea sucks, I bought it because of the dearth of RTS games out there and it was pretty cheap. I'm less likely to make another RTS purchase now without more assurances. So I'm on the fence about QC because I haven't seen decent gameplay footage, no lite version, and the price is high considering the problems people have reported. Now with the dev considering quitting iPhone dev, that makes me want to buy it even less. Why buy it now if the game won't be continually fixed and improved? It's a tough biz out there with 50,000+ apps in the store. You've got a great product, keep fixing it and find a way or a person to do the sales/marketing. Just some tough love, from one indie dev to another.
Javier, DO NOT give up Lite version is a must. And do make a weekend sale, like Mecho Wars did...i´m an early adopter, payed the full price, but would not mind that. It´s the rules of the game on the appstore right now. Also, change the game icon...right now it´s ugly and uninspired.
