I think ads bring in too little for it to be worthwhile - 1000 ad views generally only gets you $0.05 - $0.40 (if you're lucky). For the end payoff I think ads would just impact the player experience too much. We're thinking about a ton of strategies to try and turn sales around and the most popular idea is a season pass - which would basically be an advance purchase of all the content we plan to make for the game at a flat rate. We would discount the pass for those who already bought Episode 2.
Involve people somehow? Purchasers of additional content can get randomly selected to have their username used in future content, or something like that
Oh ok cool. I'm glad you guys seem to be getting really good critic reviews and many good AppStore reviews. I'm very hopeful that with a few gameplay tweaks and exploration of new strategies you guys will be able to quickly convert enthusiasm into financial success. Really, I'd love to throw even more money at you guys. I adore SMRPG.
We're confident that we can turn our fortunes around at some point. I don't think we'll be Scrooge McDuck'ing into any coin piles, but we're hopeful that we can at least pay off our debt. As an aside: how does everyone feel about equippable batteries in the game that would allow you to pick a method of charging? There would be a default battery that requires no input, a classic tap-charge battery, a rhythm battery, and a gauge charge battery (this would be like a golf game gauge that would fill and unfill with you needing to stop the fill at the peak). This would provide four options to players that can be switched between at any point. We wouldn't get to see this implemented in the next update, but it would definitely pop up in the subsequent one. It seems like the ideal solution to the tap-charge dilemma.
Yes, changeable batteries is a superb idea. I have always been partial to a swingometer like those in Tiger Woods. If you do a season pass can you offer the soundtrack, art book or somesuch? RPG fans lap that stuff up.
I'm really sad to see the low sales figures. Especially as I really love the game. I'll jump straight onto a season pass when ones offered. And the golf style meter would be cool (I could see me using that instead of tapping) Also I'll be all over the soundtrack when it gets released. Seriously I can't get enough of the nostalgia. You have managed to capture my childhood in a game and I love it.
Unfortunately, this is the risk you have to take for the price approach you guys took with this game. AppStore customers are bad when it comes to games that are free and with iAP. Most people (unfortunately) don't buy iAP. Most likely the hardcore iOS gamers will buy the iAP. Even though this game is great, I highly doubt any of the casual gamers will buy the iAP. EDIT: (In addition to Xexist's post) If I wasn't apart of TouchArcade, I wouldn't know that there was even a Episode 2. There really isn't any notification of it either, unless you press on the "Episode" cassettes and you see the "Episode 2" cassette.
I like the batteries idea too. It could solve the charging dilemma, while keeping the funny style of the game. BTW, I don't know if this is just me, but the Space sticker seems to have scratch difficulty 1, while the description says 2. If that isn't right, what is the difference between the Space sticker and the Cheese sticker?
Equipable batteries is a sure fire crowd pleaser (be sure to offer a pop-up tutorial explaining how to equip them and what they each are). Sounds great to me. And yes Ep 2 is obviously there, beating Ep 1 will pop up a screen asking you of you want to play Ep 2... I've seen that screen several times...
One thing I noted, just to bring this up, is that I could not see the stats of the tools purchased from the vending machine. I just sorta... Guessed.
Hey Josh, Don't give up! Building a community takes time. If we would have given up a few weeks after LW came out where sales dropped to less than 100 a day and didn't keep updating and building a community, it would have never caught on. One thing I learned and I've got feedback from friends is the first episode is too wordy with the tutorial annoying people. Some people don't like to read anything when they are on the go. Maybe streamline the tutorial and make it more graphical and cut out the wordyness? This game is fantastic and we are really looking forward to updates!
I for one appreciate the spirited effort and attention to detail in SMRPG, which helps fill a gap in quality dedicated games on the platform. Looking forward to the update here too. Although sales have not been great keep in mind that continued episodic updates will help boost sales. I think iOS games have been sold a lot of raw deals with promised content that never arrives so some might seek SMRPG as incomplete. I am somewhat guilty of that. Even now it sounds like the "final" battle with Commander Hood in episode 6 is tentative suggesting the possibility development may end on a cliffhanger. The kickstarter campaign was successful indicating there is demand and interest in the title so long as the developer does not feel defeated. Also people are often suspicious of IAP unlocks in games. Unfortunately I understand the Android market is more promising so a port there might be worth considering. Some of the more promising iOS developers have had much more success on Android (i.e. Headcase Games with 180 or Mangobile with their top notch SRPGs).
I love seeing developers support other developers. I fully agree! SMRPG is a rare gem in the AppStore. It may not be for everybody (yet) but I really think you're going to have a core set of hardcore fans and SMRPG will slowly but surely have its own cult following. Count me in that group. I just love this game, everything about it. No doubt you guys will just keep making it better and better.
The main hardcore iOS gamers come from TouchArcade! *cough* Zincous *cough* This game is definitely a real (sometimes, odd at times) gem on the AppStore. You know a game is good when you can beat people to death with an odd school floppy disk!
This is pretty shallow, but looking at the trailer, the ugliness of the lifebars / turn order(?) indicator is really turning me off. Sure, the 8-bit motif is overplayed, but given the 80's theme, that could do a lot better than the whole "Photoshop beginner" look. I know, everything else looks super polished and I should just overlook it, but it's pretty much a gameplay constant, and it's really distracting. I guess I'm just a bit OCD, but it really wouldn't have taken much effort to make that look good, either. I'll dive straight in if that ever changes.
Have you tried the free Ep yet? The turn bar is indeed different. Frankly I hope you do, you'd be passing up sweet gaming over something pretty trivial.
Game Impressions Touch Arcade Review is up, congrats guys on a great review! SMRPG is awesome. "All in all, Saturday Morning RPG is exactly what it promised. A fun, easy going, RPG with a heavy coating of 80s nostalgia. With an upfront cost of free, its hard not to recommend it. http://toucharcade.com/2012/04/10/saturday-morning-rpg-review-a-radical-remembrance/
Yeah, we're super stoked over here!! We were nervous about that one...not sure which way it was going to swing! ...I swear Tim, if we had to pay for fans, I don't think we could afford you. You rock dude!
The tough thing about Critic reviews is that developers are looking to get the most and best exposure of the first version of their product. While I love SMRPG v1.0, I can tell that you guys have really taken feedback to heart and already have updates planned that will really enhance the overall product. Hopefully the critics will update reviews as games get updates (something I'm sure the critics wish they had time for). At the end of the day 4 out of 5 for the first roll out? Yeah you guys really deserve it! Congrats!
