Slid you gotta do something

[rufus_mcgayhee]

Try to spread your game man. It needs more attention. Maybe use some of the funds to advertise it somewhere on social media? Bro, I dont want this game getting lost to time.

[Slid Studio]

Hi there Rufus!

Yeah.. as I think I have said before, I am not very good at marketing stuff - I just like to make them. But, it need it to be approaching self sustainability in the long run.

A week ago this discussion forum suddenly became quite silent, so the algorithms of steam must have kicked into low gear. (Or all bugs are cleared, everything perfectly balanced and nothing else to say)!

First, I should probably lower the price. The price was not set in relation to a budget.
It was a price I thought was kind of fitting, suggesting what you get.
However, I now believe it to be too high, mostly due to the inherent chance people need to take, with me not being a know developer. And more sales is much more important than revenue.
The only thing I worry about is people who already bought the game at current price.
Would say 9.99 dollars leave a sour taste in the mouth?
I would really like to hear what you think about that.

I have immediately started developing a new game to keep my focus and sanity, and I hope to make gamedev-videos about it this time. I hope they can send some people this way. This has been my only 'strategy'. Probably as it allows me to continue to gamedev.

Perhaps advertisements are the way to go. If nothing else, the good thing about low sales at release is the limited impact different bugs had, not having thousand angry people softlocked! So at least I trust the game more.

Making a limited demo version could possible also be worth the trouble?

For me, all things advertisement is something I hope to have the right kind of energy for one glorious day not far away.

Thank you for your message!

[rufus_mcgayhee]

It wouldnt personally bother me at all if you lowered the price. I believe I payed a fair price for the content I got. I do believe your game is buried by the algorithm and once beaten, a replay isnt something I think people immediately want to dive into. Though I still havent brought myself to uninstall it because I do hop on from time to time cuz its just fun!!

Cheers and good luck in all your endeavors. I think the reason alot of these indie games blow up is youtube or twitch streamers who have a large following and sometimes just pick random games to stream.

It would be worth emailing free keys to a semi popular streamer with a little description of the game. Chances are they may stream it and you dont really have to spend on advertisement. Just give the game to some top profile streamers.

[Olydog]

I actually emailed a YouTuber (Markiplier) about a week ago about this game, however, it seems if he did not see the email or just has not made a video about Northern Journey. However, I think It would be a good idea to give out free steam keys to YouTubers such as Markiplier, Jacksepticeye, Letsgameitout, Captainsauce, etc.

[Vi]

Lowering the price maybe could help, but don't go lower than 10 €. I paid the original price, love the game and would not be sour about a price drop.
Perhaps add a small demo? Also, achievements are really important, esp. in hard games.

I noticed three things about your store page:

The small blurb (that everyone browsing games reads first) contains a typo, "wildereness" instead of "wilderness".

The embedded GIFs below don't work.

And the title's capitalization isn't consistent, sometimes it is "Northern Journey", sometimes "Northern journey".

[Slid Studio]

Hi and thanks, I've fixed the typo.

I will look into a demo when I am finished making the weapon for a new game I am working on. Yes.. then there is achievements. I should probably look into how that integrates into the game, but I was not sure if it was anything people really cared about.
Many games, in my own experience, gives you achievements just for playing, while others create all sorts of extra challenges.

Not sure why the gifs did not work on your end. They don't play? Or don't display at all?
Yeah, I noticed the 'buy Northern journey' did not use the capital J.
Need to figure out where Steam finds the name.

I probably need to do the free steam key thing to youtubers as well.
One thing is for sure.. If I ever got the funds, the promotion part I would outsource in a heartbeat!

[Vi]

In my circles I've noticed some organic marketing (word of mouth) when the game came out, like this Twitter thread here. This level of excitement (read the replies) can't be bought with money:

https://twitter.com/mousefountain/status/1432752876229640198

I would not overcomplicate the achievements, some for clearing areas and beating bosses would be enough. They also have the huge advantage for devs that they can track how many players actually have reached certain points in the game.

An argument against lowering the price permanently: You could use the next Steam sale instead, reduce the price about 30% or something, use the attention and attract some people that have it on their wishlist. I kinda think the current price is cool because it fits the ambition and time you've put into this project and makes it look valuable and "fat"

[Olydog]

All of these ideas sound wonderful, I'm going to just keep playing the game and hope for a dev log lol. By the way, slid, is your latest tweet an image from Northern Journey or the new game you are making?

[Slid Studio]

Oh yeah, it is. It might not look like much, but I was happy with it, due to it actually working...
Now, let me nerd out a bit, if you are interested.
In a dark cathedral I wanted three things that do not work together at the outset.

1: Fog, or haze. This is a thing that basically become stronger and stronger further out. Meaning, if it is not black, it will add more and more color. At a sufficient distance, the color will be flat.

2: Darkness. You want it to be dark in the distance. But now you have a flat color due to the fog. If you remove the fog, or make it black, you have darkness, but obviously not any fog anymore.

3: Have darkness below, but not high up (near the ceiling).

So, I first add the fog. Then I made a post-process volume and add darkness to the depthbuffer. Then I modify the darkness with the pixelheight.
And, as you see, I also dabbled with outlines.

So, I was happpy with the scene, mostly from a technical standpoint.
The game is not to be in the cathedral mainly, but is was the first scene I could see clear enough to make a test of!

[Zenofir]

Has anyone considered contacting Worth A Buy (Mack) from YouTube? He has a big audience and is PC focused. Based on his reviews in the past I suspect he would really like Northern Journey. Most of his favorite games of late are from indie devs.

[rufus_mcgayhee]

Originally posted by elias:

Has anyone considered contacting Worth A Buy (Mack) from YouTube? He has a big audience and is PC focused. Based on his reviews in the past I suspect he would really like Northern Journey. Most of his favorite games of late are from indie devs.

Yes yes yes. Slid, check out some medium level lets players. Your game isnt like all they get. Its actually good. Right person and boom. Attention, then the next big streamer. The world is your oyster.

[rufus_mcgayhee]

And bro, the only reason I made this thread and continue to hammer this, is because this game was one of the best games ive played by an indie (forget solo dev), best by an indie developer in a good while. Its unique in a world of futuristic cyberpunk obsessed shooters. Your game deserves attention and I wont rest til you are blowing up.

Lol, got a little a dramatic at the end. But you get it.

[Zenofir]

Originally posted by rufus_mcgayhee:

And bro, the only reason I made this thread and continue to hammer this, is because this game was one of the best games ive played by an indie (forget solo dev), best by an indie developer in a good while. Its unique in a world of futuristic cyberpunk obsessed shooters. Your game deserves attention and I wont rest til you are blowing up.

Lol, got a little a dramatic at the end. But you get it.

I agree. I haven't gone back and played for a while, due to life ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ of various sorts, but I'm pretty well certain NJ will be in my top games of all time list. (I'm actually gonna go and play some more now.) It really needs to get a lot more attention and sales. When I think of all the terrible indie devs out there who produce trash 3-5 hour games and then try to excuse themselves with "IT'S NOT AAA!!!!!", I think of the fact that this one guy, Slid, produced a 20-hour game that blows basically every AAA game I've played in the past few years out of the water, and he didn't even need to use early access. The dude obviously has insane levels of talent and needs to be supported so he can make more games.

[rufus_mcgayhee]

Originally posted by elias:

Originally posted by rufus_mcgayhee:

And bro, the only reason I made this thread and continue to hammer this, is because this game was one of the best games ive played by an indie (forget solo dev), best by an indie developer in a good while. Its unique in a world of futuristic cyberpunk obsessed shooters. Your game deserves attention and I wont rest til you are blowing up.

Lol, got a little a dramatic at the end. But you get it.

I agree. I haven't gone back and played for a while, due to life ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ of various sorts, but I'm pretty well certain NJ will be in my top games of all time list. (I'm actually gonna go and play some more now.) It really needs to get a lot more attention and sales. When I think of all the terrible indie devs out there who produce trash 3-5 hour games and then try to excuse themselves with "IT'S NOT AAA!!!!!", I think of the fact that this one guy, Slid, produced a 20-hour game that blows basically every AAA game I've played in the past few years out of the water, and he didn't even need to use early access. The dude obviously has insane levels of talent and needs to be supported so he can make more games.

Pay attention Slid. You really have created something truly unique and amazing.

[Slid Studio]

I am a bit lost for word. Thank you all so much!
As an introvert type, it is more easy to gamedev (on a new game), rather than marketing and outreach. This is why I have been very slow.

All I can say is, I will 'man up', and take that necessary part of releasing a game more serious. After writing this, I will check the youtube-channels you people suggested, and mail them some keys. That is a low hanging fruit I can do.
I really like the suggestion of also contacting medium level letsplay-channels. To be picked up by the large ones are probably unlikely, as they have offers everywhere.
Yes, perhaps this evening should be spent doing this.

I really appreciate the encouragement!

[Olydog]

I agree with all of these positive comments :)! One thing I have noticed is that some channels post a dev blog or two and blow up, not saying you have to do that or anything but just throwing that out there if you wanted to go down that alley.