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Indie IOS Developer in SA trying to get downloads for his first game

sudoktrissudoktris
in Projects
Hi Guys,
I recently launched my first App Store game. I can't believe it so hard to get downloads! Any advice would be appreciated!
Let me know me know what you guys think!
https://itunes.apple.com/app/sudoktris-a-sudoku-adventure/id881758803?uo=5&at=10lSkD&ct=makegamessa

Comments

  • TheFuntasticTheFuntastic
    Congrats on releasing your first game. You've gotten further than most!

    Now sorry to be harsh, but you're trying to compete in one of the most over saturated game segments (sudoku) on the app store. What were you expecting? I can't remember the figure but when Beautiful Sudoku (made by a founding member of thoopid - think I got the name right) was released they also found that out the hard way there is simply a staggering number of alternatives.

    As for what you can do? Build more games, many more, and find a more marketable hook. If you want to carry on pushing a boulder up a hill though, you can look at app store optimization (getting yourself higher in searches). You can also look at paid advertising, that might work for you because I doubt people are that discerning about which sudoku game they download. However unless your monetization model is rock solid don't expect to see any of that money back.
    Thanked by 3dammit dislekcia Tuism
  • dINGLEdINGLE
    Hey sudoktris

    Well done on making and releasing your game! Sadly I don't have an iDevice to try it on.

    I hope you carry on making games. I think it would be a good idea to post your prototypes and work-in-progress games to the forum, that way you can get feedback on what kind of experience people have with the game and how to possibly improve them. I have found the feedback from forum members friendly and invaluable :)
    Thanked by 1BenJets
  • sudoktrissudoktris
    Hey TheFuntastic,
    Rather the harsh truth than soft words that don't help :) But I don't think you were harsh. In fact it got me thinking, my game makes use of Sudoku rules but isn't strictly speaking a Sudoku game. It's a hybrid between Tetris and Sudoku, but the Tetris keywords are all trademarked. So what I am thinking now, thanks to your post, is that I should maybe try a different route, meaning I'll have a look and see what other games Sudoku users also play and see if I can find another "category" that relates to my game, one that is less saturated, and try and rank for related keywords. Thank you for the idea! I'll checkout Beautiful Sudoku and follow to @Thoopid on Twitter, I might just learn a thing or two.
  • sudoktrissudoktris
    Hey dINGLE, thank you for the advice, I just stumbled across Make Games SA recently, but love what I see, I'll definitely get more involved. I won't give up! What games have you made?
  • TuismTuism
    @sudoktris it always helps to try and get some media in your corner, if your game is truly unique they'll be more than happy to write about you. So what you need to work on is something that really expresses what you think is unique. A pitch. Be it a video or screenshots or whatever.

    For example pasting a link here isn't very enticing - you should try and get people to understand your game, a link wouldn't do it!

    From what I'm seeing after clicking through the link, it's still quite confusing, but maybe that's also because I'm not much of a sudoku fan XD
  • sudoktrissudoktris
    @Tuism, hey thank you for this! This helps me a bunch! I'll try and create a more informative video, the 30 sec limit on the app store is tricky but I'll give it a go!
  • TuismTuism
    If you can't communicate the "coolness" of your game in 30 seconds you're in trouble anyway... Don't try to explain everything, try to make sure you understand who'll like it and why and focus on those. There are some videos...

    Someone shared this a while ago, it's very relevant:
    http://www.pentadact.com/2012-03-17-gdc-talk-how-to-explain-your-game-to-an-asshole/

    Then Rami's words of wisdom too:
    http://blog.gamedonia.com/game-pitch-how-to
  • TuismTuism
    Also, dunno if you're looking for more feedback - basically, JUICE! Make your game feel responsive - a lot of the mechanics you explain there can be helped by the visuals helping the communication of those mechanics. For example, if a column is being destroyed, make them look like they're going POP. Etc. Make sure your game communicates what its doing to its players.

    My own really quick condensed talk on mechanics + juice in prototypes... somewhat relevant:
    http://www.tuism.com/mechanical-proto-juice-my-amaze-2013-short-talk/
  • sudoktrissudoktris
    @Tuism Thank you! Checking...
  • dINGLEdINGLE
    sudoktris said:
    Hey dINGLE, thank you for the advice, I just stumbled across Make Games SA recently, but love what I see, I'll definitely get more involved. I won't give up! What games have you made?
    I'm glad you won't give up!

    I recently made a sort of physics game for the recent forum competition here: makegamessa.com/discussion/2958/f-protection

    I also made an infinite jumping type game for android
    makegamessa.com/discussion/2128/gravity-cart-android-prototype

    I put up some prototypes a while back on the now defunct NAG Game.Dev forum.
    I'm hoping to work on more games when I feel I can :)


  • sudoktrissudoktris
    I just want to thank everyone for their comments. I'm updating my game and creating a trailer video for it. Will post it on makedamessa.com when done. Thanks again.
  • TuismTuism
    The first thing you should learn from this community is: Don't only show things when they're *done*. Show them before they're done for feedback. That makes sure whatever is *done* will be better than it would have been!
    Thanked by 1BenJets
  • sudoktrissudoktris
    @Tuism, thank you in that case I'll post my screenshots ands vids as I progress :D
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