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Help needed for interview research

tbulfordtbulford
edited in General
Hey guys I am responding to an interview and one of the questions was

What are the biggest success stories to date?

This with regards to the South African Game Development Scene. I seriously do not want to get details wrong here. I am looking for a list of what the Make Games SA group would consider those stories. Keeping in mind the words Biggest so please guys don't get offended if your game is not on that list. I need to reply by Sunday so I am going to end up doing this during the GameJam. @Bensonance you been tagged as research assistant/slave on this :p

Here are the titles and my thoughts on why they are listed. Keep adding suggestions (please give links too) and I will keep this updated. I need a short 100 word explanation on each title what makes its a notable success (simply been released or greenlit is not enough).

Desktop Dungeons @dislekcia
Viscera Cleanup @ShadowBlade
Broforce @BlackShipsFilltheSky
Pixel Boy @atomicdomb
Stasis Game @Chris_Bischoff

@AngryMoose,@mattbenic what can we put here from Luma' side. I don't understand the current local/international aspects well enough to make suggestions.

Fire away (putting flame retardant body suit on now)
Thanked by 3atomicdomb hanli nelsonscomedy

Comments

  • iPixelPierreiPixelPierre
    You could add that I joined the Game Dev scene. That's a pretty good success story no?
    Thanked by 1Bensonance
  • tbulfordtbulford
    edited
    @iPixelPierre whilst normally I would appreciate the humor, please lets keep this thread informative. There is a lot of pressure to get this done by Sunday with the jam on. Thanks
  • BensonanceBensonance
    @tbulford I'm always up for slaving over game dev research :D.

    I think those five games are our biggest success stories, pretty much. I'll chat to you more about it this weekend, though :).

    What's also cool is that all those games have in some small way benefited directly from MGSA, which is pretty cool :).
  • tbulfordtbulford
    Bensonance said:
    What's also cool is that all those games have in some small way benefited directly from MGSA, which is pretty cool :).
    Yes that's really the criteria I am most keen to put forward. This specific news source will find its way to a lot more typical industry and I really want to drive home that we are professional hard working and worth investing in for many different reasons.
    Thanked by 1Bensonance
  • EvanGreenwoodEvanGreenwood
    Pocket RPG got to #4 selling paid iPad App, and was the #1 RPG game on the Appstore for quite a while.

    I think Snailboy did pretty well as well on Mobile.

    That Murdered By Sharks game got a shit ton of plays on XBox Live.
  • tbulfordtbulford
    BlackShipsFilltheSky said:
    Pocket RPG got to #4 selling paid iPad App, and was the #1 RPG game on the Appstore for quite a while.
    Could we put that as back story on how you funded FreeLives and built BroForce (Am I correct in my understanding here?)
    BlackShipsFilltheSky said:
    I think Snailboy did pretty well as well on Mobile.

    That Murdered By Sharks game got a shit ton of plays on XBox Live.
    I really want to focus on the 5 top successes. Each one hopefully having a remarkable aspect to point out in the article. I don't know if either of those games has made a success that trumps the ones listed now. Its tough and I would love to mention all the games on the scene that are released but that's not enough of a story. Open to comments on this.
  • EvanGreenwoodEvanGreenwood
    @tbulford I worked with Tasty Poison on Pocket RPG. Tasty Poison got the bulk of the revenue, but the money I got from Pocket RPG was put towards funding Broforce (like you said).
  • tbulfordtbulford
    @BlackShipsFilltheSky thanks for clearing that up. Does that not raise the question should Tasty Poison not be mentioned?
  • RigormortisRigormortis
    @tbulford, I'm curious, for what magazine/publication is this interview?

    MGSA is a pretty big success story. I mean, going from not existing to over 200 prototypes in less than 2 years seems pretty damn successful to me. But I take it you are looking for specific Dev's/studios that have some games?

    If that's the case then I think it would be nice to include Snail Boy or pocket RPG. They are mobile games, and it would be nice to show that there are successful mobile games being developed here. Same reasoning could go for Murdered by Sharks for consoles.

    I think the term BIGGEST success is not applicable to SA game dev at the moment. All the games you have so far on the list are successful for different reasons. BIGGEST sounds to me like they are asking who is making the most money...which probably makes my a cynic.

    In fact, I think you should suggest to your interviewer to take the entire list and do a piece on each game/studio. :P
    Thanked by 1atomicdomb
  • AngryMooseAngryMoose
    tbulford said:

    @AngryMoose,@mattbenic what can we put here from Luma' side. I don't understand the current local/international aspects well enough to make suggestions.
    Depends on what is meant by 'success' I guess :) The Harvest was a Windows Phone 7 launch title commission for and published by Microsoft Game Studios, so that could be thought of as quite successful. Bladeslinger was in the top 10 on iOS for a few weeks, made Apple's Editor Choice, and was generally received as one of the best looking mobile titles to date when it was released. Even Chase from I-Imagine could be thought of as successful given that it was the 1st project in the world to be accepted into the Xbox Incubator program, the 1st console title developed locally, and brought millions of Rands into the country.

    Take from that what you will :) PM/email me if you'd like more details :)

  • atomicdombatomicdomb
    I need a short 100 word explanation on each title what makes its a notable success...Pixel Boy @atomicdomb
    Huge honour to be considered for this haha >.< I don't know If I'm allowed to comment on reasoning as to why it could be considered a Success however I believe I can say why Pixel Boy has been a huge personal success for GBG (I think, just trying to help out haha :P).

    To me one of the biggest things about Pixel Boy, that I consider cool, is that it started in 2012 as an IEB Matric project for my IT Class and evolved from a forced school project in the SA schooling system to a game which will be coming to Steam and Most console publishers. I feel its very important that SA School systems are supporting gaming and game Dev, I remember in the year that Pixel Boy one the PAT project competition the top 3 matric projects were all games!! (which is fantastic). The game has also been made cross-continentally >.<.

    @tbulford, Just PM if you need anything else.
  • dislekciadislekcia
    edited
    Criteria for success are? Financial? Accolades earned? What would the publication that the interview is for be concerned about?

    Because, if it's primarily financially focused, then Pixel Boy doesn't really hit any of those measurement marks (as much as I like the game itself, don't stab me @atomicdomb) because it hasn't released yet...
    Thanked by 1atomicdomb
  • KarujiKaruji
    Maybe making people think you're successful is a criteria for success?
  • dislekciadislekcia
    Karuji said:
    Maybe making people think you're successful is a criteria for success?
    I don't see how that answers the question I asked...
  • KarujiKaruji
    @dislekcia it was more in support of your point then answering your question.
  • atomicdombatomicdomb
    as much as I like the game itself,
    Thank you :)! <3
    don't stab me @atomicdomb
    I'm saving the stabbing for the next CT Meet up ;)

    Yes if it financially based then Pixel Boy doesn't meet any of the marks. I don't know how many of the 5 listed games would meet those marks either, due to most of them not being released. I feel success is a very subjective thing and it ultimately depends on what the publication wants to write about :P I just chose to speak about why PB is a success to me (it's MAH BABY!) haha!

    I personally believe SA's biggest success story is MGSA itself as this community is (pardon my french) amazing as FUCK!
  • tbulfordtbulford
    @dislekcia since this article is really about us and where we have been with an opportunity to highlight some of the successes the current development scene in South Africa has made. I will have to try make the final judgements on that. The reason I wanted to include Pixel Boy was as I understand they have successfully managed to get a Wii U publishing deal. If that's the case its certainly a remarkable thing and will as a while impress any readers.

    This will find its way more into typical tech-business area not your normal gamer area. So any titles that will help highlight the maturity and diversity of the scene are spot on.

    I think I am going to move the conversation offline with each of the parties since its going to slow. Here already late with my answers but the game jam is a fair excuse.
  • SquidcorSquidcor
    tbulford said:
    @BlackShipsFilltheSky thanks for clearing that up. Does that not raise the question should Tasty Poison not be mentioned?
    Steve is continually bleak that people always seem to forget that Tasty Poison is South African. I think Pocket RPG at least deserves a mention. Perhaps more interestingly, TPG has also shown that it is possible to run a more conventional commercial games studio in the country. One with an office, publishers, regular nine-to-fives and all that jazz.
  • tbulfordtbulford
    @Squidcor cool so give me the best success story to include. Not been from Capetown I don't really have the low down on what Tasty is up to. I certainly don't mean to exclude Tasty I just didn't want to talk about them without some kind of permission and information making what I add to my responses informative and researched.

    I am afraid that running a full time business doing games dev is not the sort of story I need though. Esp since its not unique to Tasty Poison we are doing that Luma has been too and for all intents so does QCF, Stasis Game and Runestorm. I suspect that Pocket RPG would be a perfect thing. Any chance you could direct me to Steve so I might ask him personally?
  • dislekciadislekcia
    @tbulford: I don't think you're aware of the scope of what Tasty Poison is doing. Over 2013 they put out how many games to the app store @Squidcor? They also released an OUYA game that got very prominently featured on there, plus did some neat stuff with 2 player-same-device multiplayer on iOS with it.

    Tasty Poison is a production studio - they're constantly building stuff for people and have great international relationships. It's a very different model compared to how QCF, Stasis and Runestorm work. They're a definite point in the landscape of game development and how to do that sustainably in SA. I think they're just a little bit too isolated sometimes ;P
  • tbulfordtbulford
    edited
    @dislekcia your quite right I was not aware at all. I would love to include them in this as one of the success stories. So any suggestion on what angle I approach including them from? How many games and how well might simply be all I need.
  • tbulfordtbulford
    edited
    Hey @dislekcia, @Squidcor, @BlackShipsFilltheSky, @AngryMoose, @atomicdomb, @mattbenic, @Chris_Bischoff, @ShadowBlade

    the first article is up and live on http://gadget.co.za/pebble.asp?relid=7805

    MSN page links to article (links to gadget) http://gadget.tech.howzit.msn.com/

    As I understand it, it will be released on MSN and the Mail and Guardian web pages as well as in print in the Citizen tomorrow. I will add links here when the become known to me.

    Before anyone asked we only wish Toxic Bunny HD was coming to the Playstation we however do have plans for PSVita via PSM.

    Edit Mail and Guardian version now up.

    http://mg.co.za/article/2014-02-04-noobs-no-more-for-sa-gaming
    Thanked by 5Chippit hermantulleken Pixel_Reaper Bensonance atomicdomb
  • garethfgarethf
    Lighthouse Games does pretty well on XBox Live, from what I know.

    https://www.facebook.com/LighthouseGames
  • tbulfordtbulford
    Thanks @garethf the article is out now. Still keen to know more about Lighthouse Games.
  • dislekciadislekcia
    Um. Can we get the wrong info about DD changed at all? Is it too late?
  • tbulfordtbulford
    @dislekcia I have requested the release dates bee corrected. I am sure it can be corrected for the online article. I haven't seen the copy for the print version yet. It might be too late for that.
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