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TIGSource ForumsDeveloperBusinessCritique my game website
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darklight
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« on: April 16, 2014, 08:49:20 PM »

Hi,

I hope this is ok to post.  I'll be releasing a game extremely soon, and I've created a website to host it.  What I want to know is - what can be improved?  What are you expecting to see, but cant find?  What will help convince you to download my game?

I think sometimes it is easy to get swamped by little details, and miss big important things.

Important to note - the video on the website is not actually the trailer, the trailer is not finished yet.

The site is: stormcloudsover.com

Thanks for any help!
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Impmaster
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« Reply #1 on: April 17, 2014, 12:36:16 AM »

I think you desperately need to refocus your website. When I go on, there's a million things that pop out at once. I first thought it was some type of forum, then I looked a little closer and saw that it was publicizing a game. However, most of the sides and top of the page are covered by things like your forums link, your social media, and whatnot. You need to have the game, front and center. When I first open your website, you should have something like the main video, or at least the images as the first thing I can see. A little slideshow of images, underneath the forums icon, is exactly what looks bad about your website.

Look at some of these as examples of what I mean by focus.

http://braidgame.com/

http://fezgame.com/

http://www.monacoismine.com/
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darklight
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« Reply #2 on: April 17, 2014, 12:53:56 AM »

Its a fair point.  I have used the forum software as a kind of CMS for the site, but the front page is just plain HTML, and I have full control over it really.  You are right, remove any elements to do with forums, but I think this just means removing the gray bar underneath the site header.  The black bar, the main nav tabs, I think are a pretty standard website metaphor & I think users can handle that.  Do you agree?  Do you think the right hand panels make the page look too busy?  They are the only things that look forum-like, as far as I can tell...

Thanks for your feedback!
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Trent
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« Reply #3 on: April 17, 2014, 12:58:09 AM »

The page seems to be a collection of widgets. Sidebar scrolls a bit long on android + opera.

A focus on game description and media like suggested would be best  Well, hello there!
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nikki
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« Reply #4 on: April 17, 2014, 08:04:31 AM »

http://www.indiegamegirl.com/landing-page-design-and-how-to-use-it-to-sell-your-indie-game/
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RudyTheDev
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« Reply #5 on: April 17, 2014, 09:27:25 AM »

The page seems to be a collection of widgets.

I have to agree with this well put observation. I think the main problem is the lack of consistency between various elements. It lacks an overall style and layout that would make it feel whole.
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joe_eyemobi
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« Reply #6 on: April 17, 2014, 07:55:47 PM »

I agree with all of the feedback above.  It's not clear about what the website is about.  The game has to be the central focus.
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darklight
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« Reply #7 on: April 18, 2014, 05:00:38 PM »

Thanks everyone.  I'll redesign it as you guys say.
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