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TIGSource ForumsCommunityDevLogsthe nightmare cooperative (pc released / working on mobile) [puzzle roguelike]
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Author Topic: the nightmare cooperative (pc released / working on mobile) [puzzle roguelike]  (Read 20617 times)
jonbro
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« Reply #60 on: July 15, 2014, 09:13:40 PM »

welp, this is coming out tomorrow on steam! pretty excited! I fixed a few bugs with level generation (it was making somewhat costly levels), but nothing super big. I also did over the win screen. So yeah, release day stress. Lets see how it goes.

GET IT HERE

I don't know if the game is done now though, since now I need to start on the iOS/android port. I think what I need to do is reset the percentage complete on this thread and start posting the iOS screen mockups that we have been doing. I am also thinking that I might release some of the puzzle mode stuff I am planning on doing for free.
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Christian
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« Reply #61 on: July 16, 2014, 03:01:29 AM »

Guess I'll ask here as well: How soon after the PC release do you plan for TNC to release on IOS? I'm debating between getting the game later today or waiting for the IOS version, since this is definitely the kind of game I'd love to play on the go. Although after playing the 7DRL version and reading the 868-Hack comparisons, I think I might just double dip...
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Slader16
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« Reply #62 on: July 16, 2014, 04:52:33 AM »

Good luck on Steam guys!
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jonbro
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« Reply #63 on: July 16, 2014, 08:27:56 AM »

I am not sure how long the port is going to take. The only reason to rush it is if we need the money, but there are lots of reasons to take it slow.

At best, two months, at worst, six (yann[other lucky framer] would kill me for saying that, but it feels realistic)?
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« Reply #64 on: July 16, 2014, 11:33:49 AM »

I am not sure how long the port is going to take. The only reason to rush it is if we need the money, but there are lots of reasons to take it slow.

At best, two months, at worst, six (yann[other lucky framer] would kill me for saying that, but it feels realistic)?
Plan for the worst, hope for the best is a good rule to follow.

Oh, I posted some impressions for the game. Hope the game is doing well sales-wise. Can't wait for the IOS version, this game already has a spot reserved beside Hoplite on my device. Hoplite is probably my favorite roguelike on mobile, but I think TNC just might top it in terms of on-more-go appeal
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jonbro
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« Reply #65 on: July 16, 2014, 10:46:31 PM »

cool, thanks for posting those impressions! it makes me feel really glad to see you got what we were going for with this game. I am glad that we got tons of coverage from people on youtube and blogs.

We only got one review from one of the bigger sites though, which makes me a little concerned about how things are going to go sales wise. I guess I just need to go to sleep and find out tomorrow. This fees bad to complain about tho.
« Last Edit: July 16, 2014, 11:12:24 PM by jonbro » Logged

jonbro
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« Reply #66 on: July 17, 2014, 12:01:06 PM »

well, day one numbers are in, and they aren't great. It is hard to establish a trend line with a single data point, but we are hoping less of a falloff on this game than our other games.

What it means in the short term is that we need to get the mobile version done in the sort term. Frustrating, I was hoping to have a bit of time off post release, and even more hoping that this game would strike a chord with press. But yeah, not so much.
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knifeySpoonie
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« Reply #67 on: July 17, 2014, 12:13:23 PM »

I've picked up a copy, and am enjoying it so far. I'm worried about re-playability but will see as I play further. I'm tempted to say you've priced it a just a little high to encourage impulse buys it's £6.99 in the UK when I'd think impulse buys would happen around the £4.99 price for a game like this. I also knew from following the devlog what your game was about, other people might be a little unaware just from the videos what its all about....


I also think your main trailer is a little slow... the music doesn't really enthral me into buying, its really sedate.. might be harming impulse buys a little too.

Good luck though, it seems pretty cool to me, love the art style, and the gameplay is enjoyable which is the main thing.
 
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jonbro
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« Reply #68 on: July 22, 2014, 08:18:23 AM »

I scheduled a fair bit of family stuff for the week after launch, because I thought sales were going to be better. Because of that family stuff, I am not getting as much work done on this. The other guys are grinding away on the mobile version though.



I think we can establish a trend line with the sales on this game now. It is really frustrating to watch months of work be ignored by players. We got a giant bomb quick look and northern lion covered it on his channel, and those videos just aren't converting to sales. I dunno, I am just really angry right now, and kinda feeling like the only way to make games is as a hobby.  Cry

thanks for your feedback knifeySpoonie. I hope we can get together a better trailer for the mobile launch. I wonder if maybe a talking head thing will do better, since we aren't explaining ourselves well enough. Price is always an issue, and people will always argue for lower, regardless of the price (even if things are free, you will then get requests for more features). We tried to put the value of the game at what we thought it was worth, and factor in the fact that sales are going to happen too. I guess players are factoring in the sales as well.
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Slader16
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« Reply #69 on: July 22, 2014, 09:11:04 AM »

You guys can't throw in the towel yet, keep e-mailing let's play-ers/game journos!
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knifeySpoonie
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« Reply #70 on: July 22, 2014, 11:03:44 AM »

I scheduled a fair bit of family stuff for the week after launch, because I thought sales were going to be better. Because of that family stuff, I am not getting as much work done on this. The other guys are grinding away on the mobile version though.

I think we can establish a trend line with the sales on this game now. It is really frustrating to watch months of work be ignored by players. We got a giant bomb quick look and northern lion covered it on his channel, and those videos just aren't converting to sales. I dunno, I am just really angry right now, and kinda feeling like the only way to make games is as a hobby.  Cry

thanks for your feedback knifeySpoonie. I hope we can get together a better trailer for the mobile launch. I wonder if maybe a talking head thing will do better, since we aren't explaining ourselves well enough. Price is always an issue, and people will always argue for lower, regardless of the price (even if things are free, you will then get requests for more features). We tried to put the value of the game at what we thought it was worth, and factor in the fact that sales are going to happen too. I guess players are factoring in the sales as well.

Hey man don't give up yet...

1. Taking a break is a required thing man, don't beat yourself up too much, you work to live, not the other way round. Enjoy your time off, learn your lessons and go back fresh

2. Trend lines mean little with smaller indie games, one cool youtube video or share on twitter could add 500 sales suddenly keep plugging away with getting your game in front of people, and give some free copies to some more Journos and youtubers and twitter users with high follower numbers if you need too. getting peer approval is as i
important as individual reviews for smaller studios


3. Doing games full time might be out of reach immediately, but you can supplement your indie games with contract work if required. You've also made a cool game to completion so your skill set looks good for people hiring or looking for contract teams, bang out a couple of projects till you've saved to work on the next game if neccecary

4. My biggest issue with the trailer was the pace, it felt so slow, you need a more fast paced trailer with more upbeat spooky music, it sends the wrong message I feel, I would just change the music and re upload it for a fast turn around.

5. Totally agree, I see exactly where your coming from, but I feel you've maybe missed with your marketing and crowd, so a lower price brings in slightly higher sales and then you will get more word of mouth and general buzz. Its a risky decision and of course hindsight is 20/20.. I'd also say worrying about sales is only valuable later on, I mean your initial launch people will buy at full price if there is enough buzz and general feeling around a project. A lower initial price might have helped get extra sales and more buzz and then a snowball happens. Of course getting that snowball rolling is harder than ever at the moment :\

Either way, take this week off, and chill, go back with a refreshed mind and start fixing the issues you find with your marketing and also rushing the ipad version is fine but make sure your promotional work takes precedence, what's the point of spending all this time on your ios version if you don't market it fully, start emailing mobile reviewers with copies of the game on steam telling them your doing an iOS version etc... most importantly don't give up, a lot of hardwork and a little luck can change everything, games like flappy bird for example didn't take off for weeks after launch..
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kingdinosaurgames
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« Reply #71 on: July 22, 2014, 06:59:17 PM »

Congrats on the launch, I know you're disappointed in the numbers but this is a REALLY fun game with a great aesthetic - I'm certain it will provide you with a solid revenue stream for quite some time.
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« Reply #72 on: July 22, 2014, 07:28:37 PM »

I've been following this game since the early builds you put out. I love the art style you went with, and obviously the gameplay.

Just to throw in my two cents, this isn't a game I would ever buy for desktop. I do all of my puzzle gaming on my phone, and I would put this in a puzzle game genre rather than a roguelike. I will buy this the second it hits the app store, and I think a lot of other people will too!

I'd say use the desktop version to create interest among hardcore fans (who will pay your slightly higher price), and then when you release the mobile version you'll already have a group of people who will talk about it.
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jonbro
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« Reply #73 on: July 23, 2014, 04:22:45 PM »

cool, thanks for all the feedback guys! I will get over it I am sure. It is a big shock for me, I have been doing this for 3+ years now, and on each of the games the trend line was going up. More press, more sales. We were making enough money off the last game to fund the next game. This one reversed the trend on those two things. The positive aspect is even though the press hasn't been there, player feedback has been amazing.

The biggest mistake we probably made was going pc first. We did it the other way around on all our past games, and I am guessing that we know how to design for mobile better than pc (and also that is what we are known for).
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« Reply #74 on: July 23, 2014, 06:43:38 PM »

Hey man, keep your chin up! Anecdotally, I personally watched the Giant Bomb quick look and thought "This looks cool, is it on iOS? I'm gonna wait for that version."

So, my guess is that a lot of players are waiting for an iOS version, but that's just my guess.
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« Reply #75 on: July 23, 2014, 08:37:04 PM »

Hey dude, This is the first I've heard of this game. It looks rad though!
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jonbro
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« Reply #76 on: July 24, 2014, 03:20:06 PM »

working on the screen layouts for ios / android today, I got it playable on phone and handling rotation back and forth. I didn't spend too much time on the specifics of the layout, because my artist changed a really important game thing in his mockups to make them visually work, so I am going to have to get him to redo them.

I think I am somewhat inline with my estimates, but I still have a bunch of family stuff to do and simultaneously need to finish this.
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jonbro
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« Reply #77 on: July 26, 2014, 11:10:38 AM »

it would appear that people are reading this devlog and extrapolating data from it! OH NO!

yesterday I was working on the menu screens, and trying to get everything right. I made a mistake when I started working on this porting stuff where I didn't actually fork the code, hoping that I would do a good job not fucking up the standalone version. I think I have, but I am not sure.

I currently have the title screen in both orientations, and am working on the options / credits screen. Hopefully once I get that one done, the other 3 should fall into place pretty quick.

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jonbro
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« Reply #78 on: July 28, 2014, 10:39:30 AM »

got the menus mostly done, but don't know how the hell I am going to get crossplatform global scores in before launch. This is much trickier to test then on steam. Hopefully I will do it in time though. Now I am just jumping between things and just trying to polish everything as I go.




my todo list is still hovering around 20-30 items, as it has been for the past week. I am still pretty frustrated, but sometimes I just feel nothing and can smash out a few more porting bits, which doesn't feel like a great position to be in when engaging in a creative pursuit.
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jonbro
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« Reply #79 on: July 29, 2014, 07:18:05 AM »

yesterday, I got nearly every screen done (a full game loop is now possible, and you don't see any of the standalone screens), but when I put it on the device, I discovered none of the rotation stuff was working at all. I managed to mostly fix it up, and now the only broken thing is if you rotate the phone to the right when going to landscape.

today I am hoping to redo the following screens:
- pause
- tutorial
- transitions (on portrait)

then I can start in on a second pass on everything (probably focusing most of my efforts on the game over / win screen)
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