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[SaintXi]

I am a couple of weeks from launch of a sizeable DirectX game, and I have a sinking feeling that I have not done enough marketing - with the added glumness that after the launch it could be too late.

I could do with a reality check... what are the raw stats I should use to judge my marketing? # Previews/Reviews, # Interviews, # Web visitors?

This is my first project as a studio, what constitutes 'Buzz' around a launch - and do you have to pay for it in advertising?

On the flip side - I am confident that my game is fun, and will have a long shelf life, and I've read that 'launch' is not such a big deal for indies and it is the long tail which will prove the game's worth.

On a similar note - what conversion rates are people seeing from demo plays to sales - I have read a generic figure of 1-5%, but is that for visit=>sale or demo=>sale for a game? Because at those rates I can judge what number of eyeballs I would have to turn to reach my targets.

[Eclipse]

i was just trying the demo right now!
I've heared about your game but i felt it was launched a bit undertoned too, it looks really cool, expecially for an indie title, and it surely deserve more exposure, i hope Derek or someone will frontpage it...

As conversion rate, usually is intentended demo > full game conversions not much visitors > sales.

Try to send review copies around, like at Destructoid, Kotaku and so on... and maybe even at some magazine, you can't lose anything and even if they'll not do a full-lenght review having even just some written rows about your game somewhere will help a lot to spread the word

[SaintXi]

For Reviews - Do you just send Full Game download and license to editors? I know it sounds obvious but isn't this a surefire way to end up with Light of Altair Full Game torrent before launch?

(  If you are reading this as an Editor - you welcome to a review copy! pm me )

I know how I would have liked to launch - loads of themed interviews and articles on sites/mags, a multipage preview months before the launch, reviews a month or so before etc. I suspect you need a full time PR team to make that work like a big Publisher. But in the end I spent the time making the game polished and fun instead. My choice

[BMcC]

Advice: Instead of asking us to PM you in a forum thread, you email us.

PM me when it's out, or send me a copy or something, I'll definitely check it out.  And good luck!

[SaintXi]

Thanks BMcC, you should have a shiny review copy sitting in your inbox now!

[JasonPickering]

I would say try and build a network. I am currently working on a small game and over the last few months I have been creating a list of people, websites, podcasts and blogs. all of which talk, review and play Indie games. Sending out emails to these places letting them know whats coming out should really help, but at least make sure you know your audience, if they only review FPS dont send them your puzzle game.

[Gold Cray]

I don't know the first thing about marketing, but the first glance at your website has me interested, and I'll definitely try the demo soon.