darennkeller

[darennkeller]

Dawnfolk is a charmingly dark survival city-builder.🏘️ Collect resources, rebuild your realm and protect your settlers from the shadows.👻

Can you unveil the secrets of the monoliths to bring light back to the world?🕯️

Play the Demo ➡️ https://store.steampowered.com/app/2308630/Dawnfolk/

[darennkeller]

My solo indie game reached 10000 wishlists! I never thought it would be possible without a proper marketing team, budget or following.

How did I get those 10000 wishlists? Time to share what worked for me!

Disclaimer: I did sign with a publisher two months ago, and while they are already working on marketing stuff, nothing has been published yet. Those numbers are 100% from my own "marketing" efforts. There are people way better at this than me! I'm just sharing my experience here and I'll let you judge if it's helpful. Some things that did not work with me might work with others (and vice versa)!

(you can also read this and more in this free patreon article)

Let's sort what worked out the best for me.

Steam Events > Influencers > Reddit > Twitter > Devlogs

It might sound obvious, but take the time to check your wishlists regularly, especially whenever you're trying to give visibility to the game with a post/video/announcement/mail. It will allow you to know what works and doesn't. I usually check out youtube and twitch for gameplay videos or press articles whenever there's a bump while I'm not in an event or did not post anything.

Keep posting stuff on social networks. I know it takes time for a small reward, but it's good to have those regular wishlists and connect with other game devs/influencers. It also shows development is alive and you never know when it will reach an influencer or press. When I stopped sharing my stuff for a while, wishlists completely dropped, I was even loosing some everyday! However, do not post stuff EVERY day and do not spend too much time on this. My best results were with a few key posts on reddit (Reddit is harsh, but very rewarding), same thing on twitter. Sharing something interesting every 1-2 weeks instead of small things everyday seems to work better for me. Of course if you like to share your day to day progress regardless of the result, that's good and that's what social networks are for originally! Don't forget people go there to connect with others, not to be spammed by people promoting their stuff.

I publish devlogs on my youtube channel. I got ~200 wishlist from more than 100k views that took me weeks of work. I don't think publishing devlogs is an efficient way to promote your game, unless you go viral or that your videos also target players by being more accessible without too much technical stuff (mine are definitely targeting game devs for now). I'm only speculating here, but I think game developers are mostly interested in learning from your journey than actually wishlisting/playing your game compared to players which results in less wishlists. So do it only if it makes you happy and you want to share your journey (and be careful not to overwork while doing it)!

Influencers are great for 3 reasons:

1. They give your game visibility.

2. They give you feedback to make your game better.

3. They are usually keen to do it for free to help small indie devs.

Build yourself a press list: a list of press and influencer that might be interested in playing your game. I made a list of games that I think have the same target as mine and search on youtube/twitch for influencers that played those games. They usually have their business mail in the about section or on one of their social accounts. When you have something very interesting to show them (a new demo, event or announce) send them all a mail (but don not spam them)!

Here are two accounts you should follow to get tips about how to properly reach to influencers (and other game marketing in general): Clemmy and Wanderbot (subscribe to their newsletters!)

Events are huge for wishlists. It's easy and it does not take time to submit and they are usually free. But there are two big issues with events:

1. You have to find them.

The best free place to find most events is on the HTMAG discord created by Chris Zukowski (@AdventureMtn).

There's also this amazing calendar with all the events (thanks to @mreliptik for sharing this with me)!

2. You have to be accepted.

You need a demo, quality marketing assets to share and a good steam page. Again, Chris has some awesome tutorials (free and paid) to get a great steam page up. Consider supporting him if his tutorials helped you!

WARNING Do not submit your game to the steam next fest too soon like I did. You want to submit as late as possible, ideally just before your release. Each game gets one shot at the steam next fest, and the more wishlists you have going in, the more wishlists you'll get. I made that mistake because I thought I would release the game 2 months later (lol).

On a side note, you will have tons of wishlist deletions. Don't worry about it, that's perfectly normal (I won't lie, the first 1000 deletions still hit me hard though).

I think the best time to create your steam page is as soon you have a small trailer, screenshots and interesting description that do not look like a prototype full of placeholders. The sooner you have it, the sooner you start collecting wishlists! With the steam page also comes the whole steam community package, which is a plus to keep in touch with people who like your game. I don't really see any disadvantage in having a steam page early, but you might want to plan the communication around the page release to maximize visibility right away. Do not release it without telling anyone! When you demo is out, you can update your page and announce it everywhere too (try to give the exclusivity to a big showcase if you can!).

Things that did not work for me: devlogs, replying to influencers asking for games on twitter, using those spammy hashtags to promote your game (#wishlistwednesday etc...), posting uninteresting stuff about the game developement EVERY day, reposting the same content, posting on the popular subreddits, sharing my game on those "share your work" channel on discord servers, paid ads and plenty of other little "tricks" I wasted my time on. I think some things did not work out because of my game specifically. For example, some games definitely look better than others on socials. I don't think mine is, and it might explain why posting on socials is not as efficient as for other games (or maybe I'm wrong and I just did not find the right way to make it look interesting on socials!).

I hope this was was a nice read! Thanks again for your support and don't hesitate if you have questions!

[darennkeller]

Hey everyone!

The Endless Replayability event just started on steam. What better time to introduce you to the Endless game mode of Lueur?

The goal is to survive as long as you can! Maps and events are procedurally generated, so every run is unique. It's still a prototype and it will be way different at release, but I thought it was fun enough to share it with you in the demo. It will be available in the demo at least until the end of the event!

There's a contest going on right now! Join the discord and share a screenshot of your best score in the #contest channel. The winner will get a unique vanity role and will be immortalized in the hall of fame!

Have fun!

[darennkeller]

I just love the "timeless" simplicity of the F-91W. Also, I do have tiny wrists.

[darennkeller]

New milestone reached! 1000... deletions.

I'm not supposed to celebrate this. 🙃

[darennkeller]

[darennkeller]

That's official, I've signed with a publisher! 🎉

Who, why, and how? ⬇️

I think the most important thing to say first is that I retain the IP and complete control over the game design and development. They will definitely help, but can't force anything on me. I'm still creatively independent, and that's the important part.

I talked with dozens of publishers over the past year, discovered how they could help me, and compared their offers. @AstraLogical is one of the publishers who believed in me and my game. They have an awesome team, a unique vision, and exceptionally indie-friendly terms. I signed the contract without any doubts or fears, and I'm confident this is the right move (reviewed by a lawyer, of course). Kinda insane considering how stressful these last few weeks were.

I won't have to rush a stripped-down game release early this year because I'm running out of funds. The game will be much better thanks to the additional time and resources.

I can also stop worrying about marketing and focus on my game. It's going to reach way more people than if I were handling it all by myself. Astra is going to fund and handle the translation into tons of languages. They will also take care of quality assurance and testing.

I'm not alone anymore. Solo game development is hard and lonely. Having this team of passionate players helping me make this game a reality makes a HUGE difference.

I'm working on my next devlog. I want to share the whole process of finding a publisher, step by step, with tips and tricks to make this easier. Be sure to subcribe to my youtube channel to know when it's out. Don't hesitate if you have any questions. #gamedev

[darennkeller]

Mechs and bosses?

wurmy game dev

🎶 Space Sheriff Sharivan 🎶

[darennkeller]

Can you find all the hidden Easter eggs?

[darennkeller]

Counting sheep.. 🐑🐑

[darennkeller]

I finally added a map generator to my game! It's still WIP but it's already so satisfying.

[darennkeller]

Let's take a relaxing ride down the river!

[darennkeller]

Seeing what could be my tiny city-builder game on the original Game Boy makes me feel nostalgic...

That's a fake screen I made by redrawing the sprites from my game "Lueur and the Dim Settlers" and by adding a "game boy" screen effect to it.

[darennkeller]

Don't forget to grab the free GDC 2024 Game Audio Bundle!

[darennkeller]

Magic Effects 3

Download More and Free:

https://bdragon1727.itch.io/

[darennkeller]

Devolver, one of the most renowned indie game publishers in the world, reached out to me and played my game.

In this devlog, I'll talk about:

How I connected with Devolver.

The details of our conversation.

The valuable feedback they provided and how it led to game improvements.

What's next for my game.

DISCLAIMER: I do have the approval from Devolver to share this.

How Did I Get in Touch with Devolver?

I've been talking with various publishers for months now. Typically, they discover my game through my presence on Twitter, Reddit, or directly on Steam during online events and contact me directly by mail. Noticing this growing interest, I decided to take the initiative and contact my favorite publishers myself, just to see what might happen.

But to do this, I needed a Pitch Deck. This document is a concise presentation of your game and your plans for it, including details like release dates, budget, target audience, and more. Fortunately, Devolver shares a tutorial on creating an effective pitch deck right on their contact page. I read it and essentially followed the guidelines to craft my own.

I sent out the pitch deck and then... I waited. I didn't have particularly high expectations; it felt a bit like tossing a message in a bottle into the sea.

Three weeks later, I received my first rejection from ChuckleFish. At that point, I somewhat resigned myself to not hearing back from anyone and moved on. But just a week later, Devolver got in touch! Specifically, it was Clara from their marketing team who've read my pitch deck and already noticed the game before during the Steam Next Fest.

How Did the Conversation Go?

Clara told me that my initial release date was too soon for them. She actually contacted me to establish connections for future projects, as she had developed a genuine fondness for Lueur. I wasn't particularly fixed on the release date, so we discussed the possibility of launching the game in 2025. During our conversation, Clara presented me with a series of questions:

If you were to create your dream game, what would the budget be, and what features would you want to include in the final game?

Are you considering simultaneous releases on consoles and/or mobile devices?

What kind of outsourcing, contracting, or additional staffing would you require?

Which game engine are you currently using?

How long do you anticipate the average player will spend in Lueur to reach completion?

The question about the game engine had an interesting twist. I mentioned that I use Godot, highlighting the complete control I have over the engine without depending on another company. Remarkably, one week later, Unity altered its pricing structure, causing quite a stir in the game development community.

Answering these questions in detail took time, you can find my complete responses here.

I also took the opportunity to ask a few questions to Clara, which lead to very interesting information about how Devolver works.

How do you see my game fitting into your portfolio?

We’re continually exploring new ideas, regardless of genre, but first it has to be fun. The reason we take our time to review pitches so rigorously is to really understand the game and determine if our strengths are the best fit to help you sell it. So I’ll get back to you on that! We also have to evaluate the logistics, such as staff and resource availability in your proposed timelines, so you get maximum support from us, which means sometimes it's not just about the fit.

Have you already collaborated with solo developers before? How did it go?

We absolutely love working with small teams, and indeed have launched several projects with solo developers. Some examples are Inscryption, My Friend Pedro, and Bleak Sword and Pepper Grinder is another one upcoming.

What kind of support can I expect throughout the development and publishing process?

We essentially aim to do everything needed to support our devs being able to comfortably make their game, which typically includes funding, marketing, and production assistance at a minimum. We have load s of capabilities and expertise in many fields that we’re excited to leverage in whatever combination makes the most sense for your game. It’s a collaborative effort!

How does your team approach generating visibility and excitement around new releases?

We really try to play to each game’s individual strengths and listen to both our devs and our audience when it comes to marketing the games we publish. We’re fairly strategic and have some stellar in-house talent, as well as a host of partners for expanded capabilities. This will be a much bigger conversation throughout any partnership.

How involved would your team be in the development process? I value creative freedom and would like to know how we can work together to maintain the integrity of my game.

You’re the game-making genius. Our job is to help you get it out the door and into as many players’ hands as possible when it’s ready. We do have insight, experience, and passion, however, so feedback is always on the table if you want it.

Could you give me a sense of how collaboration between your team and me as a solo developer would work?

We endeavor to collaborate on every beat and give you final say, particularly on the big decisions. It’s no different than with a team.* We want you to have confidence in our partnership.

Her responses left a very positive impression. Did any of her answers strongly resonate with you? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments, I'm really interested in knowing what you think about them.

Following our initial conversation, I sent Devolver a new version of the game for their team to review, and the waiting game began. Two weeks later, I received their feedback about my game.

Feedback about the Game

Let's dive into their feedback and see how I improved my game thanks to them. You might want to check out the video to visually understand the changes in the game.

The Day-skipping for resources felt tedious.

This is true. Initially, Lueur was designed to be played in real-time. However, casual and more relaxed players found the timer stressful. So, I introduced a new game mode, which is entirely turn-based. This mode has been well-received, but it did not feel natural that time is stopped and you have to manually skip days. To resolve this, I decided to take a different approach. Now the game is always in real-time, but you can pause and fast-forward time instead of skipping days. Mechanically, it remains the same, but the player's experience is vastly smoother and even more immersive. Players now have full control over how time passes instead of the game enforcing constant pause.

The visual style didn’t grab.

I plan to retain the low-rez pixel art style due to my limited drawing skills. Nevertheless, it doesn't mean I can't make it look better. Some of my sprites are clearly placeholders and will need to be updated. I've already overhauled the sprites for the darkness storms, which play a crucial role in the game's atmosphere. The result is quite ominous and I like it. Moreover, I've introduced a weather system, which does not impact gameplay yet, but greatly changes the game's mood and breaks the visual monotony.

The mini-games were fun, and there was hope for more.

I'm really happy about this feedback, because the mini-games are definitely a risky design choice in a strategy game, and a few testers really hated it hard. But overall, it s very appreciated. My plan is to progressively introduce more and more mini-games with each level.

The moral choices were surprising and cool.

I'll be expanding on the events and their choices with each level. I'm currently working on implementing a priority system to add an element of randomness and ensure that players don't encounter the same events too frequently.

What's Next?

So, did Devolver eventually decide to work with me on Lueur? Unfortunately, the answer is no.

We’ve taken a deeper dive into the build and your dream game notes over these past couple weeks and there was more back and forth than usual. In the end, we couldn’t quite come to a consensus to move forward to next steps at this time. However, Lueur resonated with quite a few of us (particularly the tabletop gamers), which is a much better sign than most projects that make it to this step.

So... It's disappointing that things didn't work out, and I would have been thrilled to collaborate with them. However, I'm immensely grateful for the opportunity, and I take pride in the fact that my small solo project captured the attention of such a renown publisher. Their feedback has been invaluable in enhancing my game, and perhaps, who knows, they might have a change of heart in the future.

As for right now, I actually just signed a publisher last week! But that's for another devlog. Feel free to watch the video version. If you'd like to embark with my on this indie journey, don't forget to subscribe!

I hope it was a nice read, see you next time everyone!

[darennkeller]

Me when it's Friday and the weekend is upon us 🐸🩵

(Frogun Encore is coming up and you can add it to your wishlist on steam!)