Idaes for Promoting PoE

[limbo]

Litte bit inspared by topic How Should Obsidian Market Pillars of Eternity

 

So I've got some idea, about how to try marketing PoE or make it potential market bigger. Maybe, not the most brightest one under the sun, but hey, it still something.

 

1. Portrait Contest on DeviantArt. Why?

+ Players could have easly access of hundreds, if not thousand of portraits in good proportions to choose between in every possible combination of race, subrace and gender (even for aumana or orlan)

+ Deviantart is "massive" in comparison to other art sites: average artist have around 100 followers. It also have many young users: while PoE seems to be temporarily famous mostly by older players, but how many of them played in BG, Fallout or Torment as teenagers?

+ Fantasy portrait is comparatively easiest thing to draw, many artist would probably try it.

+ Blizzard have done something like this on dA two times (And the level of the submited artworks was really hight). So it is probably cost effective.

+ It probably the most nice way to promote new IP

- Need serious prizes for participants.

- And consultation with Deviant CEO. I don't know if they take cash for this kind of promotion, but it sound very probably.

- Response from art community may be too small

 

2. Make a level of dificulity "I'm here only for story, and I'm afraid of anything that move, or looks like it could move, or is suspicious un-moving."

+ sats of every monster would be dumped to 10% of standard one

+ or give just one monster in place of bunch? Less enemies in wilderness would look more natural, realistic, wich may affect positivly immersion

- It should be irreversible option: once turned on, couldn't be redone. But player could chose it before game, or while playing. Making it easly switchable option, would be tempting for normal player "to cheat gently" the game, and may broke for him fun out the gameplay.

 

Despite everything fight shouldn't be cut off from whole game.

 

(Evil part of my plan is to make personaly one entry, but shhh... you didn't readed this. Second part is to borrow PoE for my book-oriented friends, and convice them, that games could be good, "Come to the Dark Side, we have Goat Simulator, and Pillar of Eternity!" )

 

Sorry, for my English.

[Shevek]

I dislike suggestion 2 but I REALLY like suggestion 1. A portrait contest at DeviantArt is a GREAT idea.

[BigBripa]

Also think #1 is a great idea, just in terms of getting more portraits at the start of game. While they would presumably be very easy to upload, maybe top three for each race gets inclusion in base game or something. At any rate, if this develops please link to it here so we can grab the ones we like.

[Snoozer]

Outsourcing a contest on DeviantArt is ripe with possible PR blunders. Running a contest also takes a large amount of time and resources; you don't see every dev house pull a contest.

 

Final bit, why did you start a new thread rather than appending this post to that one? Same idea.

[Walsingham]

I don't see why you need a special story oriented mode. I'm replaying the original Baldur's Gate. It's tougher than anything I've played made in the last ten years.

 

I don't think I've ever had to reload anything in Skyrim more than four times.

[Katarack21]

I don't see why you need a special story oriented mode. I'm replaying the original Baldur's Gate. It's tougher than anything I've played made in the last ten years.

 

I don't think I've ever had to reload anything in Skyrim more than four times.

I reloaded, like, a dozen times when exploiting the invisible chest.

Edited December 21, 2014 by Katarack21

[Luckmann]

I just want to chime in and say that I would absolutely love a DeviantArt Contest for portraits. It wouldn't just promote the game, but as has been stated, possibly create hundreds of appropriate portraits.

Just don't forget that entries should also be judged by how close they are to the chosen art-style. Winning entries should fit seamlessly into the game and be appropriately awesome.

[Endrosz]

^ This. Mind the art style. But I like the idea, too.

 

I'm not opposed to a story mode, it's a small thing to add resource-wise. I have played a number of RPGs which would've been better without the combat, as pure adventure games, and I wished there was a no-combat option (Anachronox, for example).

[Katarack21]

^ This. Mind the art style. But I like the idea, too.

 

I'm not opposed to a story mode, it's a small thing to add resource-wise. I have played a number of RPGs which would've been better without the combat, as pure adventure games, and I wished there was a no-combat option (Anachronox, for example).

After I beat BGII a few times, I cheated hard and extensively with the console, creating a party so massively overpowered that I was never challenged by any enemies and also using the instant-kill key command. I did this just so I could wander around at my leisure, fully exploring every environment and interacting with every character without any concerns for my ability to continue the game.

[Luckmann]

 

^ This. Mind the art style. But I like the idea, too.

 

I'm not opposed to a story mode, it's a small thing to add resource-wise. I have played a number of RPGs which would've been better without the combat, as pure adventure games, and I wished there was a no-combat option (Anachronox, for example).

After I beat BGII a few times, I cheated hard and extensively with the console, creating a party so massively overpowered that I was never challenged by any enemies and also using the instant-kill key command. I did this just so I could wander around at my leisure, fully exploring every environment and interacting with every character without any concerns for my ability to continue the game.

 

 

After beating BGII a few times, why would you need to do that in order to have no concerns about your ability to continue the game?

[Quadrone]

Eh, if they ask nicely maybe they can convince TotalBiscuit to make a "WTF is..." about PoE close to release.

He does non-mainstream games quite often I think, so if the game is in a good state and he recommends it in one of his vids it's gonna have a noticable impact.

[Nakia]

Eh, if they ask nicely maybe they can convince TotalBiscuit to make a "WTF is..." about PoE close to release.

He does non-mainstream games quite often I think, so if the game is in a good state and he recommends it in one of his vids it's gonna have a noticable impact.

I think that is an excellent idea.

[Leferd]

Well, they did try with Jesse Cox play through a few weeks back. Granted he only has 700,000 YouTube subscribers compared to TB's 1.8 million...

[Shevek]

From the vids Ive seen, TB is a bit more of an old school gamer and would probably appreciate PoE somewhat more than other YT personalities.

[lolaldanee]

both are good ideas, even though i don't see why #2 would have much to do with marketing, it's still a good idea by itself

[Lord Wafflebum]

Best marketing plan: Sell to EA.

[Lephys]

2. Make a level of dificulity "I'm here only for story, and I'm afraid of anything that move, or looks like it could move, or is suspicious un-moving."

+ sats of every monster would be dumped to 10% of standard one

+ or give just one monster in place of bunch? Less enemies in wilderness would look more natural, realistic, wich may affect positivly immersion

- It should be irreversible option: once turned on, couldn't be redone. But player could chose it before game, or while playing. Making it easly switchable option, would be tempting for normal player "to cheat gently" the game, and may broke for him fun out the gameplay.

Well... what happens when your story goes as follows?

 

"Then, the party dashed easily through the wilderness, encountering frighteningly little resistance and overcoming hardly anything. And the world was saved, thanks to the fact that no one even posed a legitimate threat in the first place! The End!"

 

I mean, I'm all for easier mode. But, my problem with that level of "I'm just here for the story" mode (I think Mass Effect 3 did that?) is... at that point, why are you even playing it? What you really want is just an interactive cinematic. You don't even want to jog characters around and manage them and purchase things in any capacity.

 

When it comes to an RPG, the combat and mechanics are kind of part of the story.

 

Alas, the portrait contest is a good idea, though. I may yet break the rust off the old drawing arm and try to partake. Even though I've failed miserably to do so yet (break the rust off, that is... not partake in contests that haven't yet existed for PoE).

[Katarack21]

 

 

^ This. Mind the art style. But I like the idea, too.

 

I'm not opposed to a story mode, it's a small thing to add resource-wise. I have played a number of RPGs which would've been better without the combat, as pure adventure games, and I wished there was a no-combat option (Anachronox, for example).

After I beat BGII a few times, I cheated hard and extensively with the console, creating a party so massively overpowered that I was never challenged by any enemies and also using the instant-kill key command. I did this just so I could wander around at my leisure, fully exploring every environment and interacting with every character without any concerns for my ability to continue the game.

 

 

After beating BGII a few times, why would you need to do that in order to have no concerns about your ability to continue the game?

 

It's the difference between "This fight is well-known to me and fairly easy; challenge is minimal" and "Ha! *hits two buttons to kill these things and continues avidly exploring".

[Lord Wafflebum]

 

 

 

^ This. Mind the art style. But I like the idea, too.

 

I'm not opposed to a story mode, it's a small thing to add resource-wise. I have played a number of RPGs which would've been better without the combat, as pure adventure games, and I wished there was a no-combat option (Anachronox, for example).

After I beat BGII a few times, I cheated hard and extensively with the console, creating a party so massively overpowered that I was never challenged by any enemies and also using the instant-kill key command. I did this just so I could wander around at my leisure, fully exploring every environment and interacting with every character without any concerns for my ability to continue the game.

 

 

After beating BGII a few times, why would you need to do that in order to have no concerns about your ability to continue the game?

 

It's the difference between "This fight is well-known to me and fairly easy; challenge is minimal" and "Ha! *hits two buttons to kill these things and continues avidly exploring".

 

I get that. I often do that when I go for a completionist playthrough, often screaming, "I AM YOUR GOD! BOW TO MY MAJESTY!" while my neighbors gather outside my house whispering quietly and wondering if they should call the police.

[limbo]

Outsourcing a contest on DeviantArt is ripe with possible PR blunders. Running a contest also takes a large amount of time and resources; you don't see every dev house pull a contest.

 

Final bit, why did you start a new thread rather than appending this post to that one? Same idea.

Honestly, to get more potential exposure to ideas. I belive they are good, so personally don't mind being taken for rude.

 

both are good ideas, even though i don't see why #2 would have much to do with marketing, it's still a good idea by itself

To enlarge potential target. Not only to gamers. Let's try to think outside box: who beside RPG-gamers could be interested in this kind of game?

For me answer are:

1. Artists - cause in overall PoE is tasteful and coherent (medieval setting didn't biting with transparent, clean HUD), and it may correspond well with art community.

2. Teenagers - they love touch the stuff don't designed for them. Despite alcohol and drugs, it may have some good outcome too. Tell them, its not game for them, it too hard, or too mature, too complicated. Just don't tell it directly.

3. Fantasy readers - they also could be considered as potential target, when it comes to fantasy the border between fans of comics, books or games became really thin and easy to cross. Encouraging them by possible very easy gameplay wouldn't hurt anyone.

[Katarack21]

 

Outsourcing a contest on DeviantArt is ripe with possible PR blunders. Running a contest also takes a large amount of time and resources; you don't see every dev house pull a contest.

 

Final bit, why did you start a new thread rather than appending this post to that one? Same idea.

Honestly, to get more potential exposure to ideas. I belive they are good, so personally don't mind being taken for rude.

 

both are good ideas, even though i don't see why #2 would have much to do with marketing, it's still a good idea by itself

To enlarge potential target. Not only to gamers. Let's try to think outside box: who beside RPG-gamers could be interested in this kind of game?

For me answer are:

1. Artists - cause in overall PoE is tasteful and coherent (medieval setting didn't biting with transparent, clean HUD), and it may correspond well with art community.

2. Teenagers - they love touch the stuff don't designed for them. Despite alcohol and drugs, it may have some good outcome too. Tell them, its not game for them, it too hard, or too mature, too complicated. Just don't tell it directly.

3. Fantasy readers - they also could be considered as potential target, when it comes to fantasy the border between fans of comics, books or games became really thin and easy to cross. Encouraging them by possible very easy gameplay wouldn't hurt anyone.

 

I think this is a good point. Having a mode where the combat is super easy and virtually meaningless, but has no effect whatsoever on the other modes of gameplay, would encourage a group of people who wouldn't otherwise play without having any effect whatsoever on the tactical, strategic combat element in the "normal" modes. I don't see a problem with this. I probably wouldn't play it, not until I've beaten the game in the normal mode at least, but I can't see any reason to complain about the option being available to others.

[Lord Wafflebum]

"Story Mode" would likely negatively affect gameplay. The way they're handling difficulty is by adjusting how many enemies you face at any given time. Easy difficulty already limits the number of enemy encounters to a point where you're facing just enough things that you don't get bored (which is perfect for me). Another lower difficulty would leave vast areas with nothing to fight and would also not make sense in many places. 

 

Trust me, Easy mode is plenty accessible to probably 80% of players. 

[Lephys]

Adjusting the challenge for the purposes of eliminating the challenge is self-defeating. It's a bit like taking a sports game and making a "no rules mode, for people who just wanna play "Jog-Around-And-Kick-A-Ball Simulator 2015."

 

It's like.... taking a puzzle and making it a 1-piece puzzle for people who just want to see the image. Is it still a puzzle, really? Couldn't they just go look at a painting, instead of insisting on getting a puzzle that meets their needs of not needing to be figured out?

 

There's nothing wrong with enjoying games that don't really challenge you. That's not the only type of game in existence. But, there are games for that out there. Or, at the very least, if there aren't enough of them, petition some people to make more of them. But, taking a game that's built on the premise of tactical combat, and making a "breeze-through-combat" mode would just be in some limbo genre, between what those people actually want (to basically just watch a whole interactive story) and what the game actually is.

[Katarack21]

"Story Mode" would likely negatively affect gameplay. The way they're handling difficulty is by adjusting how many enemies you face at any given time. Easy difficulty already limits the number of enemy encounters to a point where you're facing just enough things that you don't get bored (which is perfect for me). Another lower difficulty would leave vast areas with nothing to fight and would also not make sense in many places. 

 

Trust me, Easy mode is plenty accessible to probably 80% of players. 

 

But that's the *whole point of the mode* is to have negative affects on gameplay. Literally, the whole idea of a "story mode" is to "negatively effect gameplay" in the sense of making one of the major components of gameplay (combat) effectively meaningless so that the player who chooses this mode can focus entirely on character interactions, non-combat social skills, etc. without worrying about encounters and combat. For this type of player--effectively a dedicated, hardcore *role*player--those things *are* the gameplay. They care less about how to defeat this group of bears than how many points they have to have in Lore to pull that little nugget of extra info out of the bartender. These are the guys that run three concurrent saves of different classes and backgrounds just to find out what the differences are for each in every conversation, and who save skim....so they can see the other branches.

 

Having an extremely easy mode for this, without having any impact whatsoever on the "normal" modes for the rest of us, makes sense to me.

[Lord Wafflebum]

I can't imagine that demographic is so large that it justifies reallocating enough resources for an almost complete game to implement.