-
Archives
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007
- December 2006
- October 2006
- September 2006
- August 2006
- July 2006
- June 2006
- May 2006
- March 2006
- February 2006
- January 2006
- December 2005
- November 2005
- October 2005
- September 2005
- August 2005
- July 2005
- May 2005
- April 2005
-
Meta
Category Archives: Marketing/Business
The Third Ludum Dare October Challenge
Ludum Dare was originally a 48-hour game development competition. Given a theme, you have 48 hours to create an entire game using no pre-existing assets. In recent years it has grown into a huge phenomenon, expanding into a dual-event that occurs three times annually. There are also Mini LDs each month between the major events. . . . → Read More: The Third Ludum Dare October Challenge
The Third Ludum Dare October Challenge is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development
Posted in Game Development, Marketing/Business, Personal Development
Comments Off
Why Indies Rule: An FTL Purchase Mistake
Years ago, I had a girlfriend who loved The Sims. She had the original game, plus a bunch of expansions. It represented quite a financial investment at a few hundred dollars.
Then she got a Mac when her PC died. Fortunately, The Sims has a Mac port.
Unfortunately, EA didn’t do the Mac . . . → Read More: Why Indies Rule: An FTL Purchase Mistake
Why Indies Rule: An FTL Purchase Mistake is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development
Posted in games, Marketing/Business
Comments Off
Kickstarter Is For Market Research
Months ago, I wrote about how glad I was that I didn’t create a Kickstarter campaign to help fund Stop That Hero!‘s development. It wasn’t because I didn’t think Kickstarter was a good idea. It was because I didn’t want to do a half-ass campaign as an afterthought.
When Double Fine Studios had . . . → Read More: Kickstarter Is For Market Research
Kickstarter Is For Market Research is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development
Posted in Game Development, Marketing/Business
Comments Off
See Me At ISVCon Next Month, Plus Registration Discount
From July 13-15 I’ll be in Reno, Nevada, attending ISVCon, a conference for independent software developers and vendors. It’s actually a reboot of the Software Industry Conference (SIC), which the Association of Software Professionals (of which I am currently President) purchased and is hosting for the first time.
I’m not only attending, but . . . → Read More: See Me At ISVCon Next Month, Plus Registration Discount
See Me At ISVCon Next Month, Plus Registration Discount is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development
Posted in game design, Game Development, Marketing/Business
Comments Off
Sell More Software with the Software Marketing Glossary
As an independent game developer, I’m always interested in learning not only how to better make games but also how to better market and sell them.
One great online resource I’ve found is the Software Marketing Glossary. It’s full of ideas to help indie game developers sell more software.
That link takes you . . . → Read More: Sell More Software with the Software Marketing Glossary
Sell More Software with the Software Marketing Glossary is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development
Posted in Marketing/Business
Comments Off
Why I’m Glad I Didn’t Try to Create a Kickstarter Campaign
Before Double Fine had their really successful campaign and seemingly everyone thought Kickstarter was suddenly this brilliant way to raise money for indie games, I looked into it.
As development continued on Stop That Hero!, I worried about continuing to fund it with my savings before I actually ran out. I was aware of . . . → Read More: Why I’m Glad I Didn’t Try to Create a Kickstarter Campaign
Why I’m Glad I Didn’t Try to Create a Kickstarter Campaign is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development
Posted in Game Development, games, Marketing/Business
Comments Off
I Need to Prepare for Anniversaries Better
Today marks six years since GBGames, LLC was officially formed.
Since last year’s anniversary post, I hit a major milestone.
I had my first sale.
My casual strategy game Stop That Hero! is available for GNU/Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows. When I released the initial alpha in December, I had little idea of . . . → Read More: I Need to Prepare for Anniversaries Better
I Need to Prepare for Anniversaries Better is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development
Posted in Marketing/Business, Personal Development
Comments Off
GDC Badge Pro Tips
While I won’t be going to the Game Developers Conference this year, I thought I would share some tips for making the most of your GDC 2012 badge and holder. These tips are especially important for people who will be attending their first GDC, such as some of the fantastic students I met when I . . . → Read More: GDC Badge Pro Tips
GDC Badge Pro Tips is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development
Posted in Game Development, Geek / Technical, Marketing/Business, Personal Development
Comments Off
Hear Me Speak Live at the University of Iowa
I’ll be part of a group of game developers talking to students at University of Iowa on Friday, February 24th, 2012.
Where: Room 240 of Art Building West, Iowa City, IA
When: 4PM
Other speakers include people from Glass Cannon Games, Zach Ellsbury of Seraphic Software, iOS developer Karl Becker, and P.J. Lorenz, organizer . . . → Read More: Hear Me Speak Live at the University of Iowa
Hear Me Speak Live at the University of Iowa is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development
Posted in Game Development, Geek / Technical, Marketing/Business, Personal Development
Comments Off
Filling a No-longer-served Niche
Jeff Vogel of Spiderweb Software wrote about being an indie game bottom feeder. He breaks it down into a few principles.
Stop worrying about piracy and worry about being a person your customers want to support
He talks about coming to terms with the fact that piracy happens. Interestingly, he finds the best way . . . → Read More: Filling a No-longer-served Niche
Filling a No-longer-served Niche is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development
Posted in game design, Game Development, Marketing/Business
Comments Off
An Online Conference You Can Attend #AltDevConf
If you’re not familiar with AltDevBlogADay, you should be. Each day, a game developer posts on a variety of game development topics. There’s a huge backlog of content there now, and while the recent redesign has made it difficult to find the category you want (you have to click on a post to see only . . . → Read More: An Online Conference You Can Attend #AltDevConf
An Online Conference You Can Attend #AltDevConf is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development
Posted in game design, Game Development, Geek / Technical, Marketing/Business, Personal Development
Comments Off
Linux Game Publishing CEO Steps Down
Yesterday, I woke up to an email saying that Michael Simms is stepping down after 10 years of running Linux Game Publishing and Tux Games.
Wow, 10 years! That’s a lot of enthusiasm and work, and unfortunately it takes its toll:
It took me some months to notice what was going on, and even longer . . . → Read More: Linux Game Publishing CEO Steps Down
Linux Game Publishing CEO Steps Down is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development
Posted in Linux Game Development, Marketing/Business
Comments Off
Is Asking Customers to Pre-order a Bad Thing?
A month ago, there was a post on Reddit asking what people thought about indie developers asking for money up front.
Some people are fine if they get a good quality playable build for pre-ordering, but no one seemed to be happy with the idea of funding basic engine development. It seems the general . . . → Read More: Is Asking Customers to Pre-order a Bad Thing?
Is Asking Customers to Pre-order a Bad Thing? is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development
Posted in Game Development, Marketing/Business
Comments Off
My Offsite Backup Solutions
To go along with my last post on indie maintenance and disaster plans, I’d like to mention how I currently back up my important data.
Local Backups
I have two active computers. My main development machine is my currently dying laptop. My desktop has a backup of my laptop’s data. Using rsync and SSH, . . . → Read More: My Offsite Backup Solutions
My Offsite Backup Solutions is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development
Posted in Geek / Technical, Marketing/Business
Comments Off
Indie Maintenance and Disaster Plans
My Dell Precision M90, which has been running like a champ for more than half a decade despite my cats’ attempts to get their fur clogged in its fans, is finally dying. I’ve been seeing graphical glitches for some time, but I’ve been able to continue working, and the glitches eventually go away. Except when . . . → Read More: Indie Maintenance and Disaster Plans
Indie Maintenance and Disaster Plans is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development
Posted in Game Development, Geek / Technical, Marketing/Business
Comments Off
Reviewed: 2011; Previewed: Next Year
Welcome to 2012! I hope you enjoy your stay!
How was the last year for you? Mine was a mixed bag.
First, the good:
I went to the Game Developers Conference for the first time, meeting and hobnobbing with the best and brightest of the game industry. GDC was a blast! I got engaged . . . → Read More: Reviewed: 2011; Previewed: Next Year
Reviewed: 2011; Previewed: Next Year is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development
Posted in Game Development, Marketing/Business, Personal Development
Comments Off
Getting Used to Accepting Payments
According to my git repository, yesterday was the one-year anniversary of the start of my first major commerical game project, Stop That Hero!.
I’m not celebrating because it’s not a good milestone to hit. I didn’t know how long it would be to take the Ludum Dare #18 prototype and make it into a . . . → Read More: Getting Used to Accepting Payments
Getting Used to Accepting Payments is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development
Posted in Game Development, games, Marketing/Business, Personal Development
Comments Off
Should Indies Make Bigger Games?
I’ve been participating in the Indie Indie Conversation on YouTube with other full-time indie game developers. We upload 3 minute videos at a time (although some are a bit longer) and have a discussion about all sorts of topics related to being an indie, such as technical struggles, the need to explicitly make time for . . . → Read More: Should Indies Make Bigger Games?
Should Indies Make Bigger Games? is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development
Posted in game design, Game Development, Marketing/Business
Comments Off
The Importance of Speed
At GDC, I heard a lot of conflicting advice.
Dan Cook suggested a broad portfolio to reduce risk, for instance, while other developers talked about focusing your energies on a single project or genre.
Whatever any one indie said, the one thing everyone seemed to agree upon was the importance of speed.
Dan Cook has written about . . . → Read More: The Importance of Speed Continue reading
Posted in game design, Game Development, Marketing/Business, Personal Development
Comments Off
Happy Anniversary, GBGames!
It’s been five years since I first formed an LLC. Last year’s anniversary post mentioned that I was not happy with the previous four years of part-time progress and hinted at what I planned to do about it.
A few months later, I was a full-time indie game developer.
And I wish I had something exciting to post . . . → Read More: Happy Anniversary, GBGames! Continue reading
Posted in Marketing/Business, Personal Development
Comments Off