The quest advertising

[mixxer5]

I'm huge fan of TQ series and it really saddens me, that such a great game is so obscure. Of course RPGs are niche titles (especially titles like TQ) and Redshift is small, little known studio. Nonetheless, I've a feeling, that both studio and series could be much better known. It's suggestion for devs mainly, but if some other users have their own ideas/ means of propagating games, please- feel free to share.

I've noticed that TQ and Redshift are almost non-existant in medias. It's nothing strange, considering age of these games, but there is single- pretty big too- site, which still writes articles on this matter. I'm talking about Toucharcade. Those guys have huge community, interesting texts... And apparently at least some of them still remember TQ fondly (TQ annually gets articles, despite its age and it's pretty popular)! What I suggest, is trying to find some way to cooperate with them. First and foremost, I feel that both Redshift's facebook and this page are mostly unknown to community. I'm only following R's facebook because link was posted on these forums and I'm following forum because I actually took an effort to find it- most people might not even know it exists.

So... What to actually do? Usually it's not devs who are asking to be written about, but rather other way around- but why not try it this (other) way? Contact with TA, offer them some (exclusive) materials, ask for linking Your page and Fb account. Do giveaway on TA forum (giving out 10 codes on TQ gold would be a start at promoting series, do the same for card game, remaster, TQ2... People don't know that TQ exists, giving out 10 codes to random people who wouldn't buy it otherwise won't do any harm), post on Fb single screens, but more often. Good advertising is as important as creating good game, and TQ2 certainly IS a good game.

I truly hope that my advices will be of some help Good luck with development!

[Catacomber]

Touch Arcade is the best forum for advertising new games on ios--I don't know how it happened but they did a News article on our upcoming Cursed Stone expansion---I didn't even ask for it--it was a total surprise and so nice--

[mixxer5]

That's why I think that contacting them would be really beneficial- for both sides. Most people- even those who played original TQ, decade ago or more- have no idea about sequel or TCG. Apparently, the guy handling articles about TQ is quite enthusiastic about this title- and getting Redshift's fb page on TA's front page would surely increase its popularity immensely.

[Catacomber]

How do you get a Facebook page on Touch Arcade's main page?

The ios appstore seems to be going toward favoring big developers unless I'm missing something there.

So I think Indie developers have to do whatever they can to keep their games on the "front page" so to speak.

I think Touch Arcade is a good way to keep a game "visible" to players. It takes some work though---and handing out promo codes now and then is a good way.

I can't hand out promo codes for our expansions because Redshift gets them--but I'd certainly encourage them to put a few out there for the Quest Gold and some of the expansions.

You don't have to put out a lot--to generate big thanks.

I never really talked about that with them. Thanks for bringing it up.

[Catacomber]

Here's the link to their News Article about our new expansion Cursed Stone--I never asked for it--it was really surprising to see it--it made me very happy of course. : )

http://toucharcade.com/?s=the+ques

[mixxer5]

How do you get a Facebook page on Touch Arcade's main page?

The ios appstore seems to be going toward favoring big developers unless I'm missing something there.

So I think Indie developers have to do whatever they can to keep their games on the "front page" so to speak.

I think Touch Arcade is a good way to keep a game "visible" to players. It takes some work though---and handing out promo codes now and then is a good way.

I can't hand out promo codes for our expansions because Redshift gets them--but I'd certainly encourage them to put a few out there for the Quest Gold and some of the expansions.

You don't have to put out a lot--to generate big thanks.

I never really talked about that with them. Thanks for bringing it up.

I've been thinking about asking them to post fb page in some article, I don't think there's any other way.

I really hope it will work- TQ certainly isn't worse than other much better known games. It just lacks publicity.

BTW- Linked article actually inspired me to post this topic

[DeMenchev]

You're so right, mixxer5!
I hope that those ideas will help Redshift become successful and well-known.
Just like PDAmill, a Hungarian company that made a lot of very fun games for Pocket PCs (which is quite an obscure platform today, and so are those games), they used to be popular: Redshift with their first big game Legacy, which was a very top rated game for most of the widely used smartphones/Palms/PPCs at the time. They are both missing something with the App Store, perhaps it's something simple and easy, and it's certainly dependent on luck to some extent, something (maybe a lot of things) that makes a smartphone game successful today. I hope that fans like you can help with that
Best of luck

[Catacomber]

The best way to advertise at Touch Arcade after you get a good discussion going in threads is to take out a banner ad. We (Zarista) are thinking of doing this for Cursed Stone.

Another way is to give out some Promo Codes in the Promo Codes thread. Will ask for some from Redshift for Cursed Stone. ☺️ Another way is to hold a contest -- for example for someone to post when they found an X easteregg and they get an iTunes card.

Touch Arcade has a lot of useful ways to help you promote a game. It's one of the best places to help a developer generate sales for iOS and android and yes it has an android section!

And probably the best way to advertise at Touch Arcade apart from everything else is to do open-betatesting in the Upcoming Games section which we are going to do for Cursed Stone and any game we make going forward.

I always loved that in days gone by. Looking forward to it. After Thanksgiving!

Of course, we'll have PC testers too.

[mixxer5]

If I were You, I'd give an early access to one of the redactors from TA. Let them make a preview and so on. And they could post fb page as well at the end of the article.

[Catacomber]

If I were You, I'd give an early access to one of the redactors from TA. Let them make a preview and so on. And they could post fb page as well at the end of the article.

Googling and reading about Early Access Codes Touch Arcade-- new vistas--:)

[Catacomber]

Ok. I googled early access at Touch Arcade. It's putting up promo codes in a different way. I never knew this existed. How does it work? Will keep googling. It looks like a good thing! But we (Zarista) have to get the promo codes from Redshift for the Quest expansions-not our independent games- so they have to like it too.

But thanks. It looks like a good thing to do. I don't know how it works into the open betatesting sequence but will do a little more reading. Thanks again!

[Jacob]

I think a subreddit would help, reddit is essentially a huge forum, and you can create subreddits to target a specific audience, it's a great way to get on google's front page in searches. A subreddit I created got to the front page of google in a few days of the IOS game's release. It had 50 dedicated users with over 200 subscribers. Would anyone else think this is a good idea?

[mixxer5]

It's a neat idea (anyone can create subreddit at any time as far as I know), but I'd still aim at giving "exclusives" to TA. Big website making an article about TQ could bump its popularity into sky.

[Luuthian]

I sent a tip into Kotaku about the game.

I think when this was a pure iPhone/Pocket PC game it would have been difficult to share the word. Now that it's on Steam though? Open season as far as I'm concerned. Time to let your favorite let's plays and websites know this game exists. I imagine at least ONE of them would have their interest piqued!

[Sylon / Redshift]

We're just sending out emails to all possible gaming sites (including Kotaku) about the new PC version, so let's hope the best! : )

[Luuthian]

Sounds good Hope someone bites!

I'll stop bombarding you guys with suggestions here but I've got one more if that's alright?

Windows Central might be interested in covering you: www.windowscentral.com. I'm pretty sure if you guys mentioned you were supporting mobile through Windows Mobile years before the iPhone became a thing they would have some interest!

(This is just a thought too but is the Microsoft Store or Windows Phone a consideration? The porting process would probably be pretty easy right? I used to own a Windows Phone and I know the market is small but also starving for anything good to play. A few things have been profitable there simply because they'll buy anything made with actual quality right now.)

[Void000]

I offered a YouTube interview, and will be glad to compile an interview in text. I think the best advertising is word of mouth, I've given my props to the Quest on at least three different forums, and hopefully it will sell enough copies to ensure many sequels (or new, unannounced projects) down the line.