Friday Facts #20 The release buzz

[halida]

I'm an indie game player partially focus on world simulation and base building topic (like minecraft, dungeon keeper, dwarf fortress, rim world),
And I always want to get an "automatic self maintained base" game. First time I'm attracted by the video, so I download it, after finished the demo mission,
I bought this game, and it does not fail me, 4 days almost overnight spend on this game, and I really enjoy it.

Back to the point. video demo is okay(belt, inserter, and zombie!). But first mission **sucks**, I almost drop this game.
what the hell is it? I need to mine the resources? and keep mouse clicking? what is the fun of that?
For other good base building game like prison architecturer, user can see the potential of the game first:
a fully functional base, fully automation, self maintained, and "bitter proofed" auto defence base.
Then user are willing to start a new base from scratch, learn know how to operate and build it, and eventually buy this game.

[halida]

Also, How can I anticipate the pre release? In game click experimental update?

[Phantasm]

muzzy did bring up nice points. But I'd like to add the need for some proper technology powered war tools. Warfare is a part of the game and given the style of the game, technology needs to deliver more and more tools for it. It can be robots or something, but it has to be able to make the player to be able to effectively attack enemy bases and to be able to explore further around properly. Without high risk of death or having to spam laser towers or such. Obviously care must be taken so the game won't suddenly become too easy either. Perhaps even to the point of automatic exploration. Set up a team of 10 warrior robots and some exploration robots to look for rare minerals. Sure the enemies might not like that and go kill them, but if the party is strong enough the risk should be quite low.

Perhaps the separate enemy settlements might start to do some cooperation to get rid of the polluting invaders? Make some stronger units one or two per settlement and then group before attacking. Possibly also coordinated defenses. Endless spam of weak units won't do much good.

[Voqar]

You need more exposure!

Demos are kinda of a terrible. Its way, they've largely gone away.

I disagree.

I saw this game on a let's play on youtube by das24680, heard it had a demo, tried it, loved it, bought it.

I bought Rimworld because I saw a let's play by GamersDissent but I was way less enthusiastic about buying Rimworld because there was no demo and it's costly for an indie alpha (and for what is currently relatively limited gameplay) IMO.

I think I've maybe seen Factorio mentioned once by someone else on a forum or comment somewhere. I submitted a suggestion to one of the gaming sites I follow to do a piece on Factorio since I've never seen it mentioned anywhere.

I'd say your biggest problem is lack of exposure.

Maybe the demo is too complex for some people but are those people going to like the game anyways? I think the demo gives you a nice intro to a fairly complicated game. /shrug

Now the thing about das24680 is that he does good let's plays for strategy games but he doesn't have that many subscribers (I'm one).

Compare to Quill18 or GamersDissent, who I also follow, and who also do videos for strategy/sim games, and who have a lot more subscribers. I'm sure there are others too that I just don't follow or view much.

There's this city/sim type game called banished that looks amazing and is coming the 18th that I'd never heard of til I saw it on Quill18's channel. GamersDissent is covering it too. Both channels are getting hammered with requests for videos on Banished and Banished is getting some respectable buzz from it all.

So, maybe pass your game along to some other youtubers to get some easy exposure.

Getting on Steam would help - Steam early access often does wonders for games since you get immediate exposure to millions of buyers and good games tend to sell themselves. I mean, Starbound has sold a million copies and it's a terraria ripoff that's about 10% the game that terraria is IMO - their sales went nuts once they got on steam.

There are tons of great games out there and they don't all have amazing graphics or UIs. Hell, Rimworld's graphics and UI are ultra primitive and the game is very raw right now.

I think Factorio is a great game, even now, but hardly anybody knows it exists.

Another thing about videos is, at least to me, quality of video and presentation matters a lot. Youtubers like das24680, quill18, and gamerdissent are all very well spoken, do high quality videos, explain things well (usually), and are often humorous without being insulting or demeaning to games (for ex I love the yogscast crew but their approach rarely does anything to sell games to me because they're usually totally clueless and more about entertaining than showing off games).

Lastly, having multiplayer or co-op would help. Co-op for me is the biggest. This is so big in games now, and it's something that makes builder-style games that much more fun.

[Chrotesque]

@ssilk, definitely going to be alot more complex that the tech tree I found from Starcraft 2, however that's the overall style I'd prefer compared to the - most likely temporary - style currently in game.

[ssilk]

Hm. Well, let me explain.
It was - and is - always so, that the devs waited to renew something, until they had enough reasons. From productive software development standpoint this is quite good, because it is cheaper to implement features after features in an older version and then at any time, renew it completely.

So with the tech tree: they are crappy, look awesome, but they are useful, they let you do, what you need to play. And like so it is with many other elements in the game. The keyboard: well you can change the keys. The grafix: the game is alpha. A better tutorial: makes not much sense, when we all know, that there are so many changes.

Well, it is a complicated game. No question. And it is surely not for everyone. But you can play it, and my best games where those, where I need to imagine some stuff by myself.

[Gammro]

I'm really looking forward to next friday. Can't wait to get my hands on oil and blueprints

However, isn't this supposed to be Friday Facts #20? Last week's Friday facts was also number 19.

[Psycho0124]

1. Add a nice background, updated videos and maybe some links to popular "let's play"s to the factorio.com website. That's where your 'buy' button is. The more cool/crazy 'stuff' people see there, the more value they feel like they're getting for their money!
2. Streamline the controls in the tutorial. Eliminate the use of <tab> and allow more freedom to clear those tutorial boxes (escape, click inside box, etc). Feels clunky to be limited to key-press to clear dialogues and leaves a bad impression.
3.How about adding a TIPS library with images of some common/useful layouts (Mine layouts, smelting, power generation)? The high complexity with little guidance may be scaring off demo players. Tips would give them a direction without stifling creativity.
4. How about letting the player learn to operate/optimize a basic factory (mining, smelting, producing reds?) so they're more prepared to build one from scratch? Might soften up the steep learning curve.

Just please, whatever you do, don't dumb the game down! Factorio is cerebral and that's what makes it awesome. As a side-effect, it attracts a smaller but much more loyal/appreciative audience (hence the constant "Awesome game, thanks!" 1st timer posts on the forum). Even serving a niche-market, and with a little polishing to the site and tutorial, you guys are still going to be raking in the $$ as Factorio takes off.

[Nova]

Sorry, but removing the demo is a stupid idea. Even if you're right, and sales would grow without the demo, there would be more complains and not satisfied customers. I my opinion, 1000 satisfied customers are better than 1200 satisfied and 800 not satisfied customers.

[TGS]

I agree that removing the demo is a silly idea. Also the concept of 'demos' has not gone out at all. It's simply that companies aren't doing it anymore. That isn't to say that the idea or the concept is bad or doesn't work, it's just not worth the 'investment' from the companies perspective to run the full game and restricted demo game. If a developer/publisher is able and willing to put out a demo, more power to them. Gives players a hands on, provided the demo isn't too restrictive.

[Wredi]

Hi,

so many opinions .

i agree, the demo is necessary to get the potential customer interested in the game. as for me i stumbled upon factirio through a german letsplayer. that could also be a way for more "exposure" as some said earlier. give a few youtubers a free access for one major release and the bugfixes and they will probably make one video about it. if they get hooked up, they make a lets play. and thats the best advertising for you guys. my example is tom.io (german lets player) he just mentioned it in hi 2013-review of gaming, as the game with most potential. that was enough for me to lok it up and buy it the next day after playing the demo. so go and look out to find a handful of youtubers which will present your game. economy simulating, RTS-elements and aliens are the good points, and many lets player have an interest in those.

as for the liquid system: i have high hopes. havent played much the 0.8.X but i liked it very much, till 0.9 was annouced and due to busy work i didnt have the time to play, but i am eagerly awaiting the next weekend. this will be amazing. keep up the good work.

good things will become great, just by themselves. so keep your straight ideas in order and do it step by step.

Regards,
Wredi

[arkantus85]

I bought the game after trying the demo

[Sedado77]

First: I have to confess that I have not bought the game. I will, but I have been playing a friend's copy of the game... so you could say that i "pirated" it :S The price tag is great, but I'm from Argentina, and due to politics, the exchange rate here is fu**ed up, and credit card purchases outside the country and/or in non $AR currency are banned
But i HAD to say this. So i sincered up just to thank you for doing a GREAT game AND to give you my insigths
In life there are jocks, goths, freaks, potheads, and loads more kinds of people.
I am a gamer. I define myself as one. I am 26 y/o and I've got 20 years of gaming on me, since my DOS lemmings and Duke Nukem 2D. A "hardcore" one. One that reads loooots of gaming sites, follows the development, buys and finishes and replays lots of games. Most of my free time I spend on gaming (at least the time the wife allows xD ) but this game stayed under my radar for WAY too long.
I saw the game for the first time in a review series on youtube, by OfficialStuff+ I beleave, and later saw a 'let's play' on Malkasphia's channel.
And I've gotta say it, this game is really good. Excelent i'd say... but it NEEDS to get more out there.
Somebody said something very true about the game BANISHED. This is a game you must see (in the way of it's marketing). It's not out yet, not even a Demo, and there are LOTS of pple asking for let plays and wishing they could buy it!!! Only because they gave an early release copy of it to well selected youtubers! (like Gamer's Dissent)
Greenlight it, send it as a gift it to good youtubers, gaming site critics, etc.
This game is not perfect (I agree that the GUI / keyboard / mouse / controls in general / TECH TREE / endgame in general need some work), but you've got a EXCITING and EXTREMELLY ADDICTIVE baby in your hands... and something rather NEW, innovative.
Agreed, it's not for everyone! but With enough time and effort this is gonna beat Rimworld with it's eyes closed!!!
Keep it up, and next week, i WILL purchase the 0.9

[PoussinJoyeux]

Hi,

For my part, I discovered your great game at early beginning of Indiegogo campaign last year and had chance to play the alpha at that time.
But I had to wait for a long time before being able to buy it because for a time, it was requesting to be a Paypal customer (for France customers).
Once Paypal allowed me to buy your game with my credit card without creating a Paypal account, I was able to finally buy it!
So in my case, it was not a problem with the demo or the trailer but only to find a way to give you money.

If Factorio gets on Steam Early Access one day, I'm pretty sure you'll meet success instantly because Steam users will be able to buy it whatever their way of paiement. Or maybe add other ways of payment in your site, such as Amazon Payments, Google Checkout, ...

Concerning Rimworld, which is a good game too, it was also quite well helped thanks to Kickstarter campaign which brings more visibility than Indiegogo campaign.

In Factorio's topic in French "CanardPC" game forum (http://forum.canardpc.com/threads/76298 ... t=factorio (which was very active during your Indiegogo campaign by the way!), we regularly wonder why we don't hear more of your game as you deserve a much bigger success than what is done now.

For French case, send demo (or alpha) and trailer of 0.9 to these popular video games sites so that they talk of you again and this should certainly bring you more fans:
- http://www.jeuxvideo.com/ (they have a page on your game but with no info...)
- http://www.gamekult.com/ (they already did a preview on your game but one year ago)
- http://www.gameblog.fr/jeux/7266_factorio (they already did a preview on your game but one year ago)
- http://www.jeuxvideo.fr/ (they don't have any page with your game...yet!)

and also at international, this website should talk of you: http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/

If you can get an article on all these website, this will accelerate Steam Greenlight process + generate already some revenues as some readers will buy your game directly!

And thanks for making this great game!

edit: just an additional remark: don't spend too much people/time on the demo and continue to improve the game in parallel please!

[Zeigwolf]

I only discovered Factorio a week ago when a friend showed it to me. I love casual building game and watching machinery do everything for me, but I was still skeptical about Factorio. But, I tried the demo and it was fun and here I am after purchasing the game.

Here's the problem I had though; I got bored of the tutorial (the campaign), I haven't even finished it. I started a new game and just went at it without knowing what half the stuff even did, and I've logged 40 hours of play time and now and have and know everything there is to offer now. You shouldn't get bored of tutorials, I learned more from watching a 5 minute let's play. I've played RimWorld too, and I think the problem I'm having with Factorio is just the waiting. I know the goal is get factories to do building for you, but not everyone will play that way; For me right now, I manually craft half the stuff I need. Just set the crafting order, minimize the game, and watch a movie until it finishes crafting. At least in RimWorld I have peoples sanity to manage, their food supply, digging out a deeper base, periodic maintenance, etc; it keeps me engaged in the game.

Add in the option to build roads and pathways (so I don't crash my car into a random tree), catwalks over machinery, make me have to clear slag from furnaces, make machinery slow down and require periodic repairs, anything to keep me engaged while I'm waiting for stuff to build or run out of need to build more in my perfect factory. Love the game, just needs a little more novelty items and micromanagement.

[bruteman]

I know allot of discussion is about a demo > sales of this game and in today's age demos are bypassed.

I straight up bought the game skipping the demo completely and here is why.

You Tube!

I found one of the people i follow who isn't a popular person on you tube did a couple of videos of it and it lead me to search for more i found a few more video let plays that were best i can describe it extremely armature for videos still there was enough content there to suck me in and i picked up the game.

my suggestion would be to hand out a free full version to a few of the more popular indie you-tubers to do a video review of your product good or bad you will gain sales just from the amount of viewers they get to a channel. marketing is everything and when you can toss out a single $20.00 copy to a player who is getting 1 million + views on videos your return rate on that $20. even at 5% from a negative review (yes even a negative review generates sales as some people just think the reviewer wasn't right but still gained enough of a view to want to try it) would be $1,000,000.00 or 50,000 units.

Just my 2c and how i discovered your product and purchased it.

[Deathmage]

Many people have posted long comments but ill make mine short. PRETTY SO PRETTY

[Balthazar]

I remember downloading the old demo and being completely unimpressed after rubbing stone deposits with my pickaxe for 10 minutes, went on to pirate, then purchased a few minutes later from the freeplay.

I think the demo has turned into more of a tutorial when its supposed to demonstrate the better parts of the game; start them off in a factory, have the factory making basic equipment for them, like laser turrets, substations and all research, then let them defend it from the creeper waves. Get them to research combat bots, have them make a production line for combat bots, then use them to destroy biter spawners, or something more resembling what you actually do in the game; not the slow start of it.

[Olreich]

The biggest issue with the game right now is that it's very non-intuitive. There's a great wealth of knowledge built up around what keys do what, and what makes sense. Factorio basically ignores all the affordances game design has discovered and does it's own thing. It does it very well, but it's still a difficult learning curve, when it doesn't need to be. I made a thread in the suggestions forum about fixing the keybindings to make more sense and just work out of the box. Tooltips and other UI enhancements would also be great for improving the new player experience. Work on that new player experience, and you'll get many more sales.

The research on game demos and sales based on their release is little more than broad statistical analysis, with no peer-reviewed papers or research methodologies released. The findings from mid-last year claimed by Jamie Shell at GDC2013 are:

• Games with trailers but no demos generate 525,000 average sales.
• Games with trailers and demos generate 250,000 average sales.
• Games with no trailers and no demos generate 100,000 average sales.

There are a lot of factors that could influence those scores. One is that AAA titles never release demos, but have massive marketing campaigns, and typically go on to sell millions of copies. These may have been included but not normalized based on team size, capital costs, etc. Another is that games with demos are mostly indie-titles, and 250,000 for an indie game is pretty high, especially compared to the no trailers, no demos. There are more, but the point is clear, this data cannot be used to make a decision.

The most important factor for Factorio is that a demo is already built, and any modifications made to the base game transfer over with minimal overhead on creating a new demo. Demos may hurt sales by turning people off of your game, but if you focus on the new player experience, you will receive significant net gain on conversion rate, and improve your overall playerbase.

TL;DR - Keep the demo, it improves the quality of the playerbase. Fix the new player experience for better conversion rates (UI and keybindings are biggest factors here).

[FrozenOne]

I disagree that demo should start with pre-built factory. I loved starting with nothing and having the tension what new i discover every minute. Starting with whole factory would probably leave me overwhelmed and spoiled the slow exploring.

Last week Day[9] cast of Rollercoaster Tycoon 3 is a perfect example of what can happen. He got frustrated with too many possibilities hurlt at him at once and quit casting after a hour and switched to another game.