Advertising Echelon

[screeg]

I've been watching this game closely, as I'm sure many people are.

One way in which indie games often crash after publication and suffer ignoble, unprofitable deaths is the absence of an adequate budget for advertising.

I get the impression that most indie developers see they have about 100 hardcore fans on RPGCodex, think to themselves, That means another 1000 fans who aren't posting!, then imagine that viral marketing will mean a healthy profit, or just breaking even.

How about an ad buy on Penny Arcade? A day's exposure on that site could be worth 10 reviews on Gamespot, or about a billion on RPGCodex.

So, yeah, best of luck with Eschalon. You can count on me buying a copy. I'm just dying for a decent, indie turn-based game to turn a big profit and flip a giant bird at an industry which shuns the types of game I crave.

[EyeLikeP00]

i'm with screeg on this one.. get tycho pumped about this game and you'll get more people looking at this site than your servers can handle!

[BasiliskWrangler]

You're right: we really haven't advertised Eschalon yet so we don't know how big our fan base may potentially be. Mostly we just want to get the game done so that we actually have a product to sell, and then we will start the big PR push. We have a couple promotional ideas in the works, but it’s a little early to talk much about it yet.

BTW, a Penny Arcade ad is a great idea!

[foody]

Would Basilisk have a full blown easy to use click and play (similar to RPG Maker) construction kit, much like Neverwinter night but without the knowledge of programming skills so we can make our very own STAND-ALONE games using this awesome ENGINE!!?

[BasiliskWrangler]

The engine tools probably won't be ready for public use on the first release (Book I), but as the tools evolve through Book II there is a good chance that we will release them so that all of you can make your own maps/scenarios.

[EyeLikeP00]

awesome!

[gregIknowmiles]

If you want Miles and I should make a video for you guys on the game that would be fun. We should get it on you tube and google video and everywhere.

[BasiliskWrangler]

Hey Greg, I know Myles too! He was pitching his ideas to make a commercial for the game...something about making an "old-school commercial for an old-school RPG". He wanted to shoot it like an 80's commercial with some geek sitting at a clunky old PC, and a voice-over saying "Eschalon! Available now for your Personal Home Computer!" and the geek turning to the camera with a huge joystick in his hands, saying "Radical!". He has too much time on his hands.... Who knows, though...we could put it on Google Video. It might drum up some business!

[Sanctus]

Thrust me.... That kind af advertising would be really bad...The fans will say :"Dude I don't wanna play this game, like look at that crapy advertising"

[BasiliskWrangler]

Don't worry... it's not going to happen. It was just a humorous story. My friend just has a wild imagination.

[Gallifrey]

I think it would be amusing to make a commercial for the game, spouting all manner of "flash-words" like Next-Gen! Cutting edge! Epic! and so forth. Play exciting dramatic music, enthusiastic narration and so forth while game-screens play out.

[Sanctus]

I think thats a weird imagination not a wild one

[gregIknowmiles]

you haven't met the guy it's a wild imagination

[Sanctus]

Is he by any chance a concept artist? I would need one of those :D:D

[screeg]

RPGDot is my goto place for RPG news, and their readers definitely support classic RPG's. If you watch RPGDot at all, you'll notice that the developer of indie game Dungeon Delvers usually posts what progress they're making every week or two: technical progress, art progress, programming, whatever.

Most of it is not very exciting, but it does remind people about the game's existence, an important fact for a game with zero hype or advertising. Maybe more importantly, the updates keep Dungeon Delvers visible to new readers. Seeing how many registered users you have here, you could use that kind of exposure.