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16 Apr 2009, 00:33
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#1
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:alpha:
Join Date: May 2002
Location: London, UK
Posts: 7,871
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Marketing
What ideas have been put forward and implemented to try to increase the game's profits?
How has the game tried to increase its playerbase in the last 2-3 years?
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"There is no I in team, but there are two in anal fisting"
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16 Apr 2009, 07:21
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#2
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PA Team
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 7,449
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Re: Marketing
Jolt and OMAC had us on rotational banners. I know Pete has been looking at advertising on some top mmopg sites around signups, but i think he's wanting enough money for food/rent and improving signups first.
The pa team numbers no one with advertising or marketing knowledge, and no one has really come forward to offer support despite requests. And at least those feckers on a shoe string budget had shoe strings
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r8-10 RaH r10.5-12 MISTU
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16 Apr 2009, 08:50
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#3
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Ent|lunch
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Liverpool
Posts: 539
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Re: Marketing
a lot of these threads follow the same theme. Noones happy about whats being done to keep the game afloat or advertise it. People are being kept in the dark. Discontent in the ranks.
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[F-Crew] - You know when you've been [FC]uked
"Don't tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results."
"Ars longa, vita brevis, occasio praeceps, experimentum periculosum, iudicium difficile"
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16 Apr 2009, 09:00
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#4
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Hibernating
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Team Kesha
Posts: 1,621
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Re: Marketing
To attract more players you first need to have a better game, make planetarion more unique, have a decent 'backstory', make it more userfriendly, have an overall idea where you want to go with the game (face it, ever since pax we've been running around like a headless chicken), make it more visually appealing, ...
When all this is done, you can put more effort into marketing and attrackting more (paying) customers.
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[InSomnia]
Official designated driver
[ToF] - [eXilition] - [Rock] - [Denial] - [DLR] - [eVolution] - [ODDR] - [HR] - [Ultores] - [Apprime] - [Ironborn]
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16 Apr 2009, 09:06
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#5
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Ent|lunch
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Liverpool
Posts: 539
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Re: Marketing
One of the biggest rules in marketing is to "stay ahead of your competitors" so maybe start with that? because thats going to take long enough.
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[F-Crew] - You know when you've been [FC]uked
"Don't tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results."
"Ars longa, vita brevis, occasio praeceps, experimentum periculosum, iudicium difficile"
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16 Apr 2009, 09:31
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#6
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Up The Hatters!
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Kenilworth Road
Posts: 3,012
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Re: Marketing
Have there been considered putting up a paypal donation box so people if they wanted could donate money towards advertising?
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Planetarion veteran
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16 Apr 2009, 09:54
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#7
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Hibernating
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Team Kesha
Posts: 1,621
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Re: Marketing
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kargool
Have there been considered putting up a paypal donation box so people if they wanted could donate money towards advertising?
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Generally speaking it's a bad idea to throw money into advertising if your product isn't good enough to get new customers or get them to stay...
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[InSomnia]
Official designated driver
[ToF] - [eXilition] - [Rock] - [Denial] - [DLR] - [eVolution] - [ODDR] - [HR] - [Ultores] - [Apprime] - [Ironborn]
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16 Apr 2009, 10:15
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#8
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Ent|lunch
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Liverpool
Posts: 539
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Re: Marketing
Quote:
Originally Posted by Veedeejem!
Generally speaking it's a bad idea to throw money into advertising if your product isn't good enough to get new customers or get them to stay...
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maybe they could use it to hire new designers at fubra..or contract out
__________________
[F-Crew] - You know when you've been [FC]uked
"Don't tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results."
"Ars longa, vita brevis, occasio praeceps, experimentum periculosum, iudicium difficile"
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16 Apr 2009, 11:59
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#9
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Mind-boggling
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Devon, England
Posts: 1,468
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Re: Marketing
With all that money lunar lamp got from galaytarion why doesn't that go to advertising planetarion??
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You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life. (Winston Churchill)
R21-Randy Dandys Winners R21
1:9:5 -SoClose- -YetSoFar-
You have pending friend requests from Newt.
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16 Apr 2009, 12:28
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#10
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The BOFH
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 463
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Re: Marketing
I think VdM is right here, spending any effort on advertising whilst the game is in it's current state is pointless. It'll either be a waste of time or money if you actually go and buy advert space.
The game needs to become something I'd recommend to friends before you even think about it. Ask the question to yourself, would you recommend this game to anyone you know? I personally wouldn't bother, chances are they wouldn't understand how to play because it's just too unfriendly and complex to the average user. Even if they did manage to get started they'd probably get bashed quickly.
Only once a new user can join the game and actually stick around for long enough should any attempts at marketing be made.
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16 Apr 2009, 12:29
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: In bed with your mum.
Posts: 664
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Re: Marketing
Back story?
This is PA, not RP, and im pretty sure RPers have noticed that.
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by JonnyBGood
Can people please stop pretending they have no chance of winning at tick 300, you just end up looking retarded later.
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^^^^ Can you blv that sh*t?
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16 Apr 2009, 13:09
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#12
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Bavarian Barbarian
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Bayern! Wos sunst?
Posts: 235
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Re: Marketing
Quote:
Originally Posted by CBA
With all that money lunar lamp got from galaytarion why doesn't that go to advertising planetarion??
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I can only speak for me, but i got all the money back.
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Now at home in CT
Former: 1u p,[NoS],[]LCH[] Lets change history
KnowItAll
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16 Apr 2009, 14:47
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 3
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Re: Marketing
The thing with advertising Planetarion is that it wouldn't work. How often do you see adverts and try to ignore them, or have them blocked by your pop-up blocker?
Fubra as a business need to see an increase in sign ups to make the venture worth while, even if those people are unpaid planets, they're still generating revenue for Fubra through what appears to be "Google-style" adverts.
The first thing to increase sign-ups would be to issue a proper press release, detailing the history of PA, information about the community and how nice (lol?) it is and the direction in which it's going. Information about how the game works etc is obviously important here.
This followed by posting to popular internet forums within the IT industry and other "hobby" style sites can prove beneficial. For example posting on a forum stating that you've found a game which is really enjoyable, requires a level of intelligence and can be played for only a few minutes a day, or hours depending on your dedication.
Viral marketing is king, at least in the current environment.
__________________
Round 27 - ToF
Round 28 - CT
Round 30 - Factory
Round 31 - ND
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16 Apr 2009, 17:56
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#14
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CRASHING BEATS 'N FANTASY
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Cold Country.
Posts: 1,912
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Re: Marketing
Viral marketing is the best bet you can take at this very moment. There is no use in investing any money into advertising an outdated, unattractive game which still lives from its brand and the old playerbase.
What this game needs is quite an upfront investment to turn it into something very decent again. Tthen it can get required advertisement.
OT, but still worth noting:
Quote:
Originally Posted by [JungleMuffin]
Back story?
This is PA, not RP, and im pretty sure RPers have noticed that.
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A back story adds to a game's depth. Give some background on the universe, about the races available, how they emerged and made progress.
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Ià! Ià! Munin F'tagn! - [*scendancy]
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17 Apr 2009, 09:15
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 3
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Re: Marketing
Interestingly, posts of this nature always seem to contain the same thing. "What have they done?" to make this game a better place and increase the user base.
I suppose the other question to ask is "What have I done?"
We all want to play this game and enjoy the fun, drama and silliness of the politics - Why aren't we all encouraging more people to join?
Find internet forums, get posting. Go go go!
__________________
Round 27 - ToF
Round 28 - CT
Round 30 - Factory
Round 31 - ND
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17 Apr 2009, 09:39
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#16
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Ent|lunch
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Liverpool
Posts: 539
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Re: Marketing
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phoenix
Interestingly, posts of this nature always seem to contain the same thing. "What have they done?" to make this game a better place and increase the user base.
I suppose the other question to ask is "What have I done?"
We all want to play this game and enjoy the fun, drama and silliness of the politics - Why aren't we all encouraging more people to join?
Find internet forums, get posting. Go go go!
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its not our job? nor our game?
__________________
[F-Crew] - You know when you've been [FC]uked
"Don't tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results."
"Ars longa, vita brevis, occasio praeceps, experimentum periculosum, iudicium difficile"
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17 Apr 2009, 10:17
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#17
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mz.
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 8,587
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Re: Marketing
We are customers, not volunteers.
__________________
The outraged poets threw sticks and rocks over the side of the bridge. They were all missing Mary and he felt a contented smug feeling wash over him. He would have given them a coy little wave if the roof hadn't collapsed just then. Mary then found himself in the middle of an understandably shocked family's kitchen table. So he gave them the coy little wave and realized it probably would have been more effective if he hadn't been lying on their turkey.
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17 Apr 2009, 11:55
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#18
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: In bed with your mum.
Posts: 664
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Re: Marketing
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mzyxptlk
We are strong, we are invincible, we are WOMAAAAAAAN.
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Better.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JonnyBGood
Can people please stop pretending they have no chance of winning at tick 300, you just end up looking retarded later.
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^^^^ Can you blv that sh*t?
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17 Apr 2009, 12:03
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#19
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BlueTuba
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 6,339
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Re: Marketing
Not wanting to sound insane but how about you exploit the fact that the economy is crashing everywhere by offering someone work from home experience with cash rewards for increased signups.
I'd suggest there are people who would take this up, particularly if they wanted to work in the online industry.
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"Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."
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17 Apr 2009, 12:14
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#20
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Ent|lunch
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Liverpool
Posts: 539
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Re: Marketing
Quote:
Originally Posted by lokken
Not wanting to sound insane but how about you exploit the fact that the economy is crashing everywhere by offering someone work from home experience with cash rewards for increased signups.
I'd suggest there are people who would take this up, particularly if they wanted to work in the online industry.
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how about introducing the old, invite a friend scheme. Invoite a friend who pays for an account, you get a point, if that person then invites someone else you get a free credit?
__________________
[F-Crew] - You know when you've been [FC]uked
"Don't tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results."
"Ars longa, vita brevis, occasio praeceps, experimentum periculosum, iudicium difficile"
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17 Apr 2009, 12:37
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#21
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: In bed with your mum.
Posts: 664
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Re: Marketing
Quote:
Originally Posted by lokken
Not wanting to sound insane but how about you exploit the fact that the economy is crashing everywhere by offering someone work from home experience with cash rewards for increased signups.
I'd suggest there are people who would take this up, particularly if they wanted to work in the online industry.
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Would be a good idea, but could increase multi accounts D:
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by JonnyBGood
Can people please stop pretending they have no chance of winning at tick 300, you just end up looking retarded later.
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^^^^ Can you blv that sh*t?
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17 Apr 2009, 13:33
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#22
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:alpha:
Join Date: May 2002
Location: London, UK
Posts: 7,871
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Re: Marketing
So in summary (and let's be honest I doubt PA Team have bothered to read this thread) it's been established that someone with some leadership skills (ie: a vision and the drive to get there) needs to be recruited to help with PR and Marketing.
Or at least someone who responds to these type of threads with something concrete and useful.
The problem is that PA Team is a bunch of geeks (no offence guys, but it's true) without any kind of business/target based goals.
If only we could employ Zar on side
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"There is no I in team, but there are two in anal fisting"
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17 Apr 2009, 13:40
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#23
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Banned
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Further to the right
Posts: 19,441
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Re: Marketing
Quote:
Originally Posted by [JungleMuffin]
Back story?
This is PA, not RP, and im pretty sure RPers have noticed that.
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Back stories are important. Let's face it most people sign up to an space-based internet browser game are going to be somewhat nerds. Being able to read about something and feel like you understand what it's about is a great way of providing the initial "hey cool" factor which gets people involved in the parts of the game which can actually provide lasting interest.
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Some might ask what good is life without purpose but I'm anticipating a good lunch.
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17 Apr 2009, 16:08
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#24
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You've Seen The Light
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,152
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Re: Marketing
You cant market a game which doesnt know what it is. Its a setup for a marketting disaster...
What would Planetarion be marketed as? a game for casuals? a game for hardcores? easy to learn? fast paced? graphics look nice? etc.
You need to fix the flaws in Planetarion and get it into a state which serves your goal before you should even think about marketting it.
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First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin. Then shalt thou count to three, no more, no less. Three shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out. Once the number three, being the third number, be reached, then lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thy foe, who, being naughty in my sight, shall snuff it.
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17 Apr 2009, 16:15
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#25
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Ent|lunch
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Liverpool
Posts: 539
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Re: Marketing
Quote:
Originally Posted by Light
You cant market a game which doesnt know what it is. Its a setup for a marketting disaster...
What would Planetarion be marketed as? a game for casuals? a game for hardcores? easy to learn? fast paced? graphics look nice? etc.
You need to fix the flaws in Planetarion and get it into a state which serves your goal before you should even think about marketting it.
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market it as an MMORPG? the member base or how fast different people can pick up a game shouldnt factor into it as it differs from person to person.
__________________
[F-Crew] - You know when you've been [FC]uked
"Don't tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results."
"Ars longa, vita brevis, occasio praeceps, experimentum periculosum, iudicium difficile"
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17 Apr 2009, 16:20
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#26
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You've Seen The Light
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,152
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Re: Marketing
Quote:
Originally Posted by [DW]Entropy
market it as an MMORPG? the member base or how fast different people can pick up a game shouldnt factor into it as it differs from person to person.
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There is no such thing as 'just a MMORPG' anymore, they are all divided into subsections catering for different audiences. At the moment, Planetarion isnt in any subsection and isnt catering for any audience.. Its just a muddle of 'We want to be casual friendly but we also want to keep our hardcore players'.
__________________
First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin. Then shalt thou count to three, no more, no less. Three shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out. Once the number three, being the third number, be reached, then lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thy foe, who, being naughty in my sight, shall snuff it.
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17 Apr 2009, 16:21
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#27
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Sain†s
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 331
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Re: Marketing
PA is the sort of game that genuinely only appeals to those who have either been playing it for years or know people who have. If it was to start up now, looking and playing as it currently does, it'd be dead before it started. That should say enough about why marketing is currently pointless.
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☠ | ROCK | BowS | Sain†s
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17 Apr 2009, 17:57
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#28
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: In bed with your mum.
Posts: 664
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Re: Marketing
Quote:
Originally Posted by JonnyBGood
Back stories are important. Let's face it most people sign up to an space-based internet browser game are going to be somewhat nerds. Being able to read about something and feel like you understand what it's about is a great way of providing the initial "hey cool" factor which gets people involved in the parts of the game which can actually provide lasting interest.
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Indeed, allthough i think, people may be lonely, but not stupid. A person who signs up looking for an online sequal to the dune trilogy, arent gonna stick around when they see PA is a space ship version of a contact sport. Imo the nature of PA is a competitive/team oreinted game, so your target market would be people who fit into that type of category. WoW players, Dream Team fanatics, egotistical arseholes. Theres no point putting time and effort into attracting a specific type of customer, if the product they are looking for in the first place, is not Planetarion.
Yeah, getting customers in is half the battle, but its just as important to keep them. Dressing the game up as something its not, i dont think is where we should be headed.
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by JonnyBGood
Can people please stop pretending they have no chance of winning at tick 300, you just end up looking retarded later.
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^^^^ Can you blv that sh*t?
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18 Apr 2009, 00:33
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#29
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 936
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Re: Marketing
1. PA has its originality values -> create rankings based on the info that are stored:
Best alliances based on ranks
Even best galaxies if there are some long lasting ones
Best players based on ranks
Biggest roid amounts on round ends and so on...
The accuracity isnt everything, people can come play to turn them nicer if they feel they are wrong, this is all just to show how long term game it is.
Market as: Do you got what it takes to beat the elders/first on the genre. Eperience the wind from the past...
2. PA has its community values -> Accessbility to IRC rooms. MSN created PA community. Facebook community. IRC-galleria communitys. List of players and option to add profiles/images. Data of old PA meets. Allow users post columns, create some news team who can report round battles and so on, whos against who to show how alive the game is, regardless its textbased and booring outlook. Also add some shortened version of the tool sites to show changes in the game. Give a section for users in the portal.
Market: lifetime friendships, contacts all over the world, chats regarding the game and life in general. Tactical discussion and paths to suggest game developement to the wanted direction. Drama brought by losses and political events in the game, shared happiness of victories and the joy to turn the knife at your opponent
3. PA has its strategical values. -> We dont really need to add anything here, ofc u can add more factors to specify everyones game play even more.
Market: You can profile your own game play and outplay others with your strategy. Show the mastermind you are. The game, regardless its strong structures allows the game to be played in various ways and often the ones with most unique strategies find their way on top. If you fancy manager/strategical games, heres one challence for you in the name of space war.
and so on... the initial point is to get more visible the things we have in here and what makes the game so addictive and so more alive than the first impression shows. This wont need real changes, just some info forwarded to portal and so on...
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If the opponent resists, CaRnage there will be!
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