3 weeks after my first game released, experiences and questions

SacredWood

Hi everyone, I'm starting to use gideros for about 3-4 months, now. And I thinks giderosmobile is a great engine, the forum support is 5/5, really, I would recommend it to anyone I can.

My first game came out on google PlayStore on May. 5, until now, the ads gave me about $0.5, 50+ installs. The feeling is just great, there're mostly good feedbacks, mostly from my friends, but on any other sources I've tried to marketing my app on, the feedback is nice, too. I really think this is what I've been looking for, the work that I can be a employer/employee at the same time, which can give me the independent life I was searching desperately for the last 2 years. Now I can develop a mini full game with about 2 weeks, with many usable code, the process is much, much faster, now.

Experiences:
There're some great experiences i've found during the launch of my game, and i really want to share it all with you. And here it is:
- Build your game template, not just a miraculously GameTemplate you've found on giderosmobile forum, it must be a complete Template, with plugins you will need in all your games, ads supports...etc... so you can release a build in very short time.
- Marketing a lot, before the game came out, not after, youtube video, and other great video site will help you in the first steps. The next thing will be, social marketing, Facebook, twitter, reddit... to name a few
@)

That's not much, but I think it's valuable for me, and may be it can help you to start, too.

And now, for the question part:
- The feeling is great, see your download numbers doubled overnight is sweet, what people comment nicely about your game will give you more determination. But when you look at the other side of the story, there lie number $0.5. It hurt me just like anyone starting to take a first step in this business. I can't live my life with $0.5/month. Being a hard head myself, I've heard some where this line: "your first ten games will suck, so get them out of the way" I like it, and intend to literally do it that way. But sometime you need to listen. Please share your opinions, your experiences. That will be much appreciated.

Thanks

HubertRonald

This seem spam message
Can you first put your link of game here?
thanks

SacredWood

What? I though putting my app link in the post will make you think I'm trying to use this as a marketing tool, really don't know why you think like that, if it's possible, please tell me why.

Here is the link of my game, I use different account since this will be my main account from now on.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sacredwood.kaboom

I really just want to know if I'm just deluding myself, in my opinion, if my first game reach $1, I'm succeed. But maybe everyone else have other goal, like $100. So I want to know to change the next goal to more effective one. Just to make sure I'm not lost.

eezing

@SacredWood

Thanks for sharing. I tried out your game and I think it's a great idea, the gameplay brings me back to my Donkey Kong Country SNES days. The first step to a good game is the concept/idea, I think you nailed that aspect.

At this point, setting a goal of monetary value may not be a good gauge for app success. Realistically, a financially successful game would earn enough money to pay for the time spent producing the app + a little more for your pocket, as I'm sure you already know. So what now?

If you have a game concept, the next question you should ask yourself is: Who wants to play it? Determine the demographic of your players: age, sex, location, type of gamer.

If you have a defined demographic, it could be used as a gauge for game success. You can measure your actual player demographic by using an analytics SDK such as Flurry. If you have enough downloads (a large enough sample size), you can then determine your actual player demographic. Compare your defined demographic and actual, if they line up, then your game is a success in terms of target market and you're on the right track.

Making money developing apps requires a lot of experience and many failed attempts. Statistics predict that most of us will never have a financially successful app; however, this is a blanket statement in my opinion. In order to succeed the next time time, we should know why we failed the last time. Amount of dollars made only tells you how many dollars you made.

So, at this early stage, it could be a good idea to set goals using factors that allow you to extrapolate useful information that can applied to the next project.

Again, I like your game idea, good job!

HubertRonald

Hi @SacredWood
I'm sorry for I had believed than your message was a spam.

But the last two weeks have magically appeared new users who only speak of marketing and how to increase your income, but they haven't a previous activity in Gideros or show your apps made ​​with this SDK.

Maybe if you started your post saying you were (your account) ... and now you use your current account ... I had not thought about what I thought.

HubertRonald

Well... here I go

@SacredWood, thanks for sharing

I read here that many people are engaged in another job to pay their bills and they are here because they are passionate about programming, applications and video games.

I believe that every beginning is difficult, as there is a learning curve, unless you have many years of industry experience and decides to renounce your current job to start your own business.

If this were the case, such experience minimizes the risk of loss, but this does not ensure that you will succeed.

If you walk into a business, you have to see the pros and cons and you have to put you in the worst case scenario and have a plan of withdrawal, many people come into this world (Apps) to gain experience and then look for a job, there are others who come out of curiosity and others who are fighting for some cake.

Do not know which is your case and the expectations you have (although as everybody should be good)

My advice to you would be that you try to take this opportunity to where you can (emotionally, financially, skills, etc.)

Do not give up and keep going! and prevents Analysis paralysis >-

Making money developing apps requires a lot of experience and many failed attempts. Statistics predict that most of us will never have a financially successful app; however, this is a blanket statement in my opinion. In order to succeed the next time time, we should know why we failed the last time. Amount of dollars made only tells you how many dollars you made.

Totally in agree @eezing

hgvyas123

There is no need to get frustrated just because your first game has failed it can happen and it will also happen in future just keep going and you will definitely get success it may take some more time may be 1 more month, 1 year or even 5 year but never ever give up just make games with your best efforts. I am telling this from my own experience however so far i had not big success but still i think i am doing good atleast i am currently earning approx 4 - 5 times than my day time job but may be that is just because i live in india but still i am much happy that i had continue in game development i am attaching one screenshot that will tell a lot about my struggle but at the end the result is good still need to do a lot. also since last 2-3 months my earning is getting down because my last published game was in early december and i had not worked since.

so in the sort just continue to make games with your best efforts and you will definetly get success just need a lot of patience and hard work

ar2rsawseen

@hgvyas123 wow, so what exactly happened in July 2013?

hgvyas123

@ar2rsawseen

i had released new racing game in that month

HubertRonald

so in the sort just continue to make games with your best efforts and you will definetly get success just need a lot of patience and hard work

+1

SacredWood

This is what I'm talking about, the gideros community's greatness. Never fail to amaze me. Thanks you very much for all replies.

@eezing My game is actually based on Donkey Kong Country I remember it so clearly, the feeling you can ride a Rhino, a Swordfish, finding secret path, collecting letters, so much thing to do, so fun, with me, that's innovation. Demographic is a great idea, I definitely will try it. Thanks you

@HubertRonald no hard feeling at all, in fact, member like yourself make gideros forum a better place my expectation is quite low, really, I just want to clear all my doubt about making money through game development without huge success like Angry Bird. My first game is just a test, I'm now developing the next game, and will release it at the end of this month. My goal is 1 game per month, and the next game must definately make more money than the last, 1 cent at least my first goal is to make enough money to make a donation to everything I've used (TNT particle, game template, gideros...etc...)

@hgvyas123 I find your post is a huge motivation not just for me but anyone who read it. All your given information is invaluable, thanks you. I will follow your advice and keep making game now, all my doubt have been cleared.

My 1st game keep making about 0.01 cent a day until last week, that's amazing ))))

HubertRonald

Hi @SacredWood

There is a saying in Spanish but I don't know if it's the same in English
Rome wasn't built in a day

Go ahead and good mood! >-

Well... "1 game per month" ... that's a pretty high ratio for me right now... I wish you good luck and I hope you can get your goooaal, I'm sorry... I think on football right now ("World Cup Brazil 2014")

Cheers my best!

SacredWood

@HubertRonald last world cup champion went home after 2 matches is surely unpredictable, eh? I think that's why they called it "King of Sport" in my country. Almost everyday have match at 3AM - 5AM and people keep waiting to see it live in my country, that's amazing

HubertRonald

Totally in agree with you @SacredWood >-

jdbc

Here in Spain, a lot of people are happy because of soccer national team have come home. They expect to earn 700.000 euros if they had won world cup, most than other teams. Anyway I do not like how Spain soccer team plays, I prefer less ball touch and more scores.

A lot of spanish think that they were so lucky in previous tournaments, but they are no so good.

vitalitymobile

Here in Spain, a lot of people are happy because of soccer national team have come home.

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