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How To Sharpen Up The Image Of Freeware?


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#1 Mighty Midget

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Posted 28 July 2007 - 02:05 PM

As I see it, one problem Reloaded suffers from, is that many people think ALL freeware games are "watch a black square move to the left and right going bleep bleep". As we know, many titles that are freeware are pretty damn good. Great gameplay, great graphics and sound and overall just plain great games. How to show it to the crowd? How to "sell the product" so to speak?

Also, many people are involved in developing freeware games but not all of them are aware of Reloaded. How to make them interested in joining a community dedicated to freeware?

A movie trailer perhaps? An online movie trailer made from video footage of a few impressive games, interviews with developers (web cam?), people developing games, interview with Kosta (? :shrug:), all professionally edited together to make a stunning trailer of something you HAVE to check out.

This movie could go to youtube and sites like that, cleverly tagged so that it will be found easily.

Footage of game play can easily be made by anyone, and then submitted to the Editors.

Voiceover (like that guy with that deep voice who do ALL voiceover on ALL action movies) would be great. Can be done by someone around here with "that" voice.

In short: A commercial for Reloaded that wakes people up and gets them interested.

How about it?
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#2 Frodo

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Posted 28 July 2007 - 03:19 PM

Hey, I like the idea of a trailer advertising the games we have on AR.   :ok:

Maybe a short clip of various freeware games, together with the maker(s) saying how they got inspiration for that game.  I especially like the interview with Kosta idea.   :D

But I'm not sure how practical it is.  Every time this trailer is watched, would that use bandwith from AR?

I think it's a good idea, but Kosta has the final say.

Anyone else?

:shrug:
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#3 Mighty Midget

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Posted 28 July 2007 - 03:21 PM

Well, you don't have to have it on AR's servers. It can be uploaded anywhere and linked or whatever.

Of course one issue with ingame footage is copyright, but that must surely be possible to arrange to everybody's satisfaction.

EDIT: I believe the trailer should advertise Reloaded as well as the games here, as a great site to come to, join in on and develope games as well as Reloaded herself along with others, a place to meet people who share one interest and will find friends who share more interests, and future colleagues perhaps.

2nd EDIT: I suggest any think-tank/production topic is hidden if it is decided it will be made one. This is to prevent "spoilers" as any ideas are thrown into the think-tank to reach out and ruin the supprise.
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#4 Juni Ori

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Posted 28 July 2007 - 10:08 PM

Good idea.

MM's second edit is definitely worth consideration.
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#5 DeathDude

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Posted 28 July 2007 - 11:24 PM

An intriguing idea for sure, if we can pull it off think it would do wonders, lot of work involved to do such an idea, but perhaps we can. :ok:

And I so shall volunteer for the voice over job, *Points to my E Reports segments*  if the idea comes to fruition. :shrug:

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#6 Juni Ori

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Posted 28 July 2007 - 11:41 PM

Erm... No offense, but no. I have very hard time thinking your voice would work in this.
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#7 PrejudiceSucks

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Posted 29 July 2007 - 01:34 AM

Ermm I've got an extremely English accent everyone I know from every land in the world can understand, if that's of any use to you at all.

If so, send me a PM or something, that'd be good of you.

#8 Iendicis

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Posted 29 July 2007 - 02:13 AM

Ever bother to google "freeware"?

Reloaded is eighth. Not too bad. I think people who want freeware will find us pretty quickly.

As for the perception of "free games=pong," point me to people who think that. Never heard of it, considering that most publications and websites have some sort of "weekly freeplay" (that one being 1up.com). I simply don't see why free games must be brought to the forefront, when they have their own little niche that is expanding enough.

Having said that, a trailer? HAHAHA. HAPPY GIDDINESS.
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#9 Eagle of Fire

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Posted 29 July 2007 - 05:31 AM

How to straighten the image of freeware?

How about you don't? Or can't?  :shrug:


I must admit that I'm in the camp of those who think that freeware, by definition, is not worth the time spent. It's not a matter of denying that there is indeed some good gems in the freeware pool, but it's more the matter of finding those said gems amongt the pile of stinking games which also call themselves freeware.

It's a matter of statistic, really. Freeware games, by definition, are free. They are made (or released) more often than not as incomplete or not considered good enough to be able to make people pay for it, which would mean that the person who publish it won't be able to even pay their cost. That's why, as a person like you described (but of course you got to the extreme to strenghten your point), I look into sites like AR to be able to search an already hand-picked list of games so I don't lose too much time with incredibly bad games and give up.

So... You want to sharpen up the image of freeware? Unless you manage, somehow, to make all the future freeware games to turn up in majority as extremely good games... And by that I mean almost all of them... You can't. But... The next best thing after that would be work on sites which promote freeware... And you're already doing that.

Congratulation.  :ok: :D
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#10 Mighty Midget

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Posted 29 July 2007 - 06:14 AM

I think I'll have to explain:
The idea is to get more people involved in Reloaded as well as freeware. The idea is to have a trailer that promotes Reloaded as a place to come to and join and participate in.
The regulars here have been complaining about a dead forum and low visiting numbers. If you really want a living forum, a place bustling with active members, interesting discussions, interesting new topics, interesting new projects then stop complaining and do something about it. Like freshen up the image. It doesn't mean anything that AR is number 8 if nothing happens. What you guys need (if you want this place to grow) is to reach out.

To those who think the image of freeware is a lost cause:

Yes, a lot of freeware games are of rather low or non-existent standard, but that doesn't mean it will always be that way. If more people got involved and saw that freeware games can be as good as any great title if only enough effort and people are put into it, then there is nothing that can stop new projects from becoming that great, thus helping the freeware image. New and better engnes are coming out, and better engines will come out in the future, making it easier to create games that are good in every respect.

Yes, I'm fully aware that many of the greatest titles here were commercial titles at one point, and that they got released as freeware for various reasons, i.e. TES Arena and Flight Of The Amazon Queen.

Yes, I'm aware that many freeware games are freeware because they will never sell in numbers due to lack of quality. How about encouraging people to raise the quality of their games? How about ecouraging game makers to come to Reloaded, where they can share ideas and work on projects together, a place where they can get inspiration?

Yes, I am fully aware that most game makers are dreaming of making it big, and that they prefer their games to be sold rather than being released as freeware. But "most" is far from "all". There is such a thing as enthusiasm, and some people are fans of the idea of independent game making. There are people who can be concidered punk game makers, who do not want kids having to pay a fortune for any game. Why shouldn't there be? There are musicians who refuse to play if the entrance fee is too high already... and don't give me that hooey about "game makers are not musicians", you know better than that: It's about ideas and attitude, not profession. How about encouraging such a "punk game" scene? How about encouraging this Do It Yourself idea? How about encouraging people to make games for free, because they love making games and they want their games to be as good as possible but they don't want kids to have to pay through their noses to get the games, or have them go to warez sites and make themselves guilty of downloading/sharing illegal warez. How about a bit of encouragement to these people?

-------------------------------

To those who think this is futile: Stop being so goddamn pessimistic about things. Stop moaning AR is as dead as a dodo and protect it's deadness by keep telling yourselves and others nothing can or should be done. Stop being so goddamn fatalistic. Stop saying we should leave the dead alone. Like Hell I will! I'm going for witchcraft.

To those who think Reloaded should not grow: What on earth are you saying? o_O Are you really prepared to go public with that view? Or will you just sit, hidden, and shoot down any idea that comes along and threatens to raise Reloaded's popularity, not by ranking numbers but by the number of active members?

To those who think that Reloaded should be protected from any "outside intruders": WHAT? "Outside intruders" are exactly what Reloaded needs. This isn't a site to join if you think this is your private turf open only to your closest, personal friends. Reloaded is not a place for people to turn away any new, unfamiliar face. Reloaded is NOT a place where you turn down new people just because they are not "your cup of tea" or because they don't share your taste in music. Reloaded is NOT a place to kick others with your ego. You do that, and you will kill Reloaded for sure. Stop protecting "the good old days" and please... stop sulking. Cheer up, and encourage new members to stay. That's the way to make Reloaded becoming "a force to be reconed with" in the freeware scene and maybe even in the gaming scene as a whole. (Nothing wrong with a bit of delusions of grandeur, I'd say :ok: Delusions can actually be necessary sometimes for the small to dare to become big.)

Get out of your grief and look beyond your horizon. There is a whole new world of possibilities there, I bet you.

That said: I guess the title of the topic should be "image of Reloaded" but I had a hangover from hell and wasn't exactly wide awake. Feel free to change that.

Just my two cents, and feel free to take this idea in any new direction (as long as it benefits Reloaded)

PS: Yes, I deliberately try to provoke you. I try to wake you up a bit and have your imagination going :shrug:
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#11 Frodo

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Posted 29 July 2007 - 08:35 AM

View PostEagle of Fire, on Jul 29 2007, 06:31 AM, said:

Freeware games, by definition, are free. They are made (or released) more often than not as incomplete ...

I suppose you think that there are no commercial games that are released as incomplete?   :ok:
Have you never paid for a game, only to find that it is unplayable, because it has not been beta-tested properly?  Bugs and game-crashes prove that it is incomplete.   :shrug:  

The way I see it - Freeware games are usually a labour of love.  The creator has made his game because he WANTS to make his game.  And he wants to share it with everyone else.  He is not just in it for the money.  This should be encouraged, not frowned upon.   :D
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#12 Mighty Midget

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Posted 29 July 2007 - 08:38 AM

View PostFrodo, on Jul 29 2007, 10:35 AM, said:

View PostEagle of Fire, on Jul 29 2007, 06:31 AM, said:

Freeware games, by definition, are free. They are made (or released) more often than not as incomplete ...

I suppose you think that there are no commercial games that are released as incomplete?   :ok:
Have you never paid for a game, only to find that it is unplayable, because it has not been beta-tested properly?  Bugs and game-crashes prove that it is incomplete.   :shrug:  

The way I see it - Freeware games are usually a labour of love.  The creator has made his game because he WANTS to make his game.  And he wants to share it with everyone else.  He is not just in it for the money.  This should be encouraged, not frowned upon.   :D

Frodo scores bull's eye I say. What she says about encouraging these game makers is, when we come down to the core, what this is all about. And why not having Reloaded in the midst of the events?
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#13 Juni Ori

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Posted 29 July 2007 - 08:53 AM

One thing I must ask from MM: Aren't you little guilty too what you blame others in the end? You have 137 posts, what is not very few, and I see you as involved with the site. Admitted, you are doing something right now, trying to make the difference, but I still understood that post that others should do something, not you. :shrug:

But EoF has a good point there, before your correction of the topic title. I think it is our responsibility to maintain the level of the games as high as possible - and so far I think it's done quite well. Thinking of how much we have good adventure games (what is it with freeware-game makers to focus on adventure games???), roguelikes, two excellent flight sims (thank you Marco Bruno), and a huge bunch of arcade and puzzle games! I don't think that there's problem with quality, but I'd think it's the quantity. If we can advertise our site - with a trailer underlining the amount of quality freeware games - I think it's worth a try at least! And even if we are doing good job now, that doesn't mean we shouldn't try being better.

Perhaps, just to ease up to find the real gems, there should be a list - very limited one - advertising the best games. Also, there are a huge load of people out there, who doesn't even have a clue how great games there are for free - or so I believe.

MM, perhaps, just perhaps game makers could be converted to freeware, at least temporarily. It's a stone cold fact that most of them (just like us novelists) never get their products making money. If they'd release their products freeware, they still own the rights to it, and it's a big difference to game house, if the game guy is offering to them, is a big hit in internet!
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#14 Mighty Midget

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Posted 29 July 2007 - 09:05 AM

View PostJuni Ori, on Jul 29 2007, 10:53 AM, said:

One thing I must ask from MM: Aren't you little guilty too what you blame others in the end? You have 137 posts, what is not very few, and I see you as involved with the site. Admitted, you are doing something right now, trying to make the difference, but I still understood that post that others should do something, not you. :ok:

But EoF has a good point there, before your correction of the topic title. I think it is our responsibility to maintain the level of the games as high as possible - and so far I think it's done quite well. Thinking of how much we have good adventure games (what is it with freeware-game makers to focus on adventure games???), roguelikes, two excellent flight sims (thank you Marco Bruno), and a huge bunch of arcade and puzzle games! I don't think that there's problem with quality, but I'd think it's the quantity. If we can advertise our site - with a trailer underlining the amount of quality freeware games - I think it's worth a try at least! And even if we are doing good job now, that doesn't mean we shouldn't try being better.

Perhaps, just to ease up to find the real gems, there should be a list - very limited one - advertising the best games. Also, there are a huge load of people out there, who doesn't even have a clue how great games there are for free - or so I believe.

MM, perhaps, just perhaps game makers could be converted to freeware, at least temporarily. It's a stone cold fact that most of them (just like us novelists) never get their products making money. If they'd release their products freeware, they still own the rights to it, and it's a big difference to game house, if the game guy is offering to them, is a big hit in internet!

You are perfectly right about me being as guilty as anyone else :shrug: I must admit I find this place a bit like a tomb, creepy silence and downright eery sometimes. It makes me feel uncomfortable, so I'm not as active here as I could have been. It's not that I feel totally unwelcome, I just feel this place to be cold, unheated, radiator out of order if you know what I'm saying.

I must admit I haven't browsed the game archive that much, solely for the reason I hardly play any games at all anymore. After being a heavy player for more than 20 years I reached my limit, I guess you could say. But it is true that Reloaded should focus hard on the best games, as well as accepting the 2nd top shelf games, to encourage developers to continue their work.

The list is a very good idea. A "Golden Games" list of some sort.

Also: If commercial game makers can be "worked into" releasing some titles as freeware (if I understood you correctly)., that would of course be most welcome.
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#15 Juni Ori

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Posted 29 July 2007 - 09:09 AM

I meant those game makers who want to be commercial, but never (because they don't release their products freeware) get published.
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