The end of a dream, one way or the other. (Looking for feedback)

[FDJustin]

If you like, you can skip past my usual rambling to the bold part, to get to the heart of things.

I'm waiting for my video to upload, but already considering scrapping it. I'm just not sure my microphone and voice quality are good enough, and I have doubts about still pictures... There's just no action in it.

But that's the first thing I'd like your help on. This seemed like a great idea while I was doing it, but now I'm not certain. Would something like a feature list and hype work better?


My intention with the video is to attract future players and have something to present to production talent (programmers, artists, and music). Hopefully the campaign will go well and I'll discover there's an interest for this game.

I know this is completely backwards, because I was basically following a 'passion', rather than a need. I don't know if people have a 'need' for this particular style of gameplay, it's just something I started a few years ago and want to see through.

Either way, the project is starting to fade from it's dream status. Will the reality be that it's feasible, or will it just be washed away?
Soon enough I'll know. If there does prove to be interest, hopefully I'll be able to get some crowd founding from something like kickstarter. If not, I can turn it into a low priority "fun to do" project and work on plan B.


If you're skipping, here's where you'll need to stop!

As I mentioned, the video (I'll link to it when it's uploaded.) is meant to search for support and get the attention of gamers. I want your feedback to know if I should scrap it, adjust it, or keep it. Basically, I'm begging for your advice.


The other thing I wanted to mention is that I've been having a lot of trouble coming up with rewards for kickstarter. Looking at the rewards on successful projects hasn't been too much of an inspiration. So far I had a small list of in game prizes that is a little closer to pre-sales than rewards, I think. Well, the first reward for $1+ is an emailed hi-five

Somewhere between the haze of pondering and pacing and procrastinating and typing feverishly; I realized something I should have thought all along. "Hey. You know, these people might be interested in other peoples' things that are synergistic with G.O.D... And other people might be interested in the exposure, and of course, potential extra revenue of providing for a reward level."

Not a bad thought, problem is I have no such contacts, and I'm not quite sure where to start.

Have any thoughts or feedback?

 

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[FDJustin]

Well, as promised, this is the video such as it is. [video=youtube;WNitVWEI9Gg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNitVWEI9Gg[/video]

Brace yourselves, my voice isn't the sweet manly angelic (mangelic!) melody that you've all no doubt built in your minds by now.

After hearing this, it may forever ruin whatever secret fantasies you've had of listening me tell you bedtime stories in a small room, so that the echo touches your ears twicefold, and doubly reassures you that all is right in the world as you drift off into another night of perfect rest.

 

[Guest3722A]

The audio isn't clear. I couldn't get through it because of this

 

[FDJustin]

Thank you. Was any part that you listened to clear to you at all?

 

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[Guest3722A]

Not really. It sounded almost like there was an affect on your voice. So I couldn't really formulate anything out of it.


and i wanted to get through it too. i even fast forwarded it but it was still the same. i don't know if this was an issue on your end or if it was just the stream i got from this one attempt.

 

[FDJustin]

It's quite probably on my end. I did use a noise remover to get rid of a constant static this mic has going for it... To me it leaves the voice much clearer, but I don't have perfect ears. It's entirely possible that 'cleaning out' some of the tone that I couldn't hear in the first place.

Or it might be something about the voice itself?

To be honest, I expected a couple problem parts, because if I speak just a little bit louder, or a little bit quieter, it makes a very big difference in the recording.

If anyone else has some enlightenment on what makes it hard for them to understand, I'd be glad to hear it.

P.S. My voice does have an affect on it. "Pretending not to be nervous"

 

[Guest3722A]

lol. you know... what about some excitement? some music? a build up in the music.... and then silence? and then back to the music again. you know.. paint the picture. make this the best adventure anyone will ever ever take. maybe relate to the listeners? know them.

i always push shock value because it gets people to talk. and as we learned here a while back, comical youtubes have went viral in several instances.

i'm just brain storming here because somewhere in this is the little tiny black hole thats going to draw the masses in. just gotta keep experimenting and tweaking...

all of this is spoken by the way from my experience with advertising and what it took for me to get my phone ringing off the hook. so i'm just brainstormin' and throwing stuff out there!

maybe some speed death metal with some super fast drummer dude and then on to some victorious classical type of build up. have you ever heard marilyn mansons portrait of an american family?

he starts the album with some tripped out willy wonka thing and the music spins but it builds builds builds and then kicks the listeners a$$ when the first song hits it makes his listeners want to listen to it again

 

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[FDJustin]

I hear you. What you're saying is, "Justin! Go drink a pot of coffee, then set the mic on the table so you have to be excited to be heard!" But (slightly) more seriously, I see your point. I'm not an entertainer, and that doesn't translate well into catching attention.

With a bit too much caffeine and a little self pumping, I can do excited. Or at least energetic, but that won't help if the material isn't going to interest people...

I need to go for a walk, you've offered a lot to think about.

 

[Guest3722A]

I hear you. What you're saying is, "Justin! Go drink a pot of coffee, then set the mic on the table so you have to be excited to be heard!" But (slightly) more seriously, I see your point. I'm not an entertainer, and that doesn't translate well into catching attention.

With a bit too much caffeine and a little self pumping, I can do excited. Or at least energetic, but that won't help if the material isn't going to interest people...

I need to go for a walk, you've offered a lot to think about.

no. actually what i'm saying is you be you. and find people to do this for you, if this is the direction you would want to consider for your project.

 

[FDJustin]

I never understood why that part was in Wonka, but then... The entire story is more than a bit twisted, so why question it. So yeah, I watched it now. I think I see what you mean about the picture, though I'm not sure how it translates to 'Be yourself'.

As an update on the voice thing: I presented it to my sister, and my other sister's boyfriend. Neither of them could understand it either. Turns out, they probably wouldn't have recognized it was me talking.

I was also told to be less monotonous and more excited, heh.

 

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[Guest3722A]

I'm not sure how it translates to 'Be yourself'.

what i meant is you're the brains behind the operation. only a suggestion. i'm just throwing out blind ideas. thats all.

like:

if you have some friends who are creative and maybe have some recording equipment, perhaps come up with a certain type of "feel" and then see if they can achieve it. or you achieve it with their equipment.

sometimes silence achieves the best 'feel'. i don't know... just throwing bits of creativities that come from the corners of my sick mind

 

[FDJustin]

Phat ideas from a sick mind? Damn, you're bad!

Hmm. Wonder if I was mixing sayings. Was bad popular the same time as sick and phat?


Anyway, your ideas have a point. Or at least, they make me think you have a point which is just as good. Everything is about the experience... And while having a how to play will be important one day, it's not a good recruitment tool because it doesn't create an engaging experience.

My philosophy on any multi player games (and sometimes single player, like pac-man) is that it's community interaction and expectations, with the game itself acting more like the tool to keep them engaged.

I don't think a how to play... At least not the way I structured it gets people thinking in that direction.