It'll be somewhere between $14.99 and $19.99, I think. But that's not set in stone-- from what I understand, the Steam guys suggest pricing, and since they do this stuff for a living I will likely listen to them if it differs from what I expect.
I'm intending to greenlight it with a cheaper early-access price tho. As soon I have the whole game done with Paladin only (and fewer side-quests), I'm going to greenlight that, and start getting the other classes+more quests in.
to be honest, i dont think the game will sell very well at $15-$20, except by people like us that are eagerly waiting for it.. maybe $10 when its polished up with all the classes, but other then that i would expect around $5-$8. i'm kindof a cheap ass, so my opinion might not count all that much tho lol
having played the other solomon games and loving them, id be happy to pay $20, but im just worried that price wont draw much of a new fan base for you
Anything above $10 won't sell well on mobile unless Apple loves featuring your game on multiple occasions. That price might work for Steam though, I know the PC folks dig premium games.
Mobile is somewhat dead... if you haven't noticed, the top 20 games haven't really changed in a year or more-- it's all a closed market, completely controlled by whether Apple or Google features you. That's why I'm launching Steam first.
On mobile, it'll probably have to be free, with "Pay for extra classes, pay for extra quests, pay for gold" etc... sadly the user base on mobile won't pay $10 for a game, but they're happy to pay $300 for a game in bits and pieces. It's somewhat outside my experience.
Anyway, I'm playing it all by ear. Keep HD is a much more fleshed out than Original Keep.
yea, thats one thing ive always hated about mobile games, all the micro transactions :( im ok with there being pay for bonus stuff that isnt essential to the game, as long as its beatable without paying i dont mind it so much, but i would definitly prefer to just pay an upfront cost, but sadly theres very few games like that anymore
>>Do you develop full time? Or do you have another job?
This is my job. Cubic Castles and Chuzzle are what's paying the main bills at this point-- I didn't have enough saved up so I could easily afford to weather the Solomon Dark disaster.
I really loved how the original keep didn't rely on micro transactions but if you must add that in on the mobile version instead of just a sticker price then I would suggest you offer the full game for whatever price (15-20 sounds okay) and a lite version for free that has pretty basic feature with the option to upgrade it piece by piece into the full game. Maybe this will attract new fans and also prevent the need for lovers of the original keep to have to pay to unlock each class rather than just paying a sticker price and having it all. P.S Thanks for not giving up on Solomon after the Solomon Dark crap.
Tom: I will do this. I've often wondered why more games don't offer this option. I guess the reason is because they expect to make more in microtransactions than the real price of the game should be.
Another option I've been considering is to go back to ye olde days of selling software-- simply having a free demo that can be upgraded.
I like the free demo idea. I just didn't want it becoming a $30 game because of all the micro transactions or that you had to buy gold with real money in order to progress at a decent rate *cough* Clash of Clans *cough*. This all sounds super great and I can't wait for the game to be released :D
Well, on the buying gold, thing etc... I probably WILL allow buying gold, on this justification:
A few years ago I got MarioKart for Wii, and I got it explicitely to play multiplayer with people-- I had no interest in single player at all. But to unlock all the tracks, I had to play the whole single player game through. This was a case where I would have happily thrown down $10 or something to just unlock them all and spare myself the hours and hours of pointless play.
Some people might feel the same way about Keep, and if they want to play that way, I don't want to stop them. But no, I don't want to make it so they are FORCED to play that way, as so many video games are inflicting on the public these days.
It's amazing... I don't even play mobile games any more, it's gotten so bad. A couple years ago, all I played was mobile!
yea i definitly agree, thats the kind of micro transaction that i dont mind, you pay just to get to some content faster. and as tom said before, thanks for not giving up on solomon after the dark disaster :P... btw, how is the counter case coming along to force some kind of penalty on the patent troll? i know with the way the courts are it will still be probably a year or 2 before anything is actually settled..
I think you should do that but in the way that Tom suggested with it being in 2 different apps. because if its already in the game files its pretty simple to hack and unlock. You won't get cheated that way.
XGL: I'll make it two seperate apps for a different reason: I myself will no longer download any game that says "offers in-app purchases" and I think this movement is growing.
Comments
I'm intending to greenlight it with a cheaper early-access price tho. As soon I have the whole game done with Paladin only (and fewer side-quests), I'm going to greenlight that, and start getting the other classes+more quests in.
REALLY?!? ARE YOU SERIOUS?
"Oh cool! can I make a deal? I wanna pay $60!" -vvllaadd99
I like your attitude.
You do Have a point there, Tears_Of_Asariel.
On mobile, it'll probably have to be free, with "Pay for extra classes, pay for extra quests, pay for gold" etc... sadly the user base on mobile won't pay $10 for a game, but they're happy to pay $300 for a game in bits and pieces. It's somewhat outside my experience.
Anyway, I'm playing it all by ear. Keep HD is a much more fleshed out than Original Keep.
This is my job. Cubic Castles and Chuzzle are what's paying the main bills at this point-- I didn't have enough saved up so I could easily afford to weather the Solomon Dark disaster.
Another option I've been considering is to go back to ye olde days of selling software-- simply having a free demo that can be upgraded.
A few years ago I got MarioKart for Wii, and I got it explicitely to play multiplayer with people-- I had no interest in single player at all. But to unlock all the tracks, I had to play the whole single player game through. This was a case where I would have happily thrown down $10 or something to just unlock them all and spare myself the hours and hours of pointless play.
Some people might feel the same way about Keep, and if they want to play that way, I don't want to stop them. But no, I don't want to make it so they are FORCED to play that way, as so many video games are inflicting on the public these days.
It's amazing... I don't even play mobile games any more, it's gotten so bad. A couple years ago, all I played was mobile!
Can't say anything yet!