Tag Archives: frank

Heading to GDC 2017 Today!

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As I type this, I’m packing to go to GDC 2017 – The Game Developers Conference at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California. The convention actually already started, believe it or not. Monday and Tuesday are incredibly expensive lectures and talks, with an expo that runs Wednesday through Friday.

Since I’ve never been to this before, I didn’t want to break the bank. Transportation to San Francisco was expensive enough, especially when you consider I’m staying in a hotel near the convention center. So I’m just going to the expo, where indie devs will be showing off their games and large companies will be holding meetings with business partners.

I have three main goals in mind for GDC 2017: scope out the convention for 2018, meet publishers and distributors, and plan the future of my company.

 

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Case The Joint for 2018

This is a huge show, and it always happens right around this time of the year. I predict Where Shadows Slumber will be released at some point next year during this time, so it’s highly likely we’ll be attending GDC 2018 as exhibitors.

I want to ask these indie devs if they feel like it was worth the price, the trip, the time, and other costs. You never know which shows are going to give a return on your investment. This also gives me a convenient excuse to actually have fun at a trade show!

I’m so used to going to these things as an exhibitor, I forgot what it was like to be able to freely move about the show floor and talk to people. What a treat!

Also I need to make sure I get details on how to sign up for contests. GDC has a few award shows that run (two, I think?) and I know next to nothing about them. But I know that I want Where Shadows Slumber to win everything forever, so it’s time to get some information. I’ll return next week with contact people!

 

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Meet Publishers and Distributors

 

It can be difficult to make a connection to someone completely online. But Jack and I need people to distribute our game in China, Japan, Korea, Russia, India, and other foreign countries. We don’t speak the language or understand the market. For a cut of the proceeds, these publishers can make our game a hit in their region.

I’m not looking to promise these people anything just yet. Mostly I want them to take a look at the game and get a conversation going. If the game is “on their radar”, then my follow up email over the summer might get noticed.

But first they need to see it. I’ll shove my iPad in their face if I have to! (I swear to God I will do this once before the show ends) I already have a hit list on my phone of who I need to hunt down at GDC, and I won’t rest until I find them!

This took a violent turn… so let’s go to the final section!

 

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Plan For The Future

I already talked about GDC 2018, so why do I need to plan for the future? Well, you can’t work on one game forever. Even Blizzard will need to say goodbye to its beloved properties one day. Where Shadows Slumber is a beautiful game, but I have a lot more game ideas in the pipeline. Planning for what comes next is important. We may be talking as far as 2019 or 2025 here, but I plan to build this company into something great. That takes foresight.

I want to make a good first impression with some big-wigs at the largest game companies and bluntly ask them what it takes to make third-party games. There’s a lot of exciting stuff happening around VR (which I am still skeptical of), Nintendo’s Switch, and the growing PC gaming market. Now is the time to forge some professional bonds to be used at a later date. There are some technology companies in particular that I want to visit, so I can ask them some “is this possible with your tech?” questions.

I’ll try to do a recap of all this when I return, but PAX East is next week so… gah! It’s going to be a busy life, I suppose >:)

 

I have a taxi to the airport to catch, so see you next time! Thanks for reading.

 

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Don’t miss updates while I’m at GDC. Share our game at WhereShadowsSlumber.com with the GDC hashtag, find us on Twitter (@GameRevenant), Facebook, itch.io, or Twitch, and feel free to email us directly with any questions or feedback at contact@GameRevenant.com.

Frank DiCola is the founder of Game Revenant and the artist for Where Shadows Slumber.

Calling All Testers!

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I speak now to our legions of adoring fans. *ahem*

Lend us your talents! Your eyes that see microscopic faults, your ears that hear the lies in the truth! Lend us your hands that stumble over screens and fingers that are too large! Lend us your tongue that licks the phone for some reason (??), and most importantly your mind, which is not satisfied until there are 999 levels in the game!

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“Ask not what Game Revenant can do for you, but rather what you can do for Game Revenant!”

[The crowd goes wild]

The call has gone out to Android Revenants and Apple Revenants alike. Your Supreme Chancellor has need of you!

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Part of a paper concept for the upcoming level “Ramparts”.

Jack and I have been hard at work the past two months designing every level in the game on paper. Now we need Volunteer Revenants who are willing to take 15 minutes out of their day to test these new levels. We’ll be sending you an early, near-prehistoric version of the final game. Levels will be blocky, ugly, and impossibly grey. They will have either no sound, or limited sound. You probably won’t enjoy playing them.

Sold yet? Listen, we need your perspective. We think these levels are perfect. Do you know why we think that? Because we designed them! Of course we think they are perfect. They are not. We need you to download the test version of the game and then tell us via Facebook, Twitter, or private email (contact@GameRevenant.com) what you think. Be honest!

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I played the demo available on the App Store. Does that count?

Thanks so much, but no. We’re moving past that now — we’re talking about new levels for the final game. Not many demo levels will make it to the real game.

How do I become an iOS tester?

You’ll need the app “TestFlight” on your modern iOS device (iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch) and you’ll need to send us your email address to opt into the program. We’ll add you to the list and send out levels in waves, probably one World each month.

How do I become an Android tester?

You must send us your email address so we can figure something out. TestFlight does not work with Android so we need a different solution. We may just email you an .apk file with some levels in it.

What’s the deal with Kindle Fire?

I don’t really know… we aren’t on that store yet, it’s a long process. Hang tight!

I have a Windows Phone…

Windows Phone is kind of a small market and we don’t have one of those devices to use for testing. We will probably not publish on the Windows platform for a while, if at all.

You guys get free quality assurance from this. What do I get out of it?

You get the satisfaction of knowing you’re helping us make a great game! You get to see the game early, before anyone else. You get to tell us what you think and make a real impact on the game. Plus, if you pester us enough and your feedback is helpful (instead of just annoying) we can probably put you in the Credits as one of our “Worldwide Quality Assurance Experts”. Play games in your pajamas and get into the Credits… what’s better than that?

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OK

OK?

Yes

Great! Send your information to contact@GameRevenant.com. All we need is your email, device operating system, and device version/name. You’ll be sorted and placed in the appropriate email list. Expect a brief from us soon about how you can be a Test Revenant!

 

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Although I don’t recommend it, you can also give us your email through the Game Revenant official Facebook Page or Twitter Handle. I also have a Twitch game development stream, so I guess you could hop into the chat and message me? Don’t do that, though. Spammers are always looking for information in the chat! Email the official address at contact@GameRevenant.com.

Frank DiCola is the founder of Game Revenant and the artist for Where Shadows Slumber.

How To Not Die at Conventions

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I’m typing this one day after returning from a productive Mr. Game! trip to San Antonio, Texas for PAX South! My brother Paul and I are terribly ill, exhausted, and jet-lagged. Our reintegration to polite society is moving at a snail’s pace. The snowstorm outside isn’t helping. If I recall, the aftermath of our trip to MAGFest 2017 for Where Shadows Slumber just a few weeks ago was pretty similar.

If you’re an indie developer, independent craftsman, musician, speaker, or entrepreneur, you’re aware that there are many conventions that happen every year around the world related to your trade. But you’ve probably asked yourself an important question before every single one: how do I go to a convention without dying?

Since I already mentioned how sick we got at PAX South, I’ll go ahead and tell you that I don’t always take my own advice. There are best practices, and then there’s real life. Here are four things I would do if I wanted a stress-free convention exhibition where no one dies.

 

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1. Reserve Hotels A Year In Advance

“One entire year in advance! This is madness! I don’t even know what I’m having for dinner tonight!”

~ You

Listen, hotels fill up fast. If you’re traveling to a convention, there’s a good chance you’ll need a hotel. I lucked out with the upcoming New York Toy Fair because I’m in Hoboken – all I need to do is hop on a ferry and I’m at the Javits Center. But this is not common.

If you’re not in the main convention hotel, you’re missing out on the action. This is where people network. It doesn’t even feel awkward – it just feels like a big party. You can hang out in the hotel with everybody even if you don’t have a room there, but you’ll still need to waste a crucial 30 minutes in an Uber going back and forth every day.

Do you think I’m crazy? OK – try to book a hotel for PAX South 2018 right now and see if you have any luck. I bet they’re already full.

 

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2. Prevent Disease At All Costs

When I usually pack for a trip, there are a lot of things on my “short-list” of items to bring. But I think it’s time for some new items to make the coveted must bring list. Those items are:

  • Hand Sanitizer
  • Throat Lozenges / Cough Drops
  • DayQuil (or other day-time cold remedy)
  • NyQuil (or other night-time cold remedy)

I usually end up buying this stuff anyway. Jack and I had to make do with whatever cough drops they had at the hotel convenience store during MAGFest… but in the future, cold remedies should just be part of show preparation. You will always get sick with some kind of “Con Crud” at these things – the human body can only handle being around strange other humans from other parts of the globe for so long. But you can stave off the effects of the cold long enough to survive the convention. Then you can die at home, which is much more convenient!

Also, for you hardcore survivalists, consider wearing gloves and a SARS mask. This can be part of your cosplay to make it seem less weird. When I see someone with a surgical mask at a convention, it’s always a little off-putting, but I have respect for their dedication.

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3. Drive If You Can

Driving is 100 times easier than flying, especially when you have a lot of booth equipment to bring to a convention. Packing your stuff in the trunk of your car and leaving whenever you want is more time consuming than hopping in a plane, but way cheaper. The biggest unexpected cost of these shows is shipping things back in forth.

Fortunately, at PAX South this past weekend, I sold out of my stock of Mr. Game!, so I didn’t have to ship games back. Between you and me, I only brought 4 cases just for this specific reason! I brought 11 to the Chicago Toy and Gaming Fair and had to bring tons of it back.

If your booth setup is super simple, you might get the best of both worlds – flying to a convention with your stuff in a checked bag. For the most part though, I recommend you drive. Figure out parking ahead of time. You’ll be happy you have a car in a strange place, especially if you grew up in an urban area and you aren’t used to everything closing early or having to drive far for basic needs.

Driving lets you set your schedule and gives you important freedom abroad. You may think it takes longer, but let me ask you this – what takes more time? A 4-hour car trip, or a 2-hour flight? When you consider the time you need to be at an airport and the time it takes to leave and get to your hotel, flying sometimes take longer. Save it for really long journeys, and maybe plan to do only local conventions before you have more money to burn.

 

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4. Don’t Let Anyone Kill You

Self-explanatory.

I hope this advice was helpful! Like I said before, this isn’t stuff I do – it’s stuff I wish I did. It takes a full year of jet-setting before some of these lessons sink in. To date, the only thing on this list I’ve done consistently is #4. But the year is young… perhaps my assassin is just around the corner?

 

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Follow this advice and you won’t die at conventions. I might have missed something, though – so if you’re looking for more sage wisdom, message Game Revenant on Facebook or Twitter. I also have a Twitch game development stream and an email for you email types (contact@GameRevenant.com).

Frank DiCola is the founder of Game Revenant, the creator of Mr. Game!, and the artist for Where Shadows Slumber.

MAGFest 2017 Rocked!

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Jack and I have just returned from a wild weekend at MAGFest 2017, and I have nothing but positive things to say about the experience. Back in late September, we applied for MIVS – the MAGFest Indie Videogame Showcase. After multiple rounds of judging, we ended up making it all the way! We were one of many indie game studios that were invited to demo our game at MAGFest.

By invited, I do mean invited. One of the best parts of this convention was that there was no booth price for indie developers. Ticket sales from the convention were used to pay our way, and it meant a lot. MAGFest ended up being one of the less expensive shows Game Revenant has done so far… by comparison, my dalliance to Chicago for Mr. Game! cost me a number that rhymes with gour-gousand.

The most valuable part of these events is getting feedback from players. It isn’t always easy to hear constructive criticism from your fans, but it is necessary. (Jack is going to be writing about this subject next week!) We specifically asked people at our booth to give us “tough love” as we near completion of the demo and move on to production. Without hearing some negative feedback, you’ll never escape the indie thought bubble.

“My game is the best game that’s ever been created. My game. Me. Haha… everyone else must be stupid for not making it first. Not me though. Hahaha…”

– The Indie Thought Bubble

So just to show you we’re listening, here’s three big lessons we learned about our game’s demo (which you can download) that we’ll keep in mind as we start final production this month.

 

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A blue-haired tester at MAGFest plays Level 3, “Canyon” on our iPhone.

1. Make The Game More Difficult

Right now, the demo is a bit too easy. This was something 90% of our testers told us. People would marvel at our cool idea, beautiful artwork, immersive sound (for those that could actually hear it in the crowded convention hall) but stop short before discussing the puzzles.

The most common feedback was that it felt like we had 5 or 6 tutorial levels instead of the 3 we were aiming for. Players don’t like feeling “led” by puzzle games, whether that leading is overt (tap HERE to move! HERE! Right over HERE!) or subtle. We’ve got a subtle thing going on right now, where there are too many easy levels in a row. Players find that to be boring.

We vow to make the game physically relaxing, but mentally challenging! Just because the game is supposed to give you a “moment of zen” on your daily commute doesn’t mean it can’t really make you think. Harder levels, and more compact tutorials, are on the way!

 

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The booth got so packed we had to use our phones to demo the game as well!

2. More Narrative Elements

This feedback usually came in the form of a question. “Will there be a story?” It was always a hopeful question, like “I really hope you guys have a story planned.” We would tell people that although the demo won’t have too much (we’re working on a final cutscene for it now) the final game definitely will have a cool story.

Our goal is to tell a story without using words. My passion is animation, and I think body language is an incredibly useful tool for communicating ideas. I don’t think we need dialogue bubbles or text to tell the story of a man’s solitary journey through a dark and strange world. The other reason is because avoiding the use of text will make it easier for our game to launch in other regions where English is not the official language.

So, don’t worry! A story is on the way. Once it arrives, maybe the 18+ rating on the game will seem a bit more obvious…

 

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Jack stares off into the distance, permanently scarred by a two syllable word: Grongus.

3. Rename The Game To…

Not all feedback is good. Sometimes, you need to let criticism go. People gave us lots of good ideas, but of course the constant refrain was to rename the game to Where Shadows Grongus. This won’t happen, so I hesitate to even mention it. However it was requested by about 105% of our testers and it seems dishonest not to say something.

The name of the game is final. It performs well on search engines like Google, Yahoo, Bing and DuckDuckGo, just to name a few. We have a real ownership of the string Where Shadows Slumber and a new logo has even been created for that title.

Please stop asking us to change the name. Don’t tweet at Game Revenant about it, and leave our Facebook Page alone. This debate is over.

 

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The two of us eagerly awaiting the announcement of awards at the end of MIVS.

Thanks, MIVS!

The MIVS Staff deserves a thank-you for giving us this awesome opportunity. You won’t find this kind of sweet deal at other shows, but MAGFest is a strange animal. Here’s the staff members that worked on this year’s show. Thanks, everybody!

Lexi – layout, hotel & badge handling
Joel – judge coordinating, hotel & badge handling
Nate – map artist, video editor, web content
Kat – MIVSY maker, volunteer scheduler
Marc – Awards spearheader
Kotey – Tournaments
Paige – External entity coordination
Peter – LEDs, new Obelisk lead
Nichole – Press, coordination with internal social media

Tronster – coordinating everything!

 

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Do you have feedback for us? Did you play the demo of Where Shadows Slumber? Please try it on your Apple or Android device and then leave a comment for us below! We’d also love to hear from you on the official Game Revenant Facebook Page, or on our Twitter account.

Frank DiCola is the founder and CEO of Game Revenant, a game studio in Hoboken, NJ.