No replies to announcement thread. Advice?

I've found a trailer always helps, but mainly from what I've seen the majority of posts/announcements don't get replies and simply a a couple hundred views.
Sadly it's hard to stand out in the crowd. I've also experienced similar issues.

 

Hi Nicholas, sure I recognise that nickname from somewhere.

I think a key point you're missing is that this forum is bloody busy and any post you make will drop from view within a very short space of time - minutes at peak times.

Post a couple of "anyone?" bumps periodically and that should tell you if people missed it or just aren't interested.
UPDATE: Don't post bump-type messages as that's against the site rules.

fwiw, I think your post looks terrible tbh. Remove all the bold and colours and stuff that makes it look like "no job too small" classified ad for a local plumber. People are going to think the game must be shite if you can't even make a nice looking plug for it.

One big ass picture, a link to a video if there is one, and a single paragraph of explanation text is all you need.

 

there's a lot to say, and it really is the same list of things that have been said many times in this forum, so I won't go on too much at length on it. To boil it down, try to look at your thread objectively and compare it to the bulk of what else is out there. Which threads are getting hits, and which are floundering? A quick scan over the hits vs misses often spells it out pretty easily. In your game's case - it looks competent, but it certainly isn't very attention-grabbing. Nothing intense is going on, there needs to be some eye-grabbing splashy action going on (fancy promo art, your "boxcover") to help inspire a little mood at least. The copy is fairly dry and standard, and considering the steady oversaturation of product that usually pops up in this place, there's really nothing to push it over a bit (no matter that the theme isn't quite as done-to-death as some others have been).

You could even break it down psychologically "harder to relate to visually since the people are all very nondescript, no faces/character/etc." That's just for starters - there's plenty of other things you could do to try to incite a little action in your thread, some discussion. Maybe a little promotion if nothing else (give something away, though you don't need to break the bank!!)

Once you start getting some talk going, then it becomes easier to attract more attention - getting over that 1st hurdle is the toughest, so many things sink like a rock from the get-go these days if people don't really put much effort into marketing. Treat it as importantly as any other part of the process, and see if you can't turn it around a bit.

 

The posting looks pretty good to me in its current state.

For me, the issue is "coming in March". I remember the headline going by a few days ago, and I ignored it. Why spend time to read about some game that isn't even available?

 

What would you say about my post on Firewall, then? I tried to do it like all the others, or so I thought..

 

hmm. read my wall of text above and see where you fall! I watched your youtube vid, and with the sound off, it doesn't really hold my interest at all (this is a good test of how your average youtube viewer will see your vid). Once again, you need to have some gimmicky stuff going on (good name, interesting illustrations, maybe some well thought out promo campaign) to spark a bit of interest. otherwise unless you have a particularly trendy game, it's tough to get past a first page or 2 of a thread these days.

 

So in that thread is Yixian your friend ? If so that puts me off as your friend isnt obvoiusly going to say 'looks bad', he'll say its great whatever.

When i saw that thread i liked the look of the game but i prefer seeing a video of the game in action rather than screenshots.

I dont mind IAP's at all but i dont like the sound of the ones you have, so the games free and then you buy IAP's as 'passes' to play the game ? So i presume i have to keep buying passes to play this ? To me that doesnt sound good. It mentions you get them for free at a 'rapid rate' but i've heard similar things in the past so i'm a bit doubtful. Dont think that system really works well at all.

I dont mind a game being free then i pay xxx to unlock it, fair enough. But to basically keep buying 'play tokens' sounds bad and that put me off right there. I buy a lot of games but thats what put me off this upcoming game, hearing about these 'passes'.

 

well i would say the ta community did not respond to both guys games because they simply did not like them..

also in such threads its best to combine screenshots & a video.. not one or the other.. its a synergy connection there..

you see a screenshot that attracts your attention and you click on the video..

if there is only a video and the preview still doesn't attract your attention you're more likely not to watch that anyway..

as for text.. its secondary.. similar to app descriptions people want to see stuff first and not read alot of pr blabla..

 

I agree, things seem to move SO quickly on here. Need something special to get noticed - note to self "make a great app"