well you are a developer.. you don't have customer eyes.. and you created the game.. you know exactly what goes on in the screen AND behind the curtain.. others don't... a ordinary customer won't know how this game is played only based on the "action" footage.. but again if you feel thats enough... then its ok..
I was a customer a long time before I was a developer. I've been playing games for about 25+ years. I never recall seeing what controls were being pressed on gameplay videos on any of the computers, consoles, devices before. So I really don't see the need now. Frankly, it's either obvious, or of no consequence. Who cares if you use the d-pad or analog stick to control the game? Whether you press A or B to rotate an object? It's not an instructional video. Gameplay videos have been doing fine without showing the input method this long why do things need changing now?
well i don't know which videos you watch.. but sure for classic platforms thats of no interest.. but the iphone , the touch screen are not "classics" button press platform with a joypad.. so i've seen alot of videos showing off the actual controls of iphone games.. touch, swipe, tilt, shake, gyro whatever is used.. and if you played for 25+ years only makes you not even close the demographic you target with your game.. casual iphone gamers.. and honestly.. what you've played on a atari 2600 is of no real relevance to today or? for example all nintendo ads i've seen show how you use the controls.. pretty much all coverage i've seen of the new sony gadgets show how the controls work.. gameloft show alot of "hands" in their videos etc. etc. so yes, i think something simple as showing a few strokes across the screen adds alot of information about how the game is played, especialy with such abstract things like your qubes.. you don't need to agree
Personally I feel most people will be able to second guess how your game is played. I think Mr. Ugly has a point though as iOs games can have so many different input methods and no standard controller. But again: I think your game might not need it as it seems fairly straightforward.
I still stand by the fact it's not an instructional video. It's merely meant to pique someone's interest. I'd question whether the addition of some strokes on the screen is going increase the likelihood of this. In fact, including additional elements to the video could even be confusing if you aren't smart enough to work out what is going on in the first place. If you can't figure out how a simple game like this is played by watching the gameplay the control system is probably too complicated. This isn't WoW or something.
you still only talk about core gamer.. wow is no casual game.. nor is its demographics... every day thousands of new iphones are getting sold and everyone is a potential customer for the new casual game around the block (hehe) and thoose customers which are a huge majority, have no to very low knowledge of gaming in total.. the iphone is a casual platform.. yes TA is a core forum, but members of this page are not the mayority out there.. so you need to ask yourself.. if you games video makes it clear whats going on to somebody who is absolutly new to this touchy touchy stuff.. and this has nothing todo with being smart.. its about knowing your target audience and giving them something to watch even the lowest denominator understands.. you say its not an instructional video.. but if the video is out people don't care about your initial intentions about it.. they will judge it by themself, soley on what they see and fire back with their own point of view on the video.. if someone thinks the "instructional" part "sucks" ... even if you don't intended it to be an instructional one (which is odd because of the amount of text) ... then you've already lost.. no matter how you turn it... if you start saying its not to show how the game is played but you show the game being played.. then there is a logical gap between your intention and the result.. yes we talk about small factors around video production.. like i said earlier of the 1% who care 99$ will be fine... but in promotion you usualy have on shoot to catch attention.. in theese days of mini game consumption its more than important to get the first "contact" right.. and if the first contact is the video then i think it could be improoved with minimal work.
I think you are really patronising iPhone users. They aren't idiots. If they can judge whether they like a game from screenshots without instructions on I'm sure they can cope with a video without also. Besides you're invalidating you own argument. Who do you think is going to be watching this video? It's not going to be the people you are talking about. They find their games in the new and noteworthy list. They certainly aren't going to be browsing youtube for gaming videos or reading the games press (really the only reason for promo video). I have to say I wholehearted disagree with you. So we might as well just agree to disagree.
hehe we can agree to disagree.. but i hardly doubt the "viewers" will be coming from gaming related websites only... its youtube .. people watch youtube from all kinds of devices.. pc, mobile, even tvs nowerdays.. so people can stumbler over some piece of information even if they don't have an iphone. also i should clarify we talk about the topic "what makes a good promo video?" and yours is just an example here for some cases.. i strongly beleive in any kind of cross promotion.. and thats what a good promo video can do.. maybee not for blockees in this case.. but there is more beyound the end of the plate.. you don't need to have an iphone to talk about iphone games.. or some special product in particular.. yes only an iOS device owner will buy something.. but its not faar fetched to have a situation like "hey buddy did you hear about game x, you have an iphone right, do you have it, can you show it to me?" a propper product , with propper promotion can sell hardware.. so people buy an iphone ipod touch ipad whatever to play game x... and thats not faar fetched.. on the iOS its not a single game.. but a collection of games.. (which still only cost a fraction of a console game).. that gets people getting onboard of the platform... you see your buddy playing fruit ninja or angry birds and the pure novelity of touch control its something magic and it gets somebody to buy game/hardware.. thats the reason the wii had such a succes.. not because they have a amazing software lineup but because they have something new... and touch play is something new to the masses... so appealing to casual players is important.. you want to get as much attraction at the end this is all general talk.. i would just add a swipe visualisation to your video.. the other problem with the duality of text/action was already discussed
I tried to shoot a video like that once. Except without all the expensive equipment. Needless to say the result was terrible.
Your second promo video is really good, mush better than others that I have seen before. The music works really well... but there are a few things I think you can improve. 1) You say that this isn't meant to be an instruction video but you persist on having detailed instructions on how to play/the different game types. You need to have the gameplay full screen (with colourful backgrounds to make it fit) and then just have quick, short and sharp points on the gameplay. 2) The Safari window doesn't explain enough. I like the idea of showing that there are more online but you don't show that. You just have a picture of your ad in a Safari window. 3) A simple white, translucent swipe that could go across the screen just to demonstrate the act of swiping your finger and showing them how the game works would be good. Nothing fancy or intruding, just a small swipe. Like I said your video is very good, but it can still be improved. Take my comments or leave them. It is up to you.
I think I've made my feeling known on the swipe issue. I don't feel it is necessary, or will add anything to it. It's a simple game, what other possible way of moving the blocks could there be. For the sharing, I see your point but at the same time what else can I do other than show what happens when you share levels. I don't have a lot of options. Personally, I'm very happy with the result for the time spent on it. Like you say, it's better than a whole lot of other videos. Is there room for improvement? Certainly. But I don't think the improvements that I could make will justify the extra time required to make them.
