I have enjoyed conversing with Steve the last few days over email actually, I'm hoping we'll have something great to share soon :-)
Just recently, I was thinking, "I chat with a lot of CEOs/Founders." He seems passionate about this stuff. It is disappointing that the room was so empty. But then again, with the internet making communication easier, conferences might not be as important.
I remember when some of the GameSalad guys were in NYC, I was like... nah, I don't feel like going. It's probably better that I didn't. If I'm remembering correctly, those were the days just before GameSalad Direct. HA HA!
Steve is promoting his software, but he's doing in it in a straightforward and honest way. A lot of the stuff is familiar. Something was surprising to me though, which was also my favorite three words in the video... "Native Plugin System"
With the ability to kick tracking out, and a way to customize apps on the way in, GameSalad is starting to look good again.
I suppose I'm a burned out indie developer. I'm more focused on making books than apps these days. That's one of the main reasons that I haven't renewed my GameSalad subscription. But in addition to disappointments on the app store, GameSalad has been filled with drama. So while @sf and @CodeWizard have been saying a lot of good things lately, I'm still skeptical. I remember the days when a GameSalad Pro subscription was $1999. I've been wondering, is GameSalad really going to turn things around this time or is the roller coaster ride continuing?
I don't know, but I like that Steve is still fighting to make GameSalad better. He also seems to care about the issues facing game developers.
The other three good words in the video... Singles and Doubles!
Great video! It's inspiring to see how well some developers that I've never even heard of have done with Gamesalad games. It kind of puts in to perspective all the issues we often compain about on the forums, bugs, akward workflow, etc - none of it has stopped these developers from releasing plenty of successful games. Very inspirational.
This was held in San Francisco and this is the turn out? :-?
I kinda wish SDK, Toolkit, Plugin and other engine developers did more to reach out to their Indie market (outside their own cities, or major conferences). Online is great and all, but it is not all that great for socializing, networking and physically meeting people. Most cities have convention centers or conference halls large enough for driving Indie conferences. Point is most indies across the country (especially those starting out) cannot get to these conferences due to funds or time (I'm sure there are other reasons).
I have gone away and cannot stop thinking about this video.
Mr. Felter is clear about the possible business models of his market (that's us). I do not think regular/rapid publishing results in crApps always and it is undeniably a legitimate model for the indie publisher not just for GameSalad. This is no major concern.
Something bothers me about it and I am not sure what. Is it the tiny audience that seem to be lost in some hotel conference maze? Is it the lack of enthusiasm in the room?
I look at it and think does GS need some more marketing people to build the user base? Do they need evangelists in each country who can attend these kind of conferences and push the product....get more hype. I am feeling underwhelmed I guess.
Something bothers me about it and I am not sure what. Is it the tiny audience that seem to be lost in some hotel conference maze? Is it the lack of enthusiasm in the room?
Look at other videos from Casual Connect USA, August 2013. You can see same thing in those videos. I mean, it's not a fault of GS, just somehow not a lot of people visited this Casual Connect event.
I love that people are still using the term crApps
It is a shame to see Steve talking so enthusiastically to such a small crowd, but I still take more positives than negatives from the video. It highlights that there's plenty of people managing to do really well with gamesalad, outside of the small group of regulars we see on these forums.
I don't believe Steve was talking about crapps as much as his point was it takes time to build a brand and having a stable of apps is the key to beginning to making respectable money. This is @RP and I's strategy. The issue is most people who start with GS come into it with the wrong mindset aka the gold rush. If one wants to do this as more than a hobby a business plan and strategy is a must. If you want to be more than a hobby in anything what you are is a business not a game maker. Game making is what your business does not what it is. RP and I spent three months laying out our business model, strategy, culture and brand before we ever coded one line or drew on line. We built a 5 year plan with goals and milestones and so far after a year we reached the goals of phase one and are now working on phase two. You need goals and strategies that are reachable and reasonable and have one foot in hope and the other in reality. That is how you built a start up business. This isn't field of dreams "built it and they will come" business building is the hardest thing one will ever attempt to do in life. This is why 70% of small business fail in the first five years. Look at most successful entrepreneurs and you'll find a trail of failed ventures until they hit the one that worked. Dogged determination is the key to success. Get educated, work hard, work even harder, demand the best from yourself and those around you, stellar customer service, hiring great people not good and be an inspired leader.
This isn't field of dreams "built it and they will come"
If you build a good game, apple will probably feature it, and they'll come. Looks like a viable strategy to me. All recent iOS success stories that I've heard happened because of Apple feature.
The_Gamesalad_Guru
Member Posts: 9,922
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Thanks, @FryingBaconStudios, great to see (and hear) the GS captain! :-) Shame there weren't more people there... :-(
""You are in a maze of twisty passages, all alike." - Zork temp domain http://spidergriffin.wix.com/alphaghostapps
Again, Strange there isn't a lot of people there,
I have enjoyed conversing with Steve the last few days over email actually, I'm hoping we'll have something great to share soon :-)
Guru Video Channel | Lost Oasis Games | FRYING BACON STUDIOS
I remember when some of the GameSalad guys were in NYC, I was like... nah, I don't feel like going. It's probably better that I didn't. If I'm remembering correctly, those were the days just before GameSalad Direct. HA HA!
Steve is promoting his software, but he's doing in it in a straightforward and honest way. A lot of the stuff is familiar. Something was surprising to me though, which was also my favorite three words in the video... "Native Plugin System"
With the ability to kick tracking out, and a way to customize apps on the way in, GameSalad is starting to look good again.
I suppose I'm a burned out indie developer. I'm more focused on making books than apps these days. That's one of the main reasons that I haven't renewed my GameSalad subscription. But in addition to disappointments on the app store, GameSalad has been filled with drama. So while @sf and @CodeWizard have been saying a lot of good things lately, I'm still skeptical. I remember the days when a GameSalad Pro subscription was $1999. I've been wondering, is GameSalad really going to turn things around this time or is the roller coaster ride continuing?
I don't know, but I like that Steve is still fighting to make GameSalad better. He also seems to care about the issues facing game developers.
The other three good words in the video... Singles and Doubles!
I kinda wish SDK, Toolkit, Plugin and other engine developers did more to reach out to their Indie market (outside their own cities, or major conferences). Online is great and all, but it is not all that great for socializing, networking and physically meeting people. Most cities have convention centers or conference halls large enough for driving Indie conferences. Point is most indies across the country (especially those starting out) cannot get to these conferences due to funds or time (I'm sure there are other reasons).
GO ON TOUR! Demo and workshop.
I bit disappointed that Steve supports "business model" that consist of making crApps.
Shadows Peak is an atmospheric psychological horror that explores the dark side of a player.
Mr. Felter is clear about the possible business models of his market (that's us). I do not think regular/rapid publishing results in crApps always and it is undeniably a legitimate model for the indie publisher not just for GameSalad. This is no major concern.
Something bothers me about it and I am not sure what. Is it the tiny audience that seem to be lost in some hotel conference maze? Is it the lack of enthusiasm in the room?
I look at it and think does GS need some more marketing people to build the user base? Do they need evangelists in each country who can attend these kind of conferences and push the product....get more hype. I am feeling underwhelmed I guess.
Shadows Peak is an atmospheric psychological horror that explores the dark side of a player.
It is a shame to see Steve talking so enthusiastically to such a small crowd, but I still take more positives than negatives from the video. It highlights that there's plenty of people managing to do really well with gamesalad, outside of the small group of regulars we see on these forums.
Guru Video Channel | Lost Oasis Games | FRYING BACON STUDIOS
Shadows Peak is an atmospheric psychological horror that explores the dark side of a player.