Micro Mages

A place where you can keep others updated about your NES-related projects through screenshots, videos or information in general.

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Sumez
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Re: Micro Mages (on Kickstarter)

Post by Sumez »

tokumaru wrote: I feel like this video is meant for the general public, seeing as most of us developers already know about these tricks.
Absolutely. What makes me appreciate the video is not the content itself, but the competent way it's being presented to the common audience.

That's also the reason I think it's a little weak at getting across why limiting yourself to NROM is even a thing. (and what exactly NROM is).
Yes, SuperMario Bros. was a big achievement in video game development, but I'm not sure people who think "8-bit" means pixelated graphics understand why.
miau wrote: Sorry, no demo. We think the game gets really fun once you familiarized yourself with the controls. From world 2 onward or so. We assume people who paid money are more likely to give the game a thorough play.

Also, we did not want to spoil the fun of getting a new game CIB, unboxing and playing it for the first time. Although that would be up to the individual person, of course.
I can completely get behind this!
Although I'm personally a fan of demos, I think there is always the risk of devaluating your product through one.
Erockbrox
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Re: Micro Mages (on Kickstarter)

Post by Erockbrox »

I saw this new video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWQ0591PAxM

I really liked how you explain the process of making the game. I didn't know you were trying for a 40K game.

All of the tricks and techniques that you are using are really thoughtful and impressive. Wish you the best.

Also were you the guys who were making Super Bat Puncher too? The name morphcat rings a bell.
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Nioreh
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Re: Micro Mages (on Kickstarter)

Post by Nioreh »

Wow 100 000 Euros!
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Lazycow
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Re: Micro Mages (on Kickstarter)

Post by Lazycow »

Wow 151 167 Euros! 8-)
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Nioreh
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Re: Micro Mages (on Kickstarter)

Post by Nioreh »

Congratulations on the success of the kickstarter. Truly amazing numbers!
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Punch
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Re: Micro Mages (on Kickstarter)

Post by Punch »

Everyone should look at this thread and the kickstarter to see how you can effectively design and market a NES game with good appeal. Money well deserved!
rainwarrior wrote:The 'o' in there makes me think there's some mirror-universe Rainwario out there building cartridges. ;)
He's a fan of Wizard of Wor, perhaps? W O R R I O R S S S
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M_Tee
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Re: Micro Mages (on Kickstarter)

Post by M_Tee »

Lazycow wrote: Oops, NOT Rainworrior, sorry. :oops:
Punch wrote: He's a fan of Wizard of Wor, perhaps? W O R R I O R S S S
Image
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rainwarrior
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Re: Micro Mages (on Kickstarter)

Post by rainwarrior »

:D C O M E O U T T O P L A Y A Y !
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toggle switch
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Re: Micro Mages (on Kickstarter)

Post by toggle switch »

Everyone should look at this thread and the kickstarter to see how you can effectively design and market a NES game with good appeal. Money well deserved!
as somebody who is planning a kickstarter in the next 6 months, i'd be very interested to know people's thoughts on why this game in particular was so successful...

for myself, i'm not sure the game itself looks more appealing to me than something like twin dragons or nebs'n'debs (which is to say, they all look like fun NES games that i would enjoy greatly). however, it made more than 5x the amount that those other games did.

one thing that occurs to me is that micro mages has multiplayer, as did super russian roulette, which also had an incredibly successful campaign. unfortunately it's too late to think about adding that to project blue, but certainly something i will be adding into any future games.

another thing that i noticed a lot of people responding to was the video explaining the various design choices that went into making the game itself.

i tried searching the web for anything like a pre-hype campaign, but couldn't find anything of that nature. every article i read about it seemed to be responding to the success of the kickstarter, not advertising it before it's success. seemed to come out of nowhere!
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Lazycow
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Re: Micro Mages (on Kickstarter)

Post by Lazycow »

@toggle switch: I think the kickstarter page is very well done and the game screenshots and previews have a lot of charm. The graphics of Twin Dragons and Nebs'n'Debs are also very good in pixel art, but they have a different style that style might not resemble old NES games that much. Also, the gameplay of Micro Mages seems to offer something special. At least that's why I supported the kickstarter...

Maybe Worphcat can tell us more?

(scnr) :roll:
WhiteHat94
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Re: Micro Mages (on Kickstarter)

Post by WhiteHat94 »

I think it was a confluence of the trailer and the optimization video, and the emphasis that the game is already 100% done.

The optimization video really showed the amount of work they have put in to the game and that it is going to be a high quality release. And I feel like making the first line of the Kickstarter "The Game is 100% Done" was pretty huge, easing potential nerves over backing a dud.

Also probably the reputation of the "Super Bat Puncher Guy" is finally releasing a game brought a lot of people.
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gauauu
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Re: Micro Mages (on Kickstarter)

Post by gauauu »

I can't speak for anyone else, but the 4-player hybrid coop-competitive is what sold me on it.
M_Tee
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Re: Micro Mages (on Kickstarter)

Post by M_Tee »

Things Micro Mages did right:
1. Was 100% complete when the KS launched
2. Had highly polished visuals and presentation, not only in-game, but in packaging, presentation, etc.
3. Offered something unique in terms of gameplay (not only for the console, but in general)
4. Reached backers outside of the nesdev and NES collector scenes. Micro Mages was featured at more than one event in Germany... IIRC, a museum? and a convention of some sort? The developer duo had garnered popularity through Ludum Dare success with their previous game. (Super Russian Roulette seemed to have similar success in reaching far out of the normal homebrew collector base).
5. Had images of box and cart all ready (meaning, presumably packaging design was all complete, but more importantly, showcased quality designs there.
6. Had reasonable Int'l shipping costs (US-based KS campaigns often ask for an extra $30 in shipping for overseas orders, often on top of $60 or more for a CIB, but CIB w/ int'l shipping was only ~$55).
I strongly believe that if US-based projects were willing to eat some of their profit margin per item to compensate for the country's shipping costs, they'd see a boost in total profit due to increased number of sales.
7. Offered DRM-free normal NES ROM to all backer levels.
8. Had a professional and likable "voice" to their campaign and online presence.

Honestly, 2, 3, and 4 together are likely the magic combination for a big NES KS success.
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Optomon
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Re: Micro Mages (on Kickstarter)

Post by Optomon »

Congratulations! Astounding and remarkable campaign, absolutely inspiring more than you might know.
M_Tee wrote: Honestly, 2, 3, and 4 together are likely the magic combination for a big NES KS success.
Absolutely. I couldn't have summed this up better. And thank you for doing it. It's points #2 and #4 especially I wouldn't have ever figured out how to tackle.

As someone who had been working on an "inventive" 40kb game two years ago, I thought about launching a campaign like this, with digital downloads and a completed game being key. I opted to stop working on it, with one year lost to a rom hack while working at a grueling management job, and a second year lost to tirelessly not getting rehired in my "profession" after quitting that job only to become secretly depressed and only work intermittently on sound programming.

This campaign has seriously caused me question my approach to life, especially in the last year or so.
Last edited by Optomon on Tue Oct 09, 2018 9:12 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Sumez
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Re: Micro Mages (on Kickstarter)

Post by Sumez »

At this point though, I think #1 counts for a lot with a kickstarter, too. People are sick of paying full price for a game that they may or may not get in 8 years.
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