|
Post by hombreimaginario on Oct 15, 2015 9:18:36 GMT
Just asking for your opinions... Please think for a couple seconds before you answer: how many copies of a new Saturn game do you guys think would sell? This is a huge concern for us if we want to release Ameba for the Saturn, as both the coding and the manufacturing will be far more complicated (and expensive) than the average Dreamcast indie release. There's lots and lots of research to do if we were to include a Saturn version as a Kickstarter pledge (not that a Kickstarter campaign is decided yet). Thanks in advance
|
|
savaroth
Joined: September 2012
Posts: 792
Location:
|
Post by savaroth on Oct 15, 2015 12:12:41 GMT
The answer is simple: Not enough to cover your costs even if you manage to keep costs to a minimum. The Saturn is a niche platform and has a small fanbase. ( A NES game would have a bigger target audience )
IMO You'd be lucky to sell a couple of hundred copies worldwide.
It's a pessimistic outlook truth be told. Wish it was different, because the idea for the game is really great.
|
|
|
Post by hombreimaginario on Oct 16, 2015 6:20:42 GMT
The answer is simple: Not enough to cover your costs even if you manage to keep costs to a minimum. The Saturn is a niche platform and has a small fanbase. ( A NES game would have a bigger target audience ) IMO You'd be lucky sell a couple of hundred copies worldwide. It's a pessimistic outlook truth be told. Wish it was different, because the idea for the game is really great. No, we appreciate your reply Let's keep the feedback coming, guys!
|
|
roboyle
Saturn Player
Joined: November 2014
Posts: 68
Location:
|
Post by roboyle on Oct 16, 2015 12:14:10 GMT
The answer is simple: Not enough to cover your costs even if you manage to keep costs to a minimum. The Saturn is a niche platform and has a small fanbase. ( A NES game would have a bigger target audience ) IMO You'd be lucky sell a couple of hundred copies worldwide. It's a pessimistic outlook truth be told. Wish it was different, because the idea for the game is really great. I would be less pessimistic and would say you would get at least several hundred copies off the bat. However, not knowing your cost base, I don't know what that would mean in terms of pricing. Having funded two new DC games over the last month or so (well, I preordered copies as part of the funding drive!), I would imagine content for is easier to make and with a higher target audience.
|
|
mick_aka
Kickin' it lively!
"Mick is moderately adequate."
Joined: April 2007
Posts: 9,817
Location:
XBL: mickloaf
PSN: mickloaf
Nintendo ID: segamick
|
Post by mick_aka on Oct 16, 2015 12:47:06 GMT
I hate sounding so down on this sort of thing every time someone posts a home-brew project, but this is a project you're hoping to sell to people, so lets keep things realistic as the last thing you want to do is throw time and money at this to make little or nothing back.
You're game would need to be very professionally packaged and seriously competitively priced, a lot of Saturn owners/collectors reserve their cash for those really pricey gems already in the catalogue, so getting us to part with cash for a home-brew in such a niche genre will be a challenge for you.
I'd say the majority of Saturn owners I encounter here already have a Dreamcast and would possibly go for that version over a Saturn version unless you had some sort of Saturn exclusive content or deluxe packaging.
To me, it seems like to sell the Saturn version in good numbers, you would basically have to make the nicest packaged version of the game and hardest version to port the cheapest version to buy, which makes no business sense whatsoever.
This is coming from someone who would REALLY like to see this on the Saturn.
|
|
|
Post by hombreimaginario on Oct 17, 2015 8:17:27 GMT
I thought I was the pessimistic one in the team when I said 200 copies sounded about right...
|
|
|
Post by hombreimaginario on Oct 17, 2015 20:58:09 GMT
Dev Diaries #2! Contrary to what is common in the video game and movie industries, composer Juanjo Martín has been there since the very first moment the plot for AMEBA was being planned. Which means he contributed some ideas for the main characters. This is what happens when Juanjo and yours truly meet for a late night brainstorming session… retrosumus.com/2015/10/dev-diaries-02-ameba-music-composition/
|
|
cruxible
Novice
Joined: August 2015
Posts: 46
Location:
|
Post by cruxible on Oct 19, 2015 6:26:49 GMT
Dev Diaries #2! Contrary to what is common in the video game and movie industries, composer Juanjo Martín has been there since the very first moment the plot for AMEBA was being planned. Which means he contributed some ideas for the main characters. This is what happens when Juanjo and yours truly meet for a late night brainstorming session… retrosumus.com/2015/10/dev-diaries-02-ameba-music-composition/ Very dark and beautiful.
|
|
savaroth
Joined: September 2012
Posts: 792
Location:
|
Post by savaroth on Oct 19, 2015 9:30:12 GMT
Just the way I like it.
|
|
|
Post by xDerekRx on Oct 22, 2015 21:27:27 GMT
I thought I was the pessimistic one in the team when I said 200 copies sounded about right... Actually Im going to be quite a bit more optimistic. Just knowing the collector market here in the US alone and how crazy Saturn collecting has got, a true new Saturn release with proper packaging will without a doubt sell IMO. I bet over 1000 copies depending on price. You have to remember this isnt like NES, Genesis, Dreamcast where homebrew games are everywhere. Saturn to my knowledge has really NEVER had a release in the west since Deep Fear (PAL) and Magic Knight Rayearth (US). That alone gives anybody who gets a new Saturn game out a huge advantage. I suppose it depends on the type of game to but so far I feel your title already looks more professional than any other attempted homebrew. So again I think over 1000 in the US alone if you did the NTSC box art etc (which likely could be costly, although you could use old sports cases). I know for a fact as a guy who used to sell huge volumes of used games as a living that I could personally sell 100 copies no problem of a new release Saturn game here. Probably a handful just in the small city I live in.
|
|
|
Post by hombreimaginario on Oct 25, 2015 11:43:37 GMT
Daniel Horvath aka 108stars, who did the pixel art for Pier Solar, interviewed me the other day for NexGam. The interview was conducted in english but there's also a german translation (as the website's in german, obiously). A couple new details emerge. You can read it here: www.nexgam.de/Dreamcast-Saturn/Im-Gespraech-mit-Retro-Sumus.htmlPages 1-2 are in german, 3-4 in english. Hope you like it!
|
|
NeoGeoNinja
Shadow Warrior
Joined: August 2011
Posts: 6,616
Location:
|
Post by NeoGeoNinja on Oct 25, 2015 18:55:12 GMT
Daniel Horvath aka 108stars, who did the pixel art for Pier Solar, interviewed me the other day for NexGam. The interview was conducted in english but there's also a german translation (as the website's in german, obiously). A couple new details emerge. You can read it here: www.nexgam.de/Dreamcast-Saturn/Im-Gespraech-mit-Retro-Sumus.htmlPages 1-2 are in german, 3-4 in english. Hope you like it! Cool interview. I have spoken with 108stars before as he is highly active on the Atari Age forums too (the only other forum I frequent on a regular basis, like here on SSUK). Also, who's who out of this image? - - Also, I've seemingly overlooked this thread and your original request so, apologies for that. In terms of an audience for this game as a Saturn release, realistically, I'm not even sure 500x copies is achievable on Saturn! It really does come down to a couple of things: 1) Awareness - advertising your game by whatever means necessary helps with over all product awareness (i.e. Play-Asia always have games of interest down the 'sides' of the site or as the main header. Pulls people in who have never even heard of the game before. 2) Kickstarter - a cliche, I know, but this is EASILY the best way to gauge if you have any audience/market for a Saturn release. Again, this campaign can only be reinforced with some retro marketing. It's really difficult to determine how many could, potentially, really sell but... the truth of the matter is, if NO ONE KNOWS your product exists, then they can't even decide if they want to invest in it or not. Never underestimate the power of marketing/awareness
|
|
|
Post by hombreimaginario on Oct 27, 2015 18:00:31 GMT
|
|
jpk72
Saturn Player
Joined: September 2015
Posts: 61
Location:
|
Post by jpk72 on Oct 30, 2015 4:53:05 GMT
I'd also be more optimistic in sales personally. My thought at least is that many retro console collectors and Saturn owners in general are going to buy this because there's no competition, and they're going to want to support the crap out of the little love we're getting. I also doubt that many people with a Dreamcast and a Saturn would only get the Dreamcast version. Most people with both can probably afford a copy for each and understand that Saturn hombrew needs some love. Hell, I'd buy a couple copies, donate, whatever just because you deserve it for the awesome!
|
|
|
Post by hombreimaginario on Oct 31, 2015 10:36:45 GMT
In terms of an audience for this game as a Saturn release, realistically, I'm not even sure 500x copies is achievable on Saturn! It really does come down to a couple of things: 1) Awareness - advertising your game by whatever means necessary helps with over all product awareness (i.e. Play-Asia always have games of interest down the 'sides' of the site or as the main header. Pulls people in who have never even heard of the game before. 2) Kickstarter - a cliche, I know, but this is EASILY the best way to gauge if you have any audience/market for a Saturn release. Again, this campaign can only be reinforced with some retro marketing. It's really difficult to determine how many could, potentially, really sell but... the truth of the matter is, if NO ONE KNOWS your product exists, then they can't even decide if they want to invest in it or not. Never underestimate the power of marketing/awareness Well, communication and marketing/awareness is my sole purpose at Retro Sumus, besides writing some Ameba from time to time, that is I'd also be more optimistic in sales personally. My thought at least is that many retro console collectors and Saturn owners in general are going to buy this because there's no competition, and they're going to want to support the crap out of the little love we're getting. I also doubt that many people with a Dreamcast and a Saturn would only get the Dreamcast version. Most people with both can probably afford a copy for each and understand that Saturn hombrew needs some love. Hell, I'd buy a couple copies, donate, whatever just because you deserve it for the awesome! Thank you I've tried to create awareness in as many forums I've found (that could have any interest in the project), but we are still not sure how many copies would be the right number. THey would have to be more expensive than the average indie DC release anyway, noy only for the lower number of copies but also because it will need a bigger investment (in time and effort) to be produced/manufactured.
|
|