Newsgroups: rec.arts.int-fiction
Path: gmd.de!nntp.gmd.de!xlink.net!howland.reston.ans.net!EU.net!uknet!cix.compulink.co.uk!hamrag
From: hamrag@cix.compulink.co.uk ("Humbug Software")
Subject: RE: IF Business venture?
Message-ID: <CoF1D7.7rH@cix.compulink.co.uk>
Organization: Humbug Software
References: <2oc2hl$tu4@msuinfo.cl.msu.edu>
Date: Sun, 17 Apr 1994 18:15:06 GMT
X-News-Software: Ameol
Lines: 46


> My question is this: is there a living to be made in IF shareware?

Well, the answer to this is a definite YES!  Or at least it was a 
definite yes, these days I'm not so sure.

I have written two PC shareware adventure games (JACARANDA JIM and 
HUMBUG) which have resulted in the region of 2000+ registrations.  During 
the first year of JIM I only managed to sell 20 copies of the game; the 
year after that I was (for a while) selling 20 copies per day!  When I 
started getting that many registrations I realised there was a 
badly-needed source of income in them thar hills and wrote HUMBUG.

Given that the game is fairly enjoyable, it all comes down to you market 
your product.  Users must have a real incentive to register: so tantalise 
them with goodies just out of reach, offer them bonus games if they 
register (and maybe passwords and online hints).

If people register my games they get online hints, a full map of the 
game, and free upgrades for life.  They also receive a disk chockablock 
with other games and goodies.

The great thing about adventure games is that they are _so_ addictive.  
Your users will be frothing at the mouth wondering "How do I get the key 
for that damn gold door???!!!".  And the easiest answer is for them to 
send you (the author) a cheque for 10 pounds.  Of course they'll do it!  
They've already been playing the game constantly for two weeks.  They 
aren't going to let a dumb computer game beat them!  And they aren't 
prepared to admit defeat and drop the game.. they'd rather send the 
author the money he has been begging for.
 
I've written an article, published in Red Herring magazine I think, about 
different ways to market your shareware adventure game.  If you like I 
can dig it out and post it.

BTW, these were my experiences a couple of years ago.  I'm busy at a 
"real" job now and don't have so much time to promote my games - although 
I still receive a number of registrations each week.  I do feel, however, 
that times have changed, and audiences are far less prepared to sit in 
front of a text adventure game when the competition is a multimedia 
extravaganza like Day of the Tentacle (which I think is great by the way).
---
Graham Cluley          hamrag@cix.compulink.co.uk
Humbug Software
43 Old Mill Gardens    Author of shareware adventures
Berkhamsted Herts UK   HUMBUG and JACARANDA JIM.
