#game presentation

So the first thing brought up is that when it comes to showcasing your game split the whole course into three parts; Before, During and After. This blog will be covering his Before the event essentials.

Before the actual showcase you need to decide on ‘where’ you will be showcasing your game and apply to attend. Many events have different pros to attending. Some events are better if you want press for your game, while others are better for when you want people to play your game. This should be decided well before the time of the event ie. approximately just under 6 months. Another thing you’ll want is to apply with a group to tag along with, this will lower the cost of attending the event as well as place within a situation where you have other people to assist in planning how the showcase will be run.

The next topic, which should be organized around 3 months before the event, is Travel & Housing. Something one should put into practice when conducting this showcase is set yourself up to be at your temporary residence at least 2 days before the event so you have some time to setup the showcase area. Keep in mind that not everything will go to plan, so this time buffer gives some leeway into getting any problems ironed out before they are noticed by people coming to check out your game which leave a good first impression.

Also, while you are visiting for the event give yourself some time to take in the location, book an extra day after the event to either give yourself a break to go over anything you’ve noticed during the showcase while it is still fresh in your or just relax and take in the city.

Now location wise, book close to the event as you might have to run back and forth between the event and your hotel, keeping it close makes that situation much more bearable.

A couple of weeks before the event attend some parties. In particular parties for game developers, as it will open up opportunities to talk to and possibly befriend other game devs in a more casual setting.

A month before the event begins one should have promotional materials ready and waiting, this includes anything from banners to business cards. This is to, as mentioned previously, promote your game so these items will assist in keeping it lingering in their minds. A component to keep in mind with these is colour.

Colour helps with branding yourself and your studio, keep it consistent and put it on (almost) everything people will begin to associate that aesthetic with you, your studio, and your game.

It is your branding!

Another factor of promotional material are roll up banners, stands that usually feature the games characters and are designed to give passerby’s an idea of what the game entails. With these, ensure that the logo (or game’s title) is at the top of the banner. This is because at events there will be crowds, and crowds prevent logos that are close to the ground from being seen.

Something one should not do is utilize flyers in order to sell their game. Flyers are cumbersome in their natural state so they are either folded up and forgotten or left abandoned amongst the other forgotten items. So instead use business cards that display artwork of the game, the logo, a description and a link to the website.

When preparing for the showcase, take some time to adjust your game to better suit the event’s atmosphere. Have short play sessions, you want people to try your game so the best way to accomplish this would be done by having a short taste of the game so you can a higher frequency of games.

Also really important make it so the game can run on its own. Include an auto restart, cause it doesn’t look very impressive if you have someone walking around the machines resetting the game after every single player is done, the same can be said for instances of a crash. If your game is a multiplayer party game allow for mid-game join. Why make someone wait if there is a vacant spot during play?

Another thing to include is an Idle Card. If no one is playing the game, don’t have a single screenshot of the game. Have movement, use it to catch the eye of a passing individual and draw towards trying your game. Also don’t allow the player access to the game’s settings during a showcase. They can easily muddy the experience of another person after switching up the settings to their preferences, it is much better to have a uniform set of games rather than a conglomerate of the same game running slightly differently to each other.

When packing for the event be sure you have the materials needed to set up your booth. Scissors, tape the works. Cause if you’re prepared there’ll be little to no setback to getting everything up and running. Additionally, you’ll want to have cough drops on hand. Because while you are at the event you will be talking about your game, that’s what you’re there to do, so losing your voice by the first day is counterproductive to your modus operandi at that moment.

When it comes around to how you will have the players control your game, do your best to avoid the use of keyboards at the showcase. This is because the amount of keys on a keyboard make them appear intimidating, making a player feel like there will be more to the controls than there actually is. If using a controller make sure you are using a secure wired controller to avoid running out of batteries and kleptos. Also do not rent screens from the venue as they tend to cost a pretty penny so utilize other places for your renting needs.