Become a Computer Game Developer: Self Promotion








Chapter 7






Self Promotion

Fame -- makes a man take things over Lets him loose and
hard to swallowPuts you there, where things are hollowFame,
fame, fame, fame...

David Bowie / John Lennon
(1975)


Humility is not a prerequisite for success in the game
development industry. In fact, while being humble may endear you to family
members, it will do very little to further your career. In this industry,
the illusion of greatness is nearly as important as true greatness.

Have you ever heard of a guy by the name of Michael Abrash? Have you
ever stopped to wonder why you have heard of Michael Abrash? Is
it because there are no other programmers in the world of Michael's
caliber? Or is it because Michael is a master of self-promotion?
Think about it. Maybe Michael has something more to teach us than just
how to be a great programmer. Maybe by observing Michael, we can pick up a
few tips on becoming famous as well.


Increasing Your Name Recognition





Put Your Name On It

Put your name on everything!
Use big letters. Use bright colors. Carry it to extremes. Make your
name the first thing people see.
If listing yourself as the author of a game isn't satisfying
enough for you, you can also incorporate your name as part of the
title. My casino game is not called 3D Casino
Las Vegas , it is called Diana Gruber's
3D Casino Las Vegas. Similarly, experts may advise against
naming your company after yourself, but Ted and I have never
regretted calling our company Ted Gruber
Software, Inc. I don't suppose Peter Norton regrets founding
Peter Norton Computing, either.


Put Your Picture On It

People respond to human faces. If they
see your picture in a magazine, on a box, or on a web page, they
will pause a moment longer than they might have otherwise. They may
even stop long enough to see what you have to say. They will have an
urge to get to know the person associated with the face.
You can carry this to extremes as well. Once I wrote an article
for Visual Developer magazine. The article was about color
reduction. I color-reduced my own face. The result was 7 pictures of
Diana in one magazine. Not bad.
Another thing I did was trade web banners with the Link Exchange. I put my
picture on the banner. Then I bought 120,000 more banners. Just
think, 120,000 people will see my name and my face on the Internet.
Even if they don't buy my software, they will remember me. If they
see one of my games in the future, they will assume because they
have heard of me before, my software must be good.


Get Publicity
This means, get reviews. Submit your
game, along with press releases, to everybody and everything you can
think of. The web is a fabulous resource for this. Poke around on
the web, and find anybody who who appears to be the least bit
interested, and tell them about your game. If it looks like they can
help you, send them a review copy.
Don't neglect traditional media either. Send press releases and
disks to magazine editors.


Awards
Awards are an excellent source of
publicity. Nominate your software for as many awards as possible.
Some suggestions: The Ziff Davis Shareware Awards, Computer Gaming
World's Game of the Year Awards, The shareware industry's SAIC
awards, and awards presented at CGDC and E3.


Be a Writer
If you can't get people to write about
you, then you can always write something yourself. There must be
some area of expertise where you have some information you can
share. Pitch your ideas to your favorite editor. If you don't get a
nibble, write for newsletters. Even writing web page reviews helps.
Whatever you write, be sure your name is on it. Try to get paid for
it, too.


Public Speaking

Personally, I hate this. I find
standing before an audience terribly intimidating. But I do it,
occasionally. I know it is good for me.
To speak at a convention or trade show, you need to submit a
proposal to the proper committee at the proper time. Don't wait for
an invitation. Seek out opportunities, and promote yourself.
Be sure you have something interesting to say. Be well prepared.
Try not to be nervous. Good luck.


Make Web Pages
See this? This is a web page. Notice my
name at the bottom of the page. Do you think this web site is going
to help me in my quest for increased name recognition? Well, it
isn't going to hurt me much, that's for sure.
The trick to making web pages is to come up with something people
are actually interested in. Another collection of links isn't going
to impress very many people. But the web is hungry for original
content. If you have something to say, then by all means create a
web page to say it.
And don't forget, every game you write needs a web page. Make it
a good web page, with colors and graphics and screen shots. Put a
little pizzazz into your web page. And be sure to put your name on
it.


Get Involved
If you are having trouble getting to
know people in the game development community, then try joining one
of the several organizations that have been formed. My personal
favorite is IGDN, but there are
others that may suit you. Don't be afraid to do more than just join.
Volunteer to help. Work on committees. Propose ideas. Write for the
newsletter. Run for office.


Keep your goals in mind

There are two kinds of name recognition
which will benefit you, name recognition within the industry, and
name recognition among the general public. Your goal is to achieve
both. You want your customers to recognize your name and buy your
games. You want publishers, producers, and peers to recognize your
name and offer you opportunities. Plan your self-promotion campaign
with both audiences in mind.


Be Creative
Opportunities present themselves to
game developers constantly. Look for opportunities to further your
career, and also increase your name recognition. Don't be shy about
taking advantage of opportunities that are presented to you. If
anybody accuses you of being a glory hog, tell them Diana made you
do it.












Hello, My Name Is
DIANAGRUBER



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