Ashworld

WIP games, tools & toy projects
#21

Woohoo! Ashworld is now available in Early Access / In development state through Itch.io
Game will be available in full-release version on Steam later this year (aiming for September).

Itch.io purchases will receive a steam key when they become available, AND you have a few bucks discount if ordering it now on Itch

So grab it here: www.orangepixel.net/ashworld

Some info:

  • Game build ontop of Libgdx (using own engine tho, just libgdx cross-platformness, and sprite-batcher)
  • an open-world with car-driving, shooting, fist-fighting, platforming (indoors), survival, and crafting
  • graphics+code+design all done by me, music by Gavin Harrison
  • my first attempt at creating an open-world game (still not a fan of those games in general)
  • my first attempt at doing car-driving (no physics libraries (ab)used)

Game will also get a release on Android + iOS later this year

#22

Wish you all the best with this game, it really looks great!

I have been following it since RageClaw was the working title. Seeing the topdown driving has inspired me to revisit a GTA / Micro Machines type game I starting years ago in Flash!

Hope to have some time to play this soon :smiley:

#23

The game is now also available on steam!:

#24

Nice one :slight_smile: Looks like your best yet.

Cas :slight_smile:

#25

it’s sure the biggest content wise and development-cycle wise, and I think it’s my proudest work so far!
now hoping it finds an audience !

#26

Game is now also available on iOS (thanks to Libgdx and MobiVM)
and currently sits at #73 in the top-paid games (yay!) and in the “games we love” section.
Quick link to steam,itch and ios: orangepixel.net/ashworld

big relieve, wasn’t sure this game would land with a lot of people, but I’m very happy with how it’s performing and the user ratings and feedback is positive.

so on to the next game! (and some small updates for Ashworld)

http://techblog.orangepixel.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/ashworld_topipad.jpg

#27

Sweet… seeing a success like you’ve done more than once gives hope that if you keep at it success can come.

#28

and yet it remains scary as shit with every new release to see if there is any “success”.

#29

Hmm I think it could do with more success on Steam.

Cas :slight_smile:

#30

Does the iOS version differ from the steam version in any way? I’m wondering what makes you charge 10$ more for the steam version.

#31

same goes for all my games :slight_smile:
it’s been hard trying to find my audience on PC, but the sales are improving with each release, and I’m in it for a long-term so that’s a good sign

#32

Mobile and PC are the same version (one code-base).

So my idea on this is that my games are worth $10 easily, but the state on mobile is that a $3.99 / $4.99 premium amongst thousands of free-game releases, is already a tough sell (not just mobile, would be tough in any market with any product). Some big companies are testing the waters with $9.99 + prices on mobile, but my kind of games (niche, pixel-art, made by just one guy!) won’t do more revenue if asking more on mobile. The $3.99/$4.99 is really a sweet spot for my games (after many experimenting).

as for Steam/PC, I’m still experimenting with the price-point. I had games at $4.99 on steam, $9.99 and now $14.99+ which according to some articles is a sweet spot for games. With the idea that games below $10 are seen as “cheap” and games above $10 are seen as worth more… it’s weird, and I have no idea if it’s true, hence me experimenting with price points!

In honest, I think all my games are worth $14.99 on any platform… but it’s not a perfect world.

I also release on PC first, because PC gamers are the first to call some fictional “mobile port police!!” even if the game is designed for controllers and developed+tested on PC for most of it’s development cycle :slight_smile: So by releasing on PC a few months before mobile, takes care of that. As a bonus the mobile gamers than see a PC game come to their favorite pocket-platform, which makes it look even cooler!

And finally, I always sell through my website first (using Itch) before it’s available on Steam. For simple reason that I get a bigger cut of the revenue and thus can offer a cheaper price for my “fans” who buy my games at the early stages.

#33

:point: For all of us looking to make revenue with our games, this is incredible information. Thank you.

#34

If you won’t do less revenue @ $9.99 on mobile, then do $9.99. Because you a) condition your audience with $ = quality, and b) reduce the number of tyre kickers and support bullshit, while still making at least the same amount of money. There’s also a chance you might actually think it’s all been worth it in the end and make more games for the kinds of fans that will pay $9.99 for your games. Win-win.

Cas :slight_smile:

#35

That’s hilarious about “port police,” wouldn’t have considered…

Sadly, with android there’s an overwhelming wall of crap that is free… which, call me old school, but I always liked the shareware model of, you get the first chapter free and it’s x for the remaining chapters… but with so much flashy crap, I can see it being tough to stick out.

I’ve played a few of yours, and actually lots of fun (not that I expected bad, but for a solo / tiny team, actually competes with some much higher budgets).

Not a fan that 5$ is a stretch on tablets, there are a few with higher production go as much as 15, but usually that’s after a following had been built.

Anyway, keep it up…

#36

http://www.orangepixel.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/ashworld_gameofday_Banner.jpg

Ashworld is Game of the Day!
yay! :slight_smile:

Was originally going to happen on launch day, but due to timezones, I had the game live a few hours too late.
So I was a bit worried (pissed) that I missed out on a huge opportunity, but today the game got “Game of the day” after all, just in time for the holiday !

(For those without apple devices, this is basically the front-page and first thing you see when you open the app-store… so lot’s of eyeballs!)

App store link:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/story/id1319406241