I have my game Zombie Nauts and I plan on kickstarting it or using Indiegogo to pay for advertising and webhosting. When would be a good time to do this? When the game is completely finished? When it is halfway? When it is in beta? Or the alpha stage it is in now?
I’m not really stressing over this but my mind has been rolling this question over and over in my head all day.
So, when is the best time and what is the best strategy?
I would just work on the game and not even consider to use crowdfunding for a project of this small dimension. Sorry, but seriously.
When you have something people will want to pay for.
This is deeper than it appears at first glance. You have to have a defined project scope to present, effectively nobody will jump aboard a “hey I’m making this, we’ll see what happens.”
That’s the first step I’d say. Define the limits and goals of the project, then ask yourself this question again.
Uh no… Not yet.
Honestly, a much better and safer bet would be the android app store (with ads). The scale of zombie nauts is too small and doesn’t stretch wide enough to generate much money. Add that to the horde of zombie games we have already, and you’d need a lot more polish to hit a level above the ridiculous amount of free zombie shooters that exist out there. There are just plenty of zombie games in the market, so standing out will be rough.
If I were in your position, I’d try the android app store and see how well it does there. If you gain enough people, then I’d use the money generated to produce a much higher quality production. It is all about the eye candy. If you look at the projects here that made it on steam or are candidates, those are the games that have a shot at doing well at kickstarter/ indiegogo.
Hopefully, you take this as strong advice. I have nothing against your game, but your bar has to be higher than what you can get for free on a flash gaming site. As it stands now, I’m not feeling it from zombie nauts. When that time comes and I feel your game reaches that standard, I’ll post in that thread. Don’t give up. 
Yeah exactly what everyone else has said. No offense, but your game isn’t that big. I think you have what I like to call developer’s tunnel; You are really excited and proud of what you have made, which is fine, but it starts to cloud your ability to think about the game critically. I mean, in your game you just shoot zombies that run at you. Its cool, but I don’t see how you think that is worthy of someone else funding it.
Games that are funded on kickstarter are original, big games where the developers actually need the money to keep developing because developing the game will be their job. I fail to see why you would need the money to develop the game, it seems more like you just want the money for reasons unrelated to development.
The less kilobytes, the better! (It did take several though, so you should take this lightly)
Just shooting zombies you say? This game is amazing, I can play this four hours, it is strategically using your bullets for your survival!, its super addicting!
Well I want to fund this!! Its the most awesome thing I have played since ages, I mean search on the forum as long as you like, but even Daedalus can’t hold a candle to Zombie Nauts!
First of all, this game is more than just original and on top of that, he probably has had a artist career before making this game! (He also needs to be paid for that don’t you think). Ofcourse he should start a Kickstarter and (if possible also) a indiegogo campaign, I mean, the first thing you must think of BEFORE making your first game is money!
Tip: You will make also a lot of money if you get it on steam, it will definitely be worth it!
PS: I don’t want to make a fool of Markus Persson or anybody else in this forum, I really hope this will help people with something called a: ‘developer’s tunnel’, and keep people from getting scolded and bullied for the rest of their life because of really stupid actions, I mean, see flappy bird’s developer, even after only uploading it to the play store can make your life ***, let alone this…
Now to the pressing topic.
Zombie Nauts is no where near my imagined version. I plan on adding a campaign complete with a story and full on character development. (I’ve been pretty good at writing stories since I was a wee lad so I’m excited about this part) Then I plan on adding a survival mode that will consist of looting house for ammo and new weapons along with food and water. You could then barricade houses and build forts. Then I plan on pushing the limit even farther and having a form of multiplayer. So, in the end the game is going to be more like a retro Project Zomboid, but with a little more of a twist.
Though, I agree with you guys. Where the game is now, is nothing even I would pay for. But, where the game is now, is in the beginning stages of beta. (I don’t even have arcade mode finished yet!) So, never fear, this game is going to be great, or I won’t stop until it gets there.
P.S. Zombie Nauts is a remake of my best game I ever made in Game Maker. The game on Gamemaker only has a simple arcade mode and was no where near finished. But for the weeks it was under development, It got a few fans and a lot people (IMO) liked it.
It’s on Gamejolt here: http://gamejolt.com/games/shooter/zombie-nauts/15444/
Thanks for the suggestions guys!
EDIT: I only really need money to pay my artist. (Making art takes too long, its easier if I just don’t do it and focus on the game haha) But hey money is good at buying candy too so. 
I don’t think this is the right way to go about making a game.
Just make your game the way you’d like to play it, and eventually people with the same mindset will hop aboard :point:
Herjan was a little bit sarcastic for those who did not get it btw.
Oh ;D wow I’m so slow today 8)
Don’t waste money for advertising.
I have this zombie shooter game. It is not finished at all, but I think it has more game play than your games does… And honestly, nobody would buy a game engine. The game has to have gameplay.
Ow sorry I didn’t make myself clear. Gamers wouldn’t by a game engine. Unless its some next gen shit with the most realistic physics, graphics and sound there are on the market.
I wasn’t talking from the developers stand point
Ya I was only thinking around 200-500 anyways, and that not that much considering the amount of content I’m to have down the road.
You can put your game on funding when your random friend who doesn’t care about your games and always refuses to play them, plays the game for 10 minutes.
Most of the stuff you would need funding for you can easily get for free (at your level).
There are many talented artists out there who wouldn’t mind working for free on the side to help you out. There are forums and stuff to find people like this. You seem pretty young i’m sure that there are many talented artists in your own school. Just find them and talk to them, thats how I started out back in high school. It was just me and some friends from my school. Doing this will also teach you how to deal with people face to face rather than over the internet and can help you start networking at a young age. If your early network amounts to nothing at least you got the experience.
Now the honest truth. Your game is nothing special to a random joe out there. There are millions of zombie games and atleast 100,000 that are more mature than yours. But that’s not a bad thing! Your learning, you’re having fun, you are gaining experience. This is what is valuable.
In regards to advertising. Posting it on this forum gave it some buzz. Pass it around forums, chats, etc. Once it’s more mature show it around your school, your friends, you football team. Whatever!
At your point, there is little to no need for money.
Oh trust me money is way on the back burner for me right now. I’m over my immature money obsession from long ago. I’m kinda glad that I’m getting all this buzz because like someone on this forum said:
[quote]There is no such thing as bad publicity!
[/quote]
But for the people that tried to help me out, thanks a lot! I’ll keep doing what I’m doing. BTW 0.4.0 will hopefully be out tonight!
But for the people that tried to help me out, thanks a lot! I’ll keep doing what I’m doing. BTW 0.4.0 will hopefully be out tonight!
[/quote]
Cough Day One: Garry’s Incident. Cough
As for publicity, get people playing it. Doesn’t matter how, that’l raise publicity.
Garry’s incident?