ARMAGAD (also Tetrageddon Games) out now on GameJolt’s new Marketplace!!

Ok, that’s a long title. I need to work on those.

You can download it here: http://gamejolt.com/games/armagad-also-tetrageddon-games/147081

It’s pay what you want for the first week or so (you can get it free if you like). After that it’s going to be $6.66. It’s a suitable number for this game.

I’ll probably have to change things on the website because this version is A LOT better, and I don’t want things to be free forever. I want to make money from this so I can fund the development of my next game and make games forever.

What are you doing reading this? GO GET IT!

Ok…

In my last blog post I explained that I was having second thoughts about Steam, and would love for my thing to be released on something friendlier (especially friendlier to indie devs).

You know… Well… I know… I’ll put a ton of work into something and then the process of having it just accepted on a storefront is basically another workload altogether. If you do manage then there is a player base to contend with. I guess people’s experiences of this are mixed. Some have a great time rocking their way to the top, others get ripped a new one by consumers being rubbed the wrong way for some weird little thing (seems like lately this latter part is happening more often than not).
At any rate, maybe I’ll find time to articulate my indie criticisms of these things in a much more thoughtful manner, but that’s for another post. :)

While at GDC I found out that GameJolt was going to launch their marketplace (they just did today). I actually wanted to ask them if they where ever going to do that, and it was really cool to find out they where already doing that. The idea of that being an option (as well as itch.io) was so awesome. I like both sites, and I think it’s amazing that GameJolt now is a place for that.
I held off launching this game on Steam so I could do that with GameJolt instead. I mean… I do have that placement on Steam, but I want to hold off and see how this works. It’s very exciting.
I’m totally excited!

I feel like both itch and GameJolt have given “weird games” enough of a place to grow as a legitimate thing… Also as a “safe space” where you are less likely to be attacked by angry people, because players there generally understand these games (maybe this has become too important to me, but whatever).
I remember a long time ago posting things on places like Kongregate and New Grounds (out of desire to be part of a community). My stuff was too weird, people got angry, no one “got it”, I left. It’s interesting looking back because I don’t think “weird” was really part of game vocabulary then. It seems more like a recent thing that games are allowed to be more than just games.
At the IGF booth (last year or so?), when I was showing Tetrageddon there, I met Paul and he encouraged me to post one of my games to GameJolt. I was SUPER apprehensive about it because online communities are generally filled with angry people with strong views on things. Games had been no exception. I submitted FROGGY, and was surprised by how happy people where about it. They really liked it. It dawned on me how much that attitude had changed. I hope games can continue to maintain that openness to “weird” and new experiences. It’s very encouraging to see.

Also, exciting! This means we get to innovate and explore new concepts without weird issues and stuff.
…I mean, that last point can be argued, but I think it has gotten better.

I totally hope this works out (like really explodes (in good ways)) for GameJolt. I want to see places like GameJolt and itch.io become super successful in terms of being a space where developers can become successful, make money from their weird different games, and enjoy a friendly player/consumer base that understands different.

..

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Ok yes but also as an added P.S. GameJolt’s commitment is so touching. Like following maskofthoro’s Twitter feed I read how they push updates to the site from cafes or whatever odd places because wifi access and stuff and then it really dawns on you how much they care. That’s a lot of commitment and passion. It’s so cool. Made me go “awe”. It’s a privilege to be part of this.
I wish I were a writer so I could interview them about how that’s been like… Alright bye now go play my thing.