Devlog #8 Wishlist on Steam!

Hello again, welcome back to another devlog about Exterminators of Saturn!

We've been working on the next update and things are moving rather smoothly. It has been a little bit since our last post and that is because we are really trying to focus on creating a more "official" demo that properly showcases the game at its best state, as such the itch page's browser version is a bit out of date with our current internal versions.

As you can see a bit in this zoomed in picture we are messing around with some film grain and noise filters for a grindhouse 70s movie style. We are also creating some funky music to fit the theme and we can't wait to show you the newer builds. We will talk more about the music side of the production in the next devlog. 

Wish list on Steam and other such musings

For now we want to focus on the latest news and that is in the title of this devlog. We have a Steam page!  Be sure to check it out and wishlist the game!  

Here is some key art that we are using for capsule images. 

Speaking of capsule images another piece of the project puzzle has been making the steam page and honestly we should make a post just about the steps required to make the page itself, let's just say it is a test of patience and a lot of documentation reading. Which is normally something I enjoy but maybe that's just for code.

When making a steam page you'll be studying how to design the page just so and  tweak everything until it is perfect. Perfect for everyone who might find their way to your store page.

A link to the store page can be found here please wishlist the game as it helps a lot and feeds the steam algorithm, which decides if they will show our game to other people so we definitely appreciate it if you do wishlist the game. 

That being said!

It is during this process of creating a steam page and engaging with the beginning phases of marketing that I learned something fundamental to our game design process. The point of making this game was to create something we would want to play. We want to make something that we can't already find out there in the world. Maybe not something wholly unique but something that is fun to play. Despite that you may end up with something that not everyone wants and that's ok even though it can be nerve wracking. As long as you ( the game designer) are a fan of your own game then you have to believe there are others out there who want to play it too.

When you start to dip your toes into the marketing aspect of game development you are met with a barrage of information that tries to drag you down. You see, marketing is all about trying to be the most popular.  You start noticing things like 'several countries are removed from the list of possible sales candidates when you check the box that says "may contain cartoony blood and gore"' or the fact that 2D games aren't the highest selling game types, top down shooters are lower on the list of steam sales, people prefer simulations or horror games. Observations like "you need to be heavily invested in social media" a particularly difficult thing for someone like myself, and the list goes on from there.

It's enough to cause a bit of anxiety and shake the confidence of even the most hardy of people. 

Luckily all of these challenges came about during the Summer Games Done Quick charity gaming marathon. So I had plenty to distract me while my brother and I kept plugging away at our computers working on the game during our free time.

It helped put my mind at ease and allowed me to just enjoy the work, enjoy making the game and enjoy playing the game. Often I find myself hitting debug in visual studios just to run around and start slashing through the bugs, shoot their brains out or even tossing a grenade in the air to clear an entire screen of the disgusting aliens.

It is often quite cathartic. That's really what this whole rant has been about by the way.

We wanted to make games that we like. It was never about the statistics or mass appeal, sure we want other people to like the games as well but that isn't the goal. The goal is to make a fun game. Taking an idea that made us laugh or intrigued us and making it work. Making it play exactly as we imagined it.

We still have plenty of work ahead of us but with this principle at our core I know we will have made something worth all of this effort. 

Our next goal is to complete a proper demo to put on our steam page and begin showing it off to as many people as possible. The demo will contain several updates and new systems not yet introduced in the current itch io build and it may take a few weeks still. Until then we will continue to post devlogs and tease some of the changes and updates. Again I want to mention that we are on Steam now and we are gathering wishlists, be sure to check out that page so you can follow us there as well.      

                   https://store.steampowered.com/app/2413220/Exterminators_of_Saturn/

Thank you for reading, we will see you in the next devlog!

-Jack (Exterminator of Saturn)

-Luke (Exterminator of Saturn)