How do I get a crowd to help fund my project?
Cure 'Em Up - is my latest work in progress game, it has gone through many changes (game engine/language/dimensions/gui/hud) but is a project I'm very keen on finishing!
Now to help finish it and ensure it is the best it can be I have put it forward for crowd funding on 3 different services!
8-bit Funding - 8bitfunding.com
RocketHub - Rockethub.com
IndieGoGo - Indiegogo.com
But the problem is I don't know any crowds of avid mobile/pc/mac gamers who are willing to fund/pre-order my game, and I don't have a direct line to Notch either!
All three funding projects are now one week on and still currently sitting at zero.
So if you know a crowd or two with spare change please send them towards my projects!
Anyway I should be looking on the bright side maybe the lack of funding just indicates that the project would not really have taken off anyway and I can just let Flo, Glee and Wil lie frozen in their cryopods awaiting such a time in the future when the world is willing to embrace donationware 50:50 project funding.
But if I can no longer afford to power their cryopods I will have to let them go.
Alternatly if you happen to have a direct line to someone who is wealthy please send them a link!
I'm looking into the option of getting some game models made, but this would probably only be cost effective for the higher funders, do you think an 'Airfix' or 3d model of a Mk 4 Typhoon Nanosub would be a good funders gift?
I could do cut-out paper models for the lower level funders?
Gamasutra have had a couple of good articles on crowd funding: Gamasutra.com
I'm not wealthy but I had a similar experience with crowdfunding. Then I found this article on gamasutra blogs:
Gamasutra.com
Maybe some of these tips can help you out :)
So how would you rate my attempts at crowdfunding disregarding the current lack of donations?
I think you've done a really good game, man. Honestly, your game has cool graphics, gameplay and style. With such a polished game, your funding campaign should have the same level of quality. Here's what I see in your crowdfunding that can be improved:
The video is not edited as a game/movie trailer: try adding big texts presenting the game, introducing every cool feature, etc. The video should have more rhythm (sincronize the music beats with the texts and the narrator voiceover, add some sound effects, etc).
Another thing to improve are perks/gifts. People don't seem to like in-game perks. They prefer physical objects like a concept art poster, a t-shirt, a CD with the game soundtrack, etc. Of course, these perks will cost you some money, but they have some mystical appeal to gamers. For the lower contributors, you can add perks like "you can be in the game credits".
And just another little detail: try to fill the game info page with more screenshots, concept art, sketches, everything that people can see and enjoy without reading. When people get to your game page, they see a preview frame of the game video and a couple of paragraphs of text. Try to catch their eye with a better preview frame (maybe the game title screen instead of a random gameplay frame), and as many pictures as you can. I'm sure they'll love it and start funding your project :D