Color Switch

Discussion in 'Game Showcase' started by Machine Rises, Dec 6, 2015.

  1. Christoph

    Christoph Miniboss Boxer

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2015
    Messages:
    2,807
    Likes Received:
    2,309
    @tweettopix: you can add a facebook button also from the left control menu if I'm remember well.

    @Machine Rises: I know you can't share revenue stats, but I wanted to ask you if you can share some know-how or information about the publishing strategy you used (are using). It would be nice to have this as a step by step example. What did you do first, where did you announce, when did you update and why, etc. There are some very interesting points in your strategy like the update with a new soundtrack and the new ads. And after the update you got a lot of negative reviews about the ads (with version 1.0 all reviews were positive) but it seems not to have had any impact at all. Also, how is it possible you went down during Christmas time and after you went up like crazy? What did you do? I really hope you can share some insights with us.

    Congrats again. Color Switch is entering the US Top 10 and has now over 3 million downloads. I'm very excited and for sure a little jealous. You just made yourself a millionaire. :D
     
  2. Machine Rises

    Machine Rises Serious Boxer

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2015
    Messages:
    591
    Likes Received:
    834
    @Christoph Thank you! Unfortunately I cannot enlighten on any strategies used as these are proprietary methods belonging to Fortafy Games. I'm only the developer in this case and I have no hand in any marketing other than my own posts on my facebook. However, you should all know that I started from literally no knowledge about apps and worked my way through the arduous learning process for 2.5 years until I made some headway. I had spent maybe 20K with no return but I'm tenacious which is important for this type of business. For Color Switch here are the basic actions that led me to where I am now:

    1. I made lots of bad apps with GameSalad for two years
    2. I studied apps, books, and other resources (Thinkertoys and The Art of Game Design being my most important reads)
    3. I purchased Build Box last year around May.
    4. I used Thinkertoys to brainstorm several hundred ideas until Color Switch came to me
    5. I built a basic version in 30 minutes
    6. I spent a week building levels
    7. Once I knew I had an A+ game I reached out to the community here
    8. After getting help and advice from many friends here including @Collin Wade Thiessen @Florian Porkert @Aaron F and others I landed my current publishing deal.

    I really started seeing a change in my fortunes when I reached out for help from others. You should not do this alone. Many people are here to help including me when I can. You all need to be constant students. You can't just rely on learning Build Box. If you want to make games that are interesting to people then you need to become a more interesting person. You do this by always learning and exploring. You need to become Game Designers by studying books and other resources on what that means. Are you all aware of the concept of "Flow Channel?" It's one of the key ingredients of my game and to me is one of the most important concepts in "The Art of Game Design." If you don't know what it is then you'd better learn it. The above mentioned book is a book I reread all the time as there is a wealth of knowledge in there. You also need to learn anything you can that is not about game development. You need to continue to grow as a person and your thinking will grow. In my life I've been an Army Combat Medic spending a year in Iraq, a magician, a film editor, a film maker, a valet, a pool serviceman, a high school drop out, a friend, a son, a traveler, and always a student. I'm glad I had all these experiences because each one of them taught me something new and helped me grow. Enjoy the trenches while you're in them because when you are out of them you will look back and appreciate how you got where you've been headed the whole time. Don't be jealous of others but take daily actions toward your own goals and dreams. As frustrating as it can get stay the course and one day that dream will suddenly manifest itself.

    You will only grow by going outside your comfort zones. That's how you stretch yourself. This will mean something different to each person. Good luck guys with your games and other endeavors. And remember if you are feeling frustrated during this process know that this is a great thing. No big dream comes with out countless failures and frustrations. Take the energy you feel from those frustrations and channel them into positive activities. These are signs that you are headed towards your dream. I mean if you were just sitting at home doing nothing it wouldn't be frustrating at all. But there are many stumbling blocks when you get up and start heading toward a dream; when you hit those stumbling blocks that's a sign you're on the road. Just make sure you're on the right road and pick yourself up when you fall; and remember we're all here to help you up to along the path;)

    Personally, I had many times I wanted to quit. But quitting never really was an option for me. Embrace failure, it's just success in disguise and will reveal itself to you only when the time is right;)
     
    Last edited: Jan 6, 2016
  3. ligarius

    ligarius Boxer

    Joined:
    Dec 23, 2015
    Messages:
    5
    Likes Received:
    2
    Amazing & inspiring

    enjoy it! you deserved it !
     
    Machine Rises likes this.
  4. pfg215

    pfg215 Avid Boxer

    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2015
    Messages:
    115
    Likes Received:
    41
    Wow! Good job!
     
  5. Jamie

    Jamie Avid Boxer

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2015
    Messages:
    382
    Likes Received:
    273
    Congrats on the success - you and your team are keeping this success rolling for an impressive amount of time.
    I will order a copy of The Art of Game Design. It has been on my must-read list.
    I am familiar with the concept of psychological flow from Mihaly's Csikszentmihalyi (which he jokingly says is pronounced "chicks send me high." The representation of flow channel here in this article seems to preserve and adapt this same concept of flow in a slightly different way:
    http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/Toni...me_Design_Theory_Applied_The_Flow_Channel.php
     
  6. Wings n Armor

    Wings n Armor Avid Boxer

    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2015
    Messages:
    280
    Likes Received:
    125
    AMaZing!
     
  7. Machine Rises

    Machine Rises Serious Boxer

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2015
    Messages:
    591
    Likes Received:
    834
    yup thats the same concept in that article.
     
    Jamie likes this.
  8. initBB

    initBB Boxer

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2015
    Messages:
    14
    Likes Received:
    10
    Congrats on Color Switch and best wishes for continued success! Is this the biggest (highest ranking) BB game so far?!
     
    Jamie and Machine Rises like this.
  9. Cidstyles

    Cidstyles Boxer

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2015
    Messages:
    9
    Likes Received:
    3
    Wow, look like a really nice game and by reading your description few posts back, you deserve success ! So it's very nice you got some with this app ;)

    I will download it later and try it !
     
    Machine Rises likes this.
  10. GTE Games

    GTE Games Avid Boxer

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2015
    Messages:
    251
    Likes Received:
    254
    Been following your thread and story, great back story!

    Thanks for sharing and best of luck!
     
    Machine Rises likes this.
  11. TreySmith

    TreySmith Moderator

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2015
    Messages:
    294
    Likes Received:
    937
  12. Jamie

    Jamie Avid Boxer

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2015
    Messages:
    382
    Likes Received:
    273
    #3 in US App store right now
     
    Machine Rises likes this.
  13. Andy

    Andy Miniboss Boxer

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2015
    Messages:
    2,152
    Likes Received:
    1,546
    Whoa!
     
    tarasgasparin and Machine Rises like this.
  14. Machine Rises

    Machine Rises Serious Boxer

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2015
    Messages:
    591
    Likes Received:
    834
    Thanks guys! Currently #2 global and #2 free games. Only have candy crush above us. We beat them in the UK so time to beat them here :)
     
    tarasgasparin, darone, pfg215 and 3 others like this.
  15. gnomencandle

    gnomencandle Boxer

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2015
    Messages:
    12
    Likes Received:
    4
    Great app! Inspiring stuff.
     
    Machine Rises likes this.
  16. Rebel Studios

    Rebel Studios Avid Boxer

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2015
    Messages:
    466
    Likes Received:
    280
    Machine Rises likes this.
  17. Machine Rises

    Machine Rises Serious Boxer

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2015
    Messages:
    591
    Likes Received:
    834
    @Rebel Studios we actually contacted google and they said we would have to take care of it ourselves haha. Oh well. If they say they won't take it down I guess it's free advertising for us.
     
  18. wesam_badr

    wesam_badr Miniboss Boxer

    Joined:
    Oct 10, 2015
    Messages:
    1,065
    Likes Received:
    479
    there is a lot of clones now in the google play store
     
  19. mugen_id

    mugen_id Boxer

    Joined:
    Oct 6, 2015
    Messages:
    76
    Likes Received:
    32
    clones will never disappear until whenever ..
    1 time in Exterminate will appear behind thousands
    so no point ..
    well anyways those clones are not perfect as the original.

    like ketchapps
    they let clones occurred
    maybe they thought that the clone is a fan of their games

    and I think this is the color switch clone of games are made of buildbox that FLITE, and imitating colors REVOLUTION, by adding the multiple colors ..
     
    Last edited: Jan 14, 2016
  20. Rebel Studios

    Rebel Studios Avid Boxer

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2015
    Messages:
    466
    Likes Received:
    280
    Well... i guess since that you guys already have a huge fan base... What Fortafy could do is to have all the fans flag the app down as inappropriate and it will be taken down :) Just a suggestion... Hehehehe...
     
    Jamie and Machine Rises like this.

Share This Page