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Geek Culture / Dumbow and Cool Reviewed in PC Format!

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Scraggle
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Posted: 21st Oct 2006 18:49
I can't believe Drew Cameron isn't shouting about this himself. So, I will do it for him. Well done Fella!

64% may not be a huge score but it a lot better than some of the others. Just getting PC Format to review it is a huge thing though.

Perhaps Drew can pop along and let us know if he aproached them or they found it themselves while surfing.

Great stuff Drew! I hope the coverage brings in some revenue for you


Kentaree
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Posted: 21st Oct 2006 18:54
David R
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Posted: 21st Oct 2006 18:55
Any chance of a page scan or something? Strangely there are no details on their site

Well, I finally decided to create a website that really reflects what kind of programmer I really are: OneManBand software: http://www.ombsoft.com
Fallout
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Posted: 21st Oct 2006 19:08
Woah. Good work Drew machine! I would kiss you, but you're scotish!

Yeah, this is good publicity too. I hope the game is still on sale because you might get a few sales from it? And yeah, a scan of the review page would be awesome if you can manage it scraggle!


Zotoaster
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Posted: 21st Oct 2006 19:26
Congratulalatutions Drew! This is sure to push profits, up!

BatVink
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Posted: 21st Oct 2006 19:31
Nice one, it's always good to see someone's hard work pay off



soapyfish
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Posted: 21st Oct 2006 19:59
Cracking news. If anybody deserved it, it was Drew.

<º))))><.·´¯`·.Here's to the crazy ones¸.·´¯`·.¸><((((º>
The crazy
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Posted: 21st Oct 2006 20:09
Well done Drew!

Miguel Melo
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Posted: 21st Oct 2006 20:34
Nice one!

I have vague plans for World Domination
Chris K
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Posted: 21st Oct 2006 21:29
Holy mother of cow.

Maybe Drew has been drowned by money....

-= Out here in the fields, I fight for my meals =-
Drew Cameron
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Posted: 21st Oct 2006 22:03 Edited at: 21st Oct 2006 22:10
Well, I didn't know about it and no I assure you I am not drowned by money.

Scraggle, could you get us some scans please as I won't have a chance to buy an issue for a few days? What issue is it?

Thanks in advance, that has made me smile.
Drew

Seppuku Arts
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Posted: 21st Oct 2006 22:15
Nice, congratulations dude, very nice, now you have publicity, time to crank up the price

Drew Cameron
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Posted: 21st Oct 2006 22:26 Edited at: 21st Oct 2006 22:29
[edit]Sarcy reply edited to slightly less sarcy reply.

If only it were that easy.

Total sales: 8. I'll let you know if that goes up people. I predict no.

I do have plans for the future though which you will all be seeing in WIP soonish.

Fallout
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Posted: 21st Oct 2006 22:32
That's crazy when you think about it. One of those sales was a top gaming magazine. When Scrag posts up the review, check it for a link to your sales website. If there is one, boooooooooooyaaa (hopefully).


Drew Cameron
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Posted: 21st Oct 2006 22:52
No, I paid for a press release recently and in the press release was where to sign up for a free reviewers copy, so it wouldn't have been one of the sales.

Can't wait for a scan though.

Alquerian
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Posted: 21st Oct 2006 22:58
Way to go Drew, even if it was for a press release, it is still good to get a review Congrats

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit." - Aristotle
Drew Cameron
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Posted: 21st Oct 2006 23:11
I phoned my mum and asked her to get me one from Tesco's, hope she can get one!

Thankyou for your continued support everyone, this community has always been great to me and I'm sorry to inflict my sarcasm on it.

I'll get some scans going if Mum gets home soonish.

Chris K
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Posted: 21st Oct 2006 23:31
Dammit doesn't that woman know how to speed?

-= Out here in the fields, I fight for my meals =-
Drew Cameron
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Posted: 21st Oct 2006 23:33
Judging by our driving lessons together, no. No. No no no no no.

I also suspect she doesn't know the car can go about 30. Which it can.

Xenocythe
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Posted: 22nd Oct 2006 00:14
Hahahahaha


Chris Franklin
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Posted: 22nd Oct 2006 00:27
Quote: "I also suspect she doesn't know the car can go about 30. Which it can."

ROFL HAHAAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!


opposite story with the caterham here it's always above 30mph well with a 0 to 60 in 3 seconds it's impossible to drop below 30

Drew Cameron
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Posted: 22nd Oct 2006 01:33
She definately doesn't know how to speed. Observe post times and post above.

Come on woman!

Chris Franklin
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Posted: 22nd Oct 2006 13:16
Quote: "She definately doesn't know how to speed. Observe post times and post above.

Come on woman!
"


2 hours exactly hahaha

Robot
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Posted: 22nd Oct 2006 15:10
Maybe the car broke down.
Miguel Melo
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Posted: 22nd Oct 2006 16:40
If it's raining in the UK as much as it is here in Portugal, Drew's mom may have been caught in the undertow.

I have vague plans for World Domination
Scraggle
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Posted: 22nd Oct 2006 18:28
Sorry, it took me a while but here is the scan:


It's on page 118 of issue #194 (Dec 2006) of PC Format.


jrowe
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Posted: 22nd Oct 2006 18:29
Well done man!

Tinnedhead Productions

For Fathers and Sons who enjoy wholy spirits.
David R
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Posted: 22nd Oct 2006 19:03
That's actually a bloody good review!

They often tear them to pieces in that mag, so think yourself lucky!

Well, I finally decided to create a website that really reflects what kind of programmer I really are: OneManBand software: http://www.ombsoft.com
Fallout
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Posted: 22nd Oct 2006 19:05
Yeah man. Top review!


s0l1dsnak3123
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Posted: 22nd Oct 2006 19:19
that is soooo cool (and yes im back)
p.s
Quote: "Woah. Good work Drew machine! I would kiss you, but you're scotish!
"


its obvious your not scottish... 'mon the scots

Xenocythe
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Posted: 22nd Oct 2006 19:20
Dude, nice


Jeku
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Posted: 22nd Oct 2006 21:57
Congrats, but why tell us how many sales you got? That's something we don't need, or shouldn't need to know. But that's just my opinion

Miguel Melo
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Posted: 22nd Oct 2006 23:02
I think it's cool that Drew opted to tell us that. Show's a fair amount of courage in this day and age where people pretend everything is a huge success.

Recently I emailed 3 publishers asking for ballpark sales figures for adventure games in general that I need for this business plan I am doing... not a single one of them replied - Not even to say p*ss off!

I have vague plans for World Domination
Drew Cameron
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Posted: 22nd Oct 2006 23:51
I like to tell people in a way I guess because when I got into game dev I was hoping to sell thousands and thousands. If I'd of known then what I know now about sales I wouldn't have got so hugely dissapointed when the sales didn't come in.

I feel people should know how little pay off there is to be quite frank.

Jeku
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Posted: 23rd Oct 2006 00:02
No, there can be huge pay off for the types of games that sell, i.e. small puzzle games. Maybe it's a form of gambling, in that you can put years of time into something to either have it fail miserably or sell 300,000 copies making you a millionaire. Coin toss, really.

AlanC
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Posted: 23rd Oct 2006 00:05 Edited at: 7th Oct 2007 07:11
OMG! AWSOME job!

Raven
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Posted: 23rd Oct 2006 00:29
That is a good review.
i know that i'll probably get blasted for this but, 64%?
No doubt, this might help with struggling sales and it is quite an honour. So congrats, just don't think that the review itself really reflects much about the overall quality of the game.

Hope you put some more time in to the title, improving some of the niggles that were mentioned by people when you asked if you should get back to game dev. Just my opinion though.

Intel Pentium-D 2.8GHz, 512MB DDR2 433, Ati Radeon X1600 Pro 256MB PCI-E, Windows Vista RC1 / XP Professional SP2
Drew Cameron
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Posted: 23rd Oct 2006 00:54
For 8 sales I don't think it's worth another second of time but I have futher plans which you will all see soonish!

adr
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Posted: 23rd Oct 2006 13:12 Edited at: 23rd Oct 2006 13:13
Drew
If you read the review carefully, the only bad thing they say is "it's a bit 90s", probably in reference to the graphics.

I'd be proud as f**k if I got a review like that. Seriously man... the gameplay is obviously spot on, the game just needs polish.

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Raven
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Posted: 23rd Oct 2006 14:00
Game sales are almost certainly down to the marketing aspect.
I was thinking of running an experiment to do with this, would be great if a few people here could help out with it too.

Idea is to try and see how marketing, presentation, demos, etc.. effect sales.

Also adding a score-chart, so people who try/buy the games will be able to put their own scores up. This will first be in the shape of a survey only the developers can see, but then it'll be put on the game pages to see if a better score affects peoples decisions.
Same goes for a comments section.

At the end of the experiment should end up with enough data to be able to design an online shareware store to help improve sales of most titles.

Intel Pentium-D 2.8GHz, 512MB DDR2 433, Ati Radeon X1600 Pro 256MB PCI-E, Windows Vista RC1 / XP Professional SP2
Drew Cameron
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Posted: 23rd Oct 2006 19:30
I am aware it is a good review, I simply think that I would rather start from scratch on a new title with the things I have learnt rather than go back and "fix things up". As I have mentioned before, I was in the middle of doing that when I lost alot of data and now I can't be bothered with it anymore.

I have already spent much time and effort marketing etc... Give it a Google. And still 8 sales, so ...

Count your losses and move on.

Raven: great idea. It'd be of great value.

Chris Franklin
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Posted: 23rd Oct 2006 19:41
Drew i've told you on msn before game dev is not about money it's the quality and just plain fun of it that counts not the money in it

Drew Cameron
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Posted: 23rd Oct 2006 19:44 Edited at: 23rd Oct 2006 19:46
I've told YOU before life is about money and it's the only reason I'd do it. Wait until you start edging into the real world from school and you'll understand that things ARE about money.

Games dev is one of the least "fun" activities I can think of. Slaving away behind a computer for hours and hours and hours. Fun activities include bouncy castle testing or breasts.

Scraggle
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Posted: 23rd Oct 2006 20:53
Quote: "Fun activities include bouncy castle testing or breasts."


I like to combine them both into one fun event


Raven
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Posted: 23rd Oct 2006 21:09
Quote: "I've told YOU before life is about money and it's the only reason I'd do it. Wait until you start edging into the real world from school and you'll understand that things ARE about money."


I'll agree. It'd be nice to do something because we love doing it or such, but tbh the bills come first don't they. When you're in school your parents are keeping you, most even keep kids through college and university. When you hit the real world it often comes as a shock.

Would be nice to do game development all day without needing to be paid, but unfortunately the rent-man and other utilities unfortunately don't see it that way.

Quote: "Games dev is one of the least "fun" activities I can think of. Slaving away behind a computer for hours and hours and hours. Fun activities include bouncy castle testing or breasts."


Depends what you enjoy doing I guess. Of course there are times that all jobs even the most fun become boring and cumbersome to do.. but best thing to do is put down your head and slog through it. I've found software/website development, that's done solo generally does have less appeal that working with people. Something about it makes it less fun than having everyone pulling together to create something cool.

Personally I don't like Bouncy Castles, and my lass would kill me if I tested breasts (not sure what for, bouyancy?) .. though tbh I would find myself getting bored of it quickly. Atleast with software dev, your not doing the same thing day-in day-out. That's the only thing that irritates me with most 9-5 jobs. Doing the exact same job over and over for 8hours a day.

Intel Pentium-D 2.8GHz, 512MB DDR2 433, Ati Radeon X1600 Pro 256MB PCI-E, Windows Vista RC1 / XP Professional SP2
Robin
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Posted: 23rd Oct 2006 21:28 Edited at: 23rd Oct 2006 23:12
Yeah I only ever have seen (and only ever will see) game dev as a hobby. I'm studying civil engineering at uni which is completely unrelated but I know in the future I can get a decent job and continue game dev as a hobby (Which I find fun btw), regardless of whether I make any money through it or not.

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Kentaree
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Posted: 23rd Oct 2006 21:58
I'm doing gamedev as a job, and no matter how much I like it, it's still work. I cant just decide to do nothing for a day as there's deadlines, so it's not half as much fun as some people think.

David R
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Posted: 23rd Oct 2006 22:41 Edited at: 23rd Oct 2006 22:42
Quote: "I've told YOU before life is about money and it's the only reason I'd do it. Wait until you start edging into the real world from school and you'll understand that things ARE about money."


If your only target is to make money, you probably never will. Most things that make money (at least in Game Dev) are happy accidents, and weren't designed to do so.

Your first target should be to make a top class game, not make money.

EDIT:
Quote: "ames dev is one of the least "fun" activities I can think of. Slaving away behind a computer for hours and hours and hours. Fun activities include bouncy castle testing or breasts."

I can see everyone is going to counteract what I say here, but why oh why did you pick game dev if you find it so boring? There are a million-and-one productive ways to make money besides game dev, and if you don't enjoy it, unfortunately it will show through your work. Do something you enjoy, period.

Well, I finally decided to create a website that really reflects what kind of programmer I really are: OneManBand software: http://www.ombsoft.com
Kentaree
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Posted: 23rd Oct 2006 22:44
Quote: "Most things that make money (at least in Game Dev) are happy accidents, and weren't designed to do so. "


I assume you mean indie game dev, otherwise I'd have to say Bullsh*t! Most games nowadays are made solely for the money, not out of passion, just look at most of the long-running series of games like the Fifa series etc

David R
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Posted: 23rd Oct 2006 22:46 Edited at: 23rd Oct 2006 23:01
Yes I did indeed mean Indie development - and I meant majorly successful indie titles, not just anything that makes money (you tend to find that alot of the most successful indie titles were just experiments etc. and weren't designed with solely money in mind)

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