Debate of Demos

[Noob Saibot 38]

When will you release a demo? I wanna see this game?

 

When I get enough of it done to release one. Sweet and simple answer, no?

 

First off if you release a so called Demo that people can play through say 25% or your game then it is not a demo it is a Beta version. A demo consists of playing key points in a game with out giving up the story. For example lets say your game has the following systems:

 

1) Quest System

2) Hunting System

3) Summoning Monsters

 

The problam with people is they make a game then when they release a so called demo we end up playing the first half of the game. As I said this is a Beta Version not a Demo. Using the example above a Demo shows off PARTS of the game not 25% or 50% of the game; using the example above the demo would be made by taking a spasific event and combinding them to create a TRUE demo. Yes I am picky, but I only state the truth because I bet you released a Beta Version not a Demo. Now don't get me wrong SCmike I am not pionting at you I say this to everyone when they release a demo and it is realy a beta version.

 

The fact is:

 

Demo-Demonstration software - usually a special version of a commercial program that can be freely downloaded on a trial basis; often has limited features or expires after a period of time.

 

Beta Version-A version of an application that is made available prior to the official release for the purposes of testing.

 

I mean come on people if your going to make games even low level then stop making Beta Versions and calling them Demos. When I play a demo I don't wan't to see your introduction to your game; heck I don't even want to see the first 15 min of it. What I want is for you to like what you have done so much that you make a true demo. This means copying the whole game in a new project folder, then taking the interesting parts of what you have so far and create a demo.

 

So this means when I click New Game a selection comes up instead of an Introduction (credits are okay). So using the example above my demo would start off by say one of the chracters on a blank screen (map) and asking the player:

 

What would you like to play?

 

a) Noob Saibot Hunt B) Juraka's Quest

c) Battle With Turaka

 

Then when I pick one I start off on a limited map, so for example if the map can lead to the World map I can not go to it because this is a Demo, so it is showing off what's in the game not showing me the game!!!

 

So remember people take some time to make a true demo and not a Beta Version or I will be ever so nice to repeat myself in your project topic!!

 

Attention: This topic is not pointing the fingure at SCmike, I simply saw a post by him and thought I would make a topic on these so called Demos that pop up. It is directed at everyone!

[Arkbennett 16]

So.. Like.

Why the intense debate about it? It's nothing big.

People make mistakes.

Live and let live.

Just make good demos of your games and set a good example.

[Noob Saibot 38]

Why not have a small discussion on it? After all this forum needs more topics any way.

[Dark Dragon 0]

lol I didn't even know what they meant at first...well there's some info B) fanks

 

Its weird though, I have never seen a professional RPG Demo or Beta before (except for some MMORPGs)

[ileechu 0]

I think Demos should have

-a unique feature that differs your game from others

[arsieiuni 0]

Bah. If I want to release a Demo of my game as a snippet of the beginning with a HOOK to get you interested in playing more, then why shouldn't I? That's not Beta unless I want you to test it for me and give me feedback and bug reports. If it's just a demonstration of my final release, that doesn't make it Beta just because of how I chose to represent what my game would be like. I could do it your way, or I could do it another way. Not doing it how you suggested does not automatically make it a Beta though.

 

In my experience, a beta version is one released with the intension of allowing people to play as testers and submit bug reports. If I want to sell my game and I release a Demo, it's so that you'll give it a go and decide "hmm, I want to play the whole thing!" and then pay me for the rest of it. I've played Demos that were like you described, "highlights" of the game's features, but I've also played demos (and I mean professional demos by big game companies as well) that were simply the beginning of the game, leading until a hook to get you stuck on the game and cause you to want to buy it.

 

I just find this post to be opinionated...

[ManiacBattosai09 0]

i waNT to play it too

[G-man 0]

I don't believe in giving up the story either

[Tassadar 0]

Well actually, people call them demos simply because they can't figure out the correct name for it. Usually, when people release a "demo", they reveal only a tiny bit of the story, to get you interested. It's not really a Beta, but not a demo either... As far as I'm aware of, there isn't a name for a combination of both. Maybe we can figure out a name for it?