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The lessons from
And the road to launching
Quick Disclaimer
Nothing in this talk is new,
but we just don’t talk about it often enough!
Who is Data Realms?
This is a talk by
Vlad Micu
Business development manager at
Data Realms
Data Realms has
12 developers in 9 countries on 4
continents
Previously created
Now working on
@DataRealms
@DataRealms
Cortex Command
Pros and Cons
• Unexpected modding
community
• Incredibly fun to watch
• Lot’s of lessons learned on
game design
• Resulting in extended
shelf life, HR talent pool
and more vision for next
game
• Suffered from initial bad
PR strategy and unclear
messaging.
• No online multiplayer
• Lack of community
management
• Unclear messaging
Harnessing a Modding
community
• Amazing talent pool
• Hired from them
• Structured the ‘Pioneer
Program’ around lessons
learned.
• Admitting and embracing
the creativity of our
audience.
Dan found the Right People for the
Right Responsibilities
“You know in a startup, you only need three people.
You need someone who can make something. You
need someone who can sell it. And you need someone
to collect the money. That’s the only three roles in a
startup. So which one are you?”
– Guy Kawasaki
Different Attitude & Vocabulary
• Sustainable traction
– who’s ever used that word?
• Cash flow positive
– or this one?
• Share holders/Revenue share
agreement
• Business plan!?
• Go-to-market strategy?
• Product/Market fit
Recommended by @derkdegeus
(Swedish) Commercial
pragmatism
http://www.dataspelsbranschen.se/media/150924/game_developer_index_2014.pdf/
Proprietary Tech still matters
• With publishers, platforms
and other potential
partners
• Unique look and feel vs.
Unity or Unreal Engine
• For PR & Marketing
purposes
• Even potential
commercialization &
licensing options (id
Software, Crytek, etc.)
User Generated Content is
everywhere
• YouTube & Twitch
• Fan Art & Fan
Fiction
• Modding
• Game Assets
REALLY having Everything
Written Down
• Meeting minutes, e-mails
& contracts.
• Use team communication
platform Slack!
• Get your licenses straight:
https://tldrlegal.com/
• Find a lawyer for
equity/rev share
Watch Dmitri Dubograev’s talk:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXL79-rmvjw
Learn with (Comic) Relief
And squeeze in that Work/Life balance
in there while you’re at it!
Find Veterans & Advisors
Let them give you much needed perspective
Pitch all the Time, Everywhere
• Know who you are and
who you aren’t
• Know what the other
person wants and doesn’t
have
• Use that to disarm your
opponent and put
him/her in the defensive
• Make yourself rare/scarce
Learn from Eminem!
http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/18/how-to-get-an-mba-from-eminem/
Managing expectations
• Communities are made up of fans because they love
what they see and its potential.
• Important to communicate YOUR vision of the
potential clearly - setting expectations.
• You will never be fast enough for people.
• Steam Early Access is about managing all of these
expectations and more.
Watch Jeroen’s talk on the launch of The Flock:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbqMjCPmaa8
The #1 Skill is still Resilience
The Fins have ‘Sisu’ (perseverance)
Summary:
What ‘Triple I’ means for us
• Long term goals & plans
• Proprietary technology and
modding community
• Unique vision and business
attitude
• Advisors and veterans on board
for legal, design, business, etc.
• Looking for unlikely partnerships
• Strong PR & Marketing effort and
significant budget
• Being ready for anything from
Worst to Best case scenarios
Contact me
• @vgvisionary
• Mail me at v.micu@vgvisionary.com
• Slides: www.slideshare.net/VGVisionary
#imlonely
Sign up for the
Pioneer Program!
signup.planetoidpioneers.com
PP Test Builds, Slack community, content sharing!
Thanks!
Questions?
Let’s talk more outside!

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Learning from Cortex Command - The road to launching Planetoid Pioneers

  • 1. The lessons from And the road to launching
  • 2. Quick Disclaimer Nothing in this talk is new, but we just don’t talk about it often enough!
  • 3. Who is Data Realms? This is a talk by Vlad Micu Business development manager at Data Realms Data Realms has 12 developers in 9 countries on 4 continents Previously created Now working on @DataRealms @DataRealms
  • 5. Pros and Cons • Unexpected modding community • Incredibly fun to watch • Lot’s of lessons learned on game design • Resulting in extended shelf life, HR talent pool and more vision for next game • Suffered from initial bad PR strategy and unclear messaging. • No online multiplayer • Lack of community management • Unclear messaging
  • 6. Harnessing a Modding community • Amazing talent pool • Hired from them • Structured the ‘Pioneer Program’ around lessons learned. • Admitting and embracing the creativity of our audience.
  • 7. Dan found the Right People for the Right Responsibilities “You know in a startup, you only need three people. You need someone who can make something. You need someone who can sell it. And you need someone to collect the money. That’s the only three roles in a startup. So which one are you?” – Guy Kawasaki
  • 8. Different Attitude & Vocabulary • Sustainable traction – who’s ever used that word? • Cash flow positive – or this one? • Share holders/Revenue share agreement • Business plan!? • Go-to-market strategy? • Product/Market fit Recommended by @derkdegeus
  • 10. Proprietary Tech still matters • With publishers, platforms and other potential partners • Unique look and feel vs. Unity or Unreal Engine • For PR & Marketing purposes • Even potential commercialization & licensing options (id Software, Crytek, etc.)
  • 11. User Generated Content is everywhere • YouTube & Twitch • Fan Art & Fan Fiction • Modding • Game Assets
  • 12. REALLY having Everything Written Down • Meeting minutes, e-mails & contracts. • Use team communication platform Slack! • Get your licenses straight: https://tldrlegal.com/ • Find a lawyer for equity/rev share Watch Dmitri Dubograev’s talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXL79-rmvjw
  • 13. Learn with (Comic) Relief And squeeze in that Work/Life balance in there while you’re at it!
  • 14. Find Veterans & Advisors Let them give you much needed perspective
  • 15. Pitch all the Time, Everywhere • Know who you are and who you aren’t • Know what the other person wants and doesn’t have • Use that to disarm your opponent and put him/her in the defensive • Make yourself rare/scarce Learn from Eminem! http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/18/how-to-get-an-mba-from-eminem/
  • 16. Managing expectations • Communities are made up of fans because they love what they see and its potential. • Important to communicate YOUR vision of the potential clearly - setting expectations. • You will never be fast enough for people. • Steam Early Access is about managing all of these expectations and more. Watch Jeroen’s talk on the launch of The Flock: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbqMjCPmaa8
  • 17. The #1 Skill is still Resilience The Fins have ‘Sisu’ (perseverance)
  • 18. Summary: What ‘Triple I’ means for us • Long term goals & plans • Proprietary technology and modding community • Unique vision and business attitude • Advisors and veterans on board for legal, design, business, etc. • Looking for unlikely partnerships • Strong PR & Marketing effort and significant budget • Being ready for anything from Worst to Best case scenarios
  • 19. Contact me • @vgvisionary • Mail me at v.micu@vgvisionary.com • Slides: www.slideshare.net/VGVisionary #imlonely
  • 20. Sign up for the Pioneer Program! signup.planetoidpioneers.com PP Test Builds, Slack community, content sharing!