A Guide to releasing a good Demo before you post

[cheddaredgrizzly]

So I've noticed that there is a lot of new talent out that want's to release games, and that is great...However it occurs to me that none of these people know the difference between a TEASER vs a DEMO. I know that this seems like a small thing, but it can actually be the difference between if your project gaining traction or simply sink in the mud.

Why is a demo important?
-A Demo, short for Demonstration, is a way to show the audience what your game is, how it plays, and give them enough game play time to make the player want more, without giving too much away.
- This is how a developer can gain an audience for the game, and possibly gain support in creating/finishing the game.

NOW HERE IS HOW PEOPLE CAN F*** UP A DEMO!
- The biggest problem is that people release a Teaser and say it's a Demo. It is understandable how someone could not know the difference between the two, since they both do the same job, but the biggest difference between a TEASER and a DEMO is time.

You see a teaser does what the name says, it teases. It gives a quick glimpse at a project without revealing too much into it's use in the story of the game. There is nothing wrong with a Teaser as long as it is labeled properly, but if you call it a demo, people will become frustrated with the project instead of intrigued.

Here is how to make a good DEMO!

- How long does your Demonstration need to be before it becomes a Demo...It honestly depends on what your game is and how much content it has. If your making a arcade shooter like Galiga, two levels and a boss fight is probably enough to create interest. A full fledged game with complex story like Bioshock, needs to be AT LEAST few hours. But for the run of the mill developer, like everyone here, I'd suggest somewhere between 30 minutes to an Hour.

How does this work for your game? lets get some basics out of the way.
Does it take longer to download your demo than it does to play it?
If yes, make it longer. There is nothing a person will hate more than downloading your demo for 15 minutes for 5 minutes of gameplay.

How much are you showing off?
Your game needs to be as long as it takes to show off all of your game's mechanics. If you don't show the mechanics then no one will know what to expect and what to look forward to. If you don't have all of your mechanics done, then don't release a demo, continue developing until you do.

How much story do I have to reveal?
This goes into something that most people don't realize about demos. A Demonstration doesn't have to be taken straight out of the game. You can create a custom section just for your Demo that doesn't have anything to do with your main story line. Remember the Demo for Assassin's Creed 2? That demo is nowhere in the game, but it showed off the improved mechanics and Leonardo's flying machine without revealing an ounce of the story. The Demo can have enough story to create mystery, but remember the Demo is about the Mechanics, not necessarily the story.

What should the player be able to do?
For starters, if your demo is entirely going through text, then your doing it wrong. a game needs to be fun, and scripted events aren't fun. The player needs to feel like they are interacting with the world, but scripted events makes the player feel like they are being led on a tour. They are being told why the game is fun rather than having the player experience why it's fun. I'd say if your going to add scripted events, have only a few minutes worth, most of the game should be what the player does.

Anything I can do to know how my Demo is?
Show it to a few people before you publish it, If they say it's too long or too short, or if it ends at an unsatisfactory part of the game, then take notes and adapt it.

Any Additional ideas you think can make a Demo better? Write down below. I made this as a way help people create better demo's but my word shouldn't be the final say.