Posted by: yoru @ 01:12:40 on 8/17/06
Our series of interviews continues! Following last week's interview with Introversion, I sought out a company in a much tighter niche than the relatively big-name IV.Today, we bring you Spiderweb Software's Jeff Vogel - the battle-scarred shareware developer of epic fantasy RPGs like Avernum and Geneforge. For a few words on E3, marketing, distribution and - being sly and nimble - the recent XNA Game Studio express phenomenon.
F13: What role have trade shows, like E3, played in promoting the Spiderweb Software brand and your upcoming products?
JV: None at all. E3 is mainly an opportunity to spend a ton of money to set up a booth in Kentia Hall so that everyone could laugh at us. It's just not right for a little niche company like us.
F13: Do you believe trade shows and expositions would have helped expose previously-unknown games from your studio to a wider audience?
JV: They might have. Anything is possible. But I think standard press releases and other PR techniques are more viable.
F13: Are you looking at ramping up your marketing presence through channels, then?
JV: Nope. It doesn't affect us. Except that E3 was a fun show to go to. I got to stand by Regis Philbin.
F13: Have you attended indie-specific festivals like the Oregon Indie Games Con or GDC's IGF?
JV: We never have, but we probably should. Blame inertia. Or laziness.
F13: As an independent developer, what exhibition format do you think would be best suited to promoting coverage of smaller-scale and independent projects?
JV: Probably the other independent game festivals out there. Those seem to get pretty good press. But they are specifically for Indies, not a big boys feeding frenzy like E3.
F13: It seems that Spiderweb embraced the shareware model long before the current hullabaloo over Digital Distribution platforms caught fire. Has this model aged well for you? Have you considered newer vehicles like Steam, TotalGaming.net or others?
JV: It has aged very well, but we have taken advantage of new services, like RealArcade and Wild Tangent, too. They are a nice supplement.
F13: Has piracy been a serious concern for you, particularly as it relates to electronic distribution of your games?
JV: I try not to think about it. As I like to say, "Pirates aren't my customers." Worrying about them too much drives you crazy and keeps you from focusing on keeping honest people happy.
F13: Microsoft recently announced their plans to release a sort of Xbox 360 development kit targetted specifically at amateurs and independent developers - pretty much the first time a non-computer platform has been even partially opened for popular development. What sort of effects do you see this having on the indie games scene?
JV: Not a lot, to tell the truth. There is far more to writing a game than just having a good development kit.
F13: Spiderweb has been a dual-platform developer from the beginning; what has that experience taught you?
JV: Support multiple platforms if you can. It's free money.
F13: Do you feel that targeting alternative platforms in your release strategy has made significant contributions to your success in the epic RPG niche?
JV: Supporting both Windows and Mac made me a lot more money, enabling my business to exist.
F13: Finally, what sort of lessons have you learned over the years as a veteran shareware developer, with respect to product distribution and marketing?
JV: Do as much marketing as you can stand.
F13: Thanks, Jeff!
Jeff Vogel is the founder and President of Spiderweb Software, and has been the mastermind behind the development of several Windows/Mac RPG titles, including the Geneforge and Avernum series. They've just recently released Avernum 4.
[discuss]
JV: None at all. E3 is mainly an opportunity to spend a ton of money to set up a booth in Kentia Hall so that everyone could laugh at us. It's just not right for a little niche company like us.
F13: Do you believe trade shows and expositions would have helped expose previously-unknown games from your studio to a wider audience?
JV: They might have. Anything is possible. But I think standard press releases and other PR techniques are more viable.
F13: Are you looking at ramping up your marketing presence through channels, then?
JV: Nope. It doesn't affect us. Except that E3 was a fun show to go to. I got to stand by Regis Philbin.
F13: Have you attended indie-specific festivals like the Oregon Indie Games Con or GDC's IGF?
JV: We never have, but we probably should. Blame inertia. Or laziness.
F13: As an independent developer, what exhibition format do you think would be best suited to promoting coverage of smaller-scale and independent projects?
JV: Probably the other independent game festivals out there. Those seem to get pretty good press. But they are specifically for Indies, not a big boys feeding frenzy like E3.
F13: It seems that Spiderweb embraced the shareware model long before the current hullabaloo over Digital Distribution platforms caught fire. Has this model aged well for you? Have you considered newer vehicles like Steam, TotalGaming.net or others?
JV: It has aged very well, but we have taken advantage of new services, like RealArcade and Wild Tangent, too. They are a nice supplement.
F13: Has piracy been a serious concern for you, particularly as it relates to electronic distribution of your games?
JV: I try not to think about it. As I like to say, "Pirates aren't my customers." Worrying about them too much drives you crazy and keeps you from focusing on keeping honest people happy.
F13: Microsoft recently announced their plans to release a sort of Xbox 360 development kit targetted specifically at amateurs and independent developers - pretty much the first time a non-computer platform has been even partially opened for popular development. What sort of effects do you see this having on the indie games scene?
JV: Not a lot, to tell the truth. There is far more to writing a game than just having a good development kit.
F13: Spiderweb has been a dual-platform developer from the beginning; what has that experience taught you?
JV: Support multiple platforms if you can. It's free money.
F13: Do you feel that targeting alternative platforms in your release strategy has made significant contributions to your success in the epic RPG niche?
JV: Supporting both Windows and Mac made me a lot more money, enabling my business to exist.
F13: Finally, what sort of lessons have you learned over the years as a veteran shareware developer, with respect to product distribution and marketing?
JV: Do as much marketing as you can stand.
F13: Thanks, Jeff!
Jeff Vogel is the founder and President of Spiderweb Software, and has been the mastermind behind the development of several Windows/Mac RPG titles, including the Geneforge and Avernum series. They've just recently released Avernum 4.
[discuss]