Is there going to be a demo available at some point?  I think it would be a wise move...I've told several friends about the game, cus i want them to get into it and to compete with them for highest tower, but most give the understandable response.. "wait, you have to buy the game to try the demo?"

So, I'd suggest giving the extras like the profanity pack to pre-orders, but you should let everyone play the first world, or at least the first level or 2 of the first world, as a free download, just so they can experience the gameplay a little before they commit to the $20.

Just an idea... I bet it would greately help sales.

zp

We're considering putting out a demo once the game is ready. (The thing you guys have played so far is just a beta preview, not a demo!) Anyone else have opinions on this? Demo/no demo? Is the full Chapter 1 giving away too much? If you think a demo should be shorter, which levels would you include?

I think a demo would be a good idea, once the game is finished. I would suggest something like including the first level of the first world and then a couple of levels towards the middle of world 1.

Or even, you could provide all of World 1, but not allow the demo user to have their high scores saved or their goo corporation score saved.

Lots of possibilities for demos, just got to find the one that suits the game best.

Hmmm.... out of the levels so far I'd include:

Going Up
Hang Low (cos it's beautiful)
Impale Sticky
Fisty's Bog
Ivy Towers
Ode To the Bridge Builder

I think those 6 levels give a lot of the feel of the game without giving away too much. Although the first chapter would also do the same if you excluded Regurgitation Pumping Station (that level is too awesome, and oddly creepy.)

i'd use episode one as the "demo".

Remember.... shareware?  ;) Episode 1 = Episode 1 of Doom 1.  Buy the rest.

[quote author=kyle link=topic=60.msg489#msg489 date=1206048319]
We're considering putting out a demo once the game is ready. (The thing you guys have played so far is just a beta preview, not a demo!) Anyone else have opinions on this? Demo/no demo? Is the full Chapter 1 giving away too much? If you think a demo should be shorter, which levels would you include?


I definitely think the beta preview is giving away too much for a demo. 

I would probably include a small set of those levels like was mentioned above.

Perhaps even throw in the World of Goo HQ thing so that they want to buy the game to be able to make a serious attempt at those high scores.

http://experimentalgameplay.com/game.php?g=1
Demo!

That game was the reason I found 2D Boy in the first place.  I saw it on TV as #1 in a list of the top 5 best free games on Attack of the Show (best show ever), so I went there, played that, found out that you guys were making a game out of it somehow, and ended up here.

Tower of Goo was #1 best free game?! What?! That's awesome! You'd think they would have "told me" or something.. :)

Attack of the Show does alot of random things like that; #2 was Flow (pretty fun game).  They interviewed the maker of Audiosurf a few days ago, even.
Im actually surprised you didn't know.  I assumed that either you would watch the show or someone you know would have told you about it.

I think what was available in the beta preview (the whole first world plus the goo corporation) would make a good demo.

  I don't think episode 1 is too much.  I think the pacing of certain elements and the building of the sign maker's mystery fit well together with the ending.  That's why I think so many folks are here now, waiting patiently.  Not just because the mechanics of the game are good (which they are) but because the whole overall feel of chapter one made the game about something bigger and perhaps more sinister than just a physics simulation.
  To me it's how the various elements work together that make me want to see the whole game.  I think if you provide too small a slice of the game as a demo some of this 'feel' will get lost and you'll be missing an opportunity to get people hooked.


 

I think it would be important to include the final level of the first world in any demo. It might seem like giving away the best bit, but it changes the game from extremely neat-o to absolutely must buy.

The last level is not what did it for me. It was the general innovativity, the unusual gameplay mechanics, and the implementation of it which had a great feel. As such, I don't think the last level is necessary... as it might also give away much of the story.

I say you add the easiest levels of chapter one and World of Goo Corp. but no saving and at the end you show the gameplay trailer.

[move][glow=red,2,300]All Pre-Orderers are safe and get the game one week before they make it's official realese. [/glow][/move]

Demo definately. Steam may be helpful with this. However, It might be better to not release this until the pre-ordered people have had their game (I.e, when the game is ready to ship.

I think, that something like the preview as demo would be nice. And i totally agree with Tunips and Dracolich post from above.

is a demo out or is there a way to get the preview without having to pre-order? i'd like to try first before i buy :)

You can always try the Tower of Goo prototype.  I'm not totally sure of the site where it's hosted right now, but google should do the trick.  It's an extremely basic and simple version of what's in the game.

i'd like a demo to point to people.  many people I know don't know if their comp will run it.

Until this game hit the Steam news feed, I didn't know this game even existed. With that in mind I will be quite blunt and state the following:

No demo, no purchase.

The number of people who will feel that could well be the majority of your potential purchasers. $20 for an unknown game is just too much to gamble on whether (a) it will run, (b) it will be fun and (c) whether it's worth playing.

At $10, you would probably see lots of people snapping this up (especially on Steam) without a demo. But at $20? You're going to make less sales without a demo than you will with a demo. It would also be preferable to get a demo out before the Steam release or on the same day and at the same time the game unlocks.

Sorry for being blunt and I look forward to the demo.

I'd agree a demo is very important. They're becoming less so in some areas but to get an unkown IP from an unknown developer beyond the core followers, you need something for people to try once they've heard about it from the core/reviews.

A friend at work raved about the game but it wasn't until I'd played his copy for half an hour that I decided to purchase. Word of mouth and personal recommendation backed up by good reviews is not enough to get most people to stump up cold hard cash.

Going for the old shareware concept now popularised on Xbox LIVE Arcade as others have suggested would seem like a good bet. Download the game, let people play the first episode, see the goo corporation, see the Leaderboards, allow them to save, etc. This should get them familiar with the concept and hooked enough to pay to unlock the rest of the game quickly and easily without losing progress.