Game Businesses Can Learn From Touring Bands

heartless_ writes "The Lost Garden Blog has an interesting article up comparing small time game developers to small local touring rock bands. From the article... 'I call these small online multiplayer games 'village games.' They are quirky, isolated communities much like a traditional village or small town. The communities tend to be a bit more friendly and insular then their larger city-sized brethren such as Everquest or World of Warcraft. The game play tends to be a bit more unique and able to take risks.'" Woo Puzzle Pirates.

Unusual comparison

[c0d3h4x0r]

...comparing small time game developers to small local touring rock bands.

You mean like how they both suck? (Okay, sorry, that was the troll in me. I just to say it :-P)

I Agree

[NotMyNickName]

About 10 years ago I played on a MUD that usually had about 500 people on at any given time. The community wasn't bad. A few idiots here and there but nothing too bad. I eventually switched to a smaller MUD that had about 50 people on at a time. Everyone knew everyone. We talked back and forth all the time and people would gladly come help anyone else out. The community was a lot closer. Same thing could be said for online forums too. I belong to many. Some are large, some are small. The ones that are small

MUDs

[GuitarNeophyte]

There's also the fact that most MUDs change with the nature of their users. Smaller muds tend to add new features and change their focuses depending on the desires of their users (who, like you said are a very close-knit group), whereas larger ones tend to stay more static.

Bands that are popular with smaller groups, although they might not change their songs for their various audience, at least they'll have alot more interaction with the fans on an individual basis than larger groups.

one thing i didnt see addressed.

[ministerofsickeningr]

was the fact that a touring band has to get in new blood, because, as their audience ages out of going to clubs, etc.. how do they grow their audience, or at least stop churn of their fanbase? so how do you get eyeballs in front of your game? street teams? done. confrences? done? grassroots evangelism? over... what are people doing now? word of mouth works, but.. i'd be interested to hear what anyone has come up with to innovate past what have become tired and avoided promotional tools.

Re:one thing i didnt see addressed.

[xhrit]

Slashvertising? lol. If I had a 'small online multiplayer game' I'd try to get a cleverly worded, meme laden (but badly mispelt) viral marketing article on the front page. Yes, I do have a 'small online multiplayer game'. ...but I am afraid to slashdot it because my server would melt.

games should hire their own theme bands

[mozkill]

screw that, game developers should hire their own band to write songs and go on tour under the name of the game... and the game developer can supply costumes and stuff. people would love it!

What can they learn?

[Red Flayer]

So, small game developers can learn from Turing bands...

Since when do AI musicians have anything to teach to small game developers?

Anyone else assume that Turing bands are composed only of organ players?

Sorry... late in the day... eyesight obliterated by LCD... misread the summary title.

Re:What can they learn?

[Jacius]

Turing band:

n. a musical performance group that produces music which cannot be reliably distinguished from a $30 electronic piano keyboard's pre-programmed music samples.

So true ...

[Frizzled]

Some of my favorite games as-of-late of been from indie (unknown) developers:

http://www.starsonata.com/ [starsonata.com] - Massively Multiplayer with Spaceships
http://www.tinywarz.com/ [tinywarz.com] - Massively Multiplayer Turn-based Strategy

Just to name a few ...