Outwitters' low revenue - Marketing suggestions and ideas for OML

[rossP]

I found out about the game through the Wired article (actually I found out about it in the morning meeting) and I've been playing since. I've only bought the feedback team (sorry, cute team isn't my thing). I play a lot, but I don't think I've come near the 35 game limit. I am looking forward to the addition of new bases (might purchase) and the new veggie team (will purchase).

Here's what I would do.

Change the icon. It kind of sucks. You have lots of great art already - use it. The current icon doesn't really fit the game.

Don't change the game as it is; don't change it to paid. Don't spin off leagues as paid. In other words, don't take away existing content from your current player base. It won't go well. You have to add content. If you change how certain things work (game limits, for example), you need to grandfather your existing players in. Don't take away.

Offline mode. Sometimes people are unresponsive. Sometimes I just want to practice against a computer. Offline mode also gives you a whole new area to sell stuff fo, such as campaigns, AI types, or even just things you couldn't do in multiplayer because of balance issues (such as stronger bases, special units, etc).

Additional Game Modes. See above, and other suggestions around here. Keep random and league games as is, but add new game modes in the store. Speed runs, etc.

Game Slots. Right now it goes 5 > 20 > 35. You should think about having it be incremental. Ie, instead of jumping from 5 - 20 after a purchase, and then jumping to 35. You should consider just having a 'Add 5 Game Slots' item in the store that just adds 5 more slots to however many you've purchased. 5 > 10 > 15 > 20 > 25 > 30 > 35. Get rid of the instant 20 game slots for a purchase (grandfather it in of course, maybe include the 35 limit in the Uber Pack).

Aesthetics. It works for Team Fortress 2, you just need to find your hat equivalent. Allow people to buy additional colors to play as, allow them to buy additional bases, allow them to reskin their teams. None of these things would affect gameplay. You can sell additional colors for .99, additional bases for .99, different skins for .99, etc etc. I'm sure you can whip up additional color packs in no time at all compared to building new teams / maps / bases.

Uber Pack could be all teams / maps / game limits.
Aesthetics Pack could be all skins / bases / colors.

Donate button / Flags. Free to play games survive not on having a lot of people giving small amounts of money, but by having a monied elite spending way more than any sane person would that subsidizes the rest. You need to be able to survive off of the 2% of people who actually buy stuff, and the 1% that actually will buy everything they can. Give those people an incentive to donate by giving them flags on their bases that correspond to money spent in the store or via donations. Alternatively, you implement a badge system of some kind, but I think flags would work best.

1 flag - you've bought something in the store.
2 flags - you've bought everything in the store.
3 flags - you've spent xx amount of money.
4 flags - you've spent xxx amount of money.

There might only be a few people getting up to 3 / 4 flags, but they help subsidize the rest of your playerbase.

League: Make it easier for people to see where they stand out of all users. Make it easier to see how to move up, when it could happen, how much work you have to do.