Effective talk: Prototyping through trailers
Year of Talk: 2024
A common problem is finding out what to put in trailers. Even with a finished game.
Might be a root problem of the game where it isn't that interesting to show off. Or there is no clear feature/system that can hook players into the game.
A solution is to try making smaller trailers for the game as you develop it. This will allow you to better determine what makes the game unique.
Making trailers closer to the start can also help show off what's fun of your game at that moment.
Trailers Early On In Production:
It's important to consider trailers early on (Prototype phase), as they are the main marketing tool that will attract users. If the product doesn't have interesting features, people won't want to buy it.
When you're making a prototype it can be useful to get a basic prototype and try to make a trailer out of that. Lets you start testing out how to present the game.
Making a trailer also forces you to think of ways to talk about the game without comparing it to other games. Show it off as a standalone game.
A problem that can occur is that you change the scope or design of the game mid-way through production so previous trailers might not work anymore.
Some games might need extra work to be in a trailer state, or they might be super complicated and hard to explain in a trailer.
What the viewer will be asking when watching the trailer:
How the game looks like when played.
How fast and how many selling points occur in the game trailer?
How might audio and video convey the story?
How is the game different from other similar games?
Thinking about the trailer and how it will answer these questions for the viewer will help guide how the game is meant to work and play out.
At the same time having a trailer that lets you visually explain how it works lets you more easily reach a wider audience that might not know the language of release.
What the trailer reveals about the game:
Shows off the art style and what might make it unique.
Any visual hooks for the story or world.
Is there a story in the visuals of the game?
Are there going to be cool moments in the game that are teased?
Can people understand what's happening when watching the trailer?
If the game is visually confusing or unappealing, people won't want to play it.
Other ways trailers help development:
Sells the game to the team/investors.
Gives a target for the team to go towards.
It helps set the mood/tone of the game.
Starts making the team think about how readable and understandable the game is.
How to make a prototype trailer:
Write a description of the trailer.
Create a mood board or plan out the basic trailer.
Are any animations or sketches needed?
Prototype clips or a vertical slice.
While working on the prototype trailer the game doesn't need to be done. You can slowly work on it while working on the vertical slice of the game.
Maybe start with the description and what the team thinks is important for the trailer/game.
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