Promo Idea - Prizes for Reviewing

[Zak Arntson]

I'm not sure Publishing is the best place for it, but I'm experimenting with a way to pay for "advertising." Basically, I'm offering a 100x100 pixel icon based on a photo (something I know I can whip up pretty fast) for every _playtested_ review of one of my games somebody posts on the internet.

I'll let you all know how it goes. On the same topic: What other un/semi-conventional ideas have people had on advertising?

[Ron Edwards]

Hi Zak,

Explain this idea to me a bit more completely. I'm not getting it.

Say that I post a playtested review of one of your games on the Forge (as well I should, one of these days, right? Right). What happens? You make an image based on a photograph? An image of what? Where does it get posted? You say you're "offering" it ... to whom, the reviewer? Why would he want an icon? Granted, he might, depending on what it is. That's what I'm not seeing.

Help.

Best,
Ron

[Zak Arntson]

I didn't want to make my post seem like ad-copy, so I didn't include the whole text. Bad idea :) Here's the text from my website:

If you play any of my games and publish your review on the web (at rpg.net, for example), you get a prize! But remember, you gotta play the thing. I will then link to your review and, if you send me a photo of yourself, I'll create a 100x100 pixel portrait of you as a monster. It's a punk-ethic comp copy. Heck, I'll send you a portrait for each game you review. Get pics for your whole group!

So, using the above (which will be revised, thanks for the questions) and some clarification:

You post a review on a website (rpg.net, the forge, whatever) and alert me to this.
You send me a photograph of yourself.
I create a 100x100 pixel image of you as a monster.
I email the image to you and ask if I can stick it up on my site.

---

Why would somebody want an icon? LiveJournal (big blog website), a chat-room/forum avatar, etc. I wanted to offer something to reviewers, to encourage reviews, but my games are free so comp copies are out. And I don't want to pester people for free reviews. So I came up with this idea and threw it out there. It's something I know I am capable of (I'm pretty quick at whipping up a small photo-referenced digital painting) and can deliver.

That's all. A little experiment. So now I go revise my website's text and we'll see what happens. At the very least, the hits on my site spiked a ton starting yesterday, so hopefully I'm getting more people to know about me and my site.

[Ron Edwards]

Hey,

Now that I know what the icon is, then Yup, I get it. That's a neat idea.

I'm still struggling with ways to generate actual play information onto a website, such that someone might play Trollbabe, and be able to fill out a short form about what happened and how it worked - and this information goes up on the site. If visuals and an artist could be involved, such that people could get customized portraits of their characters, then I think I'd be onto something.

Best,
Ron

[Zak Arntson]

Okay, I've updated my website with a dedicated Reviews page and clarifications on the promo.

What you do:
- Play one of my games
- Publish your review on the web (at rpg.net, for example).
- Send me an email at zak@harlekin-maus.com and attach a photo of yourself (or a friend).

What you get:
- A 100x100 pixel portrait of you as a monster (let me know what file format).
- A link to your review appears here at Harlekin-Maus.
- Your portrait along with various & sundry links (homepage, email, etc) appear alongside your review's link (unless you request otherwise).
- I email you the portrait for use as a forum avatar, LiveJournal icon or whatever the heck you want.

[Zak Arntson]

I'm still struggling with ways to generate actual play information onto a website, such that someone might play Trollbabe, and be able to fill out a short form about what happened and how it worked - and this information goes up on the site. If visuals and an artist could be involved, such that people could get customized portraits of their characters, then I think I'd be onto something.

Yeah, getting actual play information is tough. Right now a requirement of being a Chthonian Playtester is that you first play the intro adventure (which is a 1-3 session ordeal) and then post in Actual Play. And hopefully any further play leads to more Actual Play posts.

If I get some reviews, I'll get a better handle on how tough it is to draw up these portraits, and possibly volunteer for any trollbabe art-type services.

[hive]

I'm still struggling with ways to generate actual play information onto a website, such that someone might play Trollbabe, and be able to fill out a short form about what happened and how it worked - and this information goes up on the site. If visuals and an artist could be involved, such that people could get customized portraits of their characters, then I think I'd be onto something.

This was actually a perk I was going to extend to beta-testers on my own RPG since it worked so well with the alpha-testers. Of course doing 20 portraits is alot different than doing 100 so there is going to have to be a definite play info involved for anything of that scale.

-
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