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Videos, of any type.

Post Captain

Post Captain

Seamanship Advisor
Coordinator
QC Advisor
Storm Modder
After we posted the latest video on Moddb, we saw an enormous jump in page views that day. (Almost 1100, our all-time record for a single day.)

I've been watching the statistics page for the HoO moddb page, and it appears that all media has a positive impact on the number of page views. Over the last two days, Armada posted one image, and I posted one image and one article. Our number of views for today, October 27, has increased dramatically from the average, but that media has had nowhere near the effect of the one video.

Based on all of this, I feel that it would be very advantageous to our publicity to post more videos of over three minutes or so in length about anything interesting that has to do with the game.

The problem here is obviously that we need people to make these videos before they can be posted. This is what I would propose:

1. We form a game promotion group (originally Pieter's idea, but tweaked a bit) that will produce and edit these videos, which will be headed by a senior community member.
2. Videos are of a standardized format and quality.
3. Videos can be done in the trailer style, in which case the team will be responsible for everything. There can also be "behind the scenes" videos in which a developer outside of the group explains some aspect of the game while it is shown onscreen. Topics could include the following, to start with:
  • The process that goes into modelling a ship (this could be several videos)
  • Historic Research
  • Designing the special PA! ship. (I would do this one)
  • Our view for the game's soundtrack (once we develop an actual consensus)
  • Others.
The group would collect the raw footage from that team member and then edit it to comply with the standardized format.

One of the main goals here will be to get most of the videos posted to the main moddb site, so we can take advantage of all that traffic they get.
 
Very, very good idea! Then we can also show some activity on YouTube, because that HoO trailer definitely worked very well there too.
Otherwise it is VERY quiet on YouTube, which is a huge audience that we're not really approaching very well.

People who cannot really help out with the videos can still join the Promotion group. Articles and screenshots need to be posted at regular intervals as well.
Developers may post a LOT of screenshots on the forum at the same time, but it is then up to someone else to trickle them down to the public one/two at a time.

Thanks a lot for setting this up, Post Captain! :cheers
 
Again, I think control is key. I feel that we can really, really increase the amount of publicity we get and then hold it at a constant level if we release our material at strategic intervals: When the publicity form one set of images wears off, we post another few, instead of posting everything at once.
 
Ah, and the view count just updated on Moddb. We're up to 579 for today alone. That's the third most views we've ever had in a day, and the day isn't over yet. I think we can keep this up!
 
Indeed controlled release of progress is great to create interest (best example is GTA V of course, they release 3 screenshots in 1 week and half of the gaming community goes wild, of course we won't have such an audience but promotion/marketing is quite important.)
 
Yup. Not all at once. Trickle it down bit by bit to keep us on the RADAR.
 
Good Idea! we should definitely have a promotion group. Ideally made up mostly of people who don't have tons of other responsibilities like it is currently.
 
Just to pipe in here, and dispensing with modesty for a minute :monkeydance

I'd love to help out with this where I can. I have industry experience in both post-production and production, along with a BA and MA in it, and can work absolute magic with any footage in my colour/edit suite. In fact, I'm working on a personal film at the moment which is set in the 7 years war (see below link)...I could very easily use bits of that to promote HoO if needed?There are several combat scenes, as well as a load of quite nice-looking shots which could be used for side-promo if wanted/required? I'm happy to send over dailies if anyone's interested :)

IMDB: In Silence - IMDb

My Site: www.coloscolour.com (down for a few weeks right now but will be back up soon!)

No worries if this isn't wanted/needed. Just seems a shame to have professional resources at my command and not offer them up :)

EDIT: I promise this isn't blatant advertising for myself. I'm FINISHED with the film industry and I don't have much hope for this film in the real world. I just thought I may be able to come of some use here :)
 
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Cool stuff mate, it is very kind of you to offer your services, and we certainly wouldn't want to insult you by refusing! :wp Btw, be sure and let us know when that gets released so we can look for it! :popcorn:

Last week, I ran across some videos that had been edited in Blender, of all programs, I didn't even realize Blender could do video editing!! Anyway, that got me thinking that maybe I could work on something at some point, just to get some material out there. I am certainly no professional though, and I am sure your skills are far superior to mine. I am sure @JohnSilver would be ecstatic if you were to help him with some demo videos. :onya
 
Robert Nutter said:
..I could very easily use bits of that to promote HoO if needed?There are several combat scenes, as well as a load of quite nice-looking shots which could be used for side-promo if wanted/required? I'm happy to send over dailies if anyone's interested :)
Click to expand...
Interesting idea to use that type of content as cut scenes or what I thinks makes more sense as a template for game play.

Many AAA games use cinematic directors for designing camera, scene lighting and atmosphere and I would certainly be open to any suggestions you have.

Also, we are looking to put together a better trailer that truly showcases our vision and you could go a long way in helping to do that.

Thank you for your interest and support, I look forward to having you contribute.

Cheers,

JS
 
Thanks chaps, I don't normally blow my own trumpet but when I do... :rofl


@JohnSilver I'm primarily a colour grader/cinematographer in this area so anything I can help with or suggestions I can make to help in-game, that is definitely all good. I'm a complete and utter noob with shaders and coding, but I can certainly provide input.

Whilst I'm aware that spinning too many plates here could be problematic, most of my professional work has (quite sadly) been post-producing promos and ads...albeit for things far less interesting than HoO...so I can just slot things into my existing workflow so it really isn't that much of a strain. So long as there's a concept in place, and possible remote assistance in capturing said footage; be it from fraps or live; I'm very happy to push something of an effort here. Who is already on this?

To hit the points of the initial post though;

  • Did the promo group materialize? As that does seem a wise idea not only in order to more successfully co-ordinate efforts but also to create a pool.
  • Standardization is the bane of my life...but is definitely crucial if any kind of promotional 'brand' is to be made.
  • This docu-format would lend itself well, but we'd need good channels to which to ship it if we're to get any kind of views.

I've seen the existing trailers on Moddb and on here, they're great...better than most indie trailers imho. But are we looking for something more cinematic/polished or maybe a little more down to earth, like the documentary idea? As sadly, it's sheen and valour that gets the hype...:unsure

@Ashinokami , Thanks for the interest. :) Because you've all helped me so much since I've been here, use this backdoor; WHY COLOS...? and use the tabs to navigate. I warn you though...everything on there is pretty out of date/in the middle of being removed since I gave up and started doing 3D instead. The site was intended to get me more colour grading customers, but existing clients just continued using me for the whole workflow so it didn't really work out that way.

@Thagarr Thanks for the kind words mate, but I don't know if In Silence will get a general release. My budget went long ago, but if I put it on Vimeo or something I'll be sure to post it up here if it's allowed :onya It was a completely voluntary effort from all involved...that's why it's taken almost 5 years to get made! :facepalm
 
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We never really put together a full blown promo team, we had a few volunteers post things on other forums, I think you can find most of it HERE. @Armada , @Pieter Boelen and myself really do most of the promotion, thou we really haven't put a lot of effort in to it just yet. Armada and Pieter came up with the current logo that is used to promote the forum, and the Hearts of Oak banner that you see in the notices. I forget now who came up with the actual Hearts of Oak logo, but I think it was a combined effort, the thread is still here somewhere. I still have a habit of using PA's old logo, at least on some articles i post on the main page.

Believe me mate, we understand about volunteer efforts! And I have a special affection for anything Indie, if you post in Vimeo or elsewhere, I will plaster it on PA's front page, and Twitter!

Classic PA logo, i can provide the Gimp .xcf if you would rather have that.

PA_Logo.png


Current PA Twitter logo, I believe Armada can provide an original.

Twitter_Logo_400x400.jpeg


Current Hearts of Oak logo, there are bigger versions.
Logo_new3_half_300px.png
 
If I may offer my slice of opinion, and you can feel free to ignore me as I by no means have vast marketing knowledge; I'm just the guy who puts it together. But I think it'd be prudent to start creating some serious promo material at this point; it's a good time to start. I know it's early days yet as far as the game is concerned, but if we're to get some more 'making of' and 'dev' videos together, that needs to start being considered and properly planned out at this point. I've seen it work absolute magic for the Creative Assembly lot since they started doing their regular video updates on youtube...it was not only good promo but appeased a very pissed off community in some cases. They now get some extremely high view figures. Not that I'm saying it's a perfect case study for HoO, but it certainly pushes the idea that with videos and media even before release, you can get a lot of attention....a lot like you have already started doing on social media from the looks of it. :cheers Not wanting to quote myself too much, but I have a section on my site regarding this; 'A well made video is worth 1000 pictures'. It's very true, especially in the case that the product itself is digital.

I'll have a think about stock footage I have which we could utilise, and bits of the film I could adapt if wanted.

That'd be really appreciated :onya I guess it's the right period etc! I have the same affection, though it has been tested quite severely. Everything that could've gone wrong, did go wrong with that film. It's been through 24 rewrites...three of which AFTER filming was complete! As a result, the story is sourly lacking but I like to think it's watchable from a purely 'spectacle' point of view. So if I could've paid them, I would...but on the other hand I've been on many other indies (and studio productions) which paid well, yet turned out absolutely awful... money in everyone's (or in some cases, certain people's) pockets has a way of changing a project for worse or for better, so in many ways i think voluntary is better in certain specific cases (I won't go into that here though ;) )
 
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@Flannery created a HoO trailer in 2013 and it fell to me to do the 2014 one.
I'd really quite like to see a 2015 one, but I can guarantee you that I personally refuse to do it again.

We also used to have @Captain Murphy's video series, but of course that ended for HoO when he went to pursue his own project.
There has been one video since that by @JohnSilver.

Basically you're preaching to the choir; I think everyone here would agree that it would be absolutely great to have more videos being posted again.
But that requires someone to actually make them. And we haven't had anyone with both the ability, time and enthusiasm to do that for a while.
If you'd be up to it, that would be very much appreciated! :cheers
 
Well I certainly have the ability, and as for time and enthusiasm I have a lot of both for HoO and POTC, as I said before.

Not that I want to tread on anyone's toes, but I'll see if I can come up with an action plan. In the meantime, it may be good to start getting some FRAPS (or alternative) stuff together...possibly to start a group/forum/thread for the purpose of capturing. I have enough space at my command and once I have a pool a couple hundred gigs large, it'd be child's play to bring something out every few months...the infrastructure is already there with Moddb and social media. Possibly release dead straightforward intros to the project alongside a documentary on COAS, NH, HoO and PA!'s contribution as a whole. It's just a shame you're over the channel from me, Pieter else we could get a 'talking head' interview with you!
 
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We've got plenty promotional profiles; just check my signature. What we don't have are people keeping them active all the time.
The few people who occasionally do tend to have a lot of other things to do as well.
I, for example, have to focus on actual modding, which leaves very little time for promotion.
 
I'd be happy to help maintain the youtube and facebook profiles too if need be...I've had pages on Facebook previously and still host/admin the popular Shogun 2: Total War group on there. As for youtube, it'd be great to get loads of custom banners etc on there. Who does artwork?

EDIT: Is this the video archive for PA? An impressive collection! I'd be happy to colour grade/cinematically polish them if wanted?

PiratesAhoy! Community
 
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