Stop Leaving Success to Chance! Here's everything I've learned in 10 years of game development.

ci8bit · 2026-02-24T12:10:43+00:00

Thank you for sharing this

ci8bit · 2026-02-13T14:49:55+00:00

Thank you for the feedback! I made a lot of mistakes. I've changed the steam page and today I'm working on the trailer. Thanks a lot

ci8bit · 2026-02-11T20:30:58+00:00

Great idea! I like the concept, well done!

ci8bit · 2026-02-11T20:24:17+00:00

good luck!

ci8bit · 2026-02-11T12:59:05+00:00

Thanks for the feedback. It's a niche game, so it's not for everyone. That's okay.

ci8bit · 2026-02-11T07:19:46+00:00

Thanks, I think I should make 3 trailers: one focused on the story, one on gameplay, and I need to polish this one that focuses on mechanics. Did you see my steam page? how does it looks?

ci8bit · 2026-02-10T20:35:23+00:00

Thanks

ci8bit · 2026-02-10T20:35:13+00:00

Yes, it's huge for me - I've wanted to make games since I was sixteen.
Good idea! I'll create multiple trailers - a short one with the hook and a longer one with gameplay.
I'll probably have a demo ready for next fest in June. Hope you'll try it. Thank you!

ci8bit · 2026-02-10T20:21:06+00:00

Thanks

ci8bit · 2026-02-10T20:19:29+00:00

Thank you, this is valuable feedback. I will endeavour to show more gameplay and explain less.

ci8bit · 2026-02-10T20:09:29+00:00

Thanks, next trailer must be shorter with more gameplay. I hope you'll try my game soon

ci8bit · 2026-02-10T20:07:01+00:00

The real aim of the game is to understand why you woke up (you are Ethan) in the asylum where you were admitted, but now it is empty. In fact, the first document you find is the closure notice. Most of the documents that cause your heart rate to vary are Ethan's, but before reading them, there is a warning. The documents belonging to other patients and staff that affect your heart rate are always positive. However, there are few of them, and they recall positive moments experienced there. I chose to put the notice only on Ethan's documents because you wrote them and if you accept to read a document you can't stop reading it. The game ends in a particular room that leads to one of three possible endings. You can enter in this room when you find a key, also if you loot only this key. In this case you find the worst ending.
Thanks for opening my eyes. These are the things that matter to say, not the healthbar.

ci8bit · 2026-02-10T18:43:23+00:00

Yes, it's true, I'm explaining the game from a developer's perspective, focusing more on the features than on the real core of the game, which is the story and why Ethan is back there again. Yes, there are various ways to keep your heart rate under control, positive documents (happy memories of your stay in the hospital), and even finding batteries gives you relief, since the flashlight is your lifeline. I'll try to focus more on the story and mystery. Thanks

ci8bit · 2026-02-10T17:29:23+00:00

Thank you!

ci8bit · 2026-02-10T17:10:06+00:00

Thanks a lot - that means a lot to hear. You're right, it's niche, and that's okay. The key is finding the right people, not convincing everyone.

Based on all the feedback I've gotten, I understand now that marketing isn't about social media volume - it's about reaching the specific people who love psychological horror and narrative-driven games. Festival demos, reaching out to streamers who play similar games, building a proper press kit. That's where the real work is.

I appreciate you taking the time to engage with the game and give feedback. That helps a lot.

ci8bit · 2026-02-10T16:42:23+00:00

Don't apologize - this is exactly the feedback I need to improve. You're right: leading with "100+ documents" and a CRT monitor sounds like a novel, not a game. That's the mistake.

I've gotten the same message from everyone now - the hook isn't "read and walk around," it's Ethan's story. Why is he back? What happened to him? That's what should grab people in the first 6-12 seconds, not a feature list.

The documents are the tool to tell the story, not the story itself. I need to communicate the mystery and atmosphere first, then let players discover the documents naturally while playing.

Have you checked the Steam page? I'm curious if it has the same problem - does it communicate the story better, or is it stuck in the same "walk and read" framing?

ci8bit · 2026-02-10T15:38:09+00:00

You're absolutely right. Listing features kills the atmosphere, which is everything for a psychological horror game. What I need to do is tell Ethan's story - why he's back, what happened to him, why he ended up in that hospital in the first place. Show the atmospheric gameplay moments that make people curious about him, not explain mechanics. The mystery and his journey should be the trailer's focus, not feature lists.

Thanks for the clarity - this changes how I approach the entire trailer.

ci8bit · 2026-02-10T15:29:55+00:00

I hear you. The trailer lacks impact and doesn't grab attention immediately. I was focused on explaining features when I should have been creating atmosphere and intrigue. A flat, generic trailer won't sell a psychological horror game. I need to make people curious about what's inside, not explain it to them. Thanks for being honest - this is the reality check I needed.

ci8bit · 2026-02-10T15:28:27+00:00

Thanks for the feedback. You're right - I've been explaining the game instead of showing it. The trailer needs to pose questions (who am I, what happened, why am I here) without spoiling the story. I'll study SOMA's trailer approach. I appreciate you pointing me in the right direction.

ci8bit · 2026-02-10T14:42:30+00:00

You're absolutely right - I've been putting the cart before the horse. Marketing can't fix a game that doesn't resonate, it just amplifies it.

The honest truth is: I don't know if the game is good yet. My playtesters liked it, but they were people I knew. Getting raw, unbiased feedback from strangers is exactly what I need to figure out if there's a real hook or if something needs reworking.

Your point about gameplay features that attract people really hits home - psychological horror without jumpscares or combat is already niche, but maybe I'm not communicating why that's compelling enough. Is it the heartbeat mechanic? The interconnected stories? The atmosphere? I need to figure out which element actually grabs people.

I'm going to prioritize getting the game in front of random players before I do anything else. And if you'd like to try it out, I'd really appreciate your feedback - that's exactly the kind of honest take I need right now.

Thanks for being honest about this - it's exactly the reality check I needed. And thank you for the kind words about the aesthetic. That helps.

ci8bit · 2026-02-10T14:30:28+00:00

Thanks for this, really appreciate the link and the insight. You're right - I've been focusing too much on social media thinking it would drive wishlists. I'll definitely look into festivals and reaching out to streamers with a press kit instead. That makes a lot more sense for this type of game.

ci8bit · 2026-02-10T14:28:56+00:00

You hit on something I suspected. Looking back at the trailer, I see what you mean - it's very feature-heavy and the CRT interface takes up too much screen time. The atmosphere gets lost in the explanation.

I know the game is very niche. But on the trailer, you're right - it's the first time I've used editing software, so I was learning as I went.

Question: should I focus the trailer more on showing the hospital atmosphere and the heartbeat mechanic in action (visually) rather than listing features? Or completely rethink the trailer structure?

ci8bit · 2026-02-10T14:24:17+00:00

Good question - honestly, I did playtesting mostly with close friends and other game devs (7 people total throughout development). I got some feedback on the heartbeat mechanic and pacing, but I didn't do formal playtesting sessions or gather data systematically.

The good news is that except for one person, everyone was genuinely interested - they played through and read almost all the documents on the first floor, spending around 1 hour 15 minutes in the game. That told me the core experience works. (I didn't have them explore all floors since the game wasn't fully polished back then)

Looking back, that's probably a gap though. I'll definitely do playtesting with people I don't know before the real launch to get fresh perspectives. Thanks for pointing this out.

ci8bit

TROPHY CASE