Pixel Platformer - New Concept for Funding Games.

[mesmerize]

We have just developed the first Flash pixel advertising system.
We have used it on a simple but effective platform game, that can be played here:

http://www.pixelplatformer.com

The game is getting lots of press due to its unique use of remote automated payment system and remote graphic XML linkage.

We developed this game in the hope of creating a 'new method' for games funding, as we all know the funding opportunities for Flash games makers can be a little hard to swallow.

We are happy for anyone with a games site (which I know they are many on here) to visit the site and download the .zip which contains all the .swf instructions, thumbnails, press release for you to use or distribute.

If you give us a good review or press release, please mail or PM me and I'll add you to what is becoming a popular site on the 'press links' page.

Thank you in advance.

[Sietjp]

This is intersting, and obviously inspired from the milliondollarshomepage. I can tell you that among the hundreds of clones inspired/copied from of the milliondollarshomepage, this one is one of the most creative. I hope you can make money with it, even if I doubt. As for the gameplay of the game, I would have imagine it with more fun and more entertainement.

[mesmerize]

I know we are getting some bad reviews, it's found it's way onto games sites. Like i-am-bored and they all hate it. I think the point wasn't to make money, wasn't to make a good game. But to show off our scripting and show the idea that pixel advertising in Flash Games might be a better avenue to explore.
Basically, it was to design the system, which is finally made, we aim to add it to our clients 'good' games now. :-)

Thanks for the compliment.

[Sietjp]

Tell me if I'm wrong but there is maybe a weak point in your system. Once the game has been uploaded on i-am-bored for example (<off-topic>I can't talk about i-am-bored withtout giving my opinion about it : they've put online many of my games without checking copyrights and without authorisation, and they don't answers my email, so I don't like this website policy.</off-topic>), If an advertiser buy some pixels after the upload, how the pixels are updated into the uploaded game?

[Inglor]

I didn't really enjoy the game, it wasn't very fun for me to play.

I love the concept though

[mesmerize]

Sietjp the 3 progess bars that you see on load load an XML file that points to the 'current' pixel adverts.
I'm having to rush out but I'm happy to come on here later and chat more about how it all works so everyone on here can implement the same system.

[Inglor]

a general question, why are you using pixels over image files? you can just load an image file directly into flash

[Sietjp]

Sietjp the 3 progess bars that you see on load load an XML file that points to the 'current' pixel adverts.
I'm having to rush out but I'm happy to come on here later and chat more about how it all works so everyone on here can implement the same system.

That is very clever. I guess there is an authorization file to put somewhere in your website to allow the flash file from i-am-bored to load an xml file from another domain name (your website).

[mesmerize]

Inglor, they are image files loaded into flash .swf the XML has image locations in it, that load the images into the game everytime it loads, wherever it is in the world.

Yes Sietjp, we declare that http://www.pixelplatformer.com is safe for access using another file loaded into the .swf on load.

[mesmerize]

Also, I forgot to say, we are selling the code with .fla .swf .xml .php and full system should anyone want a copy. This will be a shared licence, but the files are there for anyone to use, inc. the features and scripts in the game for their own use.
They are some good scripts:
- Scores via php
- XML file, URL and image link up
- Remote hosting files
- .fla of course
- platform engine with loop music and sounds

As we aren't supposed to put prices in here. PM me with a resonable budget your willing to spend on this kit.
Thanks in advance for putting food on the table.
David and team.

[The Helmsman]

Interesting idea. How i missed it?

Did anyone have purchased some pixels already?

[Squize]

Won't it cause a huge performance hit if all the little tiles are clickable buttons ? Or does your code include some sort of sector check which only activates them as buttons if the mouse is within that sector ?

Squize.

[mesmerize]

Yes, we have sold some pixels. The games getting 8,000 plays a day and doing well, considering it's not much of a 'game'. I'm doing buy one get one free for most friends, I'll do the same for anyone on here. so 2 10x10 squares for $20. and the link is for the life of the game.

As for the links. They are all links, always on. Pointing to a page using PHP script to tell the page the location of the pixel. This unique number generates a reference for us to change in the XML and as the image link.

[Squize]

...and the performance impact ?

Squize.

[Ray Beez]

I think you're on to something, Mesmerize, but this ain't it.

[flashisland]

Cool idea, but people play games to be entertained. I honestly don't think many people will stop their game just to click a link. By the way, what's the click through rate?

[EgoAnt]

Yeah, although I do think that in-game advertising has potential, I think this is a pretty bad implementation. First of all, even if a plyer sees an ad they want to click on, are they going to want to risk dying in the game to click it?

The Million Dollar homepage idea was interesting, and certainly profitable, but it's lure was it's media attention. People went there specifically to see the ads.

Now, if you integrated the ads into the game you might be onto something. At the moment clicking an ad effectively ruins your game, you need to find a way to make people WANT to click those ads, not punish them for doing it.

Here's an example, lets say your game was a Mario type where you could jump up from under a block and have coins fly out of the top. Lets say that each block was an ad, and when you jumped up some coins, and a bit more of the ad, popped out. That way you are rewarding the player, while building brand recognition. You could have a banner at the top that populated with the most recent ad, and clicking on the ad automaticaly paused the game. That way the player is constantly rewarded.

Overall I think you might be onto something, but it seems like it needs to be evaluated more before it is ready for final implementation.

[Incrue]

If people dont click in links when playing them how games portals makes money?

[Ray Beez]

Keep in mind everybody, he built it as a proof of concept. At the risk of giving away a million dollar secret, I don't think the next logical step is that difficult to think of, so here I go ...

Here's how I could see the model being refined:

If the game is a scrolling platform type game, you would have billboards, posters and other places for advertisements. The important thing would be to balance the size, quantity, and context of the ad spaces. (You don't want to "annoy" the player. Ads should be noticable, yet unobtrusive. They should look like they "belong there".)

Now, branding a game is nothing new, but here's the twist that Mesmerize inspired: Automate the ad-purchasing process by letting a potential advertiser click on the ad-space they want to "buy", make the transaction online, and even upload their ad file. I'd even go so far as to offer a "buyer" mode of the game where they can scroll through all your levels and find the right space they want.

Cost would of course have to be related to the prominence, size and placement in the game. (An ad on screen 1 of level 1 should be more expensive than one on a later level, because less players will see the later levels). As well as traffic of the game. This could all be calculated automatically.

There you go. Automated branding/sponsorship. I want 10% of net from whoever successfully implements this model. ;-)

[mesmerize]

Squize, Impact question: the game loads the pixels using XML, we were going to make the basic pixels load from within the game. We figured this would spoil the test of 'if it were possible' so we load all of the current pixels you see in the game even the ones without adds. Thus, the time it takes now will be the same time it will take to load different images. Give or take a few seconds. The 'loading pixels' percentage is the time it takes to load these. The bottom progress bar on game load is the XML file.

Ray Beez,
You are right, but a simple platform was the way forward it was what was possible at the desin stage, without getting too technical. We are thinking about Tetris as the next step.

Flash island:
Well, don't take this the wrong way most games are developed with funding and a clickable advert in mind. Many of the games on Newgrounds and the like, wouldn't be developed if it wasn't for the clickable advert. I.e. we only developed:
http://www.batkhela.com/play_online_...nline-game.php
Because the client wanted a link to Gamesjungle.com
This game was heavily marketed in the first week and has thus recieved. Well, a lot, I think it's over 1.5 million plays in 2 months, Well here are the stats:
http://www.mochibot.com/shared/share...7d25fce2ecbthe I think a game gets hits and click throughs based on its marketing rather than the game itself. This customer, I think it's alright to say, witnessed 1,900 hits a day extra to his site for the first month and now sees a steady rate of 3,000 hits a day.
Once they know your site, they will come. That's what we tell our customers anyhow and it most often is that. Your thinking why am I telling you this, well pixel platformer is too young to really say how it will do. It's been well marketed and currently see 9,000 plays -ish a day resulting in 4,000 uniques to the site main page. As for click through, it's around 100-120 extra per day to each of those with a link on the game. Which is better than I expected. If you need more, as I really love stats and wortking the numbers please visit http://www.pixelplatformer.com and 'view stats' they are all there including page views etc.
I'm having problems with Mochibot at the moment, though, (anyone else?)

EgoAnt, it's like I said above, if you aim the advert at the target demographic (mostly males between age of 12-26, please that's the majority, not set in stone) then you are more likely to get clicks. i.e. "CLick here to win a Xbox360" Chances are John aged 16 playing games online, will find that link inviting.
However, your idea has merit in linking the adverts into the games, that's what we were experimenting here. But to make it part of the interactive game I think would be going to far. It would be pushing the adverts too much. I think if they decide to pause, die or stop the game to click a link, that should be fine. But integrating into the overall expereince of the game and the game mechanics, might be too much for our John to handle.

So to summarize, I'm more with incrue. People do click adverts in games from what our stats show.

I think the question this game raises and it was meant to raise a few questions was how best do we implement them. I'm liking this feedback, keep it coming and take everything I say with a pinch of salt.
:-)