Release strategy for multi-part missions

rogueeenterprise

Hey guys, as I'm developing a two-part mission series I've been thinking about the best way to release the two parts. Would love to get more people's thoughts on this.

Here are a couple options I've come up with:

1. Release them simultaneously (or as close to that as possible)
Pros: Players can play through the two parts consecutively if they so choose, there is no forgetting about it later.
Khans: Depending on how you develop your two parts, authors could conceivably be holding on to complete missions for quite a while before releasing them, which can be hard.

2. Release them ~1-3 weeks apart
Pros: Possibly enough time to build some hype around later parts that are coming out on a prearranged schedule. Enough time between missions to polish up the next release.
Khans: Still requires simultaneous development in most cases. Having any dropoff between mission availability could still result in players forgetting about your coming soon missions even if the play the ones that are out.

3. Release each one consecutively "when it's done"
Pros: Makes the most sense to me as an author -- work on each mission one at a time until it's done, then release it and start the next one.
Khans: Sometimes missions take months or more to make, which gives lots of lag time between releases. The average player will likely forget about prior parts.


Does anyone agree with any one of these options in particular, or maybe you have a different strategy for releases? Post away.

captpfdennis

I'd have to say that the first or second options are more practical. A lot of things can happen which may even prevent a second mission from ever being released. Of course, there are instances when a sequel hasn't been planned and it is an idea the author has long after the first mission is released. Still, from a player standpoint, it would be better to have both missions available to play all at once. Who wants to wait to find out what happens? It's all about instant gratification.:D

drogyn1701

I've done #3, and obviously the Purity group of which I was a part did #2, which worked fine for that project.

I guess it sort of depends on the project and on how much of the other parts you have done or plan to have done when you're ready to release part 1. For example I have a 2 parter that I've been working on for a long time, my plan is to release them simultaneously because I've been building the simultaneously.

Obviously if you do #3, you run the risk of becoming Greendragoon.

captainrevo1

I've had 2 weeks between missions before or months. My KDF 5 parter took about 3 months to make. My fed 5 parter took a year. I've seen very little difference in play results or feedback.

2-3 weeks is my ideal because it's let's people play it, give feedback, and get excited for the next part.

But really what it boils down to is fun for you. If you want to make them back to back then great. If you want to make one now and see your hard work in action and do part 2 whenever then go for that. It's not going to have a massive impact.

Don't try and second guess how multiple people will react if it creates a situation where you are not enjoying it. If it's good enough, and yours always are, then it will be fine.

thegreendragoon1

rogueeenterprise wrote: »

Khans: Sometimes missions take months or more to make, which gives lots of lag time between releases. The average player will likely forget about prior parts.

Try years. Still I'm sure you could make any one of those methods work for you.

rogueeenterprise

Yeah, I suppose it depends on what the goal is for you as an author.

Personally I default to #3, because that is how I like developing missions. But is that the "best" way? What if my ultimate goal is to get lots of plays? To make a big splash with all missions at the same time?

Maybe having some non-author perspectives would help for this, too.

zorbane

thegreendragoon1 wrote: »

Try years. Still I'm sure you could make any one of those methods work for you.

I was about to request your presence.

IMO they should be released as close together, with option 1 being the most optimal

thay8472

With "Mirror Wars" (6 parts) I brought them out one at a time.

With "Prime Race" I launched them both together.

If you want to keep authors interested... I'd say release them one at a time.

thelunarboy

I'm working on the second part of one now... What I have done is to create a prologue with dialogue options that allow you to catch up with the story so far. There are three things you need to know from the previous episode that carry forward throughout the series... if you know them already you can just click "Done" and it moves on to the next part of the prologue.

captainhunter1

In my experience, release them separately with some time between them (but not too much - lol).

I have seen my two-part mission, "Treasure of Argelius II" get some oddly out-of-whack play numbers. Despite the fact that I released the second part some months after the first part AND have a HUGE message displayed that Part 1 must be played first in order to understand the dynamics in play in Part 2 (added to the fact that the mission description for Part 2 only says, "See Part 1 for mission description") - Part 2 has still seen more throughs than Part 1. Go figure. :rolleyes:

So if you want your first part played at all, definitely release them some time apart. Otherwise people seem to want to 'cheat' and skip right to the end of the story. :P

designationxr377

When I did it, I did it the first way. I personally don't like playing through missions or series that aren't complete. So, when I released my pair mission I put them both out at the same time.

Sitting on the one complete for 6 months was a pain, but, it meant better chances of people playing the other without forgetting about it or harassing me for it and me wanting to rush it.

paxfederatica

drogyn1701 wrote: »

Obviously if you do #3, you run the risk of becoming Greendragoon.

Or, more ominously, h20rat.

That said, #3 has been my approach for the two series I've done, simply because I didn't want to be sitting on finished missions for months on end while working on their sequels. In the case of "Valley of the Shadow I" I also wanted that mission to be ahead of the curve as one of the first, if not THE first, Romulan Republic mission in the Foundry. (As it turned out, it was published around the same time as Amahood's "Homesick Heroes"; though I'm still not sure which one of us got ours in first.)

However, for my next planned series (a KDF trilogy tentatively called Twilight of the Gods), I'm considering going the #1 or #2 route - writing the entire series, then building all three installments simultaneously and publishing them either all at once, or in one-week intervals like Purity.

ashkrik23

I often do one at a time.
Gives me a break between and keeps me from overloading, also allows more planning.

markhawkman

well... I've never actually published a part 2, despite having written part ones...

Soo... yeah.

sirboulevard

What I've done with the Honor of Series was I did Part 1 as a stand alone. And when it came time to do parts 2 and 3, I developed both in tandem. The effect is a trilogy with the flow of the classic Star Wars trilogy: the first one can be seen/played alone and works just fine, and the next two work on a cliff hanger strategy so that you end one and want to play the next one.