DIY PR Contests

So, some time ago I posted a thread named "Flyer Contest", feedback has been quite good on this one, so I decided to open a poll on "Do It Yourself Public Relations" (DIY PR) in general. The idea is to hold contests on Xonotic DVD-covers, Light-Scribe labels, flyers, stickers, posters and everything else that's suited to make Xonotic more popular. The idea is to come out of such a contest with a stockpile of material suitable for that pupose. Click below for an example of a DVD cover.

As a fun project, sure, this sounds cool. I question the need for print materials for an online game though, but if that is what people want to do, then fine. The problem is that we do not really have that many graphic designers in the community. And speaking from my own experience: if you want something that is usable by a wide range of people (and printers) then you need to know what you're doing.

The few designers that would have time for these contest should IMO collect their time and effort to make a full set of promotional material together. That way you would end up with a uniform style. I would be willing to join in on that. I actually have developed myself a work process that gets something designed in InkScape into a semi-certified CMYK PDF for printing WITHOUT PROPRIETARY CRAP WOOHOO!

However, considering the fact that our main promotion should probably happen online, how about a competition for a full set of (animated) banners. GIF will probably be a dirty word here, but still, anyone can make those.

Edit: I did vote yes ;]

Here is the flyer i had previously posted in the other thread: http://forums.xonotic.org/attachment.php?aid=512

It has a size of 55cm x 35cm and a resolution of 300ppi
Fonts used are free for commercial use.

If someone wants the psd file to translate it to your language just tell me to PM it to you.

Small Preview:



Also i can start working in some gifs of different sizes if devs dont find any problems with that

We ABSOLUTELY could use a good set of banners at different standardized sizes, and since I suck at art design I can't do these myself. Another thing we could really use: Gameplay screenshots at 1280x1024 resolution with ultimate settings.


essentially, everything PinkRobot said is correct/what we need. I can't do it myself, so definitely need your (everyone willing to participate) help.


BTW, I said no because.... I actually already DO most of the PR work but I do have better things to do than participate in these contests directly.

Another thing we could really use: Gameplay screenshots at 1280x1024 resolution with ultimate settings.

Don't you think that widescreen resolutions are more suitable these days? 1280x1024 and 1400x900 have approx. the same amount of pixels.

I could give some screenshots of random gameplay with bots on ultimate settings. What kinda weapons should I use, what should I do?

Do we REALLY need the game to be set to Ultimate? Why not give more realistic screenshots of the game in action? You can still make it look pretty good without maxing it out, especially if you use the following tweaks in this thread:

http://forums.xonotic.org/showthread.php?tid=2173

I question the need for print materials for an online game though, but if that is what people want to do, then fine.

I just thought that printable material might be useful for PR at LAN parties. Specifically due to the fact that the GPL allows selling copies for reasonable reproduction costs. Personally, I've never been to one of those rather big parties, just thought that it might be useful. Another idea I had was to contact people who organize such parties. I haven't been aware of this until recently, but there actually are people who assemble old computers to use them at large LAN parties in a professional manner. It would be of use to offer a downloadable *.iso image instead of a packed file. Lots of people are totally lost when you give them a program that doesn't have an autoinstall function, sad but true.

****EDIT****

First version of a Xonotic Banner.
Size: 728x90



There it is, high quality version of the gif, hope you like it

What about T-shirts, would it be a good idea to advertise via that way?

Another thing we could really use: Gameplay screenshots at 1280x1024 resolution with ultimate settings.

Don't you think that widescreen resolutions are more suitable these days? 1280x1024 and 1400x900 have approx. the same amount of pixels.

I suppose that's fine instead, but then they ALL must be that resolution.. It was more just the idea that: All of them must be consistent.

Do we REALLY need the game to be set to Ultimate? Why not give more realistic screenshots of the game in action? You can still make it look pretty good without maxing it out, especially if you use the following tweaks in this thread

ABSOLUTELY we must -- The reason is again consistency -- I also disagree that it can really look that great with your tweaks Do we WANT to look totally unprofessional?

I tested it today and I can make screenshots with settings on ultra and the maximum resolution. I can just create a match with a bunch of bots, and gamespeed 0.5, and I can make very nice screenahots.

Only one problem. Screenshots are being safed as .tga, and I get an error when I try to open them. Is there a way I can just get my normal .jpg back?

scr_screenshot_jpeg 1

First version of a Xonotic Banner.
Size: 728x90

Nice one, but in my opinion there are too many characters in the gif. Could you make with only the blue erebus close up and the orange gak closeup? The colors of the characters would closely match the colors of the logo then

Nice looking banner for sure, albeit a bit heavy on the bandwidth (almost 700kb).

I think it would be good to figure out some short sentences to promote the game. Stuff to put in banners like these that make people want to click them. Right now it looks nice but it could be anything.

Maybe Samual could think up some cool 'sound bites'?

"Free to download" / "Free to play" / "Download and join the action"

Stuff like that.

And more descriptive terms too like "Free and Fast Furious Arena Shooter".

Well, you know. Stuff like that

A new banner, has lower quality though:

Please don't kill me for posting on a dead thread. But here is a DVD case I made for fun. It's intentonally larger than required by 3mm, It's so you can crop it for each case.

All the work was done with just copy and paste so it was quite simple to make.

By the way, looks best printed on glossy photo paper.
I have a disk of Xonotic in it already and it looks great.

-Matthew

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-pr...5284_n.jpg

Nice one -Matthew, but maybe change that Ubuntu logo to maybe https://www.gnu.org/graphics/agnuhead.html or this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tux.svg .

I see elements of fisume's video trailer as well as my website design in there. The former doesn't use Xolonium, which is the official (and free) font. I'd suggest changing it to use that font instead.

Matthew, players aren't getting a hard copy of xonotic.org, they're getting a hard copy of xonotic.
the game is not rated anything at all by the ESRB.
also ubuntu logo is not the ubuntu logo.

Matthew, players aren't getting a hard copy of xonotic.org, they're getting a hard copy of xonotic.
the game is not rated anything at all by the ESRB.
also ubuntu logo is not the ubuntu logo.

There are some people who dont like digital version and prefer a cd/dvd version. (even if they have to do it theirself)

why do you even bother about the logos? if he likes the version he made, it doesnt whats correct or not. its nothing offical.

I actually got three people playing who otherwise wouldn't have by having a few hard copies. Plus its fun to put on the shelf.

Anyway, If I really wanted it to look good I would start from scratch in my copy of Photoshop CS3 and Illustrator CS3. Illustrator for case layout work and Photoshop for the final touches.

I have installed custom builds enough to know that that is 'a' Ubuntu logo. However, you are correct it is not 'the' logo.
The ESRB bit was just for laughs, so it means nothing.

Yes all the artwork was stolen. I made it using Copy and Paste, what can i say?

Thanks a lot though for the Xolonium bit and for the feedback, I might pop up a revised version someday soon. I'll be sure to use it if I ever redo it.

-Matthew

And thanks Cortez666

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Machine!

I personally would be more likely to put on the Debian logo than the GNU, simply because thats the most popular kernal I have encountered. But thanks for the suggestion.

-Matthew