itch.io

Hey, you got the chance to review my last message?

Appreciate you being upfront about that, and yeah, you're right, this would be a paid service, I'd rather be clear about that too than build false expectations on either side.

On the Steam and Apple App Store goal though, that's a solid long term plan, but it's worth knowing that getting listed on those platforms is really just step one, the bigger challenge after that is actually getting the game in front of the right audience once it's there. Both Steam and the App Store are massive, crowded spaces, having a great game live on them doesn't automatically mean people find it, discovery mostly happens through outside visibility, social content, word of mouth, creators talking about it, that funnels people toward the store page, not the other way around.

That's really where short-form video and consistent social presence come in, building an audience now on modern platforms means by the time Vault of Seraphim XL reaches Steam or Apple, there's already a group of people actively looking for it instead of starting from zero once it lands there. Happy to put together a few ideas on how that could look specifically for your platform goals if you're interested.

Alright man, thanks for being upfront, good luck with the develompment,

Thanks for telling me. That makes sense, and you've done well with just the community behind you. I'm a professional video editor, and I also manage social media for indie devs, so I can take that off your plate when you're ready for Best Friends Forever. That could be short clips, posts and a simple schedule, so you can keep writing. I work through Upwork, so you'd have a contract and payment protection. Happy to post or clip so you can see what it would look like.

Congrats on finishing Thorns of War, four years and 1.5 million words is an incredible achievement, that's a serious body of work to see through to the end. The way you talked about the community keeping you going really comes through too.

Exciting that you're already moving on to Best Friends Forever, are you planning to build visibility for it differently this time around, or mostly carrying over the same approach that worked for Thorns of War? Would love to hear what you've got in mind for the new project.

Yeah, I do, I'm a social media manager and video editor, I work with indie devs specifically on turning gameplay moments like that boss devour sequence into polished short-form content, plus handling consistent posting so visibility builds steadily rather than happening in one off bursts.

I've worked on a few past projects doing exactly this, happy to share some examples so you can get a feel for the style and quality. Given how strong and distinct that boss sequence is, I think it could genuinely perform really well once it's out there, even while you're still focused on gathering feedback, visibility and testing don't have to compete with each other.

That actually makes a lot of sense, the skills that built a loyal following in the C64 scene are really different from what modern platform discovery needs, it's not that your marketing instincts are off, it's just a completely different landscape with its own rules.

This is genuinely my area of expertise though, I specialize in exactly this gap, taking games with real quality behind them and building visibility on modern platforms through short-form video content and consistent social presence. For something like Vault of Seraphim XL, I'd focus on turning gameplay moments (the new controller support, fullscreen, whatever feels satisfying to watch) into short clips that get it in front of players who are actively looking for platformers like yours, people who'd probably love it but just don't know it exists yet.

If you're open to it, I'd be happy to put together a few specific ideas tailored to the XL games and walk you through how that could look, just want to help you get the same kind of traction on modern platforms that you've already built in the C64 space.

Just checked out the page, this looks like a blast honestly, the one hit point mechanic paired with all the chaos (exploding barrels, dinosaurs, that gunship boss) is such a great mix of tension and absurdity. Love that there's shareable retro result cards too, that's basically built in content right there.

Playtest build being up now is great timing. With how visual and over the top everything is, feels like there's a lot of short-form potential, clean sweep runs, pacifist clears, chaotic barrel explosions, that kind of thing. Are you planning any video content around this playtest phase, or is it mostly focused on gathering feedback for now?

That's genuinely exciting, hitting the point where donations cover a Steam release is a real milestone, and honestly a strong signal that people believe in what you're building here, not just playing it passively.

If you do end up moving forward with it, that's actually a great window to start thinking about visibility ahead of time, building some momentum on itch now so there's already an audience ready to follow you over once Cycle lands on Steam. Cultivation incrementals especially tend to spread hard through word of mouth and community once the right people discover them.

Since you mentioned already having a Steam developer account from your other project too, sounds like you're thinking long term here. If it's ever useful, I do social media management and video content for indie devs, happy to help build that visibility now so you're not starting from zero whenever the Steam move happens. just wanted to mention it given where things are headed.

I'd honestly be really glad to jump in and be part of that, sounds like a lot of fun watching those combos and last second revives play out live, count me in whenever you're ready to squad up.

On the content side too, once you start capturing those clips, if it ever gets overwhelming trying to edit and share them consistently on top of development, that's actually what I do, short form video editing and social support for indie devs. Happy to help turn those squad moments into content that gets proper reach, , just wanted to mention it since it's clearly going to be great material.

you are the horde" was the opening idea from day one, that kind of clarity usually means the whole game design flows from a strong core, good sign.

Sounds like you've already got a solid promotion mix going too, devlogs, creator keys, Reddit, and clips focused on the breakthrough/warlord moments, that's smart since those are naturally the most shareable parts. If it ever gets to be a lot to juggle alongside dev work though, that's actually what I do, short form video editing and social support for indie devs, so happy to help take some of that content load off if it'd be useful down the line. I'll definitely give the game a go either way and see where I land on the leaderboard, consider that a challenge accepted!

That honestly makes a lot of sense, going from C64 development to modern platforms is such a different world, impressive that you're adapting and learning things like controller preferences as you go, that kind of responsiveness really shows in how quickly you rolled it out across both games.

Working alone does sound like a lot to carry though, especially juggling development, feature updates, and promotion all at once. That's actually the exact gap I usually help solo devs with, visibility and getting modern platform games like yours in front of people who'd genuinely enjoy them, since it sounds like that side's been quiet compared to your C64 catalog. I work with indie devs on things like video content, social presence, and getting updates like this in front of the right audience, happy to share a few thoughts on what could help specifically for Vault of Seraphim XL if you're open to it.

That's great to hear, a Steam release could genuinely do really well for this, especially with how thoughtful and polished the experience already feels even in its early stages. The hidden object audience on Steam tends to be really loyal once they find the right game.

Since it's still in the planning stage, this is actually a great time to start thinking about visibility too, early wishlist building and page optimization make a real difference once you're ready to launch. I help indie devs with exactly that kind of thing, wishlist growth, visibility, Discord and community setup, that sort of support. I also have an Upwork account if that's ever useful for you to check my work or go through a more formal process, happy to share it whenever you'd like.

That's a great story, Reddit kickstarting it and then the itch.io front page picking it up is the kind of momentum most solo devs never get. And the TikTok swings are normal, even strong accounts see that spread.

Since you've already proven people want the game, the next step I'd think about is Steam. A Steam page gives you something permanent: wishlists, followers, and a place where Steam itself recommends you to people who like similar games. Steam also has a festival this month, and that kind of visibility can send a lot of new eyes to a game that's already updating daily.

Setting up Steam pages is what I do. That covers the store page itself (capsule art, trailer, screenshots, description, tags) and getting everything ready for the festival. I'm also a professional video editor, so I can cut the Steam trailer from your daily clips.

I handle all of this through my Upwork account, so you get payment protection and a proper contract. You only pay for work that's delivered and approved, and there's no risk on your side. If you want, I can send you my profile link first so you can check my reviews and past work.

Totally get it, juggling the Playables setup and daily updates is a lot for one person. Sounds like you're making good progress though.

I should be upfront about why I'm asking about content. I'm a professional video editor, and I cut short clips for indie devs. With 8 classes, Ascension, and Rift Trials, your game has plenty to show off. Things like class showcases, boss fights, and legendary drops would work really well as short clips, and having a few ready before the Playables version goes live could give you a head start on players.

If that's something you'd ever want help with, I take jobs through Upwork, so there's a proper contract and payment protection on both sides. Happy to send you my profile or put together a quick sample clip from your trailer or gameplay so you can see my style, no strings attached.

That's awesome, sounds like you've already built a solid foundation, daily clips plus an engaged 200 member Discord is no small feat for a solo project. How have those TikTok and YouTube clips been performing so far, are you seeing good view counts and engagement, or is it more hit or miss? And curious how players have been reacting to the actual content, are people finding you mainly through the clips, Reddit, or word of mouth from the Discord?          

Hey, congrats on hitting 100% and getting the alpha out today, that's exciting! Been building up to this for a while by the look of your devlog history too.

Since it's alpha launch day, are you doing anything to push visibility around it, trailers, social clips, that kind of thing? With "Your Life Car" being such an intriguing concept name, curious what the actual story/sim hook is, feels like there's a lot of potential to make that clear and compelling in short-form video right as people are discovering it for the first time.

Really enjoyed the tone here honestly, "I haven't even unpacked" as the character's reaction to a hostile takeover mid-party is such a strong character beat, good instinct for voice. The facing direction detail for portraits is a nice touch too, small thing but it shows you're paying attention to craft.

Is there a playable build up yet, or is this still pre-release? Curious to see how the Titan Tower setting comes together with the story additions.

Hey, just read through your devlog on Xgene, the devour mechanic is genuinely one of the coolest hooks I've seen in a while, turning enemies and even bosses into your own evolving bloodline through that tendril wrap and DNA extraction sequence is such strong visual storytelling.

Since the playtest is open now, are you doing any video content to show that boss devour sequence specifically? That moment alone feels like it could perform really well as short-form content, it's visually striking and immediately explains what makes the game different. Curious how you're approaching visibility while gathering playtest feedback right now.

Hey, this might be the biggest update glow up I've seen in a devlog, the new mothership redesign alone looks great, and giving each ability its own distinct visual identity (love the black hole one specifically) is a smart move for making the game feel more alive.

Real online co-op with team combos and revives is honestly a huge addition too, that's the kind of feature that's perfect for short clips, squad moments, big combo pulls, abilities going off. Are you doing any video content around this update, or is it mostly living in the devlog and in-game right now? Feels like there's a lot of untapped short-form potential here given how visual everything is.

Hey, congrats on hitting Public Beta, that's a huge milestone, especially with how much is packed in, 8 classes, Ascension, Rift Trials, legendary loot tiers, that's a serious amount of content.

Saw you mentioned YouTube Playables prep too, curious how you're planning to approach that side. With a game this feature dense, feels like there's a ton of short-form video potential, class showcases, boss fights, loot pulls, especially heading into that Playables push. Are you handling that content side yourself, or is that still something you're figuring out?

That's a seriously thorough bug fix writeup, tracking down something as subtle as a health calculation mismatch between the display and the accelerated simulation path takes real patience. Impressive how fast you're iterating too, feels like you're deep in it right now.

Is Cycle of the First Dawn something you're planning to keep growing here on itch, or is Steam something you've thought about down the line? Cultivation incrementals tend to build a really loyal following once more people discover them.

This update sounds really thoughtful honestly, the way you reworked existing scenes based on what felt too obvious or disconnected shows a lot of care for the actual experience, not just adding more content for the sake of it. The Honey Room and Enchanted Conservatory sound like great additions too.

Are you planning to keep this growing as a browser release, or is a bigger platform like Steam something you've got in mind down the line? Hidden object games like this tend to do really well there with the right audience.

Hey, congrats on EA going live! Reverse tower defense as a concept is such a clean hook, "you are the horde, the wall always wins" sells itself in one line, that's rare.

Launch day is honestly the best window for visibility to compound, how are you handling promotion right now beyond the Discord and trailer? With the leaderboard and warlord system, feels like there's a lot of short clip potential, big score runs, warlord strategies, that kind of thing, to help pull in more players while the EA launch buzz is fresh.

Hey, the Retail Update looks great, and honestly your writing style alone is doing a lot of the marketing work for you already, genuinely funny devlog. Love the DVD/CD customization and in-game video playback additions too, really creative feature set.

I noticed you've got a solid trailer for this update, curious whether you're repurposing that into shorter clips for places like TikTok or X, or keeping video mainly to the trailer and Discord right now? With how consistent your update cadence is, feels like there's a lot of short-form content potential sitting in each devlog that could extend reach beyond your existing community.

Hey, congrats on the new announcement, the Commodore 64 cartridge angle is such a fun, distinct hook for a Kickstarter, really stands out from the usual digital-only campaigns.

Launch week timing is everything for crowdfunding though, campaigns tend to live or die on that early momentum. Have you got any video content planned to push around the Kickstarter going live, teasers, demo clips, that kind of thing? With a project this visually distinct, feels like there's a lot of potential for short-form content to help drive backers in that critical first stretch.

Hey, just checked out Neo Forge, that's seriously impressive, you're shipping updates almost daily and clearly listening closely to your Discord community. Building out Jumpstart draft support, rival AI customization, and all these quality of life fixes in such a short window shows a ton of dedication.

Since it's free with optional donations, I'm curious how you've been approaching visibility so far, is it mostly organic through Discord and word of mouth, or have you tried pushing content out more broadly on social media or YouTube? With how much content you're generating each update, feels like there could be a lot of short-form video potential in showing off these features as they roll out.

Hey, really loved this update, Ren's design sounds like a great addition to the cast, and getting a six year old song remastered into Daydreaming is such a personal touch to include in the game.

Sounds like October's going to be a big month with COMIPARA, IGDX, and Chibicon too, that's a lot of real world visibility lined up. Are you planning on capturing any of that for content afterward, or is the focus mainly on being there in person? Curious if you've thought about turning event moments or art reveals like this into short video content, feels like there could be a lot of untapped potential there leading into the December release.

Hey! Just saw the controller support update for Vault of Seraphim XL, that's a solid addition, opens it up to a lot more players who prefer that over keyboard for platformers. Adaptive fullscreen too, nice touch.

Looks like you've been shipping updates pretty consistently, cave builder, cross platform ports, now this. Are you handling all the promotion for these updates yourself, or is that something on the backburner while you focus on development?