This hectic week was the most productive and important since the beginning of the project. I’ve released the Demo build to playtesters and “soft launched” it to the public, created the first real Outsider trailer (exclusively on Steam for now) and completed the remaining M5 tasks. The thrill of the upcoming demo and the possibility of getting the “secret achievement” of releasing it by my birthday kept the adrenaline high, leading to the delivery of a massive number of last-minute polish features. “You got a new Achievement”!

All of this work has had a major impact on the game’s wishlist rate and visibility. I don’t plan ever to release hard numbers on the game (Galantrix is a private company, and I don’t see a business reason to do it). Still, I can say that upon the release of the trailer and the demo, I started seeing some pretty encouraging numbers. I always saw Outsider as a risky project that would benefit much more from word-of-mouth than flashy trailers… But I might have underestimated the game’s hook, which, through sheer beginner’s luck, ended up being clearly shown in the trailer.

Speaking of the trailer, one of my oldest concerns about the game was advertising what is, deep down, a glorified digital novel with a puzzle. Many people love reading, but few like seeing ads for books from unknown authors. I’ve struggled with the trailer approach for months and wasted much time in false starts and a series of uninspired prototypes. But, for no apparent reason, I returned from lunch on Friday with the idea that might have solved the problem. I decided to “go Gen Z” and frame the game in a frantic trailer where nothing appears for longer than a couple of seconds. The result was a rough but initially effective 38-second trailer that turns Outsider’s chill, almost zen, experience into a TikTok-like, rapid-cut image-fest. And, as a rough cut, there is a LOT of room for improvement… Fortunately, as Steam makes trailer updates super easy, I will make frequent polish updates over the next several weeks until I fully deliver on my vision.

Some readers may wonder why I didn’t hire a professional to make the trailer; it is a very specialized field where a professional can really make a difference. However, in the spirit of delivering Outsider as an “auteur” game, I powered through my inexperience and decided I also needed to learn a bit about making trailers. A pro would have created something much better, but then… It wouldn’t be MY trailer! That would be NO FUN!

Beyond the trailer, I also “soft launched” the demo… In other words, I made a demo available but didn’t advertise it on my usual channels (not even in the trailer on the first day) because I’m waiting for the playtesters to be done with testing. Their early feedback was great and invaluable for last-minute additions, cementing the idea that you can’t release a good game without playtesting. As I have some of the best playtesters in the business, I’m ahead of everybody else in that department!

It was also enlightening to see how many people wishlisted the game without touching the demo… With the massive download numbers (partly due to bots, I’m sure), I might have to wait several weeks until I have enough data on its impact. This proves that gaming marketing specialists are right: nothing drives wishlists better than a solid trailer. I have a very, very long road ahead before claiming any sort of real success, but the treasure map is now in front of me. Let’s see if I can make the dangerous trek to where the gold coins are.

Today’s update is already long, but I have to wrap up with an announcement. With this week’s milestone, the project is roughly at its mid-point. Even if the remaining 50% will take 90% of the time, it’s clear that most weeks ahead will look much alike: write in the morning, create art or do marketing in the afternoon (with occasional bug fixes). This would lead to boring blog posts, so I’ll stop doing them. Instead, I’ll keep posting the mailing list’s monthly updates and write as interesting things happen - which could, in theory, be more frequent than once a week. For instance, Galantrix was accepted as a panelist at the Atlanta Sci-Fi and Fantasy Expo in 3 weeks… Be sure that I’ll let you know how that goes.

With that said, please stick around! This change isn’t due to fluctuations in motivation or pace; both are only getting stronger. The project is evolving, and I have just entered a massively long straight-line stretch towards the destination. As I accelerate and see the scenery going by, I’ll tell you about all the interesting stops on the way!