Methods of spreading FFR popularity

[DossarLX ODI]

I'd figure this would be an interesting thread for discussion on spreading word of FFR so we get more new members to come to the community and play the game!

The catch is to get people interested in the game itself.

So far, I've come up with a few things:

- Make a video of a file in the game, a popular song such as Toxic by A Static Lullaby, and link to this site. This could be a video response to the music video.
- Widget and kongregate ideas like Tasselfoot did, but he's gone; I've always wanted to know the reason as to why there aren't widgets now
- Conventions, such as Anime North, Anime Boston, etc.
- Facebook
- ScarletSky's Tournament
- Addressing the benefits of the game (not having to downloading an external software program, etc)

[bmah]

I initially misread your first idea as "make a video game of the FFR game"

[DossarLX ODI]

My Internet Medley video on YouTube has been getting 200 views every day ever since it was a video response to the original music video (with over 8 million views!), and I really think the video approach would be very effective.

I'd still like some explanation about the widgets, though.

[Emithith]

I might get some of my old friends back into it if I show them an Oni get score.

I also found out recently that a kid from the highschool I would've went to plays. We could've raised so much awareness in London if we jacked the Library computers and ruin'd some songs. lol


Also, yeah Youtube is probably the best way to get supporters/new players. Facebook your friends you beasting some scores and they might call BS and try FFR for themselves too.

[TC_Halogen]

I don't understand why widgets aren't used. I've mentioned it to a few people that I felt like it was an appropriate trade-off - song gets exposure, FFR gets pieces of crowds.

[PrawnSkunk]

I've tried, and failed, many times to persuade friends to join FFR. It seems that beasting Black Key Etude is not the most efficient way of referring people. The "showing-off" tactic only resulted in "oh I would suck and never be good at that game"; they are not thinking that at one time I too could not FC a difficulty 1 song.

"Advertising" the site through stepcharts, blah blah, etc. of immensely popular videos such as Internet Medley seems like the most efficient choice at this point.

edit: Internet Medley was a good choice, doss. It appeals to people - most people will become interested in this site through Zelda, mario, sonic, etc. songs - not UNST UNST UNST Eurobeat.

[DossarLX ODI]

Good point, Scarlet. Maybe we could also link to your tournament!

Originally Posted by PrawnSkunk

I've tried, and failed, many times to persuade friends to join FFR. It seems that beasting Black Key Etude is not the most efficient way of referring people. The "showing-off" tactic only resulted in "oh I would suck and never be good at that game"; they are not thinking that at one time I too could not FC a difficulty 1 song.

Actually, I've played HAPPY BIRTHDAY in my english and math classes, and my class was very entertained (even though they were saying the song was shit and sounded like pigs squealing, they liked the messiness haha). They even wanted to give it a shot! (and they failed the first 200 notes)

Then I got them to play some easier files, but I think the problem is that you're going by a decently hard song to AAA. It's basically either go easy or do something retardedly hard - being in the middle kind of ruins it from my experience, interestingly enough.

[Emithith]

Also, I alerted Tass about this post so we can know once and for all what is stopping us from widgetting Kongregate.

[ScarletSky]

Well, I'm running a low level tournament. xD
That was my idea, actually. I've tried to get people from outside the game to come check it out.
Especially since I'm playing OSU! like, all the damn time now. I mean, if they play one rhythm game, why not try another? Most of them have, or were part of SM and DDR before, but I haven't seen any faces show up here yet.

Widgets would be really nice to see again too, that's how I found FFR in the first place. That and I was playing SM all the time (back when I indexed and didn't know about spread).

[bmah]

ok serious post this time

I was successful in small-scale cases of having a few people join and play FFR (e.g. Ghakimx). But this involved a lot of effort - getting to know the person, convincing them to play, etc.

For a larger-scale movement, I would suggest Facebook. Even though FFR already has a Facebook page, what happens on that page stays on that page. FFR isn't going to be spread by a static "club" or "group" of sorts. It unfortunately would take aggressive promotion through unrelated sites or persons through social networking sites, albeit through the most inviting means as possible (trying not to be annoying).

[bmah]

I should also mention that FFR should come across more inviting and open, in a way that the game doesn't look so "niche" or "copycat". There are a lot of rhythm games out these days, and FFR would not look all that original. However, the plus side is that FFR could be promoted as a site of convenience - playing a DDR lookalike without the mat, or without downloading an external software program.

So basically we should think of characteristics to highlight in addition to methods of promotion.

[Ninty64]

Originally Posted by bmah

or without downloading an external software program.

Technically that's true, but I find that in practice it doesn't really work. Every time I tell someone about this website or show someone my replays, I always get told that the lag is terrible. In my opinion, Standalone has become a necessity.

[ScarletSky]

Originally Posted by Ninty64

Technically that's true, but I find that in practice it doesn't really work. Every time I tell someone about this website or show someone my replays, I always get told that the lag is terrible. In my opinion, Standalone has become a necessity.

This is very dangerous fact actually. Most people don't know about the standalone or how to get it to operate correctly (new people, I should say). =S
And until BW is up and running, it'll be a piece of information that few will get to know of.

Even IF we got people interested, it'll be quite a pain to have to explain to each individual how to use standalone unless they use flash 8 or 9, or 11 doesn't make FFR lag for them.

[Emithith]

I know! AN 2012, we will all flood the internet cafe's and ****ing play the shit outta FFR there. That'll get some people to get on FFR. lol

[Ninty64]

We need to create an FFR meme and infect the internet.

[ScarletSky]

Originally Posted by Ninty64

We need to create an FFR meme and infect the internet.

no, we don't. that's why there's /tgb/

[DossarLX ODI]

Updated OP with some of the ideas mentioned

[Riotpolice]

I do this everyday on a daily basis: Go to school, when lunch starts, go to the computer rooms. Sit quietly, plug in headphones, eat lunch, play FFR. People look over and are like "No way." Time passes. The people then keep watching you, but do not ask about the game still. They get the idea that they can play the game because watching you makes it look so easy. And then, you have converted someone to FFR without saying a single word!
Congrats. (This is a slow process)

[justin_ator]

I've also tried pretty hard to get Velo to work on a -running- Facebook embedded preview app that would only have a few songs from each difficulty, to get people interested. We need to get darkshark to whip up a kickass advertising commercial sequence ;P

Edit: (meant to elaborate more on FB app)
He admitted to me that he didn't have a whole lot of knowledge about how facebook runs their apps, nor how to go about getting one up in that manner on FB.

[DossarLX ODI]

I think I could set up an FFR application on facebook with a few songs from each difficulty, and it would be the legacy engine. I've seen someone put an .swf of FFR into an app before, but it was lightdarkness's engine.