Worried

[gcmartijnParticipant]

@mark

I started with gamemaker 1 years ago, but that was for children
Then I found BlitzBasic and ‘learned’ how to create games.
But i’m not a artist (like many users) and never finished a game.

After that, Monkey 1 gives some new power, but again (i’m not a graphic designer) and never finished a game.
But I din’t care about that, because it was fun to create some game concepts.

Then Monkey 2 same story, but this time it was giving me hope.
I had the feeling that you where creating a new language that was solid as a rock, and not just for games.
Like a new Python or Haxe, and yes it was but you did not understand the marketing power.

Many good products are failed because poor marketing.

Some important mistakes. Maybe i’m wrong but this is my feeling.
– To place it under a subdomain (and now by using a .co.nz domain)
– To use a ‘static’ dark webdesign
– Users have a feeling that you don’t make some decisions (a solid roadmap) (there was one in the first year)
– The name, its fun but good

But there is hope (or something you can test) !
Stop now with programming, and invest that time in:

Step 1
– find a new short easy name, that is available as a .com domain OR .io domain
– create a fresh (white) website, look at other sites that are successful https://nodejs.org
– at the frontpage don’t add your blog items, but highlight why people need to use ‘new name’
– say that its faster (maybe do some benchmarks !)

If you can’t do Step 1, then it don’t get new users

Step 2
Again stop with investing in ‘new name’, and invest that time in:
– create some demo game examples (and post that on steam/ios/android)
(maybe you earn some money, but you can show it on the new site)

Step 3
Check your stats, do you get more hits on your new website ?
Yes > than you are on the right path
No > add your website to site’s, make a plan about that. maybe adwords for 0.05 $

Step 4
Earn money (you can try that with step 2), but if you get more hits (more users).
– Try to make a ‘new name’ Pro version.
This comes with some cool features and cost $ 50,- a year
– Add a button on the site ‘Pro support’ , $ 50,- for one hour (you)

What I’m saying is this:
You made good products, and many people like them (I do), but you can’t ‘sale’ them.
New users look at 3 things:
1) Is this new language I need to learn fast and solid ? (benchmark, say it)
2) Is it easy to learn? (documentation)
3) Does it support win/mac/linux/ios/android (maybe I don’t need it all now, but maybe later)

All those things are not oke for new users that visit this .co.nz site now.

I hope, that you can and will do this, so after that you can invest in ‘new name’ again.

So the keywords are:
Fresh start, new name, clean better site and domain, marketing, marketing, marketing, roadmap, statement.
I will say make a combination with new year 2019 !

[DiffrenzyKeymaster]

Stop with the name already.

I teach at master level at aau.dk, and have absolutly no problem using monkey.

The name is not an issue.

[VoidwalkerParticipant]

I agree 100% gcmartijn.

Diffrency, maybe not in Denmark but here in Germany nobody takes it serious because of that and the points gcmartijn mentioned.

 

But anyway, I’m long enough with BRL to know that nothing will change.

[skn3Participant]

Just quickly popped in to say:
Noooooooooooooooooooooo!

Monkey2 is such a nice language! It’s literally the perfect combination of cross platform and clean!

I don’t get to monkey a lot at the minute as well my “day job” (and late night job) are currently consuming my hours to the extreme!

I always have monkey2 in the back of my mind though.

My only suggestion would be maybe get in a touch with an experienced community manager/marketing person. Maybe even a publisher (again)? All monkey needs is some eyeballs on it and things could improve! Obviously that all costs money, but maybe you can find someone who is willing to take a cut of future profit? Who knows, but it really would be good to get some professional eyes on the “business” side of things.

[EdzUpParticipant]

Marketing is definitely a good idea even getting back into the published stuff as skn3 says will get it on sites.

Maybe offering it to educational establishments would also be a good idea.

Before all that though the docs need sorting with examples.

[HezkoreParticipant]

Well Mark, you already know what I think heh.
But I’d like to say this…

When does a problem become a problem?
Is it only a problem if it stops something from bringing in money?

A lot of people have commented negatively about the webpage and the name ‘Monkey’
If the community isn’t happy with something, I’d consider that a problem in its self.

Now, I don’t know if the webpage or the name ‘Monkey’ actually does affects the “sales” of the language.
But I would argue that it is a problem… of some sort.
If people aren’t happy with it, and if people are ashamed of recommending it purely on its name, then it sure sounds like a problem to me.

 

Anyways…
I think what Monkey 2 really needs is a lot more exposure.
The only place it’s been really talked about are the old Blitz pages (which are all down now)
How would someone even find Monkey 2?
And if people don’t want to recommend the language because of its name, things get even harder.

The language itself is just fine imo.
And most people I’ve talked to at the #monkey2 IRC chat room actually enjoy the language.
They just had a hard time finding the language and information they need heh.
And even though I’m in the chat and help them out, I can’t be the only person giving people the information they need.
It’s what the webpage should be for.

This post is a very good example of all of this!

So yeah, exposure!

[Mark SiblyKeymaster]

Ok, after a lot of positive feedback, I have decided to definitely keep working on monkey and to leave the patreon open.

My main concern was that people had tried it, decided they didn’t likely to had stopped using it – it just went really quiet for a while there. All I really care about is that people find it useful and are actually doing things with it!

I will not be changing the website right now. I know it sucks, but its honestly the best I can do without splashing out on something professsional, or rewriting another site from scratch which I will NOT be doing. I would definitely like a nicer site, but realistically it will cost money that I just don’t have.

I think skn3 has the right idea. I should team up with someone who actually gives a shit about all this marketing BS. I have actually had an offer to help with the website etc recently which I may eventually take up. But in the meantime, it will be business as usual as my priority right now is finding gainful employment in the real world.

And I will NOT be changing the name. If you don’t like the name, please kindly shut the f#*k up about it or f#*k off! Sorry, but I really can’t put it any nicer than that. If I WERE to change the name, it certainly wouldn’t be because a bunch of random users nagged me to death over it.

Locking this now, I think everyone’s said their bit.

[Author]

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