A playable sample.
WHAT A DEMO IS FOR
Convincing people to buy, and proving the game exists.
WHAT IT SHOULD CONTAIN
The core loop, at its best Enough to be satisfying A clear stopping point
WHAT IT SHOULD NOT CONTAIN
The whole first hour, if that hour is slow Incomplete systems Placeholder content
WHY THAT LAST POINT
Players judge the demo as the game.
WHAT TO PLACE FIRST
Something distinctive, within the first minutes.
WHY
Most players stop within minutes, and the distinctive thing must arrive before they do.
WHAT LENGTH WORKS
Long enough to demonstrate, short enough to finish.
WHAT TO END WITH
A clear indication of what comes next, and where to find it.
WHAT TO INSTRUMENT
Where players stop Completion rate Time played
WHY
It is the best data you will get before release.
WHAT TO TEST EXHAUSTIVELY
The demo, since it is many players' only experience of your work.
WHAT TO AVOID
Releasing a demo before it represents the finished quality.
WHY
First impressions are not revisited.
