Roblox is pushing my game out to a nonpreferred audience, no matter what i do

Help and Feedback Game Design Support
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#1

Game → Flamethrower Engine! [Early Access] - Roblox

The main thing I’m very confused about is how roblox recommends games to users. I supposed that since my game has a path of such like:

  • opening varying and special crates
  • burning and defuse details to fires
  • game loop and onboarding
  • small story and a casual map style to the map (unlike other destruction games where neon colors and micro transactions for unneeded functions are flashbanging your face from the UI and map)

all of this, and I thought Roblox would recommend it to a mixed teenage/tween/children demographic.

The problem is that I get the opposite of what I preferred. (85% of the players who play my game are under the age of <9 most likely).

I highly doubt people over the age of 18+ would play my game since ive observed the players in my game and they run around like they have just been born.

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I dont want to make it seem like I’m ungrateful for what I have, this is my dream, I am estatic i got any type of playerbase for my game. The problem is that the updates and features I push out will be used by pratically none since the demographic for my game only plays around with the “burn structures” mechanic with the default weapons they are given, and perhaps 30% go and buy more than one weapon, thus making my work usually useless.

I then check more basic showcase playground games where there are little to no progression loops or gameplay embedded into the game (💥CITY DESTRUCTION💥 - Roblox for example), and their games get a distinguishablly more varying playerbase based off the servers, and playercount.

The game I linked isnt bad or hated upon by me, the flaws for the game i just mentioned are that there are little to no optimizations for physics and rendering (aka no streaming enabled), absolutely no onboarding, and no gameplay loops other than playing in a playground. I dont hate these games, but i only question how they get more players than my game, which is replayable and encourages progression.

I suppose my title can be a reason, since the title being about a “flamethrower engine” can convince some that its a simple quick game to play once and leave, like any other destruction games I listed, but I dont know.

Would it be better if i proceeded to add the updates in question, then wait for the roblox algorithm to decide my game can be enjoyed upon by older users?

Any tips would be highly appreciated. Thanks.

#2

Reasons the algorithm is pushing your games to younger people might be cause:

  • The Description has lots of emojis, which are primarily used when trying to get a younger audience
  • The use of a Tag section. Not sure if the algorithm is that smart, but most games for younger audiences usually have a tag section, so that could be it.

Those are just some things I picked up from the description, Im not sure if badge images could effect it, but they look like they would be in kids games instead of for more mature audiences.

Hope this helps somewhat

1 Like
#3

Many games use emojis in their descriptions if they want to convey a subtle visual cue to what the line reads. I get what you mean but pratically all games use emojis.

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#4

Yes that is in fact true, but most games that I’ve seen that are targeted to older audiences usually do not use emojis

#5

It may just be simple things that you are overlooking. I’m definitely 18+ and this is what I see:

The title ‘Flamethrower Engine’ is a bit confusing. I know it describes the game pretty well, but it has no real ‘grab your attention’ kind of feeling.

Also, your game description doesn’t describe the different aspects you’ve mentioned above. Basically it just says ‘burn stuff’.

The first image I see when I click on your link is a VERY basic (a simplistic cartoon screenshot) of the game. The other images and videos are much better, but if I was just clicking around and saw that first image I’d probably just pass it by before even seeing the next image. Younger kids might see it and be more prone to play though.

#6

I need to have those thumbnails up or Roblox completely stops recommending my game to anyone at all. I know, it’s confusing and aggravating.

I tried to go for what most games do (like rivals and other ranged games do) and have a view model display holding a important weapon in front of some other scenery.

#7

My suggestion is to change the order of your actual game page images.
The first impression is the one that people see and get an idea of what the game is about.