# 🎨 AeThex Branding & Marketing Strategy

**Last Updated:** February 24, 2026  
**Status:** CRITICAL - Needs Immediate Attention

---

## 🚨 CURRENT STATE: BRANDING GAP

### What's Missing (Critical)
- ❌ **No logo** - Using default Godot Android icon
- ❌ **No color palette** - No defined brand colors
- ❌ **No visual identity** - No consistent branding
- ❌ **No marketing website** - README is the only "landing page"
- ❌ **No social media presence** - No Twitter, Discord, etc.
- ❌ **No product screenshots** - Nothing to show off
- ❌ **No demo video** - Can't explain visually
- ❌ **No press kit** - Nothing ready for journalists

### What We Have (Good)
- ✅ **Strong differentiation** - Clear value proposition
- ✅ **Unique features** - Cloud services + AI
- ✅ **Good name** - "AeThex" sounds modern and unique
- ✅ **Glassmorphism UI** - Modern design system implemented
- ✅ **Clear messaging** - "Cloud-native game engine"

---

## 🎨 BRAND IDENTITY (Build This First)

### 1. Logo Design (PRIORITY 1)

#### Logo Concept Options

**Option A: Hexagon Cloud**
```
    /\
   /  \     AeThex
  /☁️  \    The Cloud-Native Game Engine
 /______\
```
- Hexagon represents structure (game engine)
- Cloud represents cloud services
- Modern, geometric, tech-forward

**Option B: AE Monogram**
```
 ████╗ ███████╗
██╔══██╗██╔════╝  AeThex
███████║█████╗    
██╔══██║██╔══╝    
██║  ██║███████╗
╚═╝  ╚═╝╚══════╝
```
- Clean, professional
- Easy to recognize at small sizes
- Works in monochrome

**Option C: Infinity Engine**
```
  ∞ }    AeThex
     }   Infinite Possibilities
```
- Infinity symbol = limitless cloud
- Curly brace = code
- Simple, memorable

#### Quick Win: Use Figma/Canva Today
1. Create simple geometric logo
2. Choose 2-3 brand colors
3. Generate variations (light/dark)
4. Export as SVG, PNG (multiple sizes)

### 2. Color Palette

#### Primary Colors (Recommend)
```css
/* Option 1: Cyber Blue */
--primary: #00D9FF;      /* Electric Blue */
--primary-dark: #0099CC; /* Deep Cyan */
--accent: #FF00FF;       /* Neon Magenta */
--background: #0A0E27;   /* Deep Space */
--text: #FFFFFF;         /* Pure White */

/* Option 2: Cloud Purple */
--primary: #8B5CF6;      /* Vibrant Purple */
--primary-dark: #6D28D9; /* Deep Purple */
--accent: #06B6D4;       /* Cyan */
--background: #1E1B4B;   /* Dark Purple */
--text: #F9FAFB;         /* Off White */

/* Option 3: Aurora Gradient */
--primary: linear-gradient(135deg, #667eea 0%, #764ba2 100%);
--accent: #FCD34D;       /* Gold */
--background: #111827;   /* Dark Gray */
```

**Recommendation:** Option 2 (Cloud Purple)
- Purple = creativity, innovation
- Cyan accent = cloud, technology
- Different from Godot's blue
- Different from Unity's black
- Different from Unreal's blue

#### Glassmorphism Variables (Already Have)
```css
/* Update these in design-system.css */
--glass-bg: rgba(139, 92, 246, 0.1);
--glass-border: rgba(139, 92, 246, 0.2);
--glass-blur: 10px;
```

### 3. Typography

**Headings:** Inter (modern, clean, professional)  
**Body:** Inter (consistency)  
**Code:** JetBrains Mono or Fira Code  
**Logo:** Exo 2 or Orbitron (futuristic)

```css
@import url('https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Inter:wght@400;500;600;700&family=Orbitron:wght@700;900&display=swap');

--font-display: 'Orbitron', sans-serif;
--font-body: 'Inter', sans-serif;
--font-mono: 'JetBrains Mono', monospace;
```

### 4. Visual Style

**Keywords:** Modern, Clean, Professional, Futuristic, Powerful

**Design Principles:**
- Glassmorphism UI (already implemented ✅)
- Dark mode first
- Generous white space
- Bold typography
- Smooth animations
- Gradient accents

**Avoid:**
- Cartoonish icons
- Cluttered interfaces
- Over-designed elements
- Childish colors

---

## 🌐 MARKETING ASSETS (Build This Week)

### 1. Landing Page (aethex.dev)

#### Hero Section
```html
Headline: The Cloud-Native Game Engine
Subheadline: Multiplayer in 3 lines. Cloud saves automatic. AI that codes with you.
CTA: [Try Free] [View Demo] [Documentation]

Visual: Animated code editor showing:
  AeThexCloud.matchmaking.find_match(2, 4)
  → Instant multiplayer connection
```

#### Feature Grid
```
[Cloud Icon]          [AI Icon]           [Rocket Icon]
Zero-Config Cloud     AI Pair Programming  One-Click Deploy
```

#### Comparison Table
```
| Feature      | Godot | Unity | AeThex |
|--------------|-------|-------|--------|
| Multiplayer  | DIY   | $$$   | ✅ FREE |
| Cloud Saves  | DIY   | $$$   | ✅ FREE |
| AI Assistant | ❌     | ❌     | ✅ FREE |
```

#### Quick Win: Use Vercel Template
1. Fork a modern SaaS template
2. Customize colors/content
3. Deploy to aethex.dev in 1 hour

### 2. Demo Video (5 minutes)

#### Script
```
0:00 - Hook: "What if building online games was this easy?"
0:15 - Show: Code example (3 lines = multiplayer)
0:45 - Show: Creating a game with AI assistant
1:30 - Show: Cloud saves working across devices
2:00 - Show: Publishing to web in 60 seconds
2:30 - Show: Analytics dashboard
3:00 - Compare: vs Unity/Godot (time/cost)
4:00 - Show: UI walkthrough
4:30 - CTA: "Try AeThex Free"
```

#### Tools to Use:
- OBS Studio (record screen)
- DaVinci Resolve (edit)
- Cloudinary (host)
- YouTube (publish)

**Target:** Record TODAY, publish by Friday

### 3. Screenshots (High Priority)

#### Must-Have Screenshots
1. **Unified Studio** - Full IDE view
2. **3D Viewport** - Game running
3. **Code Editor** - With AI suggestions
4. **Cloud Dashboard** - Analytics/stats
5. **Asset Browser** - File management
6. **Scene Tree** - Node hierarchy  
7. **One-Line Multiplayer** - Code comparison
8. **Publishing Flow** - One-click deploy

**Quick Win:**
```bash
# Take screenshots NOW
# Full screen, 1920x1080
# Save to /marketing/screenshots/
```

### 4. Social Media Graphics

#### Templates Needed
```
Twitter Banner:  1500x500px
Twitter Post:    1200x675px
Discord Icon:    512x512px
Discord Banner:  960x540px
GitHub Social:   1280x640px
Product Hunt:    1270x760px
```

#### Content Ideas
- Feature announcements
- Code comparisons (Godot vs AeThex)
- Developer testimonials
- Progress updates
- Tips & tricks

**Quick Win:** Use Canva templates

---

## 📱 SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY

### 1. Twitter/X (@AeThexEngine)

#### Content Pillars
- **Educational** (40%): Tips, tutorials, how-tos
- **Product** (30%): Features, updates, releases
- **Community** (20%): User showcases, retweets
- **Fun** (10%): Memes, behind-the-scenes

#### Sample Posts
```
🚀 Tired of spending weeks setting up multiplayer?

With AeThex, it's literally 3 lines:

AeThexCloud.matchmaking.find_match(2, 4)
await AeThexCloud.matchmaking.match_found

That's it. No servers. No NAT traversal. Just works.

[Try Free] → aethex.dev
```

```
💡 Unity charges per install.
🤔 Unreal takes 5% revenue.
✨ AeThex costs $0. Forever.

Plus:
✅ Cloud services built-in
✅ AI coding assistant
✅ One-click publishing

MIT licensed. Truly free.

[Learn more] → aethex.dev
```

#### Posting Schedule
- Monday: Feature highlight
- Wednesday: Tutorial/tip
- Friday: Community showcase
- Daily: Engage with gamedev community

### 2. Discord Server

#### Channels Structure
```
📢 ANNOUNCEMENTS
├── #announcements
├── #updates
└── #releases

💬 COMMUNITY
├── #general
├── #showcase
├── #help
└── #feedback

🛠️ DEVELOPMENT
├── #gdscript
├── #ai-assistant
├── #cloud-services
└── #bug-reports

🎮 PROJECTS
├── #wip-games
├── #released-games
└── #game-jams
```

#### Launch Strategy
1. Create server this week
2. Invite 10 alpha testers
3. Get feedback
4. Public launch with 50+ members

### 3. YouTube Channel

#### Video Series
1. **Getting Started** (5 videos)
   - Installation
   - First project
   - Using AI assistant
   - Cloud features
   - Publishing

2. **Feature Deep Dives** (ongoing)
   - Multiplayer explained
   - Cloud saves
   - Analytics
   - AI features

3. **Build With Me** (weekly)
   - Live coding sessions
   - Game development
   - Community projects

4. **Comparisons** (important)
   - AeThex vs Godot
   - AeThex vs Unity
   - Migration guides

### 4. Reddit Strategy

#### Subreddits to Target
- r/gamedev (850k members)
- r/godot (100k members)
- r/Unity3D (240k members)
- r/indiegames (200k members)
- r/programming (6M members)

#### Content Strategy
- Share genuinely helpful content
- Don't spam
- Participate in discussions
- Answer questions
- Show, don't tell

#### Sample Post
```
Title: "I built a game engine with free cloud services"

Body:
Hey r/gamedev! After getting burned by Unity's pricing changes,
I forked Godot and added something I always wanted: built-in
cloud services.

Now multiplayer is literally 3 lines of code. Cloud saves are
automatic. Analytics are free.

Still MIT licensed. Still $0. Just easier to use.

[Demo video] [GitHub]

Happy to answer questions!
```

---

## 📰 PR & OUTREACH

### 1. Press Kit

#### Contents
```
press-kit/
├── logo/
│   ├── logo.svg
│   ├── logo.png (various sizes)
│   ├── logo-light.svg
│   └── logo-dark.svg
├── screenshots/
│   ├── unified-studio.png
│   ├── viewport-3d.png
│   ├── ai-assistant.png
│   └── cloud-dashboard.png
├── brand-guidelines.pdf
├── fact-sheet.pdf
└── press-release.txt
```

#### Fact Sheet Template
```
AeThex Engine - Fact Sheet

What: Cloud-native game engine with built-in multiplayer
When: Public Beta - March 2026
Who: Open source, MIT licensed
Why: Make online game development 100x easier

Key Features:
• Zero-config multiplayer (3 lines of code)
• Automatic cloud saves
• AI coding assistant
• One-click web publishing
• $0 forever (no runtime fees)

Based on: Godot Engine (proven, 15 years of development)
Added: Cloud services, AI features, modern UI

Contact: hello@aethex.dev
Website: aethex.dev
GitHub: github.com/AeThex-LABS
```

### 2. Media Outlets to Target

#### Tier 1 (High Impact)
- TechCrunch
- The Verge
- Ars Technica
- Hacker News (Show HN)

#### Tier 2 (Gaming Focus)
- Gamasutra
- GameDeveloper.com
- IndieDB
- itch.io blog

#### Tier 3 (Dev Focus)
- Dev.to
- freeCodeCamp
- CSS-Tricks (for web games)
- Smashing Magazine

#### Outreach Email Template
```
Subject: AeThex: The first game engine with free cloud services

Hi [Name],

I'm reaching out because [publication] has covered [similar topic].

I've built AeThex - a game engine with cloud services built-in.
Developers can now add multiplayer in 3 lines of code, with no
backend setup needed.

It's MIT licensed (truly free), based on Godot, and solves a
real pain point: setting up multiplayer takes weeks, we make
it instant.

Early traction:
• 100+ GitHub stars in first week
• Featured on r/gamedev
• Used by 50+ developers

Would you be interested in covering the launch? I can provide:
• Exclusive demo
• Interview access
• Early access for readers

Thanks,
[Your name]
```

### 3. Launch Strategy (Product Hunt)

#### Pre-Launch (2 weeks before)
- Build email list (100+ signups)
- Prepare assets (logo, screenshots, video)
- Write compelling description
- Line up supporters

#### Launch Day
- Post at 12:01 AM PST
- Notify email list immediately
- Tweet from personal accounts
- Post in Discord/communities
- Reply to every comment
- Update with new features

#### Post-Launch
- Thank supporters
- Share results
- Capture momentum
- Keep building

---

## 🎯 MESSAGING FRAMEWORK

### Value Propositions

#### For Solo Developers
"Focus on your game, not backend infrastructure."

**Pain:** Setting up servers, databases, authentication  
**Solution:** Everything built-in, free, zero config

#### For Indie Teams
"Professional tools at indie prices. Actually, free."

**Pain:** Can't afford Unity/Unreal costs  
**Solution:** MIT licensed, no fees, no limits

#### For Godot Users
"The Godot you love, with superpowers."

**Pain:** Love Godot but need cloud features  
**Solution:** Same engine + cloud + AI

#### For Unity Refugees
"No runtime fees. No install fees. Just games."

**Pain:** Sick of pricing changes  
**Solution:** MIT licensed forever, truly free

### Elevator Pitches

**10 seconds:**
"Game engine with cloud services built-in. Multiplayer in 3 lines."

**30 seconds:**
"AeThex is the only game engine with cloud services built-in. Add multiplayer, cloud saves, and analytics with one line of code. It's Godot plus cloud plus AI, all free forever."

**60 seconds:**
"Have you spent weeks setting up multiplayer? We did too. That's why we built AeThex - a game engine where multiplayer is 3 lines of code. Same with cloud saves, analytics, everything. It's based on Godot (proven engine, 15 years), but we added cloud services and AI. MIT licensed, $0 forever, no runtime fees. We're basically Godot with superpowers."

---

## 📊 METRICS & KPIs

### Brand Awareness
- Website visits: Target 1,000/month by Month 3
- Twitter followers: Target 500 by Month 3
- Discord members: Target 200 by Month 3
- YouTube subscribers: Target 100 by Month 3

### Engagement
- GitHub stars: Target 500 by Month 3
- Discord daily active: Target 50 by Month 3
- Video views: Target 5,000 by Month 3
- Blog/docs visits: Target 2,000/month by Month 3

### Conversion
- Engine downloads: Target 1,000 by Month 3
- Cloud service signups: Target 100 by Month 3
- Active projects: Target 50 by Month 3
- Published games: Target 10 by Month 3

---

## ✅ ACTION ITEMS (THIS WEEK)

### Monday-Tuesday: Visual Identity
- [ ] Design logo (Figma/Canva)
- [ ] Choose color palette
- [ ] Update CSS variables
- [ ] Replace Android icon with AeThex logo
- [ ] Create favicon

### Wednesday-Thursday: Marketing Assets
- [ ] Take 8 key screenshots
- [ ] Record 5-minute demo video
- [ ] Write landing page copy
- [ ] Design social media templates

### Friday: Launch Groundwork
- [ ] Set up Twitter account
- [ ] Create Discord server
- [ ] Buy aethex.dev domain
- [ ] Deploy landing page
- [ ] Write press release

### Next Week: Go Live
- [ ] Announce on r/gamedev
- [ ] Post demo video on YouTube
- [ ] Share on Twitter
- [ ] Invite alpha testers to Discord
- [ ] Email tech journalists

---

## 🎨 BRAND GUIDELINES (Draft)

### Mission Statement
"Make online game development accessible to everyone by eliminating backend complexity."

### Brand Voice
- **Professional** but not corporate
- **Friendly** but not childish
- **Technical** but not jargon-heavy
- **Confident** but not arrogant

### Do's
✅ Show real code examples  
✅ Compare honestly with competition  
✅ Highlight free/open source nature  
✅ Use technical terms correctly  
✅ Be transparent about limitations

### Don'ts
❌ Overpromise features  
❌ Badmouth other engines  
❌ Use marketing fluff  
❌ Ignore user feedback  
❌ Hide behind corporate speak

---

## 💰 BUDGET (Bootstrap)

### Free Tools (Use First)
- Figma/Canva: Logo design
- OBS Studio: Screen recording
- DaVinci Resolve: Video editing
- Vercel: Website hosting
- Twitter/Discord: Free
- Mailchimp: Free tier (2,000 contacts)

### Paid (When Revenue Allows)
- Domain: $12/year (aethex.dev)
- Logo designer: $50-200 (Fiverr)
- Social media ads: $100/month (optional)
- Email service: $15/month (after free tier)
- Video editor: $50 (one-time, optional)

**Total: $12-500 depending on DIY vs outsourcing**

---

## 🚀 LAUNCH TIMELINE

### Week 1 (NOW): Foundation
- Create logo
- Define colors
- Take screenshots
- Set up social media

### Week 2: Content Creation
- Record demo video
- Write docs
- Create tutorials
- Build landing page

### Week 3: Soft Launch
- Alpha testers only
- Get feedback
- Fix critical bugs
- Polish messaging

### Week 4: Public Launch
- Product Hunt
- Reddit r/gamedev
- Twitter announcement
- Press outreach
- HackerNews Show HN

---

## 🎯 SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE...

### Month 1
- 1,000 website visitors
- 100 Discord members
- 50 active developers
- 10 games in development

### Month 3
- 10,000 website visitors
- 500 Discord members
- 200 active developers
- 25 published games
- First press mention

### Month 6
- 50,000 website visitors
- 2,000 Discord members
- 1,000 active developers
- 100 published games
- Featured on TechCrunch/Verge

---

## 🔥 QUICK WINS (TODAY)

1. **Create a simple logo** (1 hour)
   - Open Canva
   - Use "AE" monogram
   - Add tagline below
   - Export PNG/SVG

2. **Choose brand colors** (15 min)
   - Pick purple gradient
   - Update CSS variables
   - Test in Studio

3. **Take 5 screenshots** (30 min)
   - Unified Studio full view
   - Code with AI
   - 3D viewport
   - Cloud dashboard
   - Publishing flow

4. **Record 2-min demo** (1 hour)
   - Show multiplayer example
   - Show cloud saves
   - Show AI assistant
   - Upload to YouTube unlisted

5. **Write landing page copy** (1 hour)
   - Hero headline
   - 3 key features
   - Call to action
   - Save to markdown

**Total time: 4 hours to have basic branding done**

---

*Branding isn't just "looking pretty" - it's how you communicate value. Let's make AeThex look as good as it works.* 🎨
