BREAKING NEWS: EX-TROIKA CRPG IN MAKING

[Judge Hades]

I use movie going as a filter on which DVDs to buy later. I rather stay at home and watch a movie on my computer then go tot he theatre. I spend my $4 to see if the movie is worth buying when it is released on DVD. Sometimes it is. Sometimes it is not.

[J.E. Sawyer]

In case anyone missed McCarthy's description of what you're paying for at the retail level, a good $6-12 of what you're buying isn't the game. You're buying retailer profit and absobing cost of goods and distribution fees.

 

I find it hilarious that people think this is a good value.

 

Furthermore, retailers set stifling standards about what they will and will not carry. For example, Wal-Mart will not carry M-rated titles because they are a family-oriented company. Whoops, I mean unless it sells really well. In turn, this prevents publishers from wanting to support M-rated titles. When publishers don't want to support M-rated titles, they won't pay developers to make M-rated titles. Or Western titles. Or whatever titles retailers are nervous about because of market studies and what the a gypsy in the form of a dolphin told them in a dream two nights ago after a bad acid trip.

 

Online distribution methods like Steam should allow companies to circumvent a lot of these problems, and ultimately that's what Mike was getting at.

[Judge Hades]

I do not doubt its good aspects, J.E., but I just rather go tot he store and pick up a game and have tangible physical copy, and a receipt than use DD like Steam.

[Llyranor]

And then you complain when the games you want don't get made.

[Judge Hades]

And your point?

 

When I buy a game I expect it to come in a box, have a user manual, and on a disc.

Edited May 9, 2006 by Judge Hades

[Llyranor]

The gamer loses.

[Judge Hades]

And if the hard drivei s wiped and the distribution server goes down or no longer in service?

[Dark_Raven]

And if the hard drivei s wiped and the distribution server goes down or no longer in service?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Looks like you would lose.

[Judge Hades]

Exactly. I will not nor trust others to kieep their systems up and running so I can redownload something I already paid for. If I am going to spend money on a game I will have a tangible product in my hands.

[J.E. Sawyer]

Looks like you would lose.

If only there were some form of high-storage capacity portable optical disc media upon which one could write data.

[Fenghuang]

I could really use one of those!

[Tigranes]

Sawyer wins.

 

Hades / Volourn - I'm not criticising your purchasing preferences at all here, but the majority of gamers and potential gamers have the same expectations as Hades seems to have - that games, or "real" games, or "worthwhile" products (not "pieces of junk") come in physical copies with a box and a manual (even if 90% of all manuals in the last 3 years have been completely useless and boring.) This is stifling the development of direct download and other alternatives to the traditional publisher for obvious reasons.

 

'course, you don't mind, do you? You wouldn't buy those anyway.

[Volourn]

What's the question again? Not real clear on it...

 

 

"I'm not criticising your purchasing preferences at all here"

 

Sure you are. Nothing wrong with criticism; but don't pretend you aren't.

 

As for publishers, unlike most hardcore gamerz, I don't the publisher as evil or enemies of the people.

 

I have no obligation to 'help' develoeprs nor do they owe me anything. If I see something I want to buy, I'll buy it in the format I choose. It's why I didn't bother with the NWN PM depsite me being a 'fanboy' until the In Store Expansion came out. It's also why I haven't played the Pirates one either.

 

If it's not in the store, and I don't know you, you aren't seeing my money. It's that simple.

 

My attitude might change in the future; but I'd need prove it's worth it.

Edited May 9, 2006 by Volourn

[Gromnir]

lord knows that Gromnir has been anxiously awaiting the dd age for games. small developers just don't have the resources to print and distribute copies of their games w/o the aid o' a publisher. give small developers a chance to cut publisher out of the equation? how could that be bad? yeah, there is gonna be lots more crap available, but we is also finally gonna see what happens when developers is able to take risks... and to makes games the way they thinks games should be made.

 

*shrug*

 

dd has the potential to change everything 'bout the gaming industry.

 

that being said, does anybody know how long it takes to dl a modern game with a typical dsl connection? is probably quite a wait. am not sure how economical it is for Gromnir to go back to cable simply for dl of games

[Tigranes]

I don't criticise, as in I don't think it's "wrong" per say: I am simply saying one of its effects will be to slow down the development of direct download. I would prefer it, but I'm not saying taht is the universally right way to go.

 

Again, you have no obligation to help developers. That is why I am not telling you to change what you do, etc.

 

I think the only point where I might suggest anything to you is this - your primary interest, for YOU, is buying games that you will like, correct? How do you assume that all or even most games you will like will be offered retail? Aren't you putting your own gamign experience at a lower priority?

[Volourn]

"How do you assume that all or even most games you will like will be offered retail? Aren't you putting your own gamign experience at a lower priority?"

 

Unlike some, I'm not at the stage where I assume all highly marketed games are crap or have become 'lower quality' than old ones. In fact, I'm a firm believer that quality in almost all aspects of gaming has only improved as time goes by.

 

With games like NWN2, DA, Madden, and a host of other in store available games being developer by 1st class development studios, I got no complaints. I also doubt DD games are even better and their production values are likely far, far less. I have yet to see anything that remotely disproves that.

Edited May 9, 2006 by Volourn

[Tigranes]

But how many of them have you tried?

[Gromnir]

forgive us for being blunt, but we suspect that many of the folks 'gainst download games is simply the deadbeats that can't get no credit card necessary to be purchasing games on-line.

 

ok, go back to your bickering.

 

HA! Good Fun!

[Volourn]

"But how many of them have you tried?"

 

Counting demos? Quite a few. Most notebably, the ones by the Avernum dudes.

 

 

"forgive us for being blunt, but we suspect that many of the folks 'gainst download games is simply the deadbeats that can't get no credit card necessary to be purchasing games on-line."

 

Aye, that must be it.

Edited May 9, 2006 by Volourn

[Dhruin]

With games like NWN2, DA, Madden, and a host of other in store available games being developer by 1st class development studios, I got no complaints. I also doubt DD games are even better and their production values are likely far, far less. I have yet to see anything that remotely disproves that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Then this game isn't for you, right? The whole point is this is a niche that won't support retail. You're happy with retail games, so you aren't part of the target audience in the first place -- you saying you won't buy it online is like me saying I won't buy Madden online -- utterly irrelevant because I was never going to buy it in any case.

[Volourn]

"Then this game isn't for you, right? The whole point is this is a niche that won't support retail. You're happy with retail games, so you aren't part of the target audience in the first place -- you saying you won't buy it online is like me saying I won't buy Madden online -- utterly irrelevant because I was never going to buy it in any case."

 

Nope. Not the same. Go back to page 1. I stated quite clearly I thought this game had potential. If it was coming out in stores, it would be a very possible buy.Look, if Madden was offered through DD only, I simply would not buy it.

 

DD is evil. Plain, and simple.

Edited May 9, 2006 by Volourn

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

I would treat Direct Download like I do rental.

 

It's fine for checking stuff out. But if I want my own copy I want it in a physical form.

[Darque]

I can see why direct downloads would benefit developers... but I still want my games on CD (or DVD)

 

What would be nice is if they allowed you to download it as a single extractable file and then include a registration key of some kind to prevent piracy.

 

That way I could back the file up, and still be happy with a hard copy just in case something goes wrong.

[Dhruin]

Nope. Not the same. Go back to page 1. I stated quite clearly I thought this game had potential.  If it was coming out in stores, it would be  a very possible buy.Look, if Madden was offered  through DD only, I simply would not buy it.

 

DD is evil. Plain, and simple.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Evil? *g* OK, perhaps you see some potential but you are still happy with what retail is providing you, thus no interest in looking at other alternatives.

 

Laid Back made it pretty clear that the game just wouldn't exist without a viable DD system. Retail release = no game. They are targeting a niche - and you aren't in it.

[Dagon]

very good idea, i don't think that so many people will be interested in this type of game, you know only the chosen ones are . But Steam is rather strange choice i would prefer to download this game from website or whatever, I don't play FPS so i don't have HL 2 this means i don't have steam as well. so how can i get it?