Any plans for a Demo?

[Morgoth]

I know that Obsidian isn't exactly a demo company and that doing RPG demos is often difficult due to it's ramifications and spoilers, but I still wonder if Obsidian has nonetheless plans to release a playable demo of AP?

[pcrk2]

I hope not.

They should take the time to complete and make the game better and better not to release a demo just because we want to play it as soon as possible.

If the game isn't completed till the release date I would want them to push it back rather than having a buggy experience.

[Morgoth]

Yeah I know. But it's a new IP so people certainly wann check it out before buying. I know I do, but others aren't so familiar of Obsidians work. A demo could help there.

[Pop]

They say the era of the demo is over, but hell, games like Left 4 Dead, Bioshock, and Too Human all rode well-crafted demos to massive success. Too Human was getting a lot of bad buzz beforehand, too. I was sure it was going to bomb. But the demo was enough.

 

I think it's something to consider.

Edited November 19, 2008 by Pop

[Cl_Flushentityhero]

Heh, I thought Too Human *did* bomb. I liked it though.

[Pop]

I don't have sales figures, but according to Microsoft 900,000 people downloaded the demo (again, after lots of drubbing from the game press) If a fraction of those people bought the game it would've been at least a modest success. And that's not counting people who bought it without the demo.

 

It's a timesink for the developers, but if you do it right it's the best kind of exposure that will make consumers remember the game come release.

[Deadly_Nightshade]

They say the era of the demo is over, but hell, games like Left 4 Dead, Bioshock, and Too Human all rode well-crafted demos to massive success.

 

Considering the amount of pre-orders that happened before the demo shipped I doubt that Left 4 Dead would have bombed without it. Still, it most likely helped sell more than a couple of copies.

[Humodour]

Demo sounds like a pretty good idea.

 

Demos seem like the only thing that make me want to buy games these days.

[Cl_Flushentityhero]

Oh yeah, and on-topic, I'm not sure if a demo would showcase the (hopefully) innovative parts of AP, specifically long-term consequences and dialogue options that matter rather than simply being right/wrong choices. My suspicion is that a demo might make people think it's just another cover shooter (and possibly a subpar one) with a few gimmicks added on.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to try a demo before the release, but I'm not sure it would be the ideal way to show off AP's hypothetical strengths or move more units at release time.

[Llyranor]

People downloading the TH demo != sales.

 

Lots of people were disappointed with it. On the other hand, it probably did convert a few people wouldn't have bought it because of the negative hype beforehand. I doubt that amounts to many people. I don't have numbers, but the general impression was that it pretty much bombed.

[Morgoth]

People downloading the TH demo != sales.

 

Lots of people were disappointed with it. On the other hand, it probably did convert a few people wouldn't have bought it because of the negative hype beforehand. I doubt that amounts to many people. I don't have numbers, but the general impression was that it pretty much bombed.

And yet, it apparently sold well enough to go on with the trilogy. I'd prefer SK focusing on Eternal Darkness 2 instead. But that's just me.

[Llyranor]

Are they? Haven't heard anything about Silicon Knights recently (other than them releasing the soundtrack for 15 bucks, yay).

[Morgoth]

Are they? Haven't heard anything about Silicon Knights recently (other than them releasing the soundtrack for 15 bucks, yay).

Well, Dyack insisted that he wants to finish the trilogy, and also stated that MS was pleased with TH sales. That could be all smooth talk though, but it seems there will be more TH, plus a new project, a "Psychological Thriller". If that isn't ED2 then what the heck else?

[Jaesun]

IIRC, a Demo is a Publishers decision, not OEI. And I doubt SEGA budgeted for a Demo.

 

I'm getting it anyways. Demo or not.

[DAWUSS]

Would a demo work with this type of game? Generally demos are good for static games - those with linear gamelay, multiplayer, or sports

[Pop]

Worked for Deus Ex.

 

Of course, that demo cost $10 and was the first third of the game, more or less.

[Cl_Flushentityhero]

Really? I seem to remember a free demo that just included the statue of liberty mission and the tutorial.

[Pop]

The free one, maybe. But you could buy a $10 Deus Ex jewel case at big box stores (Target, Wal-Mart etc.) that lasted all the way to the beginning of Hong Kong.

[Cl_Flushentityhero]

Which is a crime, because Hong Kong was awesome.