Why Not Digitial Distribution? - Page 17

Keratin · #**161** March 21st, 2009, 12:28 AM

Hello Dominions 3 community. I just recently discovered Dominions 3, and I must say I am blown away by how excellent (and unique) the game is. I stayed up till the break of dawn last night winning my first completed game against the machine, and it was great time.

I decided I wanted to buy the game, so as not to embarrass myself when trying to engage in multiplayer, so I came here. Then I was quite shocked by the price tag.
Then I couldn't find the "buy downloadable version" button.
Then I came to the message boards, and found this thread in the FAQ.
Then I read this, and felt bad.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Brooks

We are sort of happy that the pirates have a hard time with the game. Actually that's not true, we are very, very happy that the pirates have a hard time with the game.

I think good people probably won't like hearing what I'm going to say. But they should know that the quoted text above is not really... reality. *snip*

Now, I admit to not knowing anything about the business side of these things, but my friends, I fear you are functioning off of some really bad information. With the combination of the games sparing graphical presentation, shocking pricetag, and absence of direct-download option, vs. how insanely easy it is to pirate, I honestly cannot fathom how you expect people to NOT pirate it.

I really hope that if you choose not to offer direct downloads, you do it for good reasons and not bad reasons. These honestly seem like erroneous reasons.

Gandalf Parker · #**162** March 21st, 2009, 12:38 AM

Have you tried that downloaded game? And did it come with a couple PDF files or the full 300 page manual as a pdf file?

I check the available files on a regular basis. They tend to be older versions, which develop menu problems quickly, and wont patch forward successfully. Thats part of the protection scheme for this game. Appearing to be a good download, but it only plays enough to make you want to buy a fully working version.

Occassionally I find a working latest version, but the next patch tends to wipe it out. (and we just had a patch)

Gandalf Parker
--
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Keratin · #**163** March 21st, 2009, 12:58 AM

...
I admit that in retrospect I felt sorry for the title for being so difficult to acquire legally and so easy to acquire illegally. I like the game. I want to support the game (now that I know how good it is.) But I'm disinclined to pay money to buy myself a hassle. And sitting around with my thumb up my *** for a week, so that I can receive some more annoying physical possessions I get to lug around with me till I die, all for the low low price of $60, seems like quite a lot of hassle. I'll buy the game, but I honestly feel like I'm being punished for wanting to do the right thing. I'd rather be punished with annoying DRM crap than this. And I'm quite certain I'm not a beautiful and unique snowflake and nobody feels this way but me.

Gandalf Parker · #**164** March 21st, 2009, 01:21 AM

Well Ive paid that for much prettier games that lasted a month on my machine. Paying it for a game that lasts years seems like a good deal.

From what you say it looks like I need to go searching again. Expect your downloaded key to not work in the next patch.

Ballbarian · #**165** March 21st, 2009, 01:22 AM

Quote:

I'll buy the game, but...

I hope you do regardless of the ill fated first posts. Feel free to contact the administrators to see about having your banning reversed if you do purchase the game, but promoting piracy on these forums will not be tolerated.

lch · #**166** March 21st, 2009, 04:13 AM

Pirating is easy? Amazing! Who woulda thunk! Thanks for opening my eyes.

getter77 · #**167** March 21st, 2009, 10:16 AM

Serious question: What about the folks at Shrapnel having a sit down of sorts with the folks at GoG www.gog.com and seeing how things would pan out to, eventually, try a digitial distro route solely with the out of print and long out of print titles Shrapnel still has a claim to? GoG, in my experience, has been an entirely different entity to Steam, Gamersgate, Impulse, etc. Really, where else could the classics fit in with their contemporaries of the times? They support freeware as well along these ends.

Gandalf Parker · #**168** March 21st, 2009, 01:30 PM

Ummmm.... have you ever visited Shrapnels site?
Shrapnel does do digital distro with some of its titles.

S.R. Krol · #**169** March 21st, 2009, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by getter77

Serious question: What about the folks at Shrapnel having a sit down of sorts with the folks at GoG www.gog.com and seeing how things would pan out to, eventually, try a digitial distro route solely with the out of print and long out of print titles Shrapnel still has a claim to?

Because our games never go out of print.

Games which we do not offer anymore are because our contracts with the developers have ended. The fact that games don't have an artificially imposed life cycle is one of the reasons that indie publishing is superior to AAA publishing, and was one of the reasons you started seeing a rise in the indie world in the late '90s. Some folks got tired of a two week window to sell a game, followed by the bargain bin, ending with it vanishing.

Gandalf Parker · #**170** March 21st, 2009, 02:02 PM

Altho...
some do have previous versions. Such as Dom1 and Dom2.
Im not sure if that would be worthwhile but it was a thought.