Good game but some disappointments.....

[busold]

Hi,

i was looking forward to SE IV and preordered it some 2 months ago.The game is good but there are some things that are really disappointing! At that time i was asking here for the manual and i was told the following:
"However the game comes with a 90+ page manual and the CD."
Now we got a cheap 45 page manual where you read "see the CD manual" about 100 times.
I think the printing costs are not so high that you can not expect a decent 100 page manual for a 35/40$ game even it�s from a small company.
The second thing are the ridiculous shipping costs to Europe (19$ flat fee)
On the website you see:
"The above fees, again, pay for all of the added costs to us of shipping to International addresses (in some cases we LOSE money per sale on shipping)."
I received my envelope and the game yesterday and the postage was 9$ (yes nine!).
This means that the envelope and packaging costs 10$. Compared to US orders there is no real added cost even if they had to fill out a customs declaration (which takes less than 1 minute, especially when it�s always the same). Saying then we "lose money on some orders" is really interesting, i guess they made 5-6$ on mine just for shipping.
I feel a little betrayed and like cash cow now. BTW if anyone replies that it�s difficult for a small company then please see Cognitoys excellent Mindrover i got a 240 page manual for 35$ and international shipping is 6$ ! So somehow it must be possible even for small comapnies!

I hope someone from Shrapnelgames is taking this serious!

Regards,

Markus

[WendellM]

I think Shrapnel has a distributor handle their shipping, so whatever *they* charge is what Shrapnel ends up paying. $19 does sound kinda steep for overseas shipping, but I don't know the details. However, I imagine that Shrapnel isn't making money on shipping; they'd probably be happy to find a cheaper solution.

I know that I've held off on ordering some games from Europe due to the hellish shipping cost, hoping that they'd find a US distributor. However, I'll spend big bucks for shipping on quality titles like Europa Universalis even if they don't find a local distributor (or SE IV if I were in Europe).

[Ferendra]

Hi there,

I agree with you Markus, the shipment to europe is ridicously expensive. O.K. nobody
in the U.S. is responsible for the Euro to
be so low, but to tell people they lose money
in oversea shipment is definetly not o.k.
Nobody of my friends will pay $74 (DM 170,-) for a game. Shrapnel will not gain ground with the game in Europe as long as it is so high priced. And you have to know that *empire building* games in Europe are doing quite fine.

Greetings
Ferendra

BTW WendelIM, I bought Europa Universalis, and I think it is not worth the money.

[Richard]

Okay,

The 19 is not JUST for the shipping. Our shipper also has to fill out all sorts of forms to get the games sent internationally that add cost as well.

Eventually we may have shippers lined up in Europe or European retail done, but until then we have no choice but to sell this way.


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Sarge is coming...

Richard Arnesen
Director of Covert Ops
Shrapnel Games
http://www.shrapnelgames.com

[Possum]

With all due respect for everyone concerned, I don't have any problems with SE4 at all.

I've had it since Friday, and I have no complaints. The game is fine, the manual is fine, the music is fine, the shipping was fine. Furthermore, it strikes *me* as one HELL of a good game

I would suspect that perhaps some of the problems described here are found only when using simultaneous movement...

[-Thog-]

I'll need to try the turn-based movement. However, saying that there are no problems with the game in turn-based but that there may be in simultaneous is a very long way from saying that there are not problems with the game. Overall, my impression has taken a very large hit due to the problems (real or percieved) that I'm seeing in Simultaneous mode. Right now, I'm not inclined to recommend it, though hopefully it'll either be fixed or the turn based mode will change my outlook.

Thog

[Gooneybird]

I agree the shipping costs are too high. I also got the envelope with the 9$ postage fee on it, I cant help but feel a little bit snookered. Especially with the non-sense about all the international shipping paperwork. It says right on the envelope that if the package shipped is under a pound you don't have to fill in a declaration form.

Come'on who you trying to kid.

Its definitely a great game but 60$ thats 600sek, a good 150(15$) more than the average price here in sweden.

Oh well, lets see if any sanity comes into the shipping prices before I pony up for Steel Beasts.

-Gooney

[Richard]

I know it is hard for some of you to believe but we actually LOOSE money on shipping to some countries.

Once we get bigger this might change but for now we have to deal with reality unfourtanetly.

------------------
Sarge is coming...

Richard Arnesen
Director of Covert Ops
Shrapnel Games
http://www.shrapnelgames.com

[Seawolf]

Thog,


We are working on the sim mode problems. Due to the nature of the code involved it is taking us a bit longer to fix. Pach should be out soon.




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Seawolf on the prowl

[Seawolf]

General shipping stuff.

Guys I do some international shipping. There are differnt rules for when a company is shipping stuff for sale verses an person sending a package. The short Version of it is that nations don't like stuff being imported since they don't get the tax revenues off of them. SO they make you pay for it.

I personally still think the game is worth it not to mention the fact that it will be supported by MM and patchs will be downloaded. I would rather pay a bit more for a game that I know I will be playing for a long time, verses buing a cheaper game that will sit on a shelf after 2 weeks. IMHO

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Seawolf on the prowl