Re: Downloadable retail needed?
 

Well, I've talked out of experience, as I happen to be a partner in AGEOD (the guys who've made Birth of America).
It's a micro company (approx 3 full-time guys + some others helping !), still we were able to offer a download option (it was CD or download however) without investing in developing our system, we've just rented a solution.

Technical problems were few, and the cost was not high enough to make the deal worse for us than normal CD delivery.

In the case of Dominions I agree that the best solution would be to allow immediate d/l and still send at least the manual. There's even no need to d/l a full CD as it's in fact made of 3 (or is it 4 ?) different 120Mb installers for different OSes...

Re: Downloadable retail needed?
 

Well, precisely, some people are arguing that they should.

Re: Downloadable retail needed?
 

But some are making it sound like they are choosing not to. As if its as simple as making the demo available by download.

Most people if they think about it will realize that its not that easy. Tracking a download to a payment, being secure in keeping that payment info, handling broken downloads, connecting a broken download back to a payment, and doing it all in a way that keeps someone from abusing it to get free copies. Not to mention making it work with as little manual management as possible.

Even that doesnt cover what a release would do to them. The hassle we had wiating for our pre-orders would have been nothing compared to having everyone trying to download it at the same time. Especially the lag that is caused by having dialups and far overseas locations hanging onto a connection long enough to download the whole game.

GalCiv is a sweet arrangment but some users have a problem with it and Id hate to have to install software for every game company that I want to do business with. Even Matrix seems to use it only for smaller games which are not company make-or-break products. Shrapnel does have downloadable games so they have tried it. They just dont seem ready to offer Dominions that way (yet), and I dont see where the benefit of it outweighs the chances they would take. Its not that kindof a game.

Re: Downloadable retail needed?
 

The biggest benefit is that we can get the game as soon as possible, regardless where you live.

Re: Downloadable retail needed?
 

Frankly, I'm not even sure that piracy is that big of an issue as long as people couldn't play multiplayer games with a pirated copy.

I found Dominions 2 on a "trial" game index website. Downloaded and liked the game. Downloaded the demo to play with the latest patched versions and promptly bought the game to play online with others and to get the full version with the latest patches.

A "trial" version on a game like this will never be up to date... or if it was Dominions would be so vastly more popular that I doubt shrapnel or Illwinter would be complaining.

And someone that is into the game is going to be dying to read through a huge list of patches and additions that they don't have access to.

If it wasn't for that "trial" site I may have never found Dominions and Shrapnel would never have got my $110.

Its kind of a separate issue, but if you take a reduced stance on piracy it can simplify an online distribution.

Basically you need to let anyone who has bought the game be able to download it (username and password login to a download site). Track how many times it was download... so you can cut them off at 10 or 20 times unless they send and email (basically in case the account was shared with others).

Then you just protect the serials numbers.

I haven't checked the "trial" sites for Dominions. But the last thing you want is someone that wants the game right now... and finds out that they can get a version immediately illegally versus waiting a week to buy it legitimately. But I suppose even in that case they will still eventually buy it so they can play multiplayer. What you wouldn’t get are people that ended up not liking the game enough to buy it later who might have dropped the money before they didn’t know they wouldn’t be in love with it (Sword of the Stars in my case).

Re: Downloadable retail needed?
 

This is basically what Stardock does. Shrapnel seems to take a mixed stance: no "please insert CD #x" nonsense, but, at least in the case of Dominions, at least the non-distribution of a PDF manual serves as a minor deterrent to piracy. Not a huge issue to me, and it's clearly their call.

Re: Downloadable retail needed?
 

Since I already have the game its not a big issue to me either. Before I had the game... it was more important. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Downloadable retail needed?
 

Reduced piracy stance was why I mentioned BitTorrent and serial tracking. The game could be made available for ANY site to offer as a download. Sell and track serial numbers only. If they were going to go that direction, Id say that might work well. Split the manual between a minimum keypresses and basic starting PDF, and a strategy guide hard print manual.

Even if they affered purchaseable serial numbers it would help since many of us have access to someone who has the CD. I ended up with more manuals than I needed.

But I wouldnt take a low piracy stance due to lack of multiplayer action. If the player base isnt big enough to support digital download then its definately not big enough for that since I see many who are solo players.

Re: Downloadable retail needed?
 

Cough, there is really no options.

The future is downloadable games, end of story http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

This is electronic media, why the heck is it being transported in ancient cd media????

Sure, some like the box, and I'm sure they can still order it.

I use.

Stardock , works like a charm
Steam , works like a charm, exept a bit slow.
Gamersgate (paradox et al.) works like a charm.

I think, saved cost on printing/cd's and retail outlets = more money for devs.

This is not an option for the future , get Dominion on DOwnload NOW.

Janster

Re: Downloadable retail needed?
 

"Physical books are history.

The future is electronic books, end of story." http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Things aren't as simple as they seem.