Re: Why Not Digitial Distribution?
 

And just to reiterate something...*if* it was ever sold as a download it would be through us. It seems like every time this subject comes up you have people talking about Steam when there's no reason to put it on Steam since we're already set up.

Re: Why Not Digitial Distribution?
 

Except for the fact that it still isn't offered through digital distribution. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/Sick.gif

I don't know why you seem so hostile to the idea of digital distribution. If customers are asking for it, the correct response is "we'll get it as soon as we can, if possible" not "our current service, which doesn't even compare to most online retailers, should be good enough for you people".

Jazzepi

Re: Why Not Digitial Distribution?
 

Any perceived hostility arises not from the idea, but from the fact that we've been selling the game since September 2006 with no current plans for digital distribution, and even though we continue to say that this keeps coming up.
Could that change in the future? Sure, anything is possible. But as of right now there is only one way to purchase the game, and that's as a physical copy. Why this is such a point of contention for some people, I don't know. What I can tell you though is that the game has sold quite well since release, and continues to sell quite well, as a physical product.

Re: Why Not Digitial Distribution?
 

OT: I'm happy to hear that sales are good... this makes it very likely that Illwinter will make more games.

It isn't just the manual, or the modding, or the patches, or time spent on the forums, it's the whole package, at the forefront of it all being the atmosphere that Illwinter cares about the game.

On more pragmatic terms, is there even a significant market that somehow is 'kept out' because they can only purchase it online? (Most of my purchases occur in physical game stores, but that's hardly less of a hassle than ordering online and then waiting for a delivery.) I know Dominions is great and all, but who can't wait a week or two, for what is, in the end, just a game?

Re: Why Not Digitial Distribution?
 

Yeah, I'm all for digital distribution. Use the Stardock model. Heck, even just use Stardock (no offense intended Shrapnel). I've bought all my Galciv games and expansions via their digital sales.

Re: Why Not Digitial Distribution?
 

I can understand some hostility on the part of Shrapnel, half the people in this thread are talking about using steam, a completely different distributor. While it would almost certainly sell more copies on steam due to the added exposure, it's pretty darned likely that Shrapnel already has Dominions 3 locked up on the distribution front with binding legal documents and whatnot. Not that I blame them, they've got a business to run and Dominions has a pretty good following for an Indy title.

I've also got a gut feeling that tells me they don't want to go to digital distribution because either they have a large stockpile of printed CD's/Manuals in backstock that are far less likely to get sold that way, or they have their own printing setup which lets them in on an extra sliver of profit through publishing costs. Either way, I think it's obvious that if they felt they could make more money through Digital Distribution right now, that's the route they would go.

On the other hand, the digital distribution topic is going to keep cropping up because, lets face it, Dominions 3 costs a pretty penny for an indy game, and digital distribution is cheaper. Especially since the most commonly given reason for it's high price tag (highest on shrapnel?) is printing costs for the manual.

Personally, I feel far more money could be made by dropping the price tag and selling that many more copies of the game. Especially if you could get some exposure on some gaming websites like Penny-Arcade or TheEscapist or something. But Shrapnel games knows everything I know, and they're the ones successfully running a business so meh, maybe I'm missing something.

Re: Why Not Digitial Distribution?
 

Really? I have a number of mods on various games I've bought over steam and they seem to work just fine.

Re: Why Not Digitial Distribution?
 

Haha, not many games with more mods than Half-Life or Half-Life 2, and they've been Steam games for ages.

Re: Why Not Digitial Distribution?
 

What we can't understand, S.R.Krol, is what the disadvantages of offering digital distribution are? Okay, so the game has been selling well - excellent, I think we're all very pleased to hear that. But that doesn't mean there isn't potential for it to sell better, and definitely isn't an argument against looking for new ways to increase sales.

The reason most of us have piled into this thread is not to be annoying, but because we love this game, and want it to do better.

Re: Why Not Digitial Distribution?
 

Personally I'm not a fan of digital distribution, but when I bought the game I was living in China and the postage was pretty hefty/incovinient. Especially considering I don't even use the manual.