Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

Quote can be found here (Strategy First Link) Follow the top news item, I couldn't link directly.

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

Only took 3 days. Interesting. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/cool.gif

Too bad Strategy First and the Wargamer don't seem to have their authors look at the games they write about these days... 4X game, feh! At least this one doesn't mention a massive online component of the game like the Wargamer one does...

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

So Starfury's going retail too, eh? Makes me wonder if SEIV will also soon be seen on retail store shelves.

They need to update their game search section. They've added Malfador Machinations to the developers list, but I don't get any search results for current or upcoming games by MM.

Edit: "sizeable online component for extended play" is probably a reference to the game's moddability and the number of mods available for download. It's a misleading way to say it, but not strictly false. At least the review they linked to is pretty accurate.

I hope the version they put on the shelves includes the latest patch and applies it automatically. There are too many gamers out there that don't automatically go looking for patches for the games they buy, and some of the bugs in the initial release version could really put people off.

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

Personally...I just don't think it'll do well in the retail market. Not enough flash. Sad to say... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

I agree with you Narf. But their suggested retail price may make it more attractive.

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

I wonder what ShrapnelGames thinks about this.

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

That is what they think of it. It was posted on their blog back in March.

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

If it's that low of a price, it doesn't matter if the game has lots of flash. If StratFirst gets a decent designer to make the box, there will be some curious people who will buy it. Now, if it's enough people to cover the costs of duplication, distribution, and support... we'll see.

Releasing StarFury is probably more of a strategic marketing move, anyway. MM has likely already recieved a nice chunk of change from SE:SF sales here with Shrapnel, and so there probably will be little (none?) royalties from sales at retail. But it will get the Space Empires name out on shelves for a month or so at least, and probably in the bargain bin up until Christmas... which is the current expected release of SEV. THAT release will probably be closer to the standard $45-$55, and where both MM and StratFirst expect to get the money out of this deal.

Anyway, that's just what I think. If StratFirst is announcing sales of SE:SF, I guess that means Shrapnel is through with their stock now? Glad I grabbed mine in time...

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

The game begins.

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

Thanks for pointing that out. Our news editor was unfamiliar with Star Fury specifically and misread Strategy Firsts' press release. The error has been corrected: http://www.wargamer.com/news/news.asp?nid=2007

N.B. that the review itself acurately describes the game as a space sim with RPG elements: http://www.wargamer.com/reviews/spac...ry/default.asp

Next time we make a mistake, please write us directly at editor@wargamer.com. We'll hustle to correct the error http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

Many other companies would have got all sulky about losing Malfador, but this response is mature and generous. I always knew Shrapnel were a great company, but this response really proves it to me.

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

It's those "changes to appeal to a larger audience" that worry me. Broader appeal almost always means better looking but "dumbed down" for the masses.

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

There is no reason to install an old version of SE4, and then patch... Since they're making a whole new batch of CDs it should be quite simple to directly install the latest stuff right off the bat.

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

This worries me as well. The masses--i.e., the short-attention-span types who like lots of pretty pictures and giant explosions above all else--tend to hate micromanagement options and complex strategies, which are two of the things that, in my humble opinion, make SEIV so great a game.

We shall see what we shall see.

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

I will be one one of the first to buy the game when it hits the shelves. Nothing better than getting a nice box to finally go along with my disk. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif If it sells well, a lot of folks might becoming here to get info. At least I hope they do as Shrapnel was the publisher of the game for nearly five years and has a treasure trove of info. Besides collaterally speaking, it could generate sales and awareness for shrapnel games.

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

Not everybody wants to do work when their relaxing. Nor does everybody have a head for strategy. I had more, but it was really sarcastic.

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

Please, do share. I love sarcasm.

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"We only hope he makes enough changes in his game to allow for a broader audience"
That statement struck me as very condescending. No offense, but man...

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

Not really. It fits with Shrapnel's general concept of retail as a place mostly for the shiny titles that sell a million copies and appeal mostly to the LCD, with everything else struggling to even break even.

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

There is a large user base for the SE games, pretty much all will buy SEV regardless if its online or retail. Retail is the way to get the game infront of as many people as posible. I found the SEII demo on a group diskin the late 90's. I now have II,III,and IV, so it does get the game out there. If they don't overspend on advertising, they should do well. as far as the market for the game, civilization (just to name one) is still making new games, so there is most likely a good market for 4x games. as far as the lasting appeal to the geleral gamers, it needs alot of AI improvement over IV. not just for the opponents, but so you can do less micromanaging (if you want to) and have the computer do things apropriately. Bottom line though is, unless they overspend on advertizing the game will make more money going retail.

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

Civilization is an exception. A decade long extremely well-selling exception..

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That will probably be true but it doesnt always make it a good move. Some games going retail dont REALLY reach more of the correct audience than it would just being mentioned in magazines that target the same niche as the game.

Also more money doesnt mean more for people like the developer. Retail means a much longer wait fro profits and a much smaller slice of the overall pie.

There are other pros and cons to the change which makes it a possibly good thing for THIS developer and THIS game at THIS time. But I would for example not have considered the same action to have been a good thing for SEIV to have done, nor is it necessarily a good thing for SEVI. Luckily it seems that Aaron knows that.

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

Question, will Dungeon odessey ever hit retail? I always wanted to buy it, but it was lower on the list then SESF or SE4G, and last I checked it was only available for download....

CRAP! It doesn't even appear to be downloadable now....

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/fear.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif [img]/threads/images/Graemlins/Cold.gif[/img] http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/Sick.gif

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

Hi, Wolfman. *Waves*

From the movie?

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

Good point, Gandalf, having a retail store trying to make money off the game as well might cut into profits some, but then they will probably also raise the price to cover that. If you get a smaller piece, cut it from a bigger pie.

As far as the longer wait for profits, were you talking about longer development times to get the bugs fixed, eliminating (or at least reducing) the need for patches, or were you refering to something else.


No, narf, I just like wolves alot http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

With retail, the publisher has to wait quite some time before the store sends any profits from sales back to them. The publisher essentially rents shelf space and has to wait until sales are made before any money is sent to them, rather than selling all of the units to the store and being done with it. Then the developer has to wait for the publisher to start sending royalties, depending on the minimum profit margins specified in the contract.

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

TO: Greedy Bastards
FROM: Currupt SF Greedy Bastards
SUBJECT: Pie Borken up:

CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENT: DO NOT SHARE WITH MALFADOR!

Assume the Pie is = to 100%.

76% - Strategy First Development costs / other.
04% - Strategy Firsts Associates
11% - Strategy Firsts hidden costs and fees that shall never be disclosed.
08% - Marketing Cost incurred by Strategy First.
01% - Reportable profit

Now take that 01% and assume that it is equal to 100%

50% - Strategy First
30% - Lost do to cooked bookes and currupt SF accountants.
10% - Overhead reinbursment costs.
05% - Legal Fees
04% - Cost over runs.
01% - Malfador Machinations Profit. (NOTE: Will be paid in the year 2396. Will not accure interest.)

Additional Note: Malfador owes us Gas money! Deduct that from their 01% profits.

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

heehee. Fairly good breakup.

I have no idea of course what kindof contract Malfador has. But there are definate pros and cons to retail. After a developer finishes a game, with Shrapnel it gets marketed faster, you get wonderful forums, online support, and tons of publicity (yes you do, they have a full timer person who makes sure that everywhere which has any channel for accepting such info, gets it), hmmm and lots of other stuff Im a bad boy for forgetting. BUT retail which gets it in front of more people, will involve more packaging, a longer time to the shelf, corporate red tape, and more marketing. The difference between publicity and marketing is that publicity involves hours to get it done while marketing involves money to get it done.

Now IF a developer has a large following and a good sequel then they MIGHT get a contract like Atrocities painted. But from what Ive read its often a "pay us back what we laid out first and THEN we can call it profits". Even then its partial on the profits but thats the long gap that most of them face, is paying back the costs of going retail, packaging, marketing. With the added headache of having to trust their bookkeeping since its harder to check from the developers side than an arrangment like Shrapnels is.

Check out some of the back conversations on the net between publishers and developers. One that comes to mind is GalCiv and StrategyFirst fairly recently. Apparently Brad (who I thought had a larger than average in-demand public until this windows version blew it) had a pay-first contract with them. His blowups and accusations were.. well.. Ive seen conversations of people who left Shrap for various reasons and none of them seemed to feel the need for spewing like that. Just an observation.

Gandalf Parker

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

There's no doubt the guys in the middle (Strategy First) control, well pretty much everything I guess. Is there any chance that, if Star Fury doesn't work out with them SEV won't be released by them? I haven't heard that they have a contract for SEV yet, unless I missed something, which I do quite regularly:)

Does anyone have concerns that it might turn into a subscription based online game? I don't know much about who Silverstar Holdings is but the line "fee-based electronic game businesses" kinda bugs me.

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

Wolfman77 said:
Does anyone have concerns that it might turn into a subscription based online game? I don't know much about who Silverstar Holdings is but the line "fee-based electronic game businesses" kinda bugs me.

For SEV, no concern at all.

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

I think thats all settled already for SEV and most of what the SEV game will be. What I have not seen is anything saying that SEVI is locked down yet.

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

Most of the screenshots for Starfury look, well, like Starfury.

This one sort of confuses me though. Uh, since when is the shop screen a window..?

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What I want to know is, will there be a patch from 1.91 to Deluxe, or will we diehard fans all have to buy SE4 for a third time to keep up to date??? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/stupid.gif

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

What do you really think? We are talking retail sales where profits can be cents a copy.

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

Yeah, I knew it... we're screwed http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif

edit: and if we all refuse to buy SE4 Deluxe, then what if Strategy First decides to cancel SE5... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/eek.gif

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

Thats why I was sharp-eyed about SEVI. In cases where a contract has included the "not yet made NEXT version" the player base has gotten photon-torpedoed. If the contract was for game N and N+1, then game N didnt do as well as they hoped or the company fell on tight times, then N+1 got put on hold. The company wouldnt develop it, release it, or free it for the developer to seek other support.

I hadnt thought about SEV (panic time). And Im not sure if the "slightly different name" thing would stand up to a hard hit by a less friendly company than Shrapnel. Maybe SEIV Deluxe is just SEIV Gold but it has to be renamed since Shrap sold SEIV Gold. But if things go sour Im not sure that Strat-1st would allow Aaron to go somewhere else and release a SEV Deluxe.

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

The patch included on the SE4 Deluxe CD will be available to existing SE4 Gold owners.

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Can't. It already went bankrupt once. MM holds it's own purse strings on this one.

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

The question is why wouldn't you buy SE IV Delux? I mean you will finally get a nice little box to go along with your CD, and you get all the up to date goodies to go along with it. Not only that, you will be supporting Aaron and Malfadors bid to go retail by buying the game.

Besides how many times have you seen a title, note a five year old one, re-released for a third time? NEVER, say for Myst. Word of mouth will help, and who knows, if this works out for Aaron perhaps SEV will have a five year run of success.

(Intercepted Inter-Office Memo)

TO: Malfador
FROM: CEO SF
SUBJECT: Your Concerns

Hello Adam,

Regarding your concerns over not having been paid royality fees for your game Star Empire V, I wish to dispell your worries by assuring you that once we have the final sales figures for 2006, 2007 and 2008, we will calculate your share of the earings and forward you a check. In the mean time please avoid listening to these foolish rumors that your game, Star Emperor V has been selling out of stores across the world. There is no truth to this and I assure you that if such a thing were occuring, you would be the first person we would tell. Rest assured Adrian, we are doing everything humanly possible to process the sales data for your game.

Regarding the phone conversation you mentioned where one of our employees, a VP of Sales, had asked you if we are even the publisher of your game, worry not, we are. I personally verified that we are the publisher of your gaming Storm Empire V. Unfortunely, as far as we are able to legally devolge, your game has not been selling all that well.

Again I would encourage you to not listen to rumors that SF is earning record profits off of your game sales. I assure you that our other fine titles are selling equally as well as your game.

As to your concern that I received a seven figure bonus recently, well let me assure you Armond, that simply is not ture.

That being said, Alan, I wish to invite you to a little party I am having at my new million dollar mansion this weekend. I would enjoy show you my new fleet of BMW's over drinks. The Misses, and I want to express our appreciation to the little people of SF who helped make us super rich over the last three years.

And don't worry about the bankruptcy problem your facing, your share of the profits from the sales of your game, Strike Empire V, will help cover a small portion of the cost of your bankruptcy.

Any ways, I hope that I have put your mind at ease. Hope to see you at the party this weekend. Oh by the way, its a dress afair so please dress accordingly.

Best Wishes

SF CEO.

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

Yaaaaay! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif
Glad to get that off my mind...

Of course, seeing as Malfador will see little of the SE4 Deluxe profits, what's the point of that? Still, it's a nice thought...

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I sincerely wish Malfador the best and am sure that Aaron knows what he is doing and by this time next year he will be in the M club. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif Or at least he will have contributed to a few of the SF managers breaking seven zero salaries.

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Geee Atrocities, and I thought that I was playing the dark cloud on this one. I bow to your literary skills.

No matter where the money goes Im sure I will buy it. A friend talked me into borrowing mine with promises to purchase so I have it honorably deleted from my machine. So at the moment I consider it gone as a gift. As soon as its available again I will be buying myself another copy. (stupidly paladin of me I know, but thats just how I am)

Gandalf Parker

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

I have fun where I can. It all stems from having designed, manufactured, and then used many of my own tool designs which are not owned by my former company with many a manager getting the patent and credit for my work. Lets just say that memo isn't to far off from one I and a few other people got one day after a sneaky bastard engineer took credit for our ideas and impervised tools. We were less than happy, but there was nothing we could do. Like I said I wish Aaron the best.

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

Someone putting out a CD for sale that includes the last GOLD patch would let those like moi get to play it. (Those like moi are their target market?!)

The remaining question for me would be if it contained all the current mods or even just the TDM Modpack.

If it does not, then I will still buy it as long as it contains the two revisions that I consider game breakers:

- warp point battle sequence NOT being by Player #, and
- AI players recognize that they are getting a bonus and plan accordingly.

Once I confirm that, I will buy it and try to get the current TDM Modpack somehow (if it is not on the CD). I will particularly like to try the AIs that have been tweaked after the Death Matches.

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

If everything is working out as planned you will find the latest TDM version on the CD. After the release I will make it available via the TDM homepage and of course here at shrapnel.

There are only minor updates to a few races in comparison to the currently available TDM. A patch from 3.40 to the Deluxe version will also be available.

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

Thanx for the info!

I am realllly looking forward to being able to get a fully-patched GOLD ("Deluxe") with TDM. ;-))

I'd've gladly paid Shrapnel the full GOLD price for that, but not for an unpatched GOLD w/o updated TDM.

BTW, Major General Mephisto, I noted your location is "Frankfurt, Germany". Are you interested in World War I German naval stuff?

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

Thanks for the praise! Unfortunately I'm not very much into WWI naval action.

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

Is anything actually changing in "Deluxe"? Is there a website for this?

Re: Malfador Machinations hits Strategy First!
 

At this point, only the music system is changing - whether there will be a patch that addresses any outstanding bugs is not known...

No website aside from the announcement at Strategy First.

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That's funny - I could have sworn you or Fyron said there would be a patch which one could use to upgrade from the Gold version - has that been changed? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif