SEIV GOLD Rebate

[Markavian]

Why do we have to destroy our hole CD?!
When can't we send you our old original, with a sticky lable on it saying
'<--
John Beech
124 Brlagrave Road. . .
etc.
etc.
ENGLAND

<<SE4 GOLD REBATE>>
-->'

And then you include this in the package you send back to us.
No loss of original CD, very happy customer.

Also, HELLO SHRAPPY, LOTS OF PEOPLE BOUGHT THE GAME OFF YOU - for these people, you KNOW who they are, and where they live. YOU CAN give these people a rebate at least. . .

. . . for a) being loyal to SE4 originally, and b) being loyal to your great company.
(I mean that, you're great and have done some cool things).

Now I don't know how big your site is, but it can't be too much effort to post our intact CDs down to the shipping bays before packaging.

But I just suggested you don't need to do that for everyone - you will have details on some people.

This brings into consideration: morals of letting some people have the rebate and others lose out. The send part of your CD, (or the whole CD) is still 'workable'.
Infact, sending the whole CD might be a better idea: then people can't get rebates on two sets of CD bits (one for them, one for their mate).


Oooh, and if you need proof that I'm a loyal customer, and I relaly like SE4, and I've supported and all the rubbish, just come come over and visit my web site

I hope my input helps you give loyal people desersed discounts.

Regards,
- John Beech
http://universalshipyards.tripod.com

edit/ corrected my homesite URL

[ 05 December 2001: Message edited by: Markavians ]

[jpowell]

The simplest and fairest mechanism would seem to be that used by Enlight Software with the original Seven Kingdoms game: sell a patch to upgrade current Versions to "Gold" for $15-$20 (including the pdf Version of the new manual) and sell complete SEIV Gold as a boxed game with a printed manual to new buyers. This minimizes shipping problems, questions as to whether "enough" of the old CD was sent to qualify, rebate vs refund, etc. The only loser in this scenario would be Federal Express!

[Richard]

Guys you don't need to break the CD, sending the whole thing is fine.

[Richard]

Selling games with pdf manuals are a bad idea because if you can get the pdf of the manual you can easily pirate it.

[Atrocities]

Forgive me, but I fail to understand the argument here about the rebate.

Simply put, if you send in your old SEIV disk, you will receive a rebate. I like this idea because it will provide proof that you indeed bought the orignial game.

I like the original game, and choose to keep it. I will purchase the Gold edition and be happy. If Richard or Aaron ever wish to verify that I my copy is real, then they can email me, and I will provide said proof.


OFF TOPIC RANT:
I despise pirated software and those who do it. I work, that is used to work, in an industry that had to protect it's intellectual property as well as products from copy cat companies and crooked individuals. One of the reasons I am now unemployed is because of Asian companies who can produce our technology cheaper, technology they accuired illegally. It will take my company years and millions of dollars to correct this, and in the mean time, several hundred people will have to go without a livelyhood.

I pray to god that someday the technology to prevent pirated software from being made will come, and when it does, I sincerely hope that those who do attempt to pirate software get burned and burned hard.

[ 06 December 2001: Message edited by: Atrocities ]

[ 06 December 2001: Message edited by: Atrocities ]

[Tim Brooks]

quote:

---

Since the "Gold" edition is just an extension of the current game that we all originally purchased, why not dispense entirely with the rebate issue by using a form of electronic distribution?

---

This opens us up to even more pirating. People who would never pirate a physical product don't feel the same way about an electronic download. We actually have studies on this from the Software Developers Association (or soemthing like that?). Strange, but it seems some people feel if there weren't physical costs then there weren't ANY costs.

quote:

---

Make the "Gold" edition into a patch of the original game which adds all of the features/improvements and includes a .PDF Version of the new manual. Distribute it as an electronic download that can be purhased for $20 (and could even include some form of activation/registration code delivered via e-mail to combat piracy).

---

As Richard stated earlier, the pdf is a bad idea as that is the only thing that people can't pirate easily. You would be surprised how many requests we get each week for manuals - "I lost my manual could you send me another one". When we follow up with, sure it will cost x dollars and all we need is an original order number, we never hear back.

PLEASE READ:

At this point it looks like we will do the following:

Send us the CD or a piece thereof that includes the Shrapnel Games logo, and include the rebate form that comes with the GOLD Version. On the form will be three choices (you must select one):

1. $15.00 Check
2. $15.00 Store Credit
3. $12.00 Credit to your charge card.

We also, if space allows, will include the original Version of SEIV on the GOLD CD.

[ 06 December 2001: Message edited by: Tim Brooks

[ 06 December 2001: Message edited by: Tim Brooks ]

[CW]

quote:

---

sure it will cost x dollars and all we need is an original order number, we never hear back.

---

I bought my copy straight through Shrapnel and you guys probably still have my records. But if you ask me for the original order number now I frankly don't have a clue where to find it. Delivery slips and invoices for games didn't get kept long, especially if the game has been proven to work on my computer. You brought up something that I've never thought of and from now on I'll keep the slips permanently. I'm not suggesting anything, nor did I ever try to get a second copy of the manual (anybody found it useful at all?!?), just trying to put that straight in case those people are innocent...

Now on to what I'm trying to say. What if the CD I send get lost in the mail system? I will be left without a rebate, and that means I will be spending FOUR times the money for ONE single game. (compared to an off-the-shelf game here in Australia; SEIV + SEIV Gold = 2 titles but still the same game with 2 sets of shipping and credit card charges; and a title bought from Shrapnel costs approximately twice as much as a brand new game from the local shop) I don't trust the mail system after a certain not-very-happy incident.

And before you start flaming at me, yes I know I'm don't have any useful solutions, I'm just trying to bring up all the potential problems before things are set in stone.

[ 06 December 2001: Message edited by: CW ]

[ 06 December 2001: Message edited by: CW ]