SEV - to buy, or not to buy?

[Atrocities]

I can play the game for hours without a crash. My processing turns do increase over time but are never longer than have a minute or so.

The game is the best 4x game to come down the pipe since 2001 and despite its many flaws is still one of the best 4x games ever published. Unlike with most games, such as Moo3, GalCiv, Reach for the Stars, and GalCiv2 who all had huge production teams and large budges, SE V was developed and programed by ONE MAN, with limited help from talented people and virtually no budget except revenues from the sales of SE IV to sustain him.

So ya, it might be a crappy car, but at least the car company is willing to fix it, improve it, and support it long after you have bought it. Its a purchase I would make again and again.

[Caduceus]

Atrocities said:
Its a purchase I would make again and again.

No, really, what have you done to Atrocities?

Are you out there, AT? Can you hear us?

EDIT: I should add that it is good game, shaping up to be a great game!

[Uncle_Joe]

Unlike with most games, such as Moo3, GalCiv, Reach for the Stars, and GalCiv2 who all had huge production teams and large budges, SE V was developed and programed by ONE MAN, with limited help from talented people and virtually no budget except revenues from the sales of SE IV to sustain him.

While I agree with the sentiment, that doesnt materially affect anything. I dont recall seeing any discount or disclaimer on this game because its made by one guy as opposed to one made my 200. It still cost the same as any other PC game release. If they wanted to offer it for $19.99 with the caveat as 'work in progress', then that argument could be made. But if its offered as a retail release at full price, its going to be judged against those other titles on its own merit, not on how many people developed it (fairly or unfairly).

That said, this 'one man show' has put more post-release support into his game than most of the other 'big guys'. And it was on that basis that I bought the game in the first place. I was an avid fan of SE4 and I expect to hopefully feel the same about SE5 some day. But that day is not today. Here's hoping the NEXT patch gives the game that I think we all hoped we would get when SE5 was announced.

[Fyron]

$40 at release is not discounted, in an era where most games come out at $50-60? Uh huh...

[Uncle_Joe]

I havent paid more than $40 for a PC game in forever...certainly not for Paradox/Matrix/Shrapnel/Strategy First title.

You can quibble about the actual final price, but the sentiment is the same.

[Fyron]

You not being willing to pay more than $40 for games does not in any way change the fact that new retail games generally start at $50-60 dollars in this day and age, and SE5 was sold at a (discounted) lower price point from release day. I'm not sure how that constitutes "quibbling" when it illustrates that SE5 was in fact "discounted" when it was released.

[Uncle_Joe]

Its got nothing to do with not be willing to pay more than $40. I go into the store on onto the website...I pay the amount listed. And for most reasonably recent games I've bought, I've paid right around $40.

$40 is what I consider the 'going rate' for a new non-mainstream PC game. Yes, some premier games cost $50 for the first few weeks, but most other games I pick up are simply priced at 39.99 or so. Perhaps things are more expensive on the West Coast, but that is the going rate around here.

Gal Civ, Gal Civ2, RftS all cost me the same as SE5. MOO3? well, that is a special case. People literally couldnt GIVE that one away after the first week or so...but that was what? 4 years ago? Hard to compare at this point, I suppose. In any case, MOO3 wasnt worth it even for free...