So no Dominions 4?

[Itchykobu]

I'm slightly confused by this topic. That is, I'm not sure if the topic creator actually likes this game. He seems to want to play it with his roommates, which would indicate he does like it. However, it doesn't seem like he feels that it is worth the price he paid for it....which would indicate that he doesn't like it....

Furthermore, the assertion that a price reduction would "prolly" triple sales indicates foreknowledge of the games current sales rating. Since publishers are inherently interested in maximizing profit, I'm willing to bet that Shrapnel is in possession of more accurate sales figures than "prolly", and sales must be doing quite well to justify the games current price vs. sales curve.

If it was, on the other hand, the original poster's goal to log onto the forums that, at first glance, are used by a majority of people that really enjoy the experience they get out of the game and harass them, then I think that objective has been met. So...kudos?

[MaxWilson]

Tifone said:
@ MaxWilson,

The "blasphemy" thing was just making sarcasm ^^ I was not referring to you nor trying to attack your thought. If you took it as an attack, I have no problem deeply apologizing - in fact, as I said in my previous post, I was one of the absolutely supporters of the "You pay for the quality" thesis.

Okay, it's cool. It's just so hard to tell on the Internet when we're talking past each other that I thought it was worth making sure we're on the same page. Thanks for clarifying.

-Max

[Gandalf Parker]

As mentioned, things like eye-catching graphics and realistic sound werent ever part of this game. Deep strategy and long life are. Im not sure if dropping the price would end up bringing in a flood of new players the way it would if it were trying for the ooh-ahh-prettypretty console crowd. Niche games dont tend to be affected much by marketing techniques.

[MaxWilson]

llamabeast said:
Many games depreciate because the quality of their graphics and other production values are major selling points. Over time these become less impressive compared to other titles on the market, and the games become worth less.

In Dominions' case the strengths never were the production values, and so there is no sense in depreciation.

Wow. Mod +1, insightful. Production values are of course not the only selling points which depreciate with time (some games probably depreciate as the market for that genre becomes saturated) but intuitively this makes sense. Flashy games depreciate because of Moore's Law.

-Max

[Sombre]

Gandalf Parker said:
Im not sure if dropping the price would end up bringing in a flood of new players the way it would if it were trying for the ooh-ahh-prettypretty console crowd. Niche games dont tend to be affected much by marketing techniques.

You know it's possible to make that point without mocking console gamers. I'm an arcade and console player before I'm a pc gamer and I get a little tired of hearing this attitude on the board.

There are games deeper than dominions on consoles, believe it or not.

[Theonlystd]

Gandalf Parker said:
Doesnt the cost of manufacture and distribution go up? Seems like everything else does.

I still think the arguments are not realistic. They seem based on "everyone else does it so why dont you". The game is still a #1 seller so why would Shrapnel lower it? I totally understand why other games end up in the bargain bin. Those are games where I spend $50 and get maybe a month of play out of it. This is one that has lasted years and is still getting upgrades. Not just patching, but upgrades. How many full nations have been added since its release? Not to mention equipment, spells, mod commands, etc.

Wish for a price decrease all you want to and I will gladly join you. But after wishing the rest just comes off as whining.

Being the best seller doesnt really mean much.. If prices drop could sells not go up even more? It'd still be the best seller but maybe making more money or not.

llamabeast said:
Many games depreciate because the quality of their graphics and other production values are major selling points. Over time these become less impressive compared to other titles on the market, and the games become worth less.

In Dominions' case the strengths never were the production values, and so there is no sense in depreciation. The game still looks bad, to pretty much the same extent it did two years ago. In all other respects it remains awesome, just as it was two years ago. There have been no other comparable games in its genre to make it look dated, and indeed there are still few real competitors for it. So a constant price makes sense.

Also the game has been patched and added to so much since release that in many ways its value has actually increased.

As for it being so expensive in the first place - that is Shrapnel's decision, and despite many people desperately arguing that they would get more sales if they made it cheaper, they seem quite determined to hold it steady. Maybe they are even right, who knows.

Yes but those production values are why games cost what they cost now.. And why new gen console games run yea 60 dollars.

You need an army of artists and designers putting in hundreds of hours. Is the point im making.. And why alot of people having issue with having to spend near 60 dollars for an indy game..


And yes i had this same exact convo close to a year ago.. They didnt seem to want to reduce prices then doubt they will now.. But another year of me talking about the game to all the gamers i know.. And another year without one purchasing it..

[Itchykobu]

I agree with you, Sombre. I have been gaming for 18 years now, and the first real games I played were console (Sonic the Hedgehog, Sega Genesis, first game I ever owned).

It seems wholly bizarre that there is any conflict between PC and Console gamers....both play video games. But, if someone does not like Dom 3, acidicly stating that they must be a console gamer isn't going to change their mind.

[S.R. Krol]

Theonlystd said:
Yes but those production values are why games cost what they cost now.. And why new gen console games run yea 60 dollars.

Actually one of the big things about console pricing is the fact that everyone has to pay essentially a tithe to the console manufacturer to get published. There is also a buy-in just to start developing. If it wasn't for that (consoles lose money on hardware and count on the games to make up the losses and then some) you'd see an actual range of pricing with console games.

Itchykobu said:
I'm slightly confused by this topic. That is, I'm not sure if the topic creator actually likes this game. He seems to want to play it with his roommates, which would indicate he does like it. However, it doesn't seem like he feels that it is worth the price he paid for it....which would indicate that he doesn't like it....

Ya know, I thought that same thing after my first post. He bought the game, and from his forum registration date around the time it came out, hasn't posted in years and then comes on to complain about price because his roommates think it's overpriced...but then shouldn't it be the roomies making the complaint?

[Sombre]

S.R. Krol said:
If it wasn't for that (consoles lose money on hardware and count on the games to make up the losses and then some) you'd see an actual range of pricing with console games.

You do. There are a variety of budget labels that don't just rerelease old games, they include lower cost new games. The simple series in japan was the most famous of them. 505 game street does ok in the west, too.

There are also various console games released at mid level prices because they are semi sequels, multiplayer only etc. Then there are the 'arcade' games on the next gen consoles.

I could go on :]

[Theonlystd]

S.R. Krol said:

Actually one of the big things about console pricing is the fact that everyone has to pay essentially a tithe to the console manufacturer to get published. There is also a buy-in just to start developing. If it wasn't for that (consoles lose money on hardware and count on the games to make up the losses and then some) you'd see an actual range of pricing with console games.

I know about the the lisencing fees or whatever one calls it to have a game released for the console and that the hardware is sold at a loss.. But production costs,and development time and all that is a factor to .

Supposedly GTA 4 cost over 100million dollars to develop..

And if anything just goes to my point. You take out the "tithe" as you said.. And you'd have games that tooks years and millions upon millions to make selling cheaper than a 2 year old indy game with subpar graphics...