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Denver, 6:34 PM
Thu Nov 12
56 posts in the last 24 hours
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06:09 PM
Presuming no one is sanctioning or creating games with which he disagrees, or pursuing money as an end in itself, then these kinds of convalescent ideas and approaches to video game sales, not exempt from economic turmoil, are untarnished and give real expectation that things will be back to "normal," and then proceed far beyond normality.
You detractors of "corporate greed" are fighting against your own self-interest. These video game CEOs are giving more of what people want to more people who want them. You can criticize their irrational personal motives or fraudulent practices if they exist, but most of you are attacking the core of what makes the games industry in the first place. Tell creators they are obliged to make games for "real" fans, that they shouldn't think about their desires first, that they are providing a "public function," and you are telling them they have no right to make the games they want to make, that their desires should be sacrificed to your preferences, and that you have the right and moral claim to tell them what to make and how to make it.
If you can give me one reason why they should focus on lower prices as an end in itself, why they should focus on service to the consumer rather than service to themselves as their prime motivator, then I'll eat my words and rethink any and all of my beliefs.
Good luck. #gamestop
05:52 PM
I hear it will be EPIC! #legorockband
05:02 PM
While it's been around, nobody else has shown how much money you can make off of a game, and how long you can make it worthwhile peoples time!
The con is though, shown repeatedly, that devs might just switch off a function and then ask money for it... Now that is just bullshit. #gamestop
04:34 PM
Cos thats what I want. *tsh-tsh-tsh-tsh* Woo-hoooo-hoo-hoo
I'd of thought the Gamestop CEO would be anti-DLC. As they don't make any money of it (beyond apparently using it as an excuse to keep full price on games for longer) and many developers use it as a method to reduce used game sales.
Actually Totilo you got anything to link to on this. wouldn't mind skimming through the transcript myself. Glean some interesting info form the guys who shape the industry.
Edit: now this is wierd... its moved my second post into my first, and still removed the video.
04:55 PM
"I'd of thought the Gamestop CEO would be anti-DLC. As they don't make any money of it (beyond apparently using it as an excuse to keep full price on games for longer) and many developers use it as a method to reduce used game sales."
Actually, if you've noticed, GameStop is increasingly offering exclusive DLC perks for pre-ordering. This turns in to HUGE cash for GameStop -- a huge increase in guaranteed full-price sales due to exclusive rights to perceptibly sought-after DLC. More full-price sales = money, more traded in games from those more initial sales = money. Hence, DLC makes them money overall. It makes sense for them to push the message, "People want DLC and DLC is rad" because it generates more sales for them in the end. #gamestop
05:08 PM
Though as he said, DLC on a game means they can keep charging more for longer. #gamestop
04:32 PM
I'd like to credit whoever first claimed that DLC would be the ultimate in nickle and diming as the prophet of the unspoken truth. Whereas most of us were under the haze of public relations, that one man, whoever he may be, dared to speak out amongst those that could only see the current and ephemeral. I salute you sir. How unfortunate it is that I must salute you. #gamestop
05:00 PM
I think it never occurred to me that it could get this big. It was one, then two, then suddenly with out notice a whole lot of them have DLC. #gamestop
05:01 PM
05:20 PM
Still do. It just doesn't show at times. #gamestop
03:50 PM
03:46 PM
$10 to import the tracks? Really? Really. Counting Crows your favorite band? Really?!? #legorockband
03:47 PM
And who is your favorite band? Not that Counting Crows is my favorite band, but everyone is entitled to their own opinions about music. #legorockband
04:00 PM
04:22 PM
"Accidentally in Love" is generic to the point where they probably wrote the song for Shrek before they picked the band, but "August and Everything After" and "Recovering The Satellites" are both good albums. #legorockband
04:34 PM
05:08 PM
09:48 AM
Because anyone who preorders a game was likely going to buy it anyways. Offering bonuses and early access to demos isn't going to generate new sales. The "Hey-I-Wasn't-Going-To-Get-That-Game-... But-Now-I'll-Preorder-It-To-Get-An-Exclu... In-Game-Clown-Costume" person doesn't exist. No one who is on the fence is going to be swayed by the promise of an extra level or a new fuzzy hat.
My only thought is that pumping up preorder numbers is a marketing gimmick. Using L4D2 as an example, they got to issue a press release that said the game was preordered 4 times more than the previous version. That, in turn, can get people interested - "Huh, everyone's getting this game and it isn't even out yet. I might want to check it out."
But that's just a guess. Anyone else have thoughts on why preorders and preorder goodies are such a big deal?
09:51 AM
It converts people from a "I'll-buy-it-when-it-comes-out" customer to a "I'll-go-ahead-and-preorder-it" customer. This helps lock customers in, dedicate them to you game, you could say. It also builds hype, since you get extra swag. #commandconquer4tiberiantwilight
10:00 AM
10:01 AM
Additionally, with preorders, the sale still isn't made until the day the game actually comes out. You put a deposit down, but you can get it back if you want it. The company doesn't experience any early revenue.
So I think it is, as you say, part of the hype building. That's the only benefit I can see, other than providing a perk to your loyal customer base. #commandconquer4tiberiantwilight
10:08 AM
And GS's $5 deposit is just a silly way to trick naive customers into thinking they HAVE to buy the game or lose their deposit. You can cancel at anytime and get your $5 back. #commandconquer4tiberiantwilight
10:12 AM
Which option would YOU choose? #commandconquer4tiberiantwilight
10:15 AM
10:28 AM
Exclusive pre-order bonuses also mean you can punt some of your marketing bill onto the retailers (case in point GS's ads for ODST and L4D2). #commandconquer4tiberiantwilight
10:32 AM
10:54 AM
11:04 AM
Also helps for predicting server capacity for online games that require some hosting by the publisher/developer.
Of course this is just conjecture, but thats what I would do. #commandconquer4tiberiantwilight
09:39 AM
09:30 AM
... Wait, aren't those black robots from Sakura wars? #commandconquer4tiberiantwilight
09:30 AM
I'm getting bored of dawn of war, and dawn of war 2 from what i've played, isnt to my tastes. #commandconquer4tiberiantwilight
09:33 AM
Uh, Command And Conquer 3! #commandconquer4tiberiantwilight
09:34 AM
The best RTS I've ever played. #commandconquer4tiberiantwilight
09:35 AM
If your PC can run Dawn of War 2, you won't have issues with most RTS games at decent visual settings. #commandconquer4tiberiantwilight
09:35 AM
Then again you can always wait for Star Craft 2. (which by knowing Blizzard, will not be demanding spec-wise). #commandconquer4tiberiantwilight
09:38 AM
09:41 AM
AoE3, for me at least, killed the series. #commandconquer4tiberiantwilight
09:42 AM
Thanks for all the replies, I'll check out C&C and Company of heroes. #commandconquer4tiberiantwilight
09:50 AM
You could play Homeworld(1,2 or even cataclysm) probably can get them for under £5 each (1 and 2, cataclysm is a bit rare), might enjoy Company of Heroes but it has some similarities to DoW2 - it's more a tactical RTS.
Rise of Nations as someone suggested.
If you're into micromanagement I'd suggest games like MOO, Alpha Centauri and Sins of a Solar Empire.
If you can get a copy of Sacrifice I'll say you'd enjoy it esp for the voice acting. I guess you would have played Warcraft 3 and Starcraft. C&C 3 wouldn't be bad. Age of Empires 3 is still not as enjoyable as 2 for me at least.
Give the total war series a shot. Rome, Empire or Medieval 2. If you can wait till Feb go for Napoleon: Total War.
Though personally I'd recommend some old turn-based strategy games such as Heroes 2 or 3 and Disciples 1 or 2. (Even Divine Divinity) #commandconquer4tiberiantwilight
10:23 AM
12:17 PM
12:49 PM
As far as other RTS's go, starcraft and the warcrafts are still very good. CoH is decent, but I would rank it beneath the C&C's and the -craft's because a lot of things in the gameplay really piss me off, but others like it.
Sometime in the distant future Starcraft 2 will be released. From what we have seen so far, it will be fucking awesome in every way imaginable.
05:03 PM
Yeah, I've been through starcraft and warcraft 2&3, have to say though, I can never really get into Blizzard games, I even tried out WoW.
I'll check out Sacrifice, voice acting, when done well, can make a game superb, (here's looking at you legacy of kain series).
Thanks to everyone for all the suggestions, got a lot of games to check out! #commandconquer4tiberiantwilight
11/11/09
Perhaps they don't understand the casual market, perhaps they aren't marketing their games properly. What they do know is they're not making any money on the Wii, so I predict theres going to be less Wii games being put out by EA. #ea
11/11/09
11/11/09
I loved the way the sniper riffle worked for instance. Pull the trigger quickly to shoot. Pull the trigger in slowly to hold your breath, the more you pulled the shallower your breathing. At any point during breath control you could quickly pull the trigger to shoot. I thought that was pretty clever. #medalofhonor
11/11/09
Damn! Why do I feel so dirty! I seem to be loving EA these days, not just 'not hating' but loving! WTF is wrong with this world?!
...oh yeah, Activision. #medalofhonor
11/11/09
11/11/09
@Cake Tank!: You know what I find hilarious, all the things that the community called are already becoming an issue. There's hacks already and no admins to kick them and VAC uses a delayed ban system and the lag is terrible. #medalofhonor
11/11/09
11/11/09
Even L4D gave power to the players. We were losing in a versus match. I noticed a guy was running like he was no clipping. I said lets kick him because I'd rather lose fair than cheat to win. Everyone agreed and we kicked him.
Anyway I'm going to stop myself here, nothing is going to change what they've decided. Nothing I say, no suggestions, nothing will change it. I'm just not going to buy it. I guess MW was my last IW game. #medalofhonor
11/11/09
Like, the closest I've had was with Halo 3, but even then, it was at least playable. #medalofhonor
11/11/09
11/11/09