release date, demo, going gold

[st.patrik]

I notice that Starfury went gold Sept. 11, demo was released Sept. 22, and the game will be released Oct. 3.

Does that mean that if Dom II roughly speaking goes gold on Oct. 10, the demo will be out about a week and a half later - sometime around Oct. 20, and the game will be released another week and a half later, say Oct. 30?

Is that pretty much the way you do things around here? And if so why is there such a long delay between going gold and the game being released? 3 weeks seems like a long time after the game is pretty much finished. My purpose is not to complain. However I would like to set my expectations, because if I'm not going to get the game until November (Oct. 30 + shipping time) then I will find something else to fill the time.

[Richard]

Actually 3 weeks is fairly short in the biz. The closer it get's to the holidays the longer the delay is due to demands from the industry. I figure month from Gold to ship is normal.

[st.patrik]

Thanks for the reply. From what you said I'm supposing that I won't have Dominions II in my hand until the first week of November. Fair enough.

Here's hoping we get a demo to play with during the second half of October!

[Psitticine]

Just guessing here, but while we're waiting on Richard, I'll point out that he may not have hard info right now because of the need to coordinate with printers and CD pressers. The shipping date will depend on how fast the physical components can be manufactured, and that'll vary depending on how fast the manufacturers can handle the order. They may be waiting on those outside agencies to respond with confirmation before they can pass any final information along to us.

(We've got a Graphic Design major at the school where I both teach and take classes. One thing I've learned through exposure to them and their printing needs is how important a factor the printer is in the whole equation. You have to be sure you can buffer their delays and scheduling needs as well as your own!)

[st.patrik]

You're probably right about Richard having no hard info yet - early November is really an informed guestimate - so much the better if it's sooner, and hopefully not much later.

Of course if and when more hard info is available, I'd like to hear it, if that were possible.

[Nerfix]

Oh, i wish that i could get my hands on demo before autumn holiday...
That is, before 20th of October...

[Psitticine]

The demo could be available pretty soon. I have absolutely no official info on that, but I know there was a test run of demo compilation on an older Version of the beta. I think they can come up with a beta pretty quickly, as soon as all the text and final checking is completed.

That's nothing to hold your breath on though. I'm just basing that on analysis of what I've been seeing going on and the fact they'll want to get the beta out ASAP.

[Nerfix]

Aaaah... Tha means i migth have few days to learn all the "killer aps" of Dominions II demo before i figth against my friends in LAN!

I can already see it...
Pangaea and Restless Worshippers...

[Mortifer]

Originally posted by Psitticine:
The demo could be available pretty soon. I have absolutely no official info on that, but I know there was a test run of demo compilation on an older Version of the beta. I think they can come up with a beta pretty quickly, as soon as all the text and final checking is completed.

That's nothing to hold your breath on though. I'm just basing that on analysis of what I've been seeing going on and the fact they'll want to get the beta out ASAP.<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Woot! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif
Anyways Im trying to get some of my friends to buy Dominions II. They love strategy games, so hopefully they will order it!

[PDF]

Well, Richard just talked about the delay between Gold and shipping "in general", he didn't confirm anything about Dom2 release date !

Sooooo ??? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif