Doms 3 demo! When?

[DominionsFan]

I just cant wait...I need a Doms 3. demo! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif
When can we try out our beloved game? I need it fast, faaast, very fast!

*cools down* http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/cool.gif

[Mindi]

The answer is the same as was posted in this thread (http://www.shrapnelcommunity.com/threads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB74&Number=230086&Forum= ,All_Forums&Words=&Searchpage=8&Limit=25&Main=2300 62&Search=true&where=bodysub&Name=4353&daterange=1 &newerval=5&newertype=y&olderval=&oldertype=&bodyp rev=#Post230086) about Dominions 2:

We won't release a demo until we at least have code to Gold status. Once the game has been certified as Gold then we will release the demo shortly after that. Otherwise we would have to patch the demo prior to release.



This is our standard practice. The game is still in beta test, so no demo until the game is completed.

[Gandalf Parker]

A demo has to be the demo of the working game doesnt it?
I dont think Ive seen many companies ever try a demo-beta.
And you KNOW that Illwinter is always doing a steady flow of changes.
edit: I was too slow getting that in. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

The only reason might see a demo before we get the final product is that a demo is faster to get to us even though they might happen on the same day. But Id love to see one also. I plan to plaster it everywhere.

Oh, and speaking of releases, kudos to Scott R. Krol.
I have had google notifications set for Dominions 3 and Rising Star for quite awhile. Lately my mailbox is full of articles from game sites and online mags I didnt know existed. My original plan was to find out about sites that were talking about the game so I could go add comments later. Now Im abit daunted by the task. Good job Scott.

[Nerfix]

Gandalf Parker said:Oh, and speaking of releases, kudos to Scott R. Krol.
I have had google notifications set for Dominions 3 and Rising Star for quite awhile. Lately my mailbox is full of articles from game sites and online mags I didnt know existed. My original plan was to find out about sites that were talking about the game so I could go add comments later. Now Im abit daunted by the task. Good job Scott.

Could you perhaps share some of those links?

[Gandalf Parker]

Well for Dominions the Google alerts I have are..
"dominions iii" OR "dominions 3" News as-it-happens
"dominions iii" OR "dominions 3" Web once a day
"dominions iii" OR "dominions 3" Groups once a day

They are in a bunch of emails since I got them over time as they happened. But feel free to tell google that you want to get notices also.

The first search will get you tons of stuff but after that it only sends you the new stuff that pops up. The most useful to most of us would be the web search so just going to google and putting in "Dominions 3" (with the quotes) should show them to you.

I also have:
Gilligames "Rising Star" News as-it-happens
Gilligames "Rising Star" Web once a day
Gilligames "Rising Star" Groups once a day
Shrapnel-Games News as-it-happens

[S.R. Krol]

Thanks, Gandalf. It is surprising the number of sites out there...it's always interesting to see how it grows. And unlike a few years ago the number of quality sites, and those that give games outside the mainstream a fair shake, have definitely increased.

-Scott

[Annette]

Nerfix said:
Could you perhaps share some of those links?



GameTab (http://www.gametab.com) is a great tool for keeping up with game sites,top stories and reviews. It's a sort of index in which you can choose which sites are highlighted when you come to their homepage. They also have a long list of links to various game sites, although it doesn't include some of the newer and smaller sites.

[NTJedi]

Drats... saw Annette posted on this topic and I quickly assumed there'd be a link for the Dominions_3 demo.

Next time... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

[Annette]

I'm sorry! As Mindi, said we won't have a demo until the code is complete. But I don't remember a time we ever released a demo post-release.

[Daynarr]

Never too late to start. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif http://smilies.vidahost.com/contrib/ruinkai/biggrinangelA.gif

[NTJedi]

It would increase pre-order sales too http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[DominionsFan]

I think we gonna have a demo after beta ends asap!! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Daynarr]

After beta ends game goes gold. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif

[Mindi]

NTJedi said:

It would increase pre-order sales too http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif



Not necessarily so. The bad thing about releasing a demo before the game is complete is that you run the risk of having bugs still in the game which could transfer to the demo. If the demo is released and is buggy it could very well turn people away from the game. Yeah you can release updated demos, but the damage may already be done. Does that mean every time a demo is released after code is complete that no one will have any issue with it on any computer? Well, no, but it does greatly reduce that possibility.

[NTJedi]

Mindi said:

NTJedi said:

It would increase pre-order sales too http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif



Not necessarily so. The bad thing about releasing a demo before the game is complete is that you run the risk of having bugs still in the game which could transfer to the demo. If the demo is released and is buggy it could very well turn people away from the game. Yeah you can release updated demos, but the damage may already be done. Does that mean every time a demo is released after code is complete that no one will have any issue with it on any computer? Well, no, but it does greatly reduce that possibility.



Personally it feels more safe to release a demo before the game is released because then hundreds or thousands of gamers could report bugs before the final code is released making the final version more stable which means fewer complaints.
Basically releasing a demo next month will greatly increase the size of beta-testers which greatly increases stability for the full version. Only the developers know if their current code is stable enough for a demo. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[Gandalf Parker]

I cant see that. I talk up Dominions in the gaming newsgroups all the time. Ive seen what happens when a buggy demo is released. Word-of-Mouth is a two-edged sword.

I wouldnt want to defend a buggy demo as being a pre-release. If its going to be something just for us who are a more understanding fan-base (not much, but some) then if its done at all I think its done under the guise of something like "open beta test". And Im not sure if Dom is the type of game for that to balance out the pros and cons of doing that.

I know that we are all drooling http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif
Luckily Shrapnel is around to protect from our desires.

[NTJedi]

Only the developers know if their current code is stable enough for a demo. And if a stable demo is released next month it will increase pre-order sales and increase game stability for the final product. A more stable final product will also give higher reviews from game websites.

[Richard]

NT Jedi,

It isn't fair to our customers to release a pre-release demo. If we release a demo, and people buy the game based on the demo, then we are misrepresenting ourselves and the game. We may take out features, we may add features, prior to release.

As far as when a demo is ready, it is our policy to release a demo after we hit Gold. We actually make the call as to when that happens (ie when the game goes Gold) along with the developers, the lead beta tester, and our Beta Test Coordinator.

So why we appreciate your concern we have no intention on changing that policy.

[Mindi]

NTJedi said:
Personally it feels more safe to release a demo before the game is released because then hundreds or thousands of gamers could report bugs before the final code is released making the final version more stable which means fewer complaints.
Basically releasing a demo next month will greatly increase the size of beta-testers which greatly increases stability for the full version. Only the developers know if their current code is stable enough for a demo. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif



What you are talking about is the equivalent of an 'open beta', not a demo, which typically we don't do. I understand the excitement by fans over this game and the desire to get the quickest look at the game possible, but there are real reasons why it's best to wait until the final code is complete and I don't see that changing anytime soon. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/cool.gif

[Gandalf Parker]

Calling a cutoff on Illwinter must be a fun thing to do. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif
Johan keeps such a steady stream of changes going all the time.

[Potatoman]

Yay, Dominions 3 is coming!

I'd like to chime in as being against a pre-release demo; Rise of Legends' unbelieveably buggy and weak sauce demo has convinced me that they're generally bad ideas.

[DominionsFan]

Yeah I agree on that Potatoman. Btw the Heroes V. demo will be released this week! ~1 month before the release of the game. I hope we can have the demo 1 month before the Doms 3. release! Argh its a pain to waaaaaait. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif