Why isn't there an online purchase?

[SnallTrippin]

Finally got around to ordering Dominions 3 and now I have to wait for delivery? For a game under a gig in 2010...why?? ...sigh.

[Sombre]

Because otherwise the terrorists win.

[SnallTrippin]

Well it says it shipped today ...which is doubtful...but hopefully I'll get it by Tuesday when I have off...sigh.

[Gandalf Parker]

This has been answered many times.

Short guess, because there is not yet a standard ironed-out installable package to handle digital distribution. All of the sites have to write their own or buy into something like Steam.

Shrapnel does offer downloads of games. But they do not seem willing to take chances with their heavy hitters.

And its actually quite likely that the game shipped today. This is not the size company that shuts down on weekends. In fact, its the size company that does most of their work on weekends.

[SnallTrippin]

I just really want to get into some MP, never got around to DOM2 MP because of bandwidth/ISP/etc problems.

[Sombre]

Well if you want to play MP then dom3 was a good choice.

[SnallTrippin]

It's sad they don't make a deal with Gamersgate/Paradox or some other company because I can imagine it'd get a bit more exposure on those sites.

[Quitti]

But it'd cost them. They might gain more by doing it though, but let's face it again, dom3 is not a mainstream game, so it wouldn't probably pay off with this game. With some other titles it might, I haven't looked much into them, just some casual browsing.

[Trumanator]

Not to mention they have to get rid of all those copies they have already.

[SnallTrippin]

I would bet that they'd do pretty well. This game is just not known, even to people who WOULD play this type of game. Gamersgate helped the Europa Universalis and other Paradox games like that quite a bit.

[Gandalf Parker]

Isnt Paradox more of an advertising and shelfware company? Just having a game in GamersGate isnt going to create many new sales by itself. And if GamersGate involves "good faith" payments to join then thats probably why it wouldnt fit Shrapnels way of doing things. Shrapnel was started by a game developer specifically to avoid that business model as an alternative for the starter developers who dont have a following yet.

Shrapnel is more of a publicity and distributing market plan. Shrapnel does pretty good at publicity. Their games get covered in almost every game rating site. But publicity and distro dont involve laying out funds ahead of time and holding up profit checks for developers. Or worse yet having to gouge devs to cover lost funds on such experiments.

[Ink]

if the devs aren't in it for the money, and don't want to take any risks to make money, then that makes sense.

but if devs are serious about being game developers as a living, then two-bit publicity and marketing won't get you anywhere, you NEED to shell out a little cash for someone with exposure and a real marketing team.

BTW, anyone can get covered in almost every game rating sites. Those sites are usually link farms, and it pays them to go looking for games themselves. That doesn't take publicity and marketing.

[Gandalf Parker]

if the devs aren't in it for the money, and don't want to take any risks to make money, then that makes sense.

but if devs are serious about being game developers as a living, then two-bit publicity and marketing won't get you anywhere, you NEED to shell out a little cash for someone with exposure and a real marketing team.

True enough. Actually a better plan is to go with P&D for the first game or two for capital and buildup a player base, then switch to a M&S for the later versions. And a number of developers have done that here (with questionable success on the gamble move). As far as the Dom3 devs you might have hit the button since they have said they arent in it for the money.

BTW, anyone can get covered in almost every game rating sites. Those sites are usually link farms, and it pays them to go looking for games themselves. That doesn't take publicity and marketing.So cynical. :) but not all of them are like that.
Not that it matters. It still pays off better than just placing a game with a digital distrib company. More people hit the game review sites, and then the purchase sites. Few hit the purchase sites first. Since the method of purchase is unlikely to affect much for this game its still a safe bet.

[Trumanator]

I wonder if this topic is destined to be reincarnated every few months, or if it will ever end?

[SnallTrippin]

Well, it should have a sticky. Seriously. I know another person I'm trying to get to buy this and they're a lil 'meh' on the snail-mail option.

[Sombre]

A sticky saying 'you can't get this via digital distribution' seems a bit pointless.

[SnallTrippin]

...as opposed to people asking the question every once in a while..something a sticky is really meant to stop..s'ok. A sticky woulda stopped me from a 5 minute internet search anyway.

[Gregstrom]

You could always try in the FAQ sticky...

Second post, 6th question down, under the heading 'DIGITAL DOWNLOADS'.

[SnallTrippin]

Sure, use LOGIC...lol. Oops?

EDIT- Lol, no wonder I didn't notice it, since the heading is something like 'MIRC and FAQ' which makes me read it as FAQ FOR MIRC CHANNEL. Hah.