Is the price of Dominions II a deterrent?

[PvK]

Originally posted by Watchdog:
I fail to understand what is so difficult to grasp about my position. My complaint is simple. I want this game, but I feel like the company's business practice's are unethical. This forces me to pass the product by even though I'd really like to play it. I won't because I refuse to patronize a company that uses cdkeys and charges so much for a 2nd rate product.

Let me explain. I want to play this game. But not as much as I want to play, say, age of wonders shadow magic. From there the math and logic are simple. ...

I understand. If you like Doms II less than AOW, play AOW. Different players like different games. I believe Shrapnel when they say they need to sell it at $45 based on their costs and business model.

More importantly, my tastes are the reverse of yours in this case. To me, AOW2 is a marginal product, which I wouldn't pay more than about $10 for, while to me, Doms I and II are the best (and really, the only) games of their type. To me, they're worth $45, or even $30 for the one and $45 for the second (plus shipping, etc). I'll be playing the heck out of them, so they'll be great deals for me, which no other game can substitute for.

Anyway, I understand where you're coming from. Stick with what you like. Hopefully though, you can appreciate that some of us think the Doms games are unique, excellent, and well worth the price Shrapnel needs to charge for them.

PvK

[Tim Brooks]

Watchdog:

You may not like our business practices in respect to software piracy and pricing, but you've got to respect us for letting you come into our 'home', use our bandwidth - which, by the way, is paid for partially by the money we make off of Dominions II - and express your wishes that you hope we go out of business, that our games are second rate, and that our business practices stink.

Also, if we didn't offer copy protection, our license would still only allow you to use the software on one computer at a time. I don't know of one game publisher that doesn't have a license stating this. So your objection is quite hollow, as to play mulit-player, even in your home, would require multiple copies.

[Jasper]

Originally posted by Tim Brooks:
Also, if we didn't offer copy protection, our license would still only allow you to use the software on one computer at a time. I don't know of one game publisher that doesn't have a license stating this.

I agree with you in general, and think the pricing is fine; why should the best game in it's genre come at a discount?! Moreover those saying the price should be lower have only opinion to back up their claims, which seems rather pale to me in comparison to practical experience.

Still, it's worth pointing out that there is a rather prominent exception to your blanket statement -- Warcraft 2. This let 3 players play in a multiplayer game per CD, but you needed a cd for solo play. IMHO this was a wise move, and probably contributed to Warcraft's popularity and Blizzard's ascension.

Admitedly Warcraft is the sort of game this tactic is perfect for, and Dominions probably isn't...

[Watchdog]

I'll just make one more point and then I'll leave off the topic. In my defense I originally posted with such energy because it looked like the price might actually be re-assigned once shrap saw that many people were posting about not buying the game because it's price to high. I was wrong.

My Last point is this. Software eula's have yet to be tested in court. They look very impressive but many of them contain several fictions that won't stand up if a judge gets involved. That being the case I tend to take their edict with a grain of salt. I don't pirate because I think it's stealing. But installing multiple instances or making backups(this is also prohibited by some licenses I've seen) are things that I will do regardless of whatever licensing stipulations I click on to install the game without actually agreeing to.

Anyway, Last bit from me. Have fun with your game.


PS.. "offer" copy protection......... lol that's a funny way to put it.

[ November 05, 2003, 13:16: Message edited by: Watchdog ]