Why Not Digitial Distribution? - Page 3

Endoperez · #1 February 3rd, 2008, 06:41 PM

Analyzing the introductions thread:

59 from Europe

19 from Scandinavia (didn't count the Dutch in), the most important

European sub-group. I didn't count UK people because UK isn't as important as Scandinavia, but there were well over a dozen from there as well.

66 from USA/Canada

9 from somewhere else (5 from Australia, and single ones from from Solomon Island, Mauritius, China, Argentina)

So while the US is the biggest market, at least judging by those who register at this forum Europe is at very nearly the same numbers. It should also be remembered that there are at least French language forums with Dominions discussion, and those who aren't native English speakers tend to favour forums in their own languages (except for Finns, who flock to these forums). I don't remember where I saw them. Probably after I read a Dom3 review published on some French site. It was maybe a year ago or something, but they had games going on back then.

Agrajag · #2 February 3rd, 2008, 07:02 PM

Don't forget that a nice portion of the Dominions III "DRM" is The Manual.
Aside from legalities, The Manual is a very good reason to choose a legal copy of Dominions III over a pirated one.
Selling Dominions III online would require either supplying the manual as a PDF (which would then be instantly pirated and spread through the internet, ruining the current "DRM"), or allowing a download and sending the manual by mail, which would actually be more expensive to do.

Zeldor · #3 February 3rd, 2008, 07:08 PM

Agrajag:

Nah, manual is rather a nice addon. You want to buy Dom3 because of patches and MP. Some bugs looks like created to be fixed with a first patch so pirated versions are broken

BesucherXia · #4 February 3rd, 2008, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Agrajag said:
Don't forget that a nice portion of the Dominions III "DRM" is The Manual.
Aside from legalities, The Manual is a very good reason to choose a legal copy of Dominions III over a pirated one.
Selling Dominions III online would require either supplying the manual as a PDF (which would then be instantly pirated and spread through the internet, ruining the current "DRM"), or allowing a download and sending the manual by mail, which would actually be more expensive to do.

Seconded.
In fact I think I will pay for another copy if an updated manuel can be delivered.
Even if the E-Manual is available, I still perfer using paper book, which is much more convenience.

sector24 · #5 February 4th, 2008, 05:35 PM

Quote:

S.R. Krol said:
Illwinter should hand deliver the game with a basket of cheese and ale

When can we expect this upgrade in service?

llamabeast · #6 February 4th, 2008, 08:13 PM

I have to agree that I'm definitely against commercial pressure coming anywhere near Dominions. The way in which it is written simply because of a love for the game rather than a mind for profit is wonderful.

The only reason I want more people to buy it is because I want to share the fun! I think of those poor people out there, playing crappy strategy games and not even knowing about the revelation that is just around the corner!

Caduceus, Don_Seba (and indeed S.R.Krol), very sorry if I've worded my posts too strongly. Obviously we're all very happy with both the game and the publishing service. I guess I just wanted to highlight the opportunities for increasing sales.

S.R. Krol · #7 February 4th, 2008, 08:44 PM

Llamabeast: No worries, I don't think any of your posts were too strong.

Jazzepi: *sigh* We keep going around in circles. You're entitled to your opinion, but it's not going to change our opinion. Agree to disagree.

And I don't even know where you get that butcher example from, but tell you what, go into your local supermarket and demand they start selling Ferraris. Sure, they're a supermarket and not an exotic car dealership, but if a customer wants something and they are willing to pay for it, they should always get it, right? Come on.

***

Funny thing about when these digital distribution threads crop up, it's always from folks who own the game already. Since its release I don't think we've gotten a single email from someone saying, "I will ONLY buy the game if it's available as a digital download." It's such a non-issue for the majority of gamers.

Anyway, it's been fun, and let's hope everyone hasn't gotten too worked up. Now let's get back to putting all this energy into playing the game.

Zeldor · #8 February 4th, 2008, 08:53 PM

S.R. Krol:

Make AI better!

Jazzepi · #9 February 4th, 2008, 11:32 PM

Quote:

S.R. Krol said:
Llamabeast: No worries, I don't think any of your posts were too strong.

Jazzepi: *sigh* We keep going around in circles. You're entitled to your opinion, but it's not going to change our opinion. Agree to disagree.

And I don't even know where you get that butcher example from, but tell you what, go into your local supermarket and demand they start selling Ferraris. Sure, they're a supermarket and not an exotic car dealership, but if a customer wants something and they are willing to pay for it, they should always get it, right? Come on.

***

Funny thing about when these digital distribution threads crop up, it's always from folks who own the game already. Since its release I don't think we've gotten a single email from someone saying, "I will ONLY buy the game if it's available as a digital download." It's such a non-issue for the majority of gamers.

Anyway, it's been fun, and let's hope everyone hasn't gotten too worked up. Now let's get back to putting all this energy into playing the game.

We do keep going around in circles. I give a reasonable example (IE a butcher providing a different type of meat, since he's, you know, a *butcher*), and you distort it into something ridiculous that is completely off topic, IE the example you just gave. I mean, I know it's convenient for you to throw out these whacked out examples like someone trying to buy a Ferrari from a supermarket, but that's just intellectually dishonest.

Here, let me offer you this so that you have an idea of why you should add digital distro.

If I could buy this game through digital distro with the same DRM currently in place, I would have, and it would have added value to the product while cutting the amount of money it cost you to sell the game, thus increasing your profits.

Jazzepi

Velusion · #10 February 5th, 2008, 12:08 AM

Jazzepi -

You are wasting your time. They don't really care about getting the game out to more people or increasing sales. The creators said it themselves in this thread (in so many words) and in other places.

While this concept is bizarre to most people (i.e. us) it is their purgatives.

It's the same reasoning that leads to the creators saying they don't want a save game feature and why glaring interface/ai issues exist but we get more expansion nations. It's also the one of the main reason why dominions will never get above the reputation that it is just an eccentric niche game for "hardcore" players.