Can you buy Dominions 3 online for download?

[S.R. Krol]

Originally Posted by JustAName

I've read that lengthy Digital Download thread too, and I know the arguments for and against...I can't speak for anyone else, but I do know MY situation. Because of the cost, I've been on the fence with buying this game for about two weeks now. Last week I decided to buy it and was at the ordering screen; when I found out I couldn't get the game digitally, I decided against it and to wait until it goes digital, if ever.

This is what I don't get. One of the key factors people cite when discussing digital copies is INSTANT GRATIFICATION. But, with the fact you've been on the fence for two weeks in that time you could have purchased the game and been playing it. While we can't do anything about customs in general transit time is really good. We had one customer from the island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean get his copy in about two weeks, and since most folks probably live in more civilized regions, transit time is going to be better.

My view- Retail is so last century. I don't care what it costs a game publisher to make games available by digital download

Umm, we care.

...if they can't be bothered to do what it takes to get games to gamers like me, they won't get my business.

How long have you been gaming? I'm assuming for a number of years, right? And for many of those years you probably only had the option of purchasing a physical copy, correct? Is having to buy a physical copy really that much of a burden?

And this is not meant to be argumentative, it just seems odd that in a world in which the majority of products still are physical (and will always be physical, you can't eat or wear bytes after all) that someone is so against the fact that they can't get a game digitally that you would do without rather than just get the game shipped to you.

[JustAName]

Krol, my point about "not caring" is that a publisher can cite reasons for not having downloads available all they want, but what most customers will see and/or care about is whether or not it says "download now" on the order form.

And yes, in this particular case, it IS a burden. At the game's current price, I'm (quite figurately) on the fence about buying it. As for retail boxes...hey, I've been gaming since I was the coolest kid on the block for having Pacman for the Atari first. And I'll never forget lovingly thumbing through the Pirates! and Darklands manuals. But there are some games that I want to just get and play.

Let me put it to you from a different angle. My gut tells me this game is too expensive, but I was willing to make an impulse purchase of it anyway. That impulse petered out as soon as I got to the order form.

[rdonj]

This game is not too expensive. Even if you just played 5 or 6 games and never looked at the game again, you would probably get as much play time out of that as most games you've bought. And if you played the demo and were intrigued enough by it that you considered buying the game, you're almost certain to get that much playing in.

Personally though I hate the idea of direct download. All availability issues aside I much prefer having something concrete and solid that I can hold onto, so if my computer goes to hell or a file gets corrupted I'm not suddenly out $50. You have to keep track of a disc and keep it safe, but with dominions you don't even need the disc in to play, so wear and tear on the disc is extremely minimal.

[Edi]

Originally Posted by rdonj

Personally though I hate the idea of direct download. All availability issues aside I much prefer having something concrete and solid that I can hold onto, so if my computer goes to hell or a file gets corrupted I'm not suddenly out $50. You have to keep track of a disc and keep it safe, but with dominions you don't even need the disc in to play, so wear and tear on the disc is extremely minimal.

My sentiments exactly. Digital copies are all fine and well, but what happens if your HD conks out? And if your backups get shot too? I've had one external HD suffer mechanical failure and that cost me six months worth of accumulated schoolwork because there was a virtual server environment on it that I couldn't run on my home machine due to lab work requirements. I managed to recover the important documentation files that were on the HD before it gave out all the way and making up for the rest of it in two weeks was a real pain in the ***.

As long as you keep track of a commercially produced CD, it generally doesn't degrade, whereas self-burnt ones can die in anywhere from one to ten years depending on CD quality due to the laws of physics that govern chemical reactions.

And if you lost a digital copy, how do you arrange for a redownload? Verification of purchase etc, but that goes back into the need for a downloads management system and we're right back in square one.

Obviously your mileage may vary on how long and how often you would play Dom3, but considering I've been managing the bug reports for near enough two years now and have had time to do the DB and otherwise put all kinds of extra effort into this, it's certainly been worth it in my opinion.

And that's before considering that the hobby project of the Dom3 DB and the bug list actually helped me secure a second professional IT degree. With just minimal modification, I was able to present a working prototype database and project experience that I could present as fait accompli for some sections that were required to demonstrate prior experience. I'd already invested my time into making them, so I used them to my advantage. As games go, for me Dom3 has been an investment that has paid itself back many times over and will keep on doing as long as stay in the IT profession precisely because of this. I'd be (literally) a poorer man indeed if I'd be that hung up on instant downloads.

[MaxWilson]

Originally Posted by Edi

And if you lost a digital copy, how do you arrange for a redownload? Verification of purchase etc, but that goes back into the need for a downloads management system and we're right back in square one.

Tangent: Baen has a really cool system (via Webscriptions.net) that makes universal availability one of the main reasons to buy their ebooks. All your purchases, ever, are tied to your account (email account typically) and you can always log in from any computer and read your books online, or download them in a number of formats including plain HTML (with no DRM) or emailing it your Kindle. No chance of losing them, ever, and no need for storage space. Obviously this universal-availability thing wouldn't work as well for software because it *doesn't* run in a web browser, but Baen Webscriptions is a classy service and if you're into books you should check them out. And there's no DRM. At all.

-Max

[Sombre]

Originally Posted by JustAName

Krol, my point about "not caring" is that a publisher can cite reasons for not having downloads available all they want, but what most customers will see and/or care about is whether or not it says "download now" on the order form.

And yes, in this particular case, it IS a burden. At the game's current price, I'm (quite figurately) on the fence about buying it. As for retail boxes...hey, I've been gaming since I was the coolest kid on the block for having Pacman for the Atari first. And I'll never forget lovingly thumbing through the Pirates! and Darklands manuals. But there are some games that I want to just get and play.

Let me put it to you from a different angle. My gut tells me this game is too expensive, but I was willing to make an impulse purchase of it anyway. That impulse petered out as soon as I got to the order form.

I'm completely with you on this. If your gut tells you it's too expensive and after a couple of weeks consideration you haven't convinced yourself to the extent you can ignore the delivery, I don't think you should buy it. Be aware it's not going to go down in price.

From my limited experience Krol is pretty fond of insulting customers/potential customers when they express opinions he doesn't like, so you may have that coming in a moment. He also completely missed your point - you say you've been on the fence for a couple of weeks, musing the decision to buy,.. and his response? You could have bought it and had it by now. Classic. But he doesn't in any way shape or form represent the dom3 community, to be clear.

[Edi]

Originally Posted by Sombre

From my limited experience Krol is pretty fond of insulting customers/potential customers when they express opinions he doesn't like, so you may have that coming in a moment. He also completely missed your point - you say you've been on the fence for a couple of weeks, musing the decision to buy,.. and his response? You could have bought it and had it by now. Classic. But he doesn't in any way shape or form represent the dom3 community, to be clear.

Just to comment on this, I don't see anything insulting in his post as such. He just said he does not get the objections and lays out the reasoning for it, which from where I'm sitting is pretty solid. It's already been established that Dom3 won't be available for digital download, so in that context his position makes perfect sense.

Scott may have insulted some people at some point in time or another, but as far as I can see, he hasn't done so in this thread. Or maybe I don't perceive what the insult supposedly is.

[Gandalf Parker]

Originally Posted by JustAName

Let me put it to you from a different angle. My gut tells me this game is too expensive, but I was willing to make an impulse purchase of it anyway. That impulse petered out as soon as I got to the order form.

Wow do NOT do that. This is not a game for an impulse buy. Get the demo and convince yourself, or dont buy it. The demo is abit out of date with the main game but its enough to give you the impression of it.

If you do like the demo then the game will most likely be the best money-to-value game purchase you ever make. Ive paid as much for games that lasted me a month. This one tends to last for years. Even the experts at it still argue and have not come up with the "killer strategy" that ruins many other games within their first year.

[MaxWilson]

Originally Posted by Gandalf Parker

Wow do NOT do that. This is not a game for an impulse buy. Get the demo and convince yourself, or dont buy it. The demo is abit out of date with the main game but its enough to give you the impression of it.

If you do like the demo then the game will most likely be the best money-to-value game purchase you ever make. Ive paid as much for games that lasted me a month. This one tends to last for years. Even the experts at it still argue and have not come up with the "killer strategy" that ruins many other games within their first year.

Well said, Gandalf.

Total tangent: that thread on "What do you do when you're not dead", plus Baalz's thoughts in the Helheim thread on Black Bow of Botulf + Black Heart, have me wondering which of the other items and spells I've overlooked that have potential for pyrring your conqueror's victory, even moreso than just sending gems to his enemy. Banefire crossbow has potential--I think it's AoE 9 and only 5 death gems.

-Max

[JustAName]

Originally Posted by Gandalf Parker

Wow do NOT do that. This is not a game for an impulse buy. Get the demo and convince yourself, or dont buy it. The demo is abit out of date with the main game but its enough to give you the impression of it.

If you do like the demo then the game will most likely be the best money-to-value game purchase you ever make. Ive paid as much for games that lasted me a month. This one tends to last for years. Even the experts at it still argue and have not come up with the "killer strategy" that ruins many other games within their first year.

Actually Gandalf, playing the demo is what PUT me on the fence. I certainly like the game (or I wouldn't be here), but I've never been a fan of multi-player when it came to turn-based strategy games (Alpha Centauri being the sole exception). It seems that the game is tailored more toward MP play, which is fine, but I can't envision taking advantage of that too often, thus lowering the expected value of the game for me. That's why I said that my being on the fence is a case particular to me.

Returning to digital distribution...I imagine that people who see fit to find fault with the established outlets haven't yet taken the time to see how advantageous it can be. EA and Impulse admittedly have a ways to go in terms of customer satisfaction, but Steam is something I think everyone should at least check out before continuing any discussion on the topic. They've found a great balance between DRM security and availability of the software you purchase, whenever and wherever you want it.

Maybe I got spoiled with Steam and expected it here.