Downloadable?

[Sire]

Do you know if there are any plans making this game downloadable from internet shops like "Direct2Drive"?
Legally of course.

If I can buy a game for a lower price without a cover and cd/dvd disc, that is always my no. 1 choise. It's better for the nature too. (no, i'm not a member of Greenpeace)

If your answer is no to this question, I really would like to know why please. It obviouslly works.

Yesterday I would have bought the downloadable version of the game "Bioshock" if I hadn't been for a message at Direct2Drive's checkout saying my country (Sweden) was not supported.

[Kitaroija]

I don't have a credit card, and it's nicer to buy a game from a store, as it feels more certain and official. I also have enough cash to spare, so I don't care if it's a couple of bucks more expensive.

[obsolum]

I don't mind buying games online. In fact, the games I've played the most during the past year have all been bought online. However, I wouldn't mind if it wasn't downloadable either, as long as it's available in most stores where I live. If the developers can't guarantee worldwide availability in stores I think it's a must to offer it as a downloadable game as well.

[Ubaku]

I really don't know what is the point of this poll, when everyone knows perfectly well that this game will not be downloadable, but the only way you will be able to buy it is from a store.

[roebedoes]

yup

[Sire]

Ubaku:

Did you vote? :lol:

[trucknisse]

Well, the poll isnt that obvious. Id prefer to have both, if possible. However, I do not want to download a game that is too large, and I want the game to be as large as possible. All that deatailed 3d modelling of the california countryside is probably take a lot of Mb. If its not, it probably isn't as detailed as I hope it is. Like 18wos, they have fairly small games, although haulin is pretty large with long driving times, it still only has a generic randomly generated countryside thats not directly modelled after real life like rignroll.

[Ubaku]

Yes, I voted before I posted and then it hit me, why are we even arguing this point when we know the answer to it?

[3dartpol]

I prefer the Retail CD because a CD can last almost 50 years if it handled good. If the game is released i want buy the retail boxed Cd version.

[obsolum]

a CD can last almost 50 years if it handled good.
How could you possibly know that? No CD on earth has ever lasted that long yet http://www.easysmileys.com/img/shrug2.gif

[Alex Pianist]

Well... I will definately download RignRoll, as I did with STALKER. I don't wanna pay money for something that doesn't seemed to be absolutely outstanding.
Btw - that version of STALKER that I downloaded - was without any lags/bugs. I can tell you even more - I took simple DVD, put it into dvdburner, and in 4 minutes, the Holy DVD was ejected :lol:

[toradnic]

It'll be better to release download version beside boxed version. Download is easier to handle and faster to broadcast. On the other side, some may like CD version more, although they'd have to wait for week or two longer.

Sory for my English

[Alex Pianist]

It will be released -) For sure... but not by the developers :lol: .

[Evgeny]

It will be released -) For sure... but not by the developers .

What do you mean by this?

[Alex Pianist]

I meant my friend - that "downloadable" version of the game will be "released" by somebody else.

[trucknisse]

He knows what it means. And this is something 1C really should take into consideration. The time is almost here when, everything is going to be released digitally. It is always best if the publisher itself releases a game digitally; that ensure that the money goes to the persons who deserve it. This is a strong argument for also releasing the game digitally, in addition to the packaged box. Of course, there is some transactional administration involved in this, but there are some very good digital distributors out there that are more than willing to help.

[3dartpol]

of course it's better digital download but some people may not like that
there is Steam or gamegate that run a application in background and that is annoying... If it is downloadable without need to run a app when you play it it will be better.
And to fight piracy they can give every download a unique cd key.

[angrydog]

I meant my friend - that "downloadable" version of the game will be "released" by somebody else.

He is talking about warez! It's A**holes like him that makes companies not make PC games and focus on consoles! What he particularly meant was some one is going to leak this game! FYI dum A*s, not every game is leaked. This pisses me off and any other person who has been waiting for this game since 02?


And downloading this game? I do not think that will happen as this game is what over 2GB?

[Ubaku]

Discussing uploading and downloading this or any other game illegally at this forum WILL get you banned. Count on it.

[bayonet]

Well, see this is where it would be smart for them to release a demo. I guarantee atleast 80% of people are not just gonna buy the game, they're gonna wanna play it first. Alot of people use cracks and warez crap so they can play the full game like a demo, and then they purchase it later on. It all depends on what country you live in. I know if I made a video game, spent all the time and money on it, and it wasn't available in some countries I wouldn't give two craps if people cracked it and used it for free. Besides, if they really cared about their customers atleast that's something along the lines of what they'd initially think. I think it's really sad how people care about money so much. If you don't want a pirated game, don't download it. If someone is willing to risk a lawsuit then let em have it. It's not YOU making the money off the game, it's the developers choice wether or not they want to use anti pirating software on their game.

[trucknisse]

I think the best way to fight piracy, is to take away the incentives for it. I hope this game is going to be a megahit, and that will be available everywhere, in every little shop that sell games, in every little town. I remember a few years back when I wanted to get hold of 18WOS-PTTM on a physical CD. I couldn't find it anywhere. I looked everywhere. The only way was to import it through a website, where I had to pay shipping and customs, making the game three times as expensive. But the game was also available through paid download, and thats how I bought it instead.

What I am trying to say, is that some people at least, will always have problems finding a place to buy the physical game. Making the game available through paid download, will make it a lot easier for people to buy it legally, so that the money can come back to the people that deserve it, like the developers. This should be in the interest of everyone including us gamers, as more sales and profits make it more possible for us to see patches and upgrades to the game.

But of course, there will always be people who rather steal the game, but I guess there will always be criminals. It is therefore I am stating that having the game available for downloading takes away the incentives for illegal downloading. Their only arguments left will be illegal ones.

Now, having the game also available for downloading, as well as physical retail, will increase the possibility for higher sales. I think this is in the interest of everyone.

[Sire]

trucknisse:

I couldn't agree more.

But I think the root of the piracy problem is the price.

I can admit that I have downloaded illegal games in the past. Just beacuse I couldn't afford to buy games. When you are unaployed you don't have much money.

But I have a job now, and nowadays I buy all software/games instead. I am now so honest (and well paid) I will buy another copy of Windows Vista to install on my desktop computer. (running a newley installed Vista on this laptop) And yes, it's a retail version.

How about buying a game in second hand? This should be illegal too, as the developer will never get their share of that grayzone dollars.

If a full pc game would cost about 10$ I bet 95% of all gamers out there could afford to buy their favorite game. Instead of 60% and the remaning 40 % downloading the game illegally. (don't know any real numbers here) And if a game is so cheap that averyone can afford to buy it, the piracy versions would dissapear. Or at least drop down to the 5% I wrote about above. You know, it IS more forfilling to know you have bought a game legally. Trust me...

A game for 10$?!!? That can't be done! you say. Of course it can!
In the mean time the developers making the game, they should make a downloadable version as well. When the retail copies have been sold out *, the downloadable version will still continue to sell for a additional year or two.

* A retail version will sell about a year, then the title is old and will be removed from the shop shelf as new titles comes in.

What happens with a game title after one year?
If you're lucky you can still find it in webshops, or maybe on Ebay (or such) as a second hand version. If there would have been an downloadable version of the game, the developers would still have an income from the game, the gamer himself wouldn't have the hazzle of finding the game AND it would cost less to buy. It's a win-win situation for everyone.

[Alex Pianist]

He is talking about warez! It's A**holes like him that makes companies not make PC games and focus on consoles Oh really? I didn't know that I'm so powerful to make the other companies make games for the consoles. @$$h0le$ like you can judge anybody without any logical thoughts.
I'm sorry Ubaku for returning to this theme, but - in Ukraine where I live the the most time you can say that it is a warez game even talking about retailed DVD or CD, because there is no guarantee that it is really retailed version, without cuts or something else. The price for the DVD, usually around 15$. It is not the U.S. or other countries where the minimum game price is 50$. Yep I prefer first to download the game or at least demo to check it, and then to decide - whether I buy it or find an another way to play it.

[Ubaku]

Alex I am from Ukraine myself. I was born in Kiev and now live in America for the past 10 years. I have recently been to Ukraine and yes you are right, I bought some movies in Kiev and I have no way of knowing whether they are legal or not. All I know is that I bought them, so I did nothing wrong. But the best way is to buy products in a supermarket like mega market or etc, major companies like that are responsible for what they sell.

And I know how poor most everyone is in Ukraine, I lived there half my life, but no matter what you should never resort to stealing, I believe this and have lived by this in Ukraine and in America.

Personally I fully support a brand new system of encryption and etc that the developers should develop to prevent piracy.

[Alex Pianist]

Well, do you actually believe that in the supermarkets (in UA) there are real retail versions? What's the point to buy, if the developers will not receive your money because it goes to the store. Of course I cannot tell that for sure, but I do not believe that ukrainean store managers will send money to developers. My friends bought S.T.A.L.K.E.R. "retailed" DVD for 20$ in the store... the game was cracked without many things and with huge lags. I haven't stolen anything. It is like - when you using internet - you are stealing kylobytes... it's funny but it's kinda the same. You do not stealing them you using it. The same thing with the games... well, I am stopping right here to don't say anything about the illegal downloading of anything.

However the developers can allow to download "demo version" that can "become" the full one when you pay money for it. (as we see in 18wos)

[Trucksims]

After waiting and waiting and being lied to over and over. I seems like I dont feel like paying for this game anymore and rather download it off some illegal site. I know alot who feel the same as I do, I was going to pay for this game but seeing how things seem to turn up I have second thoughts of buying. Now I still plan buying but it all depends no how the game turns out. Thats my $0.2

[Ubaku]

Ukranian store managers dont send money to the game developers. I know a little of how retail businesses work. They buy 5,000 games from Softlab-Nsk and keep the games in a warehouse, and put some games into the store and sell them at whatever price they choose.

I know for sure that a major corporation in any country will never buy software from anyone but the company which developed it. The publisher is responsible for packaging and selling the games and they get paid by the developers for this.

The only place you will find pirated software in Ukraine is at open air markets called (bazzar in russian) but the police is really fighting this now especially as Ukraine becomes more and more western.

And enough of this topic, talk like this WILL get you banned from this forum I told you. Please stop if you are smart. :wink:

[Alex Pianist]

Ok my friend, and btw - thanks for the interesting information - I didn't know that.

But still - they can use 18wos idea of download release, it's legal. I understand that RnR should be much larger, but still - somebody can aford to download it in a LEGAL way (I didn't write anything about illegal things in this post :lol: )

[Evgeny]

Well, guys, it's better to stop this discussion, until it runs too far.

[Sire]

Evgeny:

It would VERY interresting to know WHY the game is not going to released as a downloadable version. Could you give me an answer on this question? I only wan't to know why...

Did you read my previous reply?
In my opinion there are plenty of benefits to make a downloadable version.
Am I wrong?

[JOleg]

Evgeny:

It would VERY interresting to know WHY the game is not going to released as a downloadable version. Could you give me an answer on this question? I only wan't to know why...

Did you read my previous reply?
In my opinion there are plenty of benefits to make a downloadable version.
Am I wrong?

IMHO, I tend to think the guys at Softlab-NSK are primarily developers and it's not in their competence to think about how the game is going to be distributed, it's the job of 1C and Atari. And when we ask them these questions they don't go and ask the publishers "How is Rig'n'Roll going to be distributed and whether it is possible it will be available as a download purchase?". It's just not their job ... formally speaking. This requires carrying out marketing with the purpose of finding out what strategy exactly will bring you more money at this exact moment in time. So they have treatement documents which state how both parties will get their slice of pie. Publishers do their job and developers do theirs, so basically asking NSK to distribute it digitally and also take offence that it might not be released digitally is not quite fair.

P.S. But it IS fair to ask them to include multiplayer! :wink:

Oleg

[JOleg]

Besides, one of the strategies is as follows:

PUBLISHER pays the DEVELOPER a negotiated and fixed amount of money at once and independently of whether the profit from the sales worldwide covers the expenses or not. The PUBLISHER in this case risks to never return its money back, and sure enough not get any profit from it. And the DEVELOPER insures itself by signing such a treaty that it will get the money in any case. And the opposite - if the the game turns out to be a megahit which brings the PUBLISHER not only a lot of money but also fame and recognition, then the DEVELOPER risks to not get more money than it potentially could.

Bear in mind, that one particularity of this case is the following:
I know a lot of cases when usual gamers bought several copies of one and the same game thus thinking they support the developers by doing so, but in reality if we're talking about the above described case then no money for each extra bough copy of the game goes into the pocket of the DEVELOPER, because it's the PUBLISHER who gets the candies.

The other case is when the DEVELOPER gets a % from the sales, and in this situation each and every copy of the game you buy will make the DEVELOPER happier.

So, there's no real confidence that the money I will pay for the game will go to the DEVELOPER and that's sad because the PUBLISHER might be standing between the community and the developers in this case and all our "Thank You"s materialized into the bought copy of the game will get stuck in between us and will not reach the recepient, and you will not get a notification that your message has not been delivered :( (Well, actually, if the game is blockbuster - everybody will know it :wink: )

Ummmm. Lighten up people! 8)

Oleg

[trucknisse]

I agree with you.

Even though the DEVELOPER has received a fixed amount of money for the game, the sales of the game will indirectly benefit the DEVELOPER. As more games are sold, the DEVELOPER will gain recognition that can enable them to negotiate a better deal for the next release, or the next upgrade etc. So in the project of the DEVELOPER, this recognition will enable them to get % of the sales, and increase their own happiness.

From a marketing point of view I think it is always better if some percentage goes to the DEVELOPER, as this makes the customers more comfortable paying the fees. The PUBLISHER can in turn use this to pr itself, stating that they are a fair PUBLISHER that share the profits with their DEVELOPERs.

[USA Driver]

I would dance if this game was released threw Steam. :D
If not, there's always Amazon.com.

[Anatoly]

Rig'n'Roll and other 1C titles should be available at our Digital Download store which is due to open soon.

[USA Driver]

Very good. Thanks for this. :)

[number9ark]

EWWWW Steam blows dude , it's not even secure , They even post this is the TOS enula

"if you get hacked or a viruse it's all your own fault steam is not responsibility for any loss or damages that could happen"

I perfer buying a disc over some network that could go offline at anytime and you lose all means of playing the games ..

[KENWORTH]

id rather download it because if it goes on the store shelf it will be sold out quickly buut i dont care cause i haul video games and computer games alot so i get any game i want hahahahahahhahaha :lol: :twisted: