Now is the time to capitalize on marketing for Distant Worlds

[DrApostle]

Even though there is already a thread discussing price on its own, I wanted to expand the conversation to consider price, timing, and the present opportunity for Distant Worlds.

I bought Distant Worlds when there was a combo discount with Return of the Shakturi. I also later bought Legends when I received a $5 discount. I love the game because of its scale and can overlook its flaws.

I purchased Endless Space when it was released but after 30 hours of gameplay, it does not hook me like Distant Worlds. I carefully watched Legends of Pegasus and thankfully did not risk buying the game. These two games, along with others on the horizon and the communities that are anxiously awaiting them prove there is a market for Distant Worlds.

But not with the current pricing strategy.

There could not be better timing to introduce an aggressive pricing discount for a bundle, especially with an eye towards an expansion towards the end of the year. Why not have something like:
// Distant Worlds (original) - 25% off sale
// Distant Worlds / Return of the Shakturi combo -33% off sale
// Distant Worlds / Return of the Shakturi / Legends bundle - 50% off

This pricing strategy would have a larger user base that would potentially buy the new expansion.

I hope that Matrix is tracking the metrics for sales of the original and the expansions. Without knowing those statistics, I am curious about the expansion strategy as well as any plans for a Distant Worlds II.

[Anthropoid]

Just to add grist to the mill of the devs/publishers minds.

I was over at Paradox forums the other day. I recently (well several months back actually) got a new home machine and have been slowly getting all my old games installed. Several of which are Paradox titles, so I've been spending some time there (don't be jealous Matrix! it doesn't mean anything to me! [:D]) and at Gamersgate.

Anyway, I was looking around at how they have all their threads re-arranged. It was weird to me cause after having not been on their forums for a year or more, many of their games that I considered as 'fairly recent' were no longer front page at all.

I had to poke around and finally found the "Past Games" or some link to get to the forums for "Commander: Conquest of the New World" . . . which is a GREAT game btw! if no one has tried it. Sort've like the colonial New World equivalent of Distant Worlds!.

I noticed that Sword of the Stars 2 was listed in their 'recent games' or something, and since I've been getting back into DW I poked in there just to see what that game was about.

I imagine a lot of you are familiar with the debacle that seems to have transpired when that game launched a year or so ago. Cyber mutiny is just about the only thing I could think to describe it. I of course did not buy the game, nor was I lurking on their forums at the time and really didn't know much about it at all; so this is just me pieceing together what had transpired based on the 'paper trail' in their forums. Which actually wasn't hard to do, because about 30% of their stickied threads have titles like "Complaints About the State of the Game: Meta-Thread" (meaning a containment chamber for all complaints!).

Here is one forum members response to my query about the "topline summary of the state of SotS2"

It works. Patches still keep coming and fixing bugs/add new things and such. AI is still flawed (has not recieved much love but will in future I assume) so do not expect Distant Worlds experience. I would say game is still in developement phase.

Game is worth to try at least and can be found really cheap nowdays, check different stores for a discount.

Here is what a different forum member said in a thread comparing SotS2 with LOP

LoP is more playable and complete on launch. Just really crash Prone.

Seriously cant wait till some one releases an unbroken 4x.

To which I responded:

Matrix Games "Distant World" series. Would link to it but I seem to recall that is not permitted on Paradox forums.

But, did you see that up there!? That guy is lamenting that there are "no unbroken 4x games available." Clearly he doesn't know about DW.

Based on what OP said above, it sounds like Legends of Pegasus has been no less of a fizzle if not a dud?

Now I know you guys are very nice gentlemen and do not like to engage in individious comparisons with your competitors, nor would you ever gloat. But let me just say, it sounds like you very well COULD justifiably gloat to your hearts content if you wanted to! [:D]

All this to say: you guys (Code Force and Matrix) seem to really be in a class by yourself here when it comes to the depth, detail, balance, design, play and replayability, and 'addictiveness' of Distant Worlds.

[Texashawk]

I agree totally. In addition, there will be a game out called Stardrive that looks very similar to DW, with upgraded graphics. It's supposed to land about the same time as the new expansion, I believe.

[Yskonyn]

SotS 2 is more a 3x game (it lacks deep diplomacy / empire management) focussed on combat.
Contrary to the above, I do think its is pretty good shape now. Lots of patches have been churned out by the devs and they are continueing to do so on a bi-weekly (sometimes even weekly) basis.

Still, its not a true 4x game with the deep empire side like DW. More an action oriented game.
And a fun one at that, at least now.

LoP seems to be a fizzer indeed. Although it does have potential as well.

I agree that DW is probably the most unkown 4x game out there. Which is a shame! Spread the word, rally the troops!;)

[Cauldyth]

ORIGINAL: Texashawk

I agree totally. In addition, there will be a game out called Stardrive that looks very similar to DW, with upgraded graphics. It's supposed to land about the same time as the new expansion, I believe.

Lead your forces into battle with your own flagship that you control like an arcade shooter; command your fleets like you would in a real time strategy game with simple mouse commands

Bleh, that pretty much kills any interest I might've had in the game.

[lightheart]

Legends of Pegasus is a fantastic game, while discussing refunds in their forums someone brought up Distant Worlds. I had a look on youtube, bought the game and both expansions and here I am.

Good things (Distant Worlds) can come out of bad things, and Legends of Pegasus is very bad atm. Don't buy it.

Distant Worlds really make me feel immersed in space, in a space show ...I just wish I could see my Desert Moons from the point of view of the inhabitants.

In my imagination I see a hidden and sandy mysterious world, like Dune ...Seeing the planets would be great. sigh.

[mbar]

I listened to the warning bells and didn't get LoP. From what I've read and seen in let's play videos LoP crashes alot, "Y" and "Z" keys are flipped (press y get z, press z get y), tech tree is full of placeholder descriptions like "industry technology 1" and you can play against one AI in skirmish mode but the AI does absolutely nothing.

I might pick it up on sale for $7.50 if the AI ever shows up. Maybe. Legends of Pegasus is NOT a game. It's a tech demo.

[Yskonyn]

ORIGINAL: lightheart

Distant Worlds really make me feel immersed in space, in a space show ...I just wish I could see my Desert Moons from the point of view of the inhabitants.

In my imagination I see a hidden and sandy mysterious world, like Dune ...Seeing the planets would be great. sigh.

Yet, this is IMO what made the old games so great (and DW now). The fact that it did NOT have ultra realistic graphics, leaving a lot of room to let your imagination run the story instead of getting it fed by the graphics.
In these old-school games (of which I regard DW as being one) you get the tools to create the story, though your imagination really runs it.
I've come to realise that I much more prefer these games than most of the good lookers out there today with shallow gameplay and the 10th clone of something that has gone before.

[endoric_MatrixForum]

i would love more detailed colony managment. i dont get attached to my colonies.

[joeyeti]

ORIGINAL: endoric

i would love more detailed colony managment. i dont get attached to my colonies.

Hm, for me this feature would add unnecessary complexity and would most probably always stay automated. I think DW balances the lack of colony management by power drinks elsewhere

[unclean]

ORIGINAL: Cauldyth

ORIGINAL: Texashawk

I agree totally. In addition, there will be a game out called Stardrive that looks very similar to DW, with upgraded graphics. It's supposed to land about the same time as the new expansion, I believe.

Lead your forces into battle with your own flagship that you control like an arcade shooter; command your fleets like you would in a real time strategy game with simple mouse commands

Bleh, that pretty much kills any interest I might've had in the game.

Ever play Starfarer? If it plays out like that it could actually be really cool.

It does look very combat focused, and very beer and pretzels, so if you're looking for another Distant Worlds you're probably out of luck. Personally I love games like that though.

I really wish DW had an engine like that though, wow. Gorgeous game.

[Cauldyth]

Starfarer actually looks really good, and I've even pre-ordered it. [:)]

It's not a 4X game though, unlike Stardrive. Starfarer's core seems to be the combat, wrapped in a campaign that lets you buy equipment/ships/crew and undertake missions. For me, a 4X game is all about thinking and planning. If the outcome of combat in it is significantly determined by how good/bad I am at an arcade reflex game, then that's a turn off to me. The game mechanics will play out in one of two ways:

• My failures at strategic planning can be compensated for by quick reflexes during combat (and conversely, my careful strategic planning can be undone by my poor old-man reflexes during combat). Bleh.
• The outcome of combat is still largely determined by my strategic choices, in which case the combat is just a superficial feature. Bleh.

I have similar reservations about turn-based tactical combat in games. It's why I wasn't jumping at the chance to voice support for the recent request to "make combat more tactical" in the upcoming DW expansion.

I like the combat of Starfarer, and the strategy of Distant Worlds, but I don't necessarily want them in the same game. [;)]

[Anthropoid]

ADDIT: the game I was thinking of

http://www.matrixgames.com/products/353 ... of.Victory

Battle of Britain: Wings of Victory II

I hear what you are saying Cauldyth and I tend to agree.

However . . . did you ever play Battles over Britain? That game was absolutely BRILLIANT! in that it very effectively combined arcade-game-twitch + strategic planning all in one game, AND! you would play it however you wanted: 1) do both and have your arcade skills count (for a bit) in the overall strategic level; (2) play only the arcade part and let the computer pretty much make all the strategic decisions; (3) play only the strategic part and let the computer do all the dog fights; (4) some intermediate or ever-changing combination of the above.

Would be fantastic to see some space game dev guys try to sink their teeth into that game design.

[Cauldyth]

Hmm, never heard of that, no. Here's hoping Stardrive pulls it off just as well!

[Grotius]

I agree with the original poster. Distant Worlds is one of the best 4X games on the market, but so many people have never heard of it! For some reason, there's been a flood of space-4X games in the last year or so, many of which are inferior to DW. I can't keep all the names straight! There's Star Lords, Star Ruler, Sword of the Stars, Sins, Endless Space, Pegasus, and of course older titles like GalCiv2. I did enjoy Endless Space, but it scratches a different itch than DW.

Anyway, I hope the marketing gurus at Matrix can find a way to raise DW's profile with the upcoming expansion. This game deserves a bigger audience!

[mbar]

^that would be great to get the word out.

Word of mouth is bringing people in. There must be some clever viral way to get more people to notice. It's odd that bad news seems to get some games noticed. Legends of Pegasus is bad so people google and find info about DW, then buy it. I didn't know about Sins of a Solar Empire until a year after it's release when I was googling for DRM free games.

[lightheart]

Yet, this is IMO what made the old games so great (and DW now). The fact that it did NOT have ultra realistic graphics, leaving a lot of room to let your imagination run the story instead of getting it fed by the graphics.
In these old-school games (of which I regard DW as being one) you get the tools to create the story, though your imagination really runs it.
I've come to realise that I much more prefer these games than most of the good lookers out there today with shallow gameplay and the 10th clone of something that has gone before.

You are right, if the graphics don't match your imagination it leads one to feel disappointed. I suppose the imagination is a valuable thing that people are losing due to TV and realistic graphics

[Cauldyth]

Space Sector just posted a hands-on with StarDrive:

http://www.spacesector.com/blog/2012/08/stardrive-hands-on-beta-preview/

Sounds like the arcadey parts of the game can be easily ignored. The rest of it does sound very promising!

[mbar]

I have my eye on StarDrive and I'm excited about it. It looks similar to DW in design. The graphic engine looks very nice. The scheduled release is for Christmas 2012. I'm hoping for that but wouldn't be surprise by a 2013 release.

[towerbooks3192]

I feel sad that this does not get the attention it deserves. I mean its really deep and the best space 4x I have found in terms of depth. I am a bit masochistic when it comes to micromanagement so I hope that future expansions of DW would give us the option to control the private side of things since I want to have total control over things.

Anyway, they should make DW more accessible I mean like selling the main and the expansions on sites like gamersgate and steam. If only the main game is available on these sites like on gamersgate for example, it would give the wrong impression to customers since as they said that DW is better starting with RoTS and legends.

As for how I learned about distant worlds, I saw it on Gamersgate a long time ago and when I saw the price tag I was a bit scared to take a risk because of some of the complaints that the game sort of runs itself and there was lack of control of the private side of things. I just got DW last month after browsing Kalypso forums about Legends of Pegasus and thank God whoever mentioned DW there which led me here and made me end up purchasing the game despite being classified as too much to spend in one go for a space 4x or my usual strategy games.

I must say that DW gave me that Europa Universalis/ Hearts of Iron sort of feeling that paradox gave me but in space and I have a new favorite game in space 4x now.

I feel that DW SHOULD be bundled with its DLCs in order to experience all the beautiful features of the game