Not paying full price for games any more

[diablo1]

As it's nothing like what I used to spend on booze and fags in my younger days

Ain't that the truth. I used to spend $1200 a year plus on just cigarettes. Quit smoking 5 years ago and put half that savings into my gaming budget. The other half in the bank.

[Perturabo]

I rarely buy new/full priced games nowadays. The last one that I bought was TacOps and I already regret paying the full price for it as I'm not spending a lot of time playing it and I can't even participate in the TacOps forum discussion because Battlefront doesn't want Linux users on its forums.

Generally, to me, full-priced games are very expensive due to that idiotic economic stuff - for example a 50$ game costs 21 minimal hourly wages here instead 7 minimal hourly wages. Like work of a person here would be 3 times worse than work of a foreigner[8|]. This world is a sad joke.

When it comes to first hand games in last year I have bought TacOps (100 PLN), Raptor: Call of the Shadows (13 PLN ) and Duke Nukem the Manhattan Project (9 PLN) - both bought during the holiday sale, Humble Indie Bundle 2 (18 PLN). That's it.
In 2009 it was just Knight 'n' Grail [Premium C64 Disk Edition] (70 PLN), Psykozone ( 10 PLN ), Sean O'Connor's Windows Games (100 PLN ), War Plan Orange (6 PLN ) Battles in Italy ( 6 PLN ) Battles in Normandy ( 6 PLN ) - these are the only Matrix Games that I have bought - they were in a bargain bin in Tesco and I have found it kinda sad that they just lie there, with boxes that are getting more and more damaged, so I have bought them. Too bad that Wine still isn't able to render the map in War Plan Orange[:(].

Most of the games that I buy now, are vintage games that I collect. Nice big boxes, paper manuals, maps and stuff like that. Also, they are rare which makes their value real.

[Fallschirmjager]

Looks like I have some fellow bargain hunters. Now I don't feel as bad. Don't forget that Steam and other like sites also have a summer sales the last week of June/First week of July that is usually as big as their after Christmas sale.


Like Diablo I probably bought 60+ games last year. And I am not even retired [:D]
But with the mega sales it is hard not to buy 20-30 games at a time and then wait until the next sale. That is what I did at Christmas and I am just now downloading and playing the final games I purchased.

I would however pay full price for a handful of war games assuming they ever got made. If Matrix does anything with an operational level Vietnam game or Korea. Or a UV game set in the Atlantic or med, any WW1 naval game or age of sail game. I would buy any of those on release day at full price.
But Matrix has hit a dead spot with me lately. Everything they release or announce I have next to no interest in. It is the same tired WW2 theaters over and over and over.
I bought WitE at full price in December but regret it. It was very expensive and I put maybe 7 hours into it. It is not a badly done game by any means. I just simply could not get myself worked up enough to play yet another WW2 land game on the Eastern Front.

[Fallschirmjager]

I also just learned that Battlefront released a demo of CM Normandy. No one on this board even mentioned anything. Where are you guys when I need you [:D]
I am going to download and try it. But I don't have high hopes. CM SF was one of the most disappointing and downright awful war games I have ever played. And the asking price of $60 already puts me off.

[Dixie]

I'll pay full price if I really want a game that badly. I'm not going to feel bad about not paying full price, the company isn't going to feel sorry for me if I spend too much cash [;)]

[berto]

ORIGINAL: d0mbo

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

I've bought three games since 2002 and gladly paid full price for each: Uncommon Valor, War in the Pacific, and WitP: Admiral's Edition. That's about $20 a year spent on computer games. I doubt I'll purchase another game until WitP II is created (if that should ever happen). If it's created, I'll gladly pay full price for it and thank Matrix for the chance to do so.

Where can we sign the WITP II petition to get things moving?

+1

I largely agree with Canoerebel. I would be happy playing nothing but WITP:AE (or a WITP2) EXCEPT ...

There's no way I can abandon my "life-long dream come true" HPS American Civil War series EXCEPT ...

Setting aside my aversion to Paradox, I will certainly purchase Magna Mundi when released late this year. I worked on the MM mod team, and the MM subject matter completes my triad of ultimate gaming interests.

Beyond that--sorry, Matrix--I will most likely never purchase another game (with the exception of WITP2).

Any one of those three games alone could occupy my full gaming time. Where is there time for anything else?

Not mere words. Last week, I uninstalled all of my other games (including, sadly, TOAW and several other Matrix & HPS titles; I did retain UV & the original WITP, though). It really is now down to just those three top-listed games (rather: the two now, the third when MM is released).

Finally curbing my life-long game collecting addiction as I near old age.

[Fred98]

I bought 2 games in 2010 one of which I don't play.

I bought 1 game in 2011 to date.  Can't see anything on the horizon for the rest of 2011.
 
I prefer to play very few games well rather than a lot badly.
-
 

[Fallschirmjager]

I have a very broad range of tastes and can't play just a handful of games. I guess that is why I am not very good at MMO's. I just cannot put in the hours needed to succeed.
But I do like a very wide varaity of games. I can play old turn based war games and enjoy them and I can play the newest console shooter with it's shiny new graphics and enjoy it.
I cannot imagine playing just a handful of games each year. I would never make it.

[wodin]

I hardly buy games these days....play the demo and no likey most of the time...get given a few oldies here and there....infact I've been on a Chaos Gate tip recently and been playing a few free games by indy developers on the net...

Only games I can see myself buying this year are Red Orchestra 2 and Team Assualt...will try the demo of The Witcher to see if the combat is any better.

[ilovestrategy]

ORIGINAL: Fallschirmjager

I can play old turn based war games and enjoy them and I can play the newest console shooter with it's shiny new graphics and enjoy it.

This is me in a nutshell. Exactly. I can play anything from a turn based strategy game to a rts to an rpg to a brand new shooter. Doesn't matter of it's console or PC. I enjoy them all. [:D]

Just don't ask me to watch Disney's Pearl Harbor movie.

[jomni]

ORIGINAL: Fallschirmjager

I also just learned that Battlefront released a demo of CM Normandy. No one on this board even mentioned anything. Where are you guys when I need you [:D]
I am going to download and try it. But I don't have high hopes. CM SF was one of the most disappointing and downright awful war games I have ever played. And the asking price of $60 already puts me off.

Tell me if you change your mind. Because CMSF is a superb wargame at its current state (not when it was released). And if you like CMBN, that's because of the improvements and lessons learned from CMSF through the years.

[Fallschirmjager]

ORIGINAL: jomni

ORIGINAL: Fallschirmjager

I also just learned that Battlefront released a demo of CM Normandy. No one on this board even mentioned anything. Where are you guys when I need you [:D]
I am going to download and try it. But I don't have high hopes. CM SF was one of the most disappointing and downright awful war games I have ever played. And the asking price of $60 already puts me off.

Tell me if you change your mind. Because CMSF is a superb wargame at its current state (not when it was released). And if you like CMBN, that's because of the improvements and lessons learned from CMSF through the years.

I downloaded it and installed it but have ran out of energy for the night. I had to watch my brothers kids for a few hours tonight because he had to work late and cover for someone who was sick. To go from never being around kids to watching a 10 and 6 year old is quite an experience [X(]
My GF enjoyed it though. I told her not to get any ideas [:D]

I was on the CMSF beta team and did not even enjoy the game. I felt like it was rushed to release since I remember back around the time of release they had to meet a deadline so that the game would be released through retail. Then it turns out like six months later you could get the game retail for a fraction of the price.

I will try it tomorrow since I have the day off. I will definitely play it an open mind. But even if I like it the high price tag puts me off.

[Hertston]

ORIGINAL: Fallschirmjager
And the asking price of $60 already puts me off.

One problem I won't have. Having experienced Moon's idea of 'customer service' recently I wouldn't pay them $6, let alone $60.

[Fallschirmjager]

ORIGINAL: Hertston

ORIGINAL: Fallschirmjager
And the asking price of $60 already puts me off.

One problem I won't have. Having experienced Moon's idea of 'customer service' recently I wouldn't pay them $6, let alone $60.

Some small companies have it, and others don't. I have seen it with big companies as well.
One of the biggest problems I have seen if letting developers onto the forums in a customer service role. Programmers and the like don't have the best people skills. A few do but most don't. Also since most of the customer service revolves around something they themselves designed and programmed and most people asking for help are frustrated and short on manners then it becomes just an all around bad situation.
I think if it can be afforded, it is best to appoint someone on the business end of the company to handle public relations or if your company can't afford it then to appoint someone from the forum to handle customer support requests.

I am threatening to get my own thread off topic though [:D]

[Phatguy]

ORIGINAL: ilovestrategy

ORIGINAL: apathetic lurker

In the last few years I've gradually shifted over to board wargames and LOTRO....

I made a kin with my alts. I named it The Law Office of Smeagol and Gamgee. [:D]

What Server?

[Chris Bisson]

One happy by-product about waiting for a sale a few months later is you usually get a better/patched game for less than full price. Kind of a nice payback for the fact they released it unfinnished for full price ...no?

[ilovestrategy]

ORIGINAL: apathetic lurker




What Server?

Nimrodel. My mains name is Nymphonic. Been playing since April 2007

[sol_invictus]

I came to this conclusion a few years ago. I was paying hundreds of dollare a year on games and only enjoying about 20% of them. A huge waste of money which I did not want to continue. I almost never buy a game until it has been reduced in price or I can find a used copy. Same with books, videos, and cars. I have become a real miser.

[TonyAAA]

I haven't bought a game for full retail/release price in several years.

Lately, I've only been buying games for $5-10 via the excellent sales offered by online sellers like Steam, Impulse, Gamersgate, etc.

I'd be just as happy to buy them from Matrix, but they never seem to have sales as good as the competition.

For example, WW1 Gold is currently on sale for $5.99 on Impulse but it's never been that low here

[Perturabo]

ORIGINAL: Tony_A

I haven't bought a game for full retail/release price in several years.

Lately, I've only been buying games for $5-10 via the excellent sales offered by online sellers like Steam, Impulse, Gamersgate, etc.

I'd be just as happy to buy them from Matrix, but they never seem to have sales as good as the competition.

For example, WW1 Gold is currently on sale for $5.99 on Impulse but it's never been that low here

Generally it tends to alienate audiences from non-western countries as a lot of people there buy games after they reach prices of 5-15$ due to how much work it costs there (it's as much work as 30-45$ in US anyway), not at release prices.
On one local strategy game forum that I'm on there is was discussion only about WitP, WPO and Decisive Battles series and SPWaW when it comes to Matrix Games because they were released through local publisher at affordable price.
Practically no one here plays other Matrix Games titles due to how expensive they are.