Posted January 18, 2015
PhilD
uh-huh, sure.
PhilD Sorry, data for given user is currently unavailable. Please, try again later. View profile View wishlist Start conversation Invite to friends Invite to friends Accept invitation Accept invitation Pending invitation... Unblock chat Registered: Mar 2011
From United States
swatkat
Razor Clawson
swatkat Sorry, data for given user is currently unavailable. Please, try again later. View profile View wishlist Start conversation Invite to friends Invite to friends Accept invitation Accept invitation Pending invitation... Unblock chat Registered: Dec 2014
From United Kingdom
Posted January 18, 2015
Hasn't the TPB been sunk?
Pardinuz
Watch Pignorant!
Pardinuz Sorry, data for given user is currently unavailable. Please, try again later. View profile View wishlist Start conversation Invite to friends Invite to friends Accept invitation Accept invitation Pending invitation... Unblock chat Registered: May 2014
From Portugal
Posted January 18, 2015
Thalinor00: I could care less what other people think. Yes, plenty of times people steal stuff and don't pay for it, but their decisions are not MY decision. I hate people talking about the bay like it's just for pirates. As far as I am concerned, I have been robbed enough times by game companies with a terrible product I can't return that I just don't care anymore. I know GOG has a return policy, but I am not going to jump through hoops just because some company who's job it is to sell their product, can't be bothered to release a demo.
I cut a little slack to indie devs more than huge devs like EA in this department, but there is no excuse for not having a demo. I can walk into any store and at least look at any product other than video games, hell even music and movies have demos/trailers.
Demos aren't profitable. End of story. You just have to learn to deal with it. If you can't understand why, watch the video Cyraxpt posted for some insight. I cut a little slack to indie devs more than huge devs like EA in this department, but there is no excuse for not having a demo. I can walk into any store and at least look at any product other than video games, hell even music and movies have demos/trailers.
In the age of Let's Plays and Youtube reviews there is really no excuse for pirating just for the sake of seeing what the game actually looks like.
mobutu
down with DRM
mobutu Sorry, data for given user is currently unavailable. Please, try again later. View profile View wishlist Start conversation Invite to friends Invite to friends Accept invitation Accept invitation Pending invitation... Unblock chat Registered: Sep 2010
From Other
swatkat
Razor Clawson
swatkat Sorry, data for given user is currently unavailable. Please, try again later. View profile View wishlist Start conversation Invite to friends Invite to friends Accept invitation Accept invitation Pending invitation... Unblock chat Registered: Dec 2014
From United Kingdom
catpower1980
Hello World
catpower1980 Sorry, data for given user is currently unavailable. Please, try again later. View profile View wishlist Start conversation Invite to friends Invite to friends Accept invitation Accept invitation Pending invitation... Unblock chat Registered: May 2009
From Canada
Posted January 18, 2015
Pardinuz: Demos aren't profitable. End of story. You just have to learn to deal with it. If you can't understand why, watch the video Cyraxpt posted for some insight.
In the age of Let's Plays and Youtube reviews there is really no excuse for pirating just for the sake of seeing what the game actually looks like.
As pointed in the video, the new form of demos actually are the mobile games with in-app purchases and in that particular market that makes sense because: In the age of Let's Plays and Youtube reviews there is really no excuse for pirating just for the sake of seeing what the game actually looks like.
1.technically, due to the various you'll never be 100% sure that your game will work correctly on most devices.
2.consumer's habits: people almost spent no money are more likely to throw 1$ here and there than paying 5$ upfront.
Now, on the PC market specifically:
1.sharewares was useful to get known in the 90's because of the lack of internet, now there's youtube, twitch.
2.consumer's habits: games are to gamers what clothings are to women: driven by sales and impulsive buys.
The state of PC demos nowadays from a dev point of view:
1. Demos are now mostly used for tech/gameplay demos to promote crowdfunding campaigns. Sadly, early access are now the "new demos".
2. Most games rely on upgrades and unlockables so if the demo features only the beginning of the game, it will lack most of the features and run the risk of feeling too generic (like every metroidvania starts with only "jump and shoot" option)
3. The best way would be to design a specific level which would showcase every features of the game but it can heavily backfire as the level design and game balance could be completely different than the real game experience.
4. the best genre for demos are point 'n' click which only features the beginning of the game as the player can directly experience the flow of the story and get involved in it or not.
5. Money Shark mode on: a PC consumer will more likely buy a 5$ game on sale than properly taking the the time to install a demo and play it so it's better to not refrain him from his purchase. Of course, for a 30-60$ price, it's another matter but as most games cost less than 20$....
Conclusion : IMHO the only future of PC demos are through web games (no install, direct gameplay) without forgetting to put a visible buying option. See how Winter Wolves did it for Vera Blanc:
http://www.winterwolves.com/webgames/verablancfullmoon/
HiPhish
New User
HiPhish Sorry, data for given user is currently unavailable. Please, try again later. View profile View wishlist Start conversation Invite to friends Invite to friends Accept invitation Accept invitation Pending invitation... Unblock chat Registered: Oct 2010
From Germany
Posted January 18, 2015
I don't understand how a demo cannot be profitable. The programming code is the same, so you get one guy to sit down one afternoon and make an alternate build script that does not include all the assets. building a demo is then a matter of just pressing a few different buttons. Once it's automated the extra work is just a few seconds.
misteryo
you are required to own on gog
misteryo Sorry, data for given user is currently unavailable. Please, try again later. View profile View wishlist Start conversation Invite to friends Invite to friends Accept invitation Accept invitation Pending invitation... Unblock chat Registered: Sep 2008
From United States
Posted January 18, 2015
A couple hundred of those games are free to play.
Several more hundred are DLC.
Many more are short cheap indie titles that probably don't need a demo.
My point is that it is not true that nobody makes demos anymore.
This discussion would do better to make names. Which big game are not getting demos? And why?
Several more hundred are DLC.
Many more are short cheap indie titles that probably don't need a demo.
My point is that it is not true that nobody makes demos anymore.
This discussion would do better to make names. Which big game are not getting demos? And why?
Silverhawk170485
New User
Silverhawk170485 Sorry, data for given user is currently unavailable. Please, try again later. View profile View wishlist Start conversation Invite to friends Invite to friends Accept invitation Accept invitation Pending invitation... Unblock chat Registered: Dec 2011
From Germany
Posted January 18, 2015
I'm wondering how many people who downloaded games from pirate bay buy them and how many consume the whole game without buying it afterwards.
The demo thing is just a cheap excuse in my opinion.
The demo thing is just a cheap excuse in my opinion.
MadalinStroe
Veni, vidi, vici
MadalinStroe Sorry, data for given user is currently unavailable. Please, try again later. View profile View wishlist Start conversation Invite to friends Invite to friends Accept invitation Accept invitation Pending invitation... Unblock chat Registered: Apr 2012
From Romania
Posted January 18, 2015
Cyraxpt: Im sure everyone already saw this video by now but hey:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QM6LoaqEnY
Thanks for the video, Cyraxpt! +1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QM6LoaqEnY
The video makes it clear why there are no more demos, but the conclusion is simply retarded: "There are no more demos due to our consumer habits, because we don't buy shitty games or games with shitty demos". ?!?Logic!?!
Post edited January 18, 2015 by MadalinStroe
ThermioN
Linux!
ThermioN Sorry, data for given user is currently unavailable. Please, try again later. View profile View wishlist Start conversation Invite to friends Invite to friends Accept invitation Accept invitation Pending invitation... Unblock chat Registered: Jun 2009
From Austria
Posted January 18, 2015
People who download DRM free games would also download food or water if it was possible. And the worst thing is, they don't even consider this as something wrong. This is nothing but theft, and not "freedom" as they like to call it.
KiNgBrAdLeY7
Слава России! ура́
KiNgBrAdLeY7 Sorry, data for given user is currently unavailable. Please, try again later. View profile View wishlist Start conversation Invite to friends Invite to friends Accept invitation Accept invitation Pending invitation... Unblock chat Registered: Apr 2012
From Other
F4LL0UT
Get Showgunners!
F4LL0UT Sorry, data for given user is currently unavailable. Please, try again later. View profile View wishlist Start conversation Invite to friends Invite to friends Accept invitation Accept invitation Pending invitation... Unblock chat Registered: Jun 2011
From Poland
Posted January 18, 2015
I didn't say that there aren't any (well, if I said it it was an exaggeration and using Thalinor's claim as a basis), obviously there are demos but I think one can safely say that the percentage of games that have demos has gone down a huge lot over the years. Games that simply *had to* have a demo in the past often don't have 'em now. Just explaining why that's the case.
Sigh... the entire content of the Pirate Bay has been back upped by Iso Hunt, branded as Old Pirate Bay and is actually still getting new content (at least some tech website reported activity). Also the previous domain has currently some big countdown going on which suggests yet another rebirth.
Sigh... the entire content of the Pirate Bay has been back upped by Iso Hunt, branded as Old Pirate Bay and is actually still getting new content (at least some tech website reported activity). Also the previous domain has currently some big countdown going on which suggests yet another rebirth.
Post edited January 18, 2015 by F4LL0UT
KiNgBrAdLeY7
Слава России! ура́
KiNgBrAdLeY7 Sorry, data for given user is currently unavailable. Please, try again later. View profile View wishlist Start conversation Invite to friends Invite to friends Accept invitation Accept invitation Pending invitation... Unblock chat Registered: Apr 2012
From Other
Posted January 18, 2015
F4LL0UT: Sigh... the entire content of the Pirate Bay has been back upped by Iso Hunt, branded as Old Pirate Bay and is actually still getting new content (at least some tech website reported activity). Also the previous domain has currently some big countdown going on which suggests yet another rebirth.
CAN I HUG YOU AND KISS YOU? You made my day!Post edited January 18, 2015 by KiNgBrAdLeY7
rtcvb32
echo e.lolfiu_fefiipieue|tr valueof_pi [0-9]
rtcvb32 Sorry, data for given user is currently unavailable. Please, try again later. View profile View wishlist Start conversation Invite to friends Invite to friends Accept invitation Accept invitation Pending invitation... Unblock chat Registered: Aug 2013
From United States
Posted January 18, 2015
There are probably a lot of people who await PirateBay's return. It would be a shame to lose them permanently.