Steam keys for original buyers

[Sammy]

??

[Endarire]

Game author's reply[www.heroicfantasygames.com].

[HeroicFantasyGamesDotCom]

Muchas gracias for the support Endarire!

[Lobuno]

Well, as an original game supporter that seems unacceptable to me. Good luck selling your second game.

[Sammy]

Автор сообщения: Endarire

Game author's reply[www.heroicfantasygames.com].

"It's too hard" sounds more like "I think I can get you to buy the game twice" to me, very greedy. There's been thousands of indie devs on Steam who have said that it's very easy to get keys for their own game, so this excuse is pretty poor.

[galneon]

I can't condone this... I assume I'll get a key from a low/lower-moderate tier of the Kickstarter for KotC2, but this is definitely not cool.

Yes, a lot of us will buy the game again, if not thanks to a side perk of supporting the KotC2 Kickstarter, then via a Steam sale at some point when we feel the convenience is worth the cost of re-admission. Some of us may even want to give you more money regardless, as a way of supporting KotC2 (and I kinda do). That doesn't justify charging us twice, and we can pay you of our own free will, if you let us, via the eventual KotC2 KS. Achievements, which I don't care about, are not worth $20, and I would probably be feeling more positive when the Kickstarter begins if I'd received a complimentary Steam key in advance.

Given that a precedent has been established among decent developers making a late-showing on Steam, this is a no-brainer from a marketing standpoint. Do you want enthusiastic old customers primed for the Kickstarter? Here's one method of securing us. Perhaps you could even do a mass-mailing to get long-lost buyers' attention for the KotC2 KS?

From a "more work" standpoint, I don't know about others, but I am nearing the 20 download limit on your site, and I only discovered and purchased the game in 2015. That's more customer service work dealing with me and others like me when we run out of download tickets, a load lessened via complimentary Steam key distribution.

[Sammy]

Not surprising, the game dev is a libertarian, so greediness probably runs in his veins.

[Merlkir]

The ♥♥♥♥? You want another key on top of owning the game already?
There's nothing greedy about not giving out new Steam keys for people who already bought it elsewhere.

"Given that a precedent has been established among decent developers making a late-showing on Steam"
If that's even true, that's pretty dumb. Entitled gamers once again whining about not getting stuff for free...

[cmcm]

Why buy it here and not on the HFG.com?

[r47926]

I'm glad it's finally on Steam and even the demo has unique achievements.
I'll see how long it takes me to finish the demo with my limited time nowadays and then going to buy it, discounted, as kickstarter bonus or at full price, it's certainly worth it!

[Jarinex]

Maybe I missed something but where is this “get a steam key” from the KOTC2 kickstarter being mentioned?

[galneon]

Автор сообщения: Jarinex

Maybe I missed something but where is this “get a steam key” from the KOTC2 kickstarter being mentioned?

It's an assumption I'm making based on other Kickstarters, but I very well could be wrong that he intends to include them at a reasonably modest tier.

If someone were to support the KS at or near the tier equivalent to what KotC2 will sell for on release day, I would hope a Steam key for KotC1 would be included. Many KS supporters will be old KotC1 direct-purchasers, some of whom will already be displeased about not having received a complimentary Steam key. Not issuing Steam keys before the launch of the KS will hurt KS enthusiasm (and exposure: the aforementioned mass mailing would be the first many veterans have heard of the sequel being close to release). Not providing complimentary KotC1 keys at a modest support tier would most likely also have a negative effect.

I don't need a Steam key. Whenever possible, I don't even launch games I own on Steam through Steam, so the addition of achievements mean nothing to me. Seems to me this is simply the smart thing to do with the KS/successor coming up.

[HeroicFantasyGamesDotCom]

"It's too hard" sounds more like "I think I can get you to buy the game twice" to me, very greedy.

Nope, I never said that it would be too hard, just that it would be one more distraction. It's just one concern among others. One concern I've already mentioned in the post on heroicfantasygames.com, another is the fact that I don't like the idea of free keys floating around and being exchanged for other games. I really don't expect or ask people who already have the game to buy it again. If someone does it, that's super cool, but there isn't any big reason to buy the game again.

I would probably be feeling more positive when the Kickstarter begins if I'd received a complimentary Steam key in advance.

I hear you, but I don't get why it's so important. Most of my games aren't in my Steam library, I have no issue with that. Plus, preparing the KS itself and replying to everyone on multiple forums is already a tonne of work. Today I feel angry with Microsoft as I've been trying so many times to install the Win 10 1903 update, spending many hours, all in vain...

do a mass-mailing to get long-lost buyers' attention for the KotC2 KS?

Sure, I will send an email to all the buyers and forum members.

I am nearing the 20 download limit on your site

Righto, I've just reset the counter for everyone who was at 17 downloads and above. Please send me a line at [e-mail] if you need your counter to be reset at any time.

the game dev is a libertarian, so greediness probably runs in his veins.

I don't get what's the point of saying something like that. Is a personal attack on a game developer likely to make the developer more amenable? Plus, apart from monks, almost everyone is greedy and selfish to some extent, regardless of what political ideology they support, IMO.

discounted, as kickstarter bonus or at full price, it's certainly worth it!

Thank you for your support r47926. I'm glad you like the demo!

Not providing complimentary KotC1 keys at a modest support tier would most likely also have a negative effect.

I will certainly consider it. Just need more time to prepare everything for now. Cheers all!

[Sammy]

Nice to know that the dev considers the people who supported him by buying his game when it was relatively unknown are just a "distraction"...

[HeroicFantasyGamesDotCom]

No, I don't consider anyone a distraction. Only the idea of asking Steam for new keys then sending them to all existing buyers plus creating a system for sending new keys to all new buyers as well.