You should get 2 hours play of all games as a demo.

[__++__==]

You should get 2 hours play of all games as a demo. Steam offers the consumer nothing

[Chika Ogiue]

For once the OP has a seemingly nice idea. Only, it's an idea that has been tried and used in other stores already in one form or another. Big Fish has used this model for their store for the 20 odd years they've been around.

You get one hour of game time. And that hour still ticks regardless of whether you get the game working or not. That hour ticks if there's a problem with the client and it doesn't shut down correctly. Problems that people complain about here in Steam, too, when it comes to time tracked and refunds offered.

The time limit doesn't take into account the length of the game. There was one game that caused a bit of drama back on its release: a Pompeii, time travel themed HOG. People played for the duration of the demo time. After 60 mins, they get booted out and prompted to pay. Many did. It was a good game. The problem, though, was that most then found they completed the game less than 10 minutes later.

Big Fish offered refunds and apologies, and absorbed the costs by also not revoking the game from those upset at finding how short it was.

So how do you factor in for that? Offer up demo time that is only a percentage of the average playtime? That's an awful lot of work when selling only a few thousand games. What of Steam where they sell 10s of thousands of games? And Valve are not going to be offering refunds when someone feels cheated by the demo length.

No. As nice as the idea sounds, this is something developers need to do for their own games knowing what length of demo is applicable for their unique circumstances. But even then, anyone deciding to buy based on demo length is always doing so at the risk of the game ending moments later.

[Chika Ogiue]

Początkowo opublikowane przez BJWyler:

Początkowo opublikowane przez Karumati:

that's not what refund system is for.

True, but it's essentially a no questions asked policy within that time, and it's more than enough time to see if you get the value for your money..

In moderation. If you do it with too many games, Valve start sending warning for you to stop.

[BJWyler]

Początkowo opublikowane przez Chika Ogiue:

Początkowo opublikowane przez BJWyler:

True, but it's essentially a no questions asked policy within that time, and it's more than enough time to see if you get the value for your money..

In moderation. If you do it with too many games, Valve start sending warning for you to stop.

Hence being intelligent and informed is an important part of being a consumer - and a basic human being.

[The Commendatore]

No.

[Euphytose]

I disagree on a 2 hour window for all games.

However, devs should be highly encouraged to make demos. Before we had demos for pretty much every software, not just games. And it was nice.

More and more devs are making demos again which is really nice, but not all of them do.

[Tito Shivan]

Początkowo opublikowane przez Euphytose:

Before we had demos for pretty much every software, not just games. And it was nice.

Before there was a very limited number of ways to showcase your game to your potential customers. A demo was a highly effective marketing tool back then.

In more recent times having a permanent demo wasn't such a effective tool. And with it having a cost most devs opted out of them.

However, with the Steam Next Fest Steam pumps out periodically it seems there's a public important enough for offering time-limited demos (Also the fact these demos get frontpage visibility and an event tied to them also plays a role over just having the demo un your store page).

[Crazy Tiger]

Game developers/publishers decide if they want demos. A store does not owe you one.

Demos in general are marketing tools, always have been. The fond memories people have of the demo discs with game magazines and the like are examples of that, those demo discs were there to gain exposure.

Next Fest events on steam support that, btw. Many of the Next Fest demos get taken down by the devs after the event, because they served their purpose.

[Nx Machina]

Początkowo opublikowane przez Euphytose:

I disagree on a 2 hour window for all games.

However, devs should be highly encouraged to make demos. Before we had demos for pretty much every software, not just games. And it was nice.

More and more devs are making demos again which is really nice, but not all of them do.

Demos are a slice of the game usually an action scene or something similar to entice you to buy it. Demos are rarely representative of the actual full release. Alien Colonial Marines is a prime example of a game which had a demo that failed as a full release game.

Demos are optional for developers.

Prologues or Chapter One of a game at least gives you an idea of what you are getting as you are playing from the start of the game, but just like demos of a game there is no guarantee of the full release being added to a cart and confirm being clicked.

Personally any game which interests me is searched for on YouTube. If i cannot continue to watch the game play because i lost interest, it is a game which will not be added to my library irrespective of which PC platform it is on.

[lx]

Początkowo opublikowane przez BJWyler:

...
Hence being intelligent and informed is an important part of being a consumer - and a basic human being.

there is some misunderstanding? the so called "consumer" are the people, who lack intelligence and are disinformed. "basic human being" sounds right.
can you rephrase, to make more sense?

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Początkowo opublikowane przez Thermal Pineapple:

Here's a counter suggestion. Do some research into what you are buying instead of throwing money around like a drunk monkey. 🐒

What better research than having hands on gameplay.

Your post needs better research lol

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Początkowo opublikowane przez Tito Shivan:

Początkowo opublikowane przez __++__==:

You should get 2 hours play of all games as a demo.

Some developers disagree on that.

It's called being short sighted

[__++__==]

Początkowo opublikowane przez Euphytose:

I disagree on a 2 hour window for all games..

You're right it should be 20 hours, add a 0 in there

[Euphytose]

Początkowo opublikowane przez __++__==:

Początkowo opublikowane przez Euphytose:

I disagree on a 2 hour window for all games..

You're right it should be 20 hours, add a 0 in there

?

[__++__==]

Początkowo opublikowane przez Euphytose:

Początkowo opublikowane przez __++__==:

You're right it should be 20 hours, add a 0 in there

?

Now that I think of it make it 200 hours FREE

[Euphytose]

Początkowo opublikowane przez __++__==:

Początkowo opublikowane przez Euphytose:

?

Now that I think of it make it 200 hours FREE

Not sure what you're on about mate.