What happened to game demos?

[Ankido]

Do you guys remember those days when they had Demo's for PC's? You try out the game and see if you like it. It was awesome. If I didn't like a game I wouldn't buy it. It's really different from watching someone play on twitch and experience it for yourself. I guess they don't want you to know how bad their games are. Hmm...quite sad.

[Start_Running]

引用自 I would luck me：

引用自 supertrooper225：

What like paying a game price?

I dont' expect anything for free. Nothing is free. I am not sure what you mean...are you talking about microtransactions? I just don't buy those games. Simple as that. You don't have a right to video games...they are a luxury product and you pay for them.

Nothing is free?

You obviously never used the internet. Not talking about pirating a game, or that the internet all together is free. I'm talking about there is plenty of free stuff on the internet.

Also, have you ever heard of free to play?

Free to consume, but not free to produce. The saying is.. nothing good is ever free. If you are given something for free then the person giving you is gaining something. Websites generate ad revenue for their owners after all. Same for youtubers.

There is always an exchange of value... if you have the wisdom to see.

[kdodds]

引用自 I would luck me：

Time and money.

That is all I hear.

As if the consumer doesn't waste his time and money on a crappy game he could have avoided if there was a demo. I also don't care about watching someone else play the game if I wanted to know if it's good or not - due to the fact almost everyone has different hardware and even if you hit just above the minimum, the game still might not even play!

No, I'm sorry. I worked for my money and I'm tired of these companies treating us like cattle. That, and along with the fanboys which just ruin it for the rest of us.

Just curious, but why do you think you actually have a right to sample this product as your own? You can't walk into a restaurant and ask for samples of half a dozen entrees to help you make your decision. You can't walk into a drugstore and demand a sample of a new contraceptive device. You can't go into Staples and take a pen out of a sealed package and begin using it. You can't take a $300 pair of running shoes and put 30 or 40 miles on them and refuse to pay for them. Why do you think you have a right to sample every game released?

[I would luck me]

引用自 kdodds：

引用自 I would luck me：

Time and money.

That is all I hear.

As if the consumer doesn't waste his time and money on a crappy game he could have avoided if there was a demo. I also don't care about watching someone else play the game if I wanted to know if it's good or not - due to the fact almost everyone has different hardware and even if you hit just above the minimum, the game still might not even play!

No, I'm sorry. I worked for my money and I'm tired of these companies treating us like cattle. That, and along with the fanboys which just ruin it for the rest of us.

Just curious, but why do you think you actually have a right to sample this product as your own? You can't walk into a restaurant and ask for samples of half a dozen entrees to help you make your decision. You can't walk into a drugstore and demand a sample of a new contraceptive device. You can't go into Staples and take a pen out of a sealed package and begin using it. You can't take a $300 pair of running shoes and put 30 or 40 miles on them and refuse to pay for them. Why do you think you have a right to sample every game released?

Free samples.

I get free samples in the mail from companies all the time. Did I have to pay for them? Nope.

[supertrooper225]

引用自 I would luck me：

引用自 supertrooper225：

What like paying a game price?

I dont' expect anything for free. Nothing is free. I am not sure what you mean...are you talking about microtransactions? I just don't buy those games. Simple as that. You don't have a right to video games...they are a luxury product and you pay for them.

Nothing is free?

You obviously never used the internet. Not talking about pirating a game, or that the internet all together is free. I'm talking about there is plenty of free stuff on the internet.

Also, have you ever heard of free to play?

. You might find some free flash games on the internet...none of them are to the quality of a AAA game. Free to play is typically a mask for microtransactions...you can count the truly free ones on one hand. And they still cost the dev to keep running, they still have microtransactions whether they are cosmetic or not. They still need money to keep the thing afloat. Nothing is free.

[HLCinSC]

I just see it as a business decision. If demos were a proven source to increase sales compared to other marketing we'd see a lot more of them. Obviously developers and publishers figured out on their own where their marketing budget is better spent. If they felt spending X dollars to make a demo gained them more sales then spending on something like online ads, I'm sure we'd see more demos and less ads.

[Start_Running]

引用自 supertrooper225：

引用自 I would luck me：

Nothing is free?

You obviously never used the internet. Not talking about pirating a game, or that the internet all together is free. I'm talking about there is plenty of free stuff on the internet.

Also, have you ever heard of free to play?

. You might find some free flash games on the internet...none of them are to the quality of a AAA game. Free to play is typically a mask for microtransactions...you can count the truly free ones on one hand. And they still cost the dev to keep running, they still have microtransactions whether they are cosmetic or not. They still need money to keep the thing afloat. Nothing is free.

Truth is.. there's a reason f2p MMO's are around. The f2p players are content for the paid players. YOu're there because the paid players. the whales need someone to act as a contrast to make themselves feel like their money was well spent.


HUman psychology at work. IT doesn't cost them as much as you'd think. They know how many people they have server cap for, and how much cap the whales are supporting. When the cap gets hit, it's not the whales that see the 'Cannot connect please try again later' message, it's the f2p accounts.

引用自 EndCivilForfeitureFundingByCops：

I just see it as a business decision. If demos were a proven source to increase sales compared to other marketing we'd see a lot more of them. Obviously developers and publishers figured out on their own where their marketing budget is better spent. If they felt spending X dollars to make a demo gained them more sales then spending on something like online ads, I'm sure we'd see more demos and less ads.

Someone who understands business. The truth is, consumer behaviour and buying habists have taught the industry that demos reduce sales. Just like it taught them people will pay $60 on launch day for a title.. Why do games cost $60 at launch. Because people buy them. Why don't they make demos because demos reduce sales figures and very rarely increase sales figures by anything beyond a marginal amount.

[kdodds]

引用自 I would luck me：

引用自 kdodds：

Just curious, but why do you think you actually have a right to sample this product as your own? You can't walk into a restaurant and ask for samples of half a dozen entrees to help you make your decision. You can't walk into a drugstore and demand a sample of a new contraceptive device. You can't go into Staples and take a pen out of a sealed package and begin using it. You can't take a $300 pair of running shoes and put 30 or 40 miles on them and refuse to pay for them. Why do you think you have a right to sample every game released?

Free samples.

I get free samples in the mail from companies all the time. Did I have to pay for them? Nope.

Free samples? Of comparative products? No. You get laundry soap, deodorant, maybe the odd Kool Aid packet. You DON'T get the first 15 minutes of unreleased movies, the first 10 chapters of unreleased books, or the first two songs on unreleased albums. This would be the equivalent of game demos. Any way, non-issue on Steam now, don't like it, return it, end of story.

[Start_Running]

引用自 kdodds：

引用自 I would luck me：

Free samples.

I get free samples in the mail from companies all the time. Did I have to pay for them? Nope.

Free samples? Of comparative products? No. You get laundry soap, deodorant, maybe the odd Kool Aid packet. You DON'T get the first 15 minutes of unreleased movies, the first 10 chapters of unreleased books, or the first two songs on unreleased albums. This would be the equivalent of game demos. Any way, non-issue on Steam now, don't like it, return it, end of story.

Actually the way movie trailers and advertising is done these days. You practically see a fifth of the movie before it comes out :p

[kdodds]

In advertisement format, that would be like playing 10 second of each level in a 30 or so level game, not effective as a demo, definitely effective as a teaser/trailer which we DO get for games.

[Start_Running]

引用自 kdodds：

In advertisement format, that would be like playing 10 second of each level in a 30 or so level game, not effective as a demo, definitely effective as a teaser/trailer which we DO get for games.

which are specifically cut to influence the behaviour they want.

[kdodds]

引用自 Start_Running：

引用自 kdodds：

In advertisement format, that would be like playing 10 second of each level in a 30 or so level game, not effective as a demo, definitely effective as a teaser/trailer which we DO get for games.

which are specifically cut to influence the behaviour they want.

True, which is why I a) never buy a game based solely on the trailer(s) and b) very rarely buy a day 0 game, preferring to wait for some real user experience.

[Start_Running]

引用自 kdodds：

引用自 Start_Running：

which are specifically cut to influence the behaviour they want.

True, which is why I a) never buy a game based solely on the trailer(s) and b) very rarely buy a day 0 game, preferring to wait for some real user experience.

Actually if you have a little experience it's easy to decode game trailers. You can tell alot about a game buy what is shown and how it's shown and even more by what is not shown. If you catch me drift.

[Game Over, Man]

引用自 supertrooper225：

引用自 Game Over, Man：

I used to demo console games at a local video game retailer. They had screens setup with all the available consoles at the time, and they charged a time fee for playing. This was the best kind of demo anyone could hope for, playing the full version of the game and getting hands-on with it.
Fast forward to today. I've already had to refund 2 early access titles (sims) because they ran terrible on my computer. I would have resented both these purchases if I was impatient enough to dive in on them. The Youtube videos looked great, but it had no bearing on my decision except to give the game a chance at some point.

Early Access games are unfinished...they will not run great a lot of the time. Optimizations don't really occur fully until the code is complete. There is only so much they can do while creating the game.

Yes, but customers can test the waters now to see if it's worth spending the money at that time.
Somewhat related, I don't think I've seen a 3d Sim game (except for Assetto Corsa) leave the Early Access program strongly. That's about the only example I have in this genre. Do you have any?
CarmageddonReincarnation is supposed to be leaving early access, but even the devs have said that optimizations are not completed. By using the refund program to test games for performance, customers can make an informed decision on an "undecisive deal". There is lots of uncertainty around Early Access.

[Start_Running]

引用自 Game Over, Man：

引用自 supertrooper225：

Early Access games are unfinished...they will not run great a lot of the time. Optimizations don't really occur fully until the code is complete. There is only so much they can do while creating the game.

Yes, but customers can test the waters now to see if it's worth spending the money at that time.
Somewhat related, I don't think I've seen a 3d Sim game (except for Assetto Corsa) leave the Early Access program strongly. That's about the only example I have in this genre. Do you have any?
CarmageddonReincarnation is supposed to be leaving early access, but even the devs have said that optimizations are not completed. By using the refund program to test games for performance, customers can make an informed decision on an "undecisive deal". There is lots of uncertainty around Early Access.

Thing is.. for testing purposes... they won't work remember, you likely have a set number of refunds within a time period before you're flagged for abuse .

[Game Over, Man]

You may be right, it's up to Valve to determine this. Early Access games are a constant development.