Current Price of Distant Guns

[mart]

I am a bit confused about the current price of the game, and would be grateful if anybody knows

The website, though appearing to be announcing the second coming, is a bit contradictory about whether the $15-off sale is now "on" or "off". I enquired of Storm Eagle 36 hours ago about the current price. It's a simple enough query, but they've not replied which, for some odd reason, came as no surprise.

If anyone knows what the current price is, I'd be grateful for your help. I will at least then be able to keep it in mind when I consider the other issues related to purchase.

Many thanks :)

Martin

[Bullethead]

In case Jim hasn't gotten back with you, I've ask him myself. I have nothing to do with the business end of things, I just work here, so I don't know the answer off the top of my head. But when I find out, I'll let you know.

[mart]

Thanks Bullethead.

No - he's not got back to me (and it's now 6th August). Thanks for offering to help. There seems, for me, to be a number of issues with Distant Guns (which are not your doing). One is a seeming disregard, by Storm Eagle, for certain types of enquiry. The second is the licensing system, where they will not even guarantee that at some point in the future, you will get to "own" the game. There is only a vague statement that they would almost certainly release a final unblock code, if they went bust. A purchaser is effectively just "renting" the game. This again suggest that the company has the balance between intellectual property rights and consumer's reasonable expectations wrong, and appear unconcerned by this. I know of at least one well known wargaming forum where people won't even touch the game because of this attitude.

I would be interested in purchasing the game at a reasonable price, but it is an indication of my concern that I am now expecting some sort of snotty reply. I should make it clear, Bullethead, that you are most definitely excluded from this concern.

If I do get any response by email or PM, I'll post it on the forum so that everyone knows what the current price is.

Again, I'm sorry that you have had to pick up this enquiry. It's kind of you to offer to help.

Many thanks :)

Martin

[Daedalus]

Thanks Bullethead.

No - he's not got back to me (and it's now 6th August). Thanks for offering to help. There seems, for me, to be a number of issues with Distant Guns (which are not your doing). One is a seeming disregard, by Storm Eagle, for certain types of enquiry. The second is the licensing system, where they will not even guarantee that at some point in the future, you will get to "own" the game. There is only a vague statement that they would almost certainly release a final unblock code, if they went bust. A purchaser is effectively just "renting" the game. This again suggest that the company has the balance between intellectual property rights and consumer's reasonable expectations wrong, and appear unconcerned by this. I know of at least one well known wargaming forum where people won't even touch the game because of this attitude.

I would be interested in purchasing the game at a reasonable price, but it is an indication of my concern that I am now expecting some sort of snotty reply. I should make it clear, Bullethead, that you are most definitely excluded from this concern.

If I do get any response by email or PM, I'll post it on the forum so that everyone knows what the current price is.

Again, I'm sorry that you have had to pick up this enquiry. It's kind of you to offer to help.

Many thanks :)

Martin

I do not think that you understand that you do not own almost any game that you have. Or even you Op system, And it has been like that for a very long time.

As far as the licensing system on this game, Well it is the way most are going at this time. And it has been brought about by the Theft of software in large amounts. Right now I know of three more big war games that are going to this type of licensing system. And they are not from this company.
If you take a look , there are systems coming online for a lot of software for computers that are quite like this one. It is making it where the company's can get there money for there product and be able to produce more. I myself like this.

And having this game from the first, I can say that I have not had any issues with the system. It has worked fine.

[Bullethead]

No - he's not got back to me (and it's now 6th August).

Nor me :/. I'll keep bugging him.

[quote]There seems, for me, to be a number of issues with Distant Guns (which are not your doing). One is a seeming disregard, by Storm Eagle, for certain types of enquiry.

Which types (apart from the licensing issue, which you mention separately)?

The second is the licensing system, where they will not even guarantee that at some point in the future, you will get to "own" the game. There is only a vague statement that they would almost certainly release a final unblock code, if they went bust.

Well, here's the deal on that....

The license system of DG is a result of 2 main factors: 1) DG is available only via download, not in stores, and 2) it still needs some sort of anti-piracy system.

The reason the game is not on store shelves is because it's a very niche product. Retailers only stock games they think they can sell thousands of, and niche market things like naval simulations of obscure wars aren't in that category. This, in fact, is the main reason why, over the last 20 years, simulations, which used to be the main type of game out there, have almost died out on store shelves, to be replaced by FPS, RTS, FRPG, and the Sims, and this in turn is why few people make simulations any more.

So, that's why the game is only available via download. But that means there's no CD, so the traditional anti-piracy methods involving the CD in the drive can't be used. So what DG has instead is a license, which works like a "virtual CD" in the drive. While it's not quite as convenient, it still has the same sort of functionality. We have customers who have DG on 2 computers, a home desktop and a work laptop, and swap the license back and forth between them every day, just as they would a conventional CD. So it's not that big a problem to deal with.

Personally, I think it's a good thing and the wave of the future. I'm sure you'll see many companies start doing this. And that, in turn, will increase the variety of games and the number of developers, because this system makes it possible for small companies making niche products, such as SES, to get their products out. This system not only sidesteps the tyrany of the retailers, but also that of the publishers, who are not only a major expense (for boxes, disks, manuals) but also often want editorial control of the product itself. So I figure you might want to get used to it. It seems a small price to pay for a greater number of simulations on the market.

[Bullethead]

Hey Mart-

Jim fianlly got back with me on this. The price of DG today is $65 for the whole thing, campaign and all.

The -$15 was a 4-day special for Memorial Day that wasn't taken down, but it does say it was only for that time.

Sorry for the time this took.

[mart]

Hi Bullethead

Thanks for chasing up the price for me. Your point about the licensing system is also well taken.

I think that my concern about Storm Eagle's attitudes to customers is probably reflected in two things. The first is relating to feedback such as the very email that your now kindly looking into. I think the other arises from the early days, prior to, and shortly after, the release of Distant Guns. I don't think I would want to add to that, but at the time the forum was a bit disquieted. Perhaps my concern is best illustrated by saying that I am only now considering Distant Guns again, since you became part of SES AND remain an active, helpful, and polite forum member who is regularly present and always seems to be willing to lend a helping hand to those who are up a gumtree.

I hope that explains a bit, even though I have avoided being specific, and possibly upsetting anyone.

Anyway, thanks again for your ongoing enquiry, which I appreciate.

Cheers, Martin

[mart]

Thanks again Bullethead.

I was writing my last email at the time you were writing to me with the price!

I can now give it some serious thought. Maybe the web-site could be altered so that part of it doesn't point to a "sale" which is how i came to be confused in the first place.

Anyway, thanks again.

All the best

Martin

[Daedalus]

Thanks Bullethead for getting back on this. It is better to hear if direct from you or Norm. I did not want to speak out of turn or place.