propose a new way of playing for demo players

[elexis]

How would you enforce that?

[Jazz Ad]

There is nothing to enforce. It is not very hard to implement in the application, based on the calendar.
Of course one could always change the date on the computer but it would quickly become a hassle.

[elexis]

Thats what I meant, people would just change the time. The only way would be for the program to get the date from somewhere on the net where it's not going to change. Then there will be people who don't like the need o connect to the net all the time. (like me)

What about a demo serial key that last for x-hours of playing time?


Whatever happens, each option has it's flaws.

[tals]

Why can't they just make the demo MP i.e the scenarios in the demo that are currently SP make them MP as well.

Tals

[allen]

Why can't they just make the demo MP i.e the scenarios in the demo that are currently SP make them MP as well.

Tals

It didn't turn out so well in Defcon (as stated in previous posts) and they are implementing that LAN function, and I think that's a good compromise.

I don't see what is wrong with using bots. If you don't enjoy playing against bots I'd wager you probably would not like the full game.

I think a decent way of letting demo players play online would be a free weekend kind of deal, like Valve has been doing for TF2. Like bert said, guest keys would be good too.

[tals]

Why can't they just make the demo MP i.e the scenarios in the demo that are currently SP make them MP as well.

Tals

It didn't turn out so well in Defcon (as stated in previous posts) and they are implementing that LAN function, and I think that's a good compromise.

I don't see what is wrong with using bots. If you don't enjoy playing against bots I'd wager you probably would not like the full game.

I think a decent way of letting demo players play online would be a free weekend kind of deal, like Valve has been doing for TF2. Like bert said, guest keys would be good too.

I'd be interested how sales figures work in these scenarios. I'd expect a big surge at the beginning that rapidly dies down. So those they have missed they now need to sweep up. The easiest way to achieve this is either through good reviews now appearing, popular blogs getting excited (Bill Harris at Dubious Quality is a good example), patching the game so people start raving about specific new enhancements or finally making the demo different to the one that isn't currently pulling people to play it

The Lan aspect imho will only cater for a small market. But i'm not in this business so I could be way off beam

Tals

[NeoThermic]

Thats what I meant, people would just change the time. The only way would be for the program to get the date from somewhere on the net where it's not going to change. Then there will be people who don't like the need o connect to the net all the time. (like me)

What about a demo serial key that last for x-hours of playing time?


Whatever happens, each option has it's flaws.

The metaserver keeps the time for the game. If you can't connect to the metaserver, then you can't play online. Thus switching the available gametype that demo players can play online every day would be easy.

NeoThermic

[shinygerbil]

Indeed - the Defcon demo limitations are taken from the metaserver if I remember..

[bert_the_turtle]

Indeed - the Defcon demo limitations are taken from the metaserver if I remember..

Yep. And there also was a free play weekend. Those events are, however, more useful later in the product lifecycle, when a considerable number of people already heard of the game and just needs an extra push to actually buy it.