Beta = freebie?

[cde]

Having just ordered the MW tin, I was wondering if beta testers have previously received free licenses (DW/DC testers)?

I'm sure any attempt to ration them would be more contentious than who gets their name on the credits list, and maybe free licenses would just be seen as too costly for a small company.

Personally I'd love it if IV could find a way to offer Multiwinia codes for the Xbox Live Marketplace (like the GTA gamerpics codes etc. - not valid for anything else). As a user of Ubuntu/XP/Vista who never re-bought DW & Defcon for the Mac, it would be excellent to have as many licensing options as possible in the IV store.

Anyway, I'm a happy customer regardless. A free XBLA code would be nice, perhaps it could be called *ahem* beta testing *cough* the marketplace code & download process?

No?

OK, I'll buy some more marketplace points... I'll need something to fill the post-Braid feeling of emptiness & unoriginality...

[xander]

1) In the past, beta testers have been "given" the game at the end of the beta. Either their beta key was never revoked (like Defcon), or the beta continued to play normally, and be upgradable (like Darwinia). Uplink was released before my time, but I assume that beta testers got to keep their copy of that, too. However, I have no idea how this compares to Multiwinia, and, even if I did, I couldn't tell you.

2) IV cannot offer the Steam, XBLA, or Mac versions in their store. Each of those versions is sold by some other company (Valve, Microsoft, Ambrosia, respectively) through their own services. Furthermore, consider the rational -- IV make more money off of direct sales than they do from indirect sales. They would be cannibalizing their own profits if the sold the Steam version, and they would be hurting the profits of Valve, MS, and ASW if they sold the Steam, XBLA, or Mac versions (in that the other companies would not necessarily be paid for the sales, but would still have to support them. Finally, there is probably something in the contracts with each of those companies which prevents IV from selling the other versions of their games directly.

xander

[cde]

Hmm, so I have just spent £30 on some foam, paper and metal. Awesome foam, paper and metal, granted, but a little unnecessary if beta tester rewards were on the horizon. If only Uplink was in the box, too.

One day I'll learn not to impulse buy. One day...

Good points all round about the licensing issues, especially since MW may be priced as another 800 point (£7ish) XBLA game as and when it arrives. Much higher profile, and a way to reach non-PC gamers, but a drastically lower profit.

BTW, I'm order number 000108. £1.5-3k gross from preorders so quickly is a great start (I guess the numbering doesn't tell us which version was ordered).

[NukeLord]

Hmm, so I have just spent £30 on supporting my favourite indie game developers, allowing them to continue making awesome games.

fix'd

[xander]

--==<snip>==--

Stop being a whiney, entitled bitch.

xander

[NeoThermic]

Even though my Defcon key from the beta testing still works, I own four copies of the game. The second pre-orders came up for Multiwinia, I pre-ordered (#3!). The way I look at it is that developers get paid through sales. Beta testers make developers work harder, ergo the developers deserve the pay. So while IV might wish to pay me for my time testing Multiwinia by giving me a free copy, I have no issue paying them for their development time. At this point in time it wouldn't bother me if my testing keys were revoked, nor would it bother me if they were not.

</topic>

NeoThermic

[Rkiver]

I've been in all the betas so far bar Uplink, and I've bought every game even though I got it for free. Simple as supporting a good company.

[xander]

I've been in all the betas so far bar Uplink, and I've bought every game even though I got it for free. Simple as supporting a good company.

Ditto. And I am a Mac user. I have four Defcon keys (two from the beta, one from IV, and one from ASW), I have paid for two copies of Darwinia (both through ASW) even though I have a beta copy, and paid for Uplink (again, through Ambrosia). I just pre-ordered Multiwinia, even though I don't even have a machine to play it on at the moment (but I will be getting a new computer in a year or two, so I can play it then). I am also planning on getting copies of Uplink and Darwinia from IV at some point, and the Uplink DevCD (just for the hell of it, so that I can have a complete set).

xander

[cde]

Hmm, so I have just spent £30 on supporting my favourite indie game developers, allowing them to continue making awesome games.

fix'd

Thanks for the repair job, that looks a lot better. It's why I bought it, as well as my 1xDW+poster+soundtrack & 2xDC. (Remind me not to comment flippantly in the future...)

@xander, I only asked about freebies out of curiousity, after buying the "premium" package to support IV, and was (jokingly) criticising my own lack of self control when faced with a "buy now" button. Whiney, entitled bitch is a bit of a stretch.

Anyway, fingers crossed on behalf of those testers who can't afford to buy at the moment, there's a good chance they will show their friends & catalyse extra sales.

[xander]

@xander, I only asked about freebies out of curiousity, after buying the "premium" package and complaining about how much useless stuff it had in it to support IV, and was (jokingly) criticising my own lack of self control when faced with a "buy now" button. Whiney, entitled bitch is a bit of a stretch.

Fixed. Stop being a whiney, entitled bitch.

xander

[desktopsimmer]

I've been in all the betas so far bar Uplink, and I've bought every game even though I got it for free. Simple as supporting a good company.

I beta for a indie flight simulator. I've bought the game twice, one for serving and one on my PC (Client). I feel guilty not supporting them.

[cde]

OK xander, so I commented that there are things in a box. I called these things awesome. I observed that I didn't need them in order to play the game.

I paid for these things willingly, and am actually happy that I did so.

"Whiney, entitled bitch" is a bit of a stretch. If I'd just bought the download then posted saying "dammit I want a refund, give me my free license" I would see your point.


These forums were so much more welcoming around the Defcon launch.

[xander]

These forums were so much more welcoming around the Defcon launch.

No they weren't. And stop being a whiney bitch.

xander

[Icepick]

No, xander has just always been an jerk. Ignore him, most people do

[MaximusBrood]

No, xander has just always been an jerk. Ignore him, most people do

What? Who is this xander figure you speak of?