I saw Armada 2526 on Gamersgate?

[killroyishere]

Any chance of getting all of the Matrixgames titles on Gamersgate as I loathe Digital River?

[milkweg]

What's wrong with DR? I've never had any issue with them. But GG does allow you to download your purchased games as often as you like for free, unlike DR, so you may have a point.

[V22 Osprey]

Digital River is holding back some of Matrix's potential.How many times have I heard from Erik "we are ready to improve blah-blah but DR won't let us"

[milkweg]

Well, they could run their own online store and server.

[GoodGuy]

ORIGINAL: milkweg

Well, they could run their own online store and server.

You might want to include in your thought what that would also involve (besides "just" running their own store/server):

If I'm not mistaken DR handles the store, digital downloads AND physical copies. So, in your thought-process, you should also include that DR has offices in Europe (UK, Cologne - Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Japan, Taiwan, etc. etc.), with at least one warehouse per continent, most likely.

Matrix would have to either take over the warehousing (and shipping) or outsource the physical shipment to a 3rd party. Matrix would then also have to pay for the traffic caused by the digital downloads.

I would see some potential benefits though (after the initial investment for acquiring the shop software and setting up servers), if it works out (means in case it would reduce costs):

The customers could know the true promise of lower final prices, or Devs and Matrix would make more profit, thus having more money for future developments.

[martok]

Yeah, I can't really disagree about DR seeming to be more of a hinder than a help to Matrix. Having now purchased both Armada 2526 and GGWBTS, I have to say I'm not very impressed with them.



By the by, Armada is now available on Impulse as well (also for $39.99). Huzzah!

[lackoo]

ORIGINAL: martok



By the by, Armada is now available on Impulse as well (also for $39.99). Huzzah!

I just wanted to post that.

edit: It would be nice to see Matrix Games on Impulse.

[Qwixt]

DR seems so cheap and crooked for charging extra for extended download, especially in light of Steam, D2D, and Impluse allowing downloads any time.

[lackoo]

ORIGINAL: Qwixt

DR seems so cheap and crooked for charging extra for extended download, especially in light of Steam, D2D, and Impluse allowing downloads any time.

You forgot GOG.

[JudgeDredd]

ORIGINAL: Qwixt

DR seems so cheap and crooked for charging extra for extended download, especially in light of Steam, D2D, and Impluse allowing downloads any time.

Have you actually tried to re-download a game you bought from Digital River? I have and have never had a problem...I re-downloaded a game the other day (can't remember what one it was) and I hadn't downloaded it in over 2 years I think....it was a very long time anyway....and I never take out the extended download.

[Qwixt]

Yep, and I have had no problems several years later.  But what I am talking about that they are attempting to charge for something that should be free, and their stance is that it might no longer be there after your first download. Today I bought a game from D2D, and included in it was an extended download protection for $0.00.

Well, there are plenty of thread going on about DR and this, so no point in beating a thoroughly dead horse.

[Marc von Martial]

ORIGINAL: Qwixt
.. and their stance is that it might no longer be there after your first download ..

Not going to happen, don't worry

As a sidenote, what happens to your purchases when D2D, Gamersgate and all the others close doors
No matter were you buy digitally, your only save option is to make backups of your digitally purchased goods at home.

[GoodGuy]

ORIGINAL: Marc von Martial

As a sidenote, what happens to your purchases when D2D, Gamersgate and all the others close doors
No matter were you buy digitally, your only save option is to make backups of your digitally purchased goods at home.

Say you burn your digital purchase to a CD, I then see a chance that eg. Gamersgate (spawned by ParadIx Interactive) goes down before your CD ceases to be readable, especially since GamersGate has a way lower amount of DDs available than other DD portals (say D2D), some majors are completely missing, but you'll find 4 pages with paradIx titles ... jfyi. [:D]

A CD may be readable for some 20-50 years, in theory, but only if you store it in a dark place and at a fixed temperature of 20° Celsius, plus the blank CD has to be a top-quality one. CDRs and CDRWs can't stand thermal fluctuations.
I have backup CDs from the late 90s, which can't be read anymore. If the blank CD has a low quality, it may already become unreadable after 3-6 years.

[JudgeDredd]

Well that's hardly Matrix Games, Gamersgate or Direct 2 Drives fault. Once we've bought it, the onus really is on us to keep it available. The transaction surely has ended once we've made the purchase and exchanged goods for money?

Point is, everything has a shelf life. I certainly don't expect to be playing any of the games I'm playing now in the next 5 or 10 years.

[GoodGuy]

ORIGINAL: JudgeDredd

Well that's hardly Matrix Games, Gamersgate or Direct 2 Drives fault. Once we've bought it, the onus really is on us to keep it available. The transaction surely has ended once we've made the purchase and exchanged goods for money?

Point is, everything has a shelf life.

Well, yes and no. [:)]
Let me explain what I had in mind:
With a physical copy (means a retail copy) someone may count his blessings. He can hug the CD, he can pet it or whatever [;)], means he can install/use it whenever he wants, as long as the medium is in good shape.
That's different with a DD. Say you loose your HD, and your backup CD-R becomes unreadable after 2 years, you might get pissy... no? [:)]
There might be several reasons why DD-providers restrict the number of downloads or why they set a time limit (eg. 2 years):
They might be scared of the possibility that if there's no limit, that people may be tempted to rely on the DD-gate (and download after each and every reformat etc.), instead of creating a backup. Another main reason might be that they are scared regarding the number of digital copies floating around, as most of them don't have a copy protection (besides the usual serial-no. query).

I don't think that people would download their game over and over if their dowload could be downloaded again for free (and unlimited), and I believe that this would not change anything regarding the amount of illegal copies floating around. Imho, the few extra cents earned (with offering extended download services - say 2 years) surely does not compensate for/justify the loss of frustrated and angry customers who can't dowload their purchased product again after let's say 3 years.
This is pretty counterproductive and silly, as the provider, if the game is still in their portfolio, has to hold the file ready for the next customer anyways.

[killroyishere]

I actually like Direct 2 Drive the best because when you download the game you own the game you don't need any medium like Gamersgate or Steam or Impulse to get the game activated again if you do reformat your hard drive. I've found I can directly download from Direct 2 Drive to a DVDrom and it burns everything in one go that's fantastic I never knew that before. So, now all my downloads from D2D go directly to a DVDrom and I have a backup immediately if/when something happens and I never have to worry about D2D going out of business only what the DRM requirements are of the game is all. I pretty much don't buy anything with DRM restrictions though except for a CD key.
I like Matrixgames copy protection system I just don't like Digital River. I've had nothing but problems from them every purchase. I still have yet to get a 2nd CD that they wrote and told me they would send me for Forge of Freedom because the one they sent me was corruipt. I wrote to everybody and nobody from Matrixgames has responded. That's been over a year ago. Then I bought Advanced Tactics and it never would work correctly. Dealt with the developer for about a week and he gave up trying to figure it out. I did get a refund on that though. Then recently bought that bad sorry game of Field of Glory and they (Digital River) took my money but didn't give me a download email or website for two days.
You can have Digital River I'll just spend my money at Gamersgate or Direct 2 Drive from now on. I was going to buy about $84 worth of stuff of the Matrixgames Christmas sale, but my fear of Digital River screwing up again is higher than the value of those games would be for entertainment.

[JudgeDredd]

ORIGINAL: GoodGuy

ORIGINAL: JudgeDredd

Well that's hardly Matrix Games, Gamersgate or Direct 2 Drives fault. Once we've bought it, the onus really is on us to keep it available. The transaction surely has ended once we've made the purchase and exchanged goods for money?

Point is, everything has a shelf life.

Well, yes and no. [:)]
Let me explain what I had in mind:
With a physical copy (means a retail copy) someone may count his blessings. He can hug the CD, he can pet it or whatever [;)], means he can install/use it whenever he wants, as long as the medium is in good shape.
That's different with a DD. Say you loose your HD, and your backup CD-R becomes unreadable after 2 years, you might get pissy... no? [:)]
There might be several reasons why DD-providers restrict the number of downloads or why they set a time limit (eg. 2 years):
They might be scared of the possibility that if there's no limit, that people may be tempted to rely on the DD-gate (and download after each and every reformat etc.), instead of creating a backup. Another main reason might be that they are scared regarding the number of digital copies floating around, as most of them don't have a copy protection (besides the usual serial-no. query).

I don't think that people would download their game over and over if their dowload could be downloaded again for free (and unlimited), and I believe that this would not change anything regarding the amount of illegal copies floating around. Imho, the few extra cents earned (with offering extended download services - say 2 years) surely does not compensate for/justify the loss of frustrated and angry customers who can't dowload their purchased product again after let's say 3 years.
This is pretty counterproductive and silly, as the provider, if the game is still in their portfolio, has to hold the file ready for the next customer anyways.

I do agree that there should be no limits to downloads. Nor should there be a prevention of downloading if you can provide the correct order information...regardless of how many years have passed.

[Marc von Martial]

ORIGINAL: JudgeDredd

ORIGINAL: GoodGuy

ORIGINAL: JudgeDredd

Well that's hardly Matrix Games, Gamersgate or Direct 2 Drives fault. Once we've bought it, the onus really is on us to keep it available. The transaction surely has ended once we've made the purchase and exchanged goods for money?

Point is, everything has a shelf life.

Well, yes and no. [:)]
Let me explain what I had in mind:
With a physical copy (means a retail copy) someone may count his blessings. He can hug the CD, he can pet it or whatever [;)], means he can install/use it whenever he wants, as long as the medium is in good shape.
That's different with a DD. Say you loose your HD, and your backup CD-R becomes unreadable after 2 years, you might get pissy... no? [:)]
There might be several reasons why DD-providers restrict the number of downloads or why they set a time limit (eg. 2 years):
They might be scared of the possibility that if there's no limit, that people may be tempted to rely on the DD-gate (and download after each and every reformat etc.), instead of creating a backup. Another main reason might be that they are scared regarding the number of digital copies floating around, as most of them don't have a copy protection (besides the usual serial-no. query).

I don't think that people would download their game over and over if their dowload could be downloaded again for free (and unlimited), and I believe that this would not change anything regarding the amount of illegal copies floating around. Imho, the few extra cents earned (with offering extended download services - say 2 years) surely does not compensate for/justify the loss of frustrated and angry customers who can't dowload their purchased product again after let's say 3 years.
This is pretty counterproductive and silly, as the provider, if the game is still in their portfolio, has to hold the file ready for the next customer anyways.

I do agree that there should be no limits to downloads. Nor should there be a prevention of downloading if you can provide the correct order information...regardless of how many years have passed.

Which is how it works here at Matrix Games.

[Marc von Martial]

ORIGINAL: killroyishere
I like Matrixgames copy protection system I just don't like Digital River. I've had nothing but problems from them every purchase.

Well, you certainly got an odd amount of tech issues then. All in all, yes DR has its faults, just like anybody else. I personally had problems with Direct 2 Drive formerly, as had other friends of mine. I bought a lot of software through DR formerly and never had an issue with them. Nothing is faultless and nothing guarantees that you will not run into problem with D2D in the future.

I still have yet to get a 2nd CD that they wrote and told me they would send me for Forge of Freedom because the one they sent me was corruipt. I wrote to everybody and nobody from Matrixgames has responded.

Were did you write to? Did you open a Helpdesk ticket?

ORIGINAL: killroyishere
I like Matrixgames copy protection system I just don't like Digital River. I've had nothing but problems from them every purchase.

Well, you certainly got an odd amount of tech issues then. All in all, yes DR has its faults, just like anybody else. I personally had problems with Direct 2 Drive formerly, as had other friends of mine. Nothing is faultless.

That's been over a year ago. Then I bought Advanced Tactics and it never would work correctly. Dealt with the developer for about a week and he gave up trying to figure it out. I did get a refund on that though.

Tech and hardware based issues happen once in a while. All in all AT is a very stable product.
See, at least here you get a refund on "opened" software (!), I got a few AAA production games here that I either never got to run properly or that were simply unplayable. Needless to say that on most of this AAA production titles I never got a reply from the big publishers Tech Support or that the store were I bought them would offer me a refund, box opened , no refund.

Then recently bought that bad sorry game of Field of Glory and they (Digital River) took my money but didn't give me a download email or website for two days.

Processing time depends on the payment option chosen.

[Marc von Martial]

ORIGINAL: GoodGuy

ORIGINAL: Marc von Martial

As a sidenote, what happens to your purchases when D2D, Gamersgate and all the others close doors
No matter were you buy digitally, your only save option is to make backups of your digitally purchased goods at home.

Say you burn your digital purchase to a CD, I then see a chance that eg. Gamersgate (spawned by ParadIx Interactive) goes down before your CD ceases to be readable, especially since GamersGate has a way lower amount of DDs available than other DD portals (say D2D), some majors are completely missing, but you'll find 4 pages with paradIx titles ... jfyi. [:D]

A CD may be readable for some 20-50 years, in theory, but only if you store it in a dark place and at a fixed temperature of 20° Celsius, plus the blank CD has to be a top-quality one. CDRs and CDRWs can't stand thermal fluctuations.
I have backup CDs from the late 90s, which can't be read anymore. If the blank CD has a low quality, it may already become unreadable after 3-6 years.

Backing up is not limited to CD / DVD. I back all my stuff up to a NAS, redundant. in the long rund cheaper then CDs or DVDs and takes less space too.

Most probably your hardware and OS will not be able to support the software before you CD dies [;)]