Change publishers

Distant Worlds is a vast, pausable real-time, 4X space strategy game which models a "living galaxy" with incredible options for replayability and customizability. Experience the full depth and detail of large turn-based strategy games, but with the simplicity and ease of real-time, and on the scale of a massively-multiplayer online game. Now greatly enhanced with the new Universe release, which includes all four previous releases as well as the new Universe expansion!

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minijag
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Change publishers

Post by minijag »

I love Distant Worlds. I hate matrixgames. I'm sad this game is stuck at the 100$ pricemark to play the game. Its turned off a lot of players to what should be a great game and the talk of the indie game world. Instead nobody is buying it because you can buy a medium grade graphics card for this game. Can you go into self publishing, or find a new publisher for Distant Worlds 2? I would appreciate it, and so would everybody else.
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towerbooks3192
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RE: Change publishers

Post by towerbooks3192 »

Yeah I do admit that with the no demo policy and the premium price you pay, it would take a leap of faith (like what I did) to buy the game and its expansions on one go at full price. Matrix does have some occasional sales though and the prices drop low during those times. I am a bit disappointed that the game is not widely known because it is definitely one of the best(or the best one yet!) compared to the other space 4x you could purchase from major digital retailers. I know that people might think that it is just another indie game but despite its graphics (I reckon it is appropriate and the devs would work more on improving mechanics, UI, stability, etc. rather than a major graphics improvement) the game contains more than what AAA devs give you with your $100 along with nickle and diming you with DLCs that should have been in the game in the first place.

If I have one wish, I only wish the devs would follow Paradox Development Studio's patching policy where they patch the base game for free with the features that made the base game playable and better but only blocks you from using the features of the expansion that you have not purchased (they released the patch for crusader kings 2 for free where they overhauled the technology system but only blocked you from playing features from the Old Gods expansion. They also promised to include the map extension as a free patch for the base game once Rajas of India would be released but would require you to purchase the expansion to enjoy the new mechanics).
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Henzington
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RE: Change publishers

Post by Henzington »

I watched some lets play and it convinced me but a demo would be nice.
Gregorovitch55
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RE: Change publishers

Post by Gregorovitch55 »

I absolutely agree, I will not pay $100 for a game no matter how good and how much I would like to play it - and I do want to play DW having watched LP's by Das24680 and others. If I could buy the complete game (i.e. all four parts) for $30 I would do so immediately, but no more for a game of this age.

The comparison with Paradox is so true. Distant Worlds is an obscure cult classic. Paradox have proven with Crusader Kings 2 and Europa Universalis 4 that by sticking to your guns you can bring games of great depth and complexity to a wide audience via Steam. Between them EU4 and CK2 usually have a max concurrent player count of 10,000+ daily which is some achievement considering a game like Skyrim only makes about 40,000 concurrent.

If this game was released on Steam for around the $30 mark all-in it would quickly be picked up by the likes of Quill18 and possibly AngryJoe (since he likes space 4X games and is exited by GalCivIII) which, with all due respect to Das24680, would massively expand it's exposure and probably lead to an order of magnitude more sales.

Matrix has a niche in specialized war gaming, fair enough, but this game is potentially a classic mainstream space 4X and it is simply inexplicable, indeed a tragedy, that such a game languishes in this backwater (sorry Matrix, but it is) under the weight of a prohibitive price tag that will ultimately consign it to perpetual obscurity unless its connections wake up and smell the coffee.
Bingeling
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RE: Change publishers

Post by Bingeling »

This game is a "one man" show. Or rather, it is a "matrix and developer" show. The role of Matrix is not just to publish it, and there is no development team any near the size of what paradox has.

One could hope that the Universe would be a bit more available and visible when it arrives, though.
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Osito
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RE: Change publishers

Post by Osito »

ORIGINAL: Gregorovitch55

If this game was released on Steam for around the $30 mark all-in it would quickly be picked up by the likes of Quill18 and possibly AngryJoe (since he likes space 4X games and is exited by GalCivIII) which, with all due respect to Das24680, would massively expand it's exposure and probably lead to an order of magnitude more sales.

In fact, the game has already been picked up by Quill18, who did a let's try in May last year. I'm not sure it's Angry Joe's thing (based on what I've heard about the type of strategy games that interest him the most).
Osito
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ASHBERY76
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RE: Change publishers

Post by ASHBERY76 »

I think Matrix own the IP so no DW from anybody else.Elloit could still make another 4x game but not with DW in the title.
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Igard
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RE: Change publishers

Post by Igard »

I'm not sure there would be a DW without Matrix, so I'm glad they published it. Who knows how long Elliot would have tried to get the game out there without their help.
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DevildogFF
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RE: Change publishers

Post by DevildogFF »

/kinda agree here. I'm not a big fan of Matrix Game's business model.

If Crusader Kings and Europa Universalis can find the kind of audience they have with much better, more open business models, just IMAGINE what DW could find!
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DeadlyShoe
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RE: Change publishers

Post by DeadlyShoe »

sort of a moot thread guys, all the expansions are going to be wrapped up into Distant Worlds Universe..presumably at a lesser price :)
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Erik Rutins
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RE: Change publishers

Post by Erik Rutins »

Distant Worlds: Universe should make you all a happier bunch I'd say. Feedback heard, you shouldn't have much longer to wait.
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akvilonn
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RE: Change publishers

Post by akvilonn »

"Distant Worlds: Universe should make you all a happier bunch I'd say. Feedback heard, you shouldn't have much longer to wait."

Thank you Erik for the hint, would that mean actual Steam publishing, exposure of the game to the broad public and reviewers?
Would that mean ditching the over-pricing of the game and its expansions because we all are "special fan club"?

As I understand the Universe stand alone promises huge modding ability, I would love fresh crowd here and looking forward to people who haven't discovered this amazing space sim.

I know your business commitments are such and unchangeable until expired, and freedom is not free, but please!!!
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Kayoz
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RE: Change publishers

Post by Kayoz »

ORIGINAL: akvilonn
would that mean actual Steam publishing

Search the forums. This is an old and tired argument. Suffice to say, it's not in Matrix or Code Force's interest.
ORIGINAL: akvilonn
exposure of the game to the broad public and reviewers

It's been improving. Erik has been more aggressive in marketing Matrix games through bloggers and individual
reviewers.
ORIGINAL: akvilonn
Would that mean ditching the over-pricing of the game and its expansions because we all are "special fan club"?

Erik has stated that bundle pricing is something he's considering. But his stated position is that DW (vanilla) is quite cheap, and if you like it, the expansions are well worth it. On this, I have to agree - especially seeing the DLCs sold on Steam which consist of nothing more than a handful of scripts and a few skins. With each DW expansion, you get FAR FAR more.
“That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.” ― Christopher Hitchens
TanC
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RE: Change publishers

Post by TanC »

+1 to Kayoz's point on pricing. For what you get, the price is a small amount to pay compared to other expansions and DLC.
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CyclopsSlayer
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RE: Change publishers

Post by CyclopsSlayer »

To date DW's marketing has been poor at best. I have loved 4x games since 'Reach for the Stars v2' on the Apple ][ back in the mid 1980's. Ascendancy, MoO 1/2/3, Space Empire 1/2/3/4/5, GalCiv 1/2, etc... and many non-space titles.

Yet, I never heard a whisper about DW until I found a 'Let's Play' video by accident.
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Flinkebeinchen
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RE: Change publishers

Post by Flinkebeinchen »

Just read the Blog from Jeff Vogel, he specialized in old shool rpg's and decided to put his games on Steam, very interesting.

http://jeff-vogel.blogspot.de/2011/10/w ... eaper.html
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Kayoz
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RE: Change publishers

Post by Kayoz »

ORIGINAL: Flinkebeinchen

Just read the Blog from Jeff Vogel

I have difficulty taking seriously, someone who sings that tired old song of "pirates are destroying my business" - when every study shows this is not the case. The following link is regarding the music industry - but the similarities should be obvious. Of course, I'd love to see a similar study of the computer gaming industry.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/digital ... -1.1894729

“That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.” ― Christopher Hitchens
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Shark7
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RE: Change publishers

Post by Shark7 »

On the other side of this argument...

Had DW released on Steam, I'd have never tried it simply because I refuse to use Steam. In other words, if DW hadn't released at Matrix, I'd have never known it even existed.

I do agree it needs more advertisement though.
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Bingeling
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RE: Change publishers

Post by Bingeling »

Release on steam is a good thing for users. It is a convenient thing. It may not be a good thing for Matrix, though.

Being exclusive on steam is a bad thing, as we lose sharks :)

I am amazed that I am here, as I am not a 4X fan... A chance review on a minor site for the original game. And an excellent AAR by Das gave more understanding of the potential of the game, and made me stick around.
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Flinkebeinchen
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RE: Change publishers

Post by Flinkebeinchen »

@Kayoz
Another good article about pirating Games: http://www.fortressofdoors.com/2012/02/ ... ncies.html

Releasing on Steam generates extra money from people who must have every game in their library or just are interested in 4x games. I guess the extra sales generate more money then the share (~30%) steam takes. And why not go with a little discount for Steam-DRM users while they can still buy the non-DRM version for some more from matrix? I would call that a win-win situation.
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