Can someone in the know answer me this..

Why don't companies create a basic foundation CD that includes things like the basic world, basic codes, etc. with a Pre order?

You are able to download updates as the game progresses. So you do not have to deal with mega download problems when the time comes for open beta.  The DVD/CD could have all the codes necessary and you can use your download program as a means of game information ( or advertise other news like the SOE Downloader).

The cost to ship these CDs to stores should be accounted for yes, but people are pre ordering the product. So they pay for the CD upfront. When the product launches you can send the player a password for a secure site for downloading official game instructions. If players want more like a Collectors Edition, then send the box of goodies at launch. Again the extra cost of sending the box to the customer can be paid by the customer.

Want a direct download game to avoid shipping costs? Then pre order players buy your pre order and pay shipping and handling, you send them a basic DVD/CD and let them download as the game develops. When the game goes live, your pre order fan is ready to go. Set up official stuff with a secure password code for players to download instructions, etc.

Where am I going wrong?

Get a life, you're not gonna die if you dont get to play the second the servers go up. Kids these days. Back in my day there was no online games and we had to play hotseat, HOTSEAT !!!

Relax Airspell. Chances are our gaming experiences are similar anyway.  I didn't post here to cry or whine. I post to learn and to give advice. 

Moving on...

Anyone else have any thoughts? Or have I broken new ground and thought out of the box in regards to the MMO inudstry?

I wish I was a kid..

1) preordering costs $0, so no, you're not paying for anything, or covering the cost of the disc, the packaging, the shipping, and having to pay the retailer to display/distribute this item

2) downloading these days takes a matter of hours. it's not as big of a deal as it was a decade ago when we were all playing everquest and dark age of camelot

Thinking about it more..

I suppose releasing a CD way before even beta might set up themselves for hacks before the game even gets into a beta phase.  Might even give competition some heads up on what your doing.

Understood.  Thanx

so...why is this posted here again? lol

Originally posted by theanimedude

1) preordering costs $0, so no, you're not paying for anything, or covering the cost of the disc, the packaging, the shipping, and having to pay the retailer to display/distribute this item

2) downloading these days takes a matter of hours. it's not as big of a deal as it was a decade ago when we were all playing everquest and dark age of camelot

Matter of hours? Well, depends. Some downloads can take 7+ hours depending on your internet service. On top of that it can also slow up your internet (as it does in my house) if someone is downloading something. Say what you want but "it is what it is". Quite frankly, when I downloaded Vanguard all I could think of was "god, I wish I had the cd).

Originally posted by Sovrath

Originally posted by theanimedude

1) preordering costs $0, so no, you're not paying for anything, or covering the cost of the disc, the packaging, the shipping, and having to pay the retailer to display/distribute this item

2) downloading these days takes a matter of hours. it's not as big of a deal as it was a decade ago when we were all playing everquest and dark age of camelot

 

Matter of hours? Well, depends. Some downloads can take 7+ hours depending on your internet service. On top of that it can also slow up your internet (as it does in my house) if someone is downloading something. Say what you want but "it is what it is". Quite frankly, when I downloaded Vanguard all I could think of was "god, I wish I had the cd).

 

I'm with Sovrath on this one.

All the recent Beta's I've been in have had huge downloads involved, and with living in an internet backwater like NZ I've also got caps to worry about.

On a side note SWG was the last Beta I was involved in that sent disks, and they where I nice little momento (sp?).

There is some UK ISP's that cap also but they do not cap downloads off there own newsgroups. Would be a good idea if people would post beta clients on there from time to time or even the developers.

This way your cap would not be effected and you would download at your full ISP speeds.

As for CD's / DVD's this will not happen costs too much to make and ship CD's / DVD's to people all over the world. Plus you have to think that there will always be people willing to download and test.

I wouldn't mind seeing companies let you buy the cd's if you don't want to wait for the download. The real problem is that all of the assets are required at once, instead of streaming them. I would like to see games use more streaming technology so you don't need to download everything before you start playing. There are indie or low-tech games that do this, but the big boys can't handle it. Of course, the file sizes these days are insane as well. Developers don't care about keeping the sizes down, because nothing is forcing them too.

I always like seeing what demo hackers can accomplish with a couple free killobytes lying around, and wonder at the 18 gigs of game we are seeing in the latest games. I bet 1 gig is just for stupid cutscenes that barely add anything to the experience... But can you play without downloading the cutscenes? NOoooOooo.

Alot of the time, publishers DO make pre-launch content avalible.

For players who pre-order a game, often they're given 28 or even 48 hours of 'early access' to the game, allowing them to install, create characters and have a play of the game before launch.

(This was done with Guild Wars and Age of Conan, to name a few)