Games free?

[bic 43]

Interesting read about free games:

 

http://www.marketwat..._story_featstor

[pfflyers 7]

Of course we know what happened when MS tried that with FLIGHT. But I still think that if they had more quality DLC ready when they launched the game they could have made some real money. As a business model I feel like it could work with a popular title.

[mabe54 17]

Neither Free nor DLC is the road for Gaming. But the old FS model can still be salvaged and/or resurrected for a FS-IX. Not that hard really.

 

Cheers,

[CoolP 283]

Get the Cessna now and buy the instruments later. Wait.

 

I'm sceptical when it comes to that concept and the article's title itself may be a bit misleading, since only the very basis of those games comes 'for free' and then aims at convincing you to buy the vital parts. Failure to do so will end the 'free' game pretty fast.

 

So the outcome may well end up being much more expensive than some older title, already coming with a bunch of maps, multiplayer content and features plus extra gear for a one time payment.

 

Looking at how even pay titles come with a day1 DLC for extra money, offering some (former) free story element, sometimes being vital, also rules out the thinking of raised quality in the general meaning. It's more like selling the bread in slices, so you don't rationally pick up that the price for the thing went up some 300%.

 

Leads me back to the Cessna example. The fuselage being right in front of you, but empty, with a lot of 'you should really try flying it!' statements buzzing around. That's how it works.

[mabe54 17]

Or better yet that's the way they want it to work. But, we are all still holding the reins.

 

Cheers,

 

MAB

[dmaher 0]

The games industry is having a very difficult time right now. More than ever it’s hard to get a return on investment. It operates like a lottery. There are lots and lots of changes going on. And IMO there's a lot of money that's just going to evaporate in the next few years. It’s easy to think of Activison and EA and MS and think who cares. But the industry is really made up of ordinary people, and that means friends and families.

[CoolP 283]

Or better yet that's the way they want it to work. But, we are all still holding the reins.

I guess you are right, especially on those reins and who's holding them.

 

On dmaher's post, I don't think those 'difficult times' are new. Same on the money evaporating due to projects. In fact, the phrase comes up every now and then it receives a strange taste when they also promote that their latest incarnation of COD, Battlefield or something sold in the millions within days, not including the dreaded DLCs.

 

But I relate your statement to the smaller devs and most of all studios (the origin of creative ideas). And, on that level, I think you are spot on. Investing a ton of money for a new and fresh idea of gaming and then not receiving proper returns isn't fun. While the publishers can move on, the studio dies.

 

Seems like they can choose between two extremes most of the time. Riding the old horse until death or longer or heading for a fresh start and hoping it doesn't get born being already dead.

 

But I wouldn't get too negative when it comes to that entertainment industry and their games and methods. They've opened up the female gaming market and they also showed that you can come up with good ideas and sub-high-end hardware and still receive a lot of interest, means customers. Take the Nintendo stuff for example or think about the software being sold on smartphones.

 

So it's not like they are stuck in the old ways, it's more that they now feed platforms and user regimes not being accessible just a few years back. Casual gaming, a silly sounding phrase, but maybe the best description for that phenomenon taking place when playing games isn't nerdy anymore, but cool.

 

The only thing I don't like very much is the power of the publishers, not being the creative part and also not being that much interested in happy, but only paying customers.

 

That's actually the part spoiling some good ideas and concepts in my eyes. There are good examples of course, allowing some talented devs to actually work and receive a payment, but you also see that this or that game was ruined by the management forcing it to be a cash cow from day one on.

 

In that regard, this free to play trend (is it more than that?) is just another trick to make things more profitable in my eyes. Well, to be honest, I think that DLC trend before already spoiled a lot of games for me. :(

[dmaher 0]

There are good things happening too…yes. But the 'difficult times' are new. Games have always been a very risky industry, and now the stakes are higher than ever. In say five to ten years I think we’ll see some stability again. There are a half dozen reason why it’s so difficult right now…it’s not one trend. There will always be a COD too, yes. But no one just makes a COD…that’s what winning the lottery looks like.

 

 

 

EA

http://www.google.ca...ASDAQ:EA&ntsp=0

 

ZYNGA

http://www.google.ca...DAQ:ZNGA&ntsp=0

[CoolP 283]

That's interesting. Which factor leads to that stability you envision? Adding to that, where is that factor now?

 

On the lottery factor. We shouldn't communicate the issue as if this was a gaming industry only thing. You will see other companies trying new concepts or approaching markets, and failing to do so.

 

So if you are running the entertainment business or the one to supply public transportation, power, cleaning services or food, there will always be a risk in trying new things and a downside when riding the old ones for too long or just stretching the profitable envelope too much.

 

From my idealistic viewpoint (you already know that one ^_^ ), the money in that system of ours is the factor which often forces the good ideas to stop and the profitable ones to continue, no matter what. Creativity in the economic sense, an oxymoron.

[dmaher 0]

I guess in my mind the factors that will stabilize games again would be; a new round of consoles (or whatever hardware hardcore gamers choose), a mature and secure electronic distribution system, and a more optimistic economy (for funding). The advances in graphics production are harder earner these days, so it takes more time than ever to look great. This change in req'd time isn't linear...it's exponential. devs just need to be aware and take care. Better tools help a lot...and it's unknown what tools we'll have in five years. They may be great. I'm not sure how we'll monetize games (there will be various ways to suit different games), but you get what you pay for. So I expect generally to pay a lot less, and get a lot less too. It is also about the game industry just growing up and working with the free-market as it should. That's a good thing :)

[CoolP 283]

On the tools. I saw the ID folks explaining their new engine plus SDK. Wow! I also saw the Crytec folks promoting their new stuff and it seems like the new engines once again take a huge step towards some amazing effects, not to forget about those physics. For instance, I never saw liquids in a game reacting and interacting that realistic.

 

Well, our small flight sim world is a bit stuck these days, huh? Means the tech advancement due to new engines.

It is also about the game industry just growing up and working with the free-market as it should. That's a good thing :)

Agreed. But a part of me thinks that they only do this because they had to learn the hard way.

 

I like the success of Minecraft, maybe being a good example for your lottery theory and another great one for an independent development and marketing. Lets build a plane there! :lol:

[Matthew Kane 1,264]

It used to be that you could download a free trial of a game, that was usually a level 1. If you wanted to play the rest of the game you had to buy it. This concept was a good concept in my POV. Kind of test driving it before you buy it.

 

I didn't have a problem with MS Flights approach as it was a free trial. I just found myself more intersted in my PMDG NGX and Carenado Fleet with ORBX Scenery to take the plunge into the MS Flight DLC's offerings. We are a tough nut to crack being addicted to the MSFS Franchise for 30 years now...LOL

 

And besides...If MS Flight wasn't going to have New Zealand like ORBX has now then they don't stand a chance. Since ORBX released New Zealand I haven't flown anywhere else...

 

Cheers

[mgh 89]

Creativity in the economic sense, an oxymoron.

 

Creativity lies in creating an attractive product that sells in sufficient numbers to make a profit for the creator.

 

Any fool can create an overpriced product that won't sell.

[mabe54 17]

Once cookie cutting starts in any product, the count down to oblivion is set. If something works, leave it alone. Never overcome failed projects by stressing successful ones to compensate. If done nevertheless? That's a sure way to loose the goat and rope. It is easy to arrive to the wrong conclusion that MS_FS and MS_TS were identical and they never were. Same with PC Games and Console. Two distinctive fields. Corporate can't accept this because they always want one over the other ones. Low cost I guess, and that's when the problems start. In this over that or vice versa, there is a third option seldom contemplated: neither one. Now what? Welcome to oblivion and the end of the line. That's where we are now, unfortunately.

 

Cheers,

[CoolP 283]

We are a tough nut to crack being addicted to the MSFS Franchise for 30 years now...LOL

Haha, I'd say so, yes.

 

Good example on the Orbx NZ thing. Great product and coming without any strings attached or left out items. But in modern gaming terms, you would fly to Wellington and then a small popup would come up 'wouldn't you like to fly to a more detailed Wellington? 1200 other people already use it, click here to buy'. :lol:

 

'30% off on ILS approaches this weekend!' :ph34r: