An important personal note to the FG guys

partthethird · 07-25-2009, 03:36 PM

Right now I'm starting to lose faith in the gaming industry completely. A year ago I completely loved Valve Software for example, however since they introduced the European currency (leading to price inbalances up to 400% and completely ignoring the issue on Steam) and Left 4 Dead 2 one year after Left 4 Dead I've ditched them completely now. It even lead me to giving away my 89 games filled Steam account to my sister, selling my Valve plush toys (and giving the ones I couldn't get sold to my dogs) and ditching my framed Valve posters. Yes, I do take it serious when game companies start to act suspiciously like EA (releasing sequels in very short periods, demanding full price again, ignoring the community, serious forum censorship, etc...).

I admit, that I either will stop playing/buying the games or simply will get them through other (costless) means. However, I can't do this with Frictional Games, my principles do not allow this, why? Awesome games and awesome price, awesome devotion to stay in touch with the community. I simply can't convince myself to get FG products like this.

These are the 3 things which will result in great success in my eyes. I seriously dislike how Frictional Games is listening to those reviews of their own games. The graphics of Penumbra are magnificent, even for 2009 (while they claim they believed that was the thing review sites commented the most about (in a negative way)). They are simply great, sure they are no Crysis (and I wouldn't want them to be like that to be honest) but they match with the atmosphere.

The only purchases I will make in the future involving game releases are Frictional Games products. Definitely now that I've seen how Frictional Games was doubting about their future and possibly having financial difficulties (while I can't wait much longer for their next title, however, hope they take their time to make it another magnificant game title).

If it wasn't for my friend introducing me into this game (I never played a game of this genre but I'm seriously hooked now) I would have never known about this. The game is so great that it will advertise itself (I've told about 10+ friends about this game so far, many bought it).

**Kedjane** · 07-25-2009, 04:10 PM

Kind of overreacting with Valve, huh? There is new material for L4D coming aswell as L4D2. I think Valve are great, they've sold Half Life for 1$, all their games for like 80$ and lots of crazy stuff. That you can give games as gifts in case you buy several is also great.
They usually have really long spaces between their games so freaking out just about L4D2 sounds stupid and I most certainly don't think they are ignoring the community.

partthethird · 07-25-2009, 04:20 PM

(07-25-2009, 04:10 PM)Kedjane Wrote: Kind of overreacting with Valve, huh? There is new material for L4D coming aswell as L4D2. I think Valve are great, they've sold Half Life for 1$, all their games for like 80$ and lots of crazy stuff. That you can give games as gifts in case you buy several is also great.
They usually have really long spaces between their games so freaking out just about L4D2 sounds stupid and I most certainly don't think they are ignoring the community.

Unless you come from Europe please do not try to go against the people complaining about the currency issue. Until the currency introduction I would have defended Valve just as much as you're doing right now.

We pay 130 dollars for all their games while you pay 80 dollars for them, crazy stuff indeed.

To date they have not said a single thing about the currency issue (games costing 19.99 dollars for US or 44.99 euros for Europe, which is 64 dollars), while they definitely should have.

Take a look for yourself if you can't believe it:
http://store.steampowered.com/app/17460/?cc=be (Europe, Belgium)
http://store.steampowered.com/app/17460/?cc=us

I gave Valve nearly a year to fix this mess and they have only made it worse with L4D2, and it doesn't seem they will be balancing the prices anytime soon as the product above has been priced like that ever since it got on Steam.

I will stop using digital distribution as it's only letting me down more and more lately. I will go back to buying games retail (online as well) as it's cheaper for me, and will hopefully discover more good companies like Frictional Games soon unless EA screws it up again (R.I.P. Westwood Studios and Bullfrog Games).

PS: It's not L4D2 alone, the censorship that has been going on in the currency thread, the quality of certain products on Steam (RTCW is not up-to-date, I bought it to play it online just to see I couldn't play on the most recent servers and I did not have the ability to update it myself, but this is just one example).

**Yuhaney** · 07-25-2009, 04:31 PM

I've never been into these digital copy things... I always like to buy my stuff with original box, not as a file on my computer.
Only one that I have bought is Penumbra: Requiem and mostly 'cause I didn't want to buy first and second episodes again in that collection.

Though if I can get that for 10€ from somewhere, why not...

**Sexbad** · 07-26-2009, 01:35 AM

Strange, I believed Valve sucked for the quality of their games.

**jamhaw** · 07-26-2009, 02:23 AM

Quote:The graphics of Penumbra are magnificent, even for 2009 (while they claim they believed that was the thing review sites commented the most about (in a negative way)). They are simply great, sure they are no Crysis (and I wouldn't want them to be like that to be honest) but they match with the atmosphere.

They were commented on negativly in most reviews. Personally I thought they looked decent and chances are my PC wouldn't have been able to run them if they were much better (Bioshock actually ran fairly good but the Crysis demo looked terrible on my machine, I have no idea why.

partthethird · 07-26-2009, 03:36 AM

Sometimes I wonder if these review websites actually take the time to play these games on decent and recommended settings, or rather quickly look at a few Youtube videos or some crappy low resolution pictures on a store website, or just wait to be paid by the company for some better reviews.

(07-25-2009, 04:10 PM)Kedjane Wrote: Kind of overreacting with Valve, huh? There is new material for L4D coming aswell as L4D2. I think Valve are great, they've sold Half Life for 1$, all their games for like 80$ and lots of crazy stuff. That you can give games as gifts in case you buy several is also great.
They usually have really long spaces between their games so freaking out just about L4D2 sounds stupid and I most certainly don't think they are ignoring the community.

Also, have you either considered the concept. Hey, let's release Game 1 and the sequal Game 2 in a very short period, we'll promise to keep updating both games equally to maintain the community.

Left 4 Dead is already going to hell thanks to the user reputation/ranking system that never made it to prevent griefing, what makes you think people would buy Left 4 Dead as well when they see Left 4 Dead 2 on the store shelves?

I can hardly believe they will just put just as much effort in Left 4 Dead as in Left 4 Dead 2. See how long it takes for them to release updates for just a single game (took months to prepare that Left 4 Dead DLC, expect the time to at least double because they have to maintain two games equally, and it wasn't even that well perceived).

Nonetheless I have yet to see one advantage for Left 4 Dead with the fact it's sequel is being released exactly one year after the first game in the series.

I wonder what has gotten in to them, they boast about the fact (well not really boast, but like to educate other companies) about how they developed this caring infrastructure with Team Fortress 2 (with each free big update and each free weekend having a huge positive affect, even to the extend where certain sale amounts in a period surpass those of the sales done at release), yet now "rape" their most recent product with the failing Electronic Arts infrastructure (EA admitted one of their largest income was with the distribution of The Orange Box), and EA isn't doing so well the past years when you look at their year results.

**jamhaw** · 07-26-2009, 04:30 AM

(07-25-2009, 04:31 PM)Scraper Wrote: I've never been into these digital copy things... I always like to buy my stuff with original box, not as a file on my computer.
Only one that I have bought is Penumbra: Requiem and mostly 'cause I didn't want to buy first and second episodes again in that collection.

Though if I can get that for 10€ from somewhere, why not...

I love digital copy! I hope Lux Tenebras includes ones as well. Buying a game on CD or DVD is great and getting a free Gamersgate digital copy of it is even better, so even if you loose your disk you can still download the game.

**Razalhague** · 07-26-2009, 10:44 AM

(07-26-2009, 01:35 AM)Lee Wrote: Strange, I believed Valve sucked for the quality of their games.

You're still pretty much alone with your belief. It's not going to become the truth no matter how many times you say it. No, they're not "god's gift to gamers" as some people think, but they're definitely not bad either.

**Yuhaney** · 07-26-2009, 10:56 AM

(07-26-2009, 04:30 AM)jamhaw Wrote:
(07-25-2009, 04:31 PM)Scraper Wrote: I've never been into these digital copy things... I always like to buy my stuff with original box, not as a file on my computer.
Only one that I have bought is Penumbra: Requiem and mostly 'cause I didn't want to buy first and second episodes again in that collection.

Though if I can get that for 10€ from somewhere, why not...

I love digital copy! I hope Lux Tenebras includes ones as well. Buying a game on CD or DVD is great and getting a free Gamersgate digital copy of it is even better, so even if you loose your disk you can still download the game.

Well, if you find it useful, then why not. Smile

:
I have nothing against the idea of digital copies.

I like to really own the whole package, not just the file.