I'm an iPad, iPhone, Macbook Pro, iMac and Mac Mini Owner (not to mention several touches and regular iPods)...I'm no mac hater.
But your arguments are just horrible. "Mac owners want a game the size and complexity of Baulders Gate at a $5 price tag for the full app (even though it's $20 on the Mac and PC) and we want it under 500 meg in size! Make it happen or I'm not buying your game!"
Would you like warm cookies hand delivered to your house by the ghost of Steve Jobs himself also?
On behalf of people who understand computers and those tired of hearing mac folks whine because they don't get everything their way all the time (not to mention developers who have to listen to nothing but spoiled brats).
With all due respect, quit complaining.
I own MULTIPLE games of a large and extended size...for Christ's sakes the game APPLE DEMOED at the iPhone 4s release conference was Infinity Blade 2, and that's 1.1 gig in size installed. Please quit telling us apple owners don't want large apps on their iPhones and iPads and won't buy them because, frankly, you're either uninformed or pushing your own agenda. There's a vast difference between game play of something like Stick Wars or Angry Birds and Myst...and with an application as complex as something like Myst (or BGEE) you need the space to run it.
"I follow these things and there's complaints galore on the app store comments just look!"
Infinity Blade II has 507 Ratings right now on the app store and, at $6.99, generated over $5M in sales *in it's first month* after release. I'll let you do the math but $6.99 x 507 != $5m. (Here's a hint, somewhere over 715K people say you're wrong about app size being a problem).
If the game is good (and BG, even without the enhanced edition stuff, is good), it will get purchased. App size, in game content, $10 + DLC costs not withstanding...the app WILL get purchased.
The largest problem the Devs here have is not getting your $10 BGEE app buried in the app store to the point where no one knows it's out there.
@illydth you are exactly right dude, if a product is all quality, it will sell! Obviously this bloke is more your 99 cent gamer, quantity over quality type!
@Errandwolfe have you done much game development or Baldur's Gate development? When the original BG team put together a "demo" version of the game it took them over a month of half a dozen people working on it. BG resources are tied together tighter than spaghetti. Any day I can make a choice between putting another month of development time to make a game better or putting out a demo, I'll make the same choice.
I have no problem with higher priced iOS games or large files. My issue only comes when companies split iPhone(iPod Touch) and iPad versions into two different branches and charge large amounts for both. Currently the worst offender is Square-Enix in this regard. Most of their split products are basically just up-scales of iPhone version made to fit nice the x2 mode on an iPad screen.
I hope that if an "phone" sized version of this game does get produced that Atari, Overhaul, and Beamdog doesn't try to get existing iOS customer to pay for it a second time. There is an exception, as I've said with Square-Enix games, if there was an in-App purchase option to "unlock" the bigger/smaller quality I'd settle for maybe 10-25% the cost of the original launch price.
As to extra content not being included... as long it makes up the difference in price and doesn't go over the PC/Mac version I don't see the harm. Although IMO it would be better to be full priced with all the content.
Apple should really get with some game developers (just a group of game Devs themselves) and start promoting higher quality higher cost iOS games that equal or pass GameBoy cartridges.
3$ for Neera and her extra related areas. 3$ for Dorn and the Blackguard kit 2$ for the Jason Manley portrait pack (10 pics I believe). 2$ for 6 (I think) soundsets.
This is by memory only, I don't have the inclination right now to read through interviews, articles, tweets, etc. but I'm quite sure that Trent have stated that the kits that are included in the pc release will also be included in the standard iPad release, you won't have to purchase the extra character DLC's to use the new kits. (Although I will)..
Developers can't write apps for the 13 year olds who write reviews complaining about the prices of apps that they don't even own and therefore can't properly evaluate. It is an incredibly small percentage of buyers who actually review applications in iTunes, and the too-cheep-to-buy-anything crowd is a particularly loud and entitled bunch.
What is this research one poster talked about? Did this research include actual earnings of applications, or just a superficial browsing of reviews?
@davemo I don't know to which post you're referring, but I get what you're saying, and it's a worry of mine too. There's an ugly mentality on the AppStore, that unless a game is 0.99$ or less, it's too expensive.
On top of that is the Freemium wave, that are very much some developers last, dying attempt at creating revenue, because of the expected cheap prices and the vast amount of competition on the AppStore now. Other developers is flying high and making big money using that method, some in an ugly way, a.la Smurf Berries, and others by offering new levels and characters for a price.
It's a very difficult marked to penetrate, and even more so if you're trying to do so with a set, high price as Beamdog attempts to do with this release.
BUT! It's not impossible if you have a strong brand and/or following, there's good examples of that with for instance the Cave Shmups and other big retro titles that have a warm place in many arcade gamers hearts. They're selling very well, and for high prices too. One reason is because it's quality ports or remakes, another is because not ALL iOS gamers is preteens, there's a whole lot grown ups who misses good quality, big, expansive and challenging games, of which there are very few.
Look at Spiderwebs RPG's, they're selling on the AppStore, and the audience maybe limited, but it's a growing audience. And while Spiderwebs games are very good, they aren't even close to be in the same legue as BG.
That's the audience Beamdog is targeting, grown up people, who might enjoy a simple endless runner for a buck, but dreams of expansive, well written, no compromise games, not difficulty scaled to the lowest denominator, In other words, games like they used to make them.
I'm one of those people, and there's several of us on TouchArcade.com forums as well as here.
I actually think Beamdog has a chance of making this game a run away success on the AppStore, and I really hope they make it.
When it sells well and hopefully gets good reviews, many younger gamers will hopefully join, compelled by the promise of what is one of the best cRPG's ever.
I do enjoy playing Avernum while waiting for BGEE.
Sadly, App Store reviews are often no longer a guide to potential customers. Reviews have become a form of extortion as in "lower you price or I will review you poorly". It also seems evident that some companies have review farms to promote their apps.
Honestly $10 is on the high end for a game....but on the other hand, nothing is comparable to BG. It'll be interesting to see how it sells on the App store. I'm guessing it will do very well just on nostalgia buyers!
I do enjoy playing Avernum while waiting for BGEE.
Sadly, App Store reviews are often no longer a guide to potential customers. Reviews have become a form of extortion as in "lower you price or I will review you poorly". It also seems evident that some companies have review farms to promote their apps.
Not to mention that people get paid to review these days, can't trust them.
I usually dont buy DLC or like to spend more then 99 cents on the app store, but then most everything on the app store is crap. However I bought BG:EE already but I only plan to buy the new characters.
I can see charging 3$ for them, they have new content associated, however the asking price for a portrait pack and soundset pack seems way overpriced for what they are. Its almost like extortion since its not likely people will be able to to copy their own downloaded soundsets and portraits onto the IPad for use in the game, so your forced to pay their pricing if you want additional stuff.
Comments
.....should have enough room for BG, BG2, AND OWD
I'm an iPad, iPhone, Macbook Pro, iMac and Mac Mini Owner (not to mention several touches and regular iPods)...I'm no mac hater.
But your arguments are just horrible. "Mac owners want a game the size and complexity of Baulders Gate at a $5 price tag for the full app (even though it's $20 on the Mac and PC) and we want it under 500 meg in size! Make it happen or I'm not buying your game!"
Would you like warm cookies hand delivered to your house by the ghost of Steve Jobs himself also?
On behalf of people who understand computers and those tired of hearing mac folks whine because they don't get everything their way all the time (not to mention developers who have to listen to nothing but spoiled brats).
With all due respect, quit complaining.
I own MULTIPLE games of a large and extended size...for Christ's sakes the game APPLE DEMOED at the iPhone 4s release conference was Infinity Blade 2, and that's 1.1 gig in size installed. Please quit telling us apple owners don't want large apps on their iPhones and iPads and won't buy them because, frankly, you're either uninformed or pushing your own agenda. There's a vast difference between game play of something like Stick Wars or Angry Birds and Myst...and with an application as complex as something like Myst (or BGEE) you need the space to run it.
"I follow these things and there's complaints galore on the app store comments just look!"
Infinity Blade II has 507 Ratings right now on the app store and, at $6.99, generated over $5M in sales *in it's first month* after release. I'll let you do the math but $6.99 x 507 != $5m. (Here's a hint, somewhere over 715K people say you're wrong about app size being a problem).
If the game is good (and BG, even without the enhanced edition stuff, is good), it will get purchased. App size, in game content, $10 + DLC costs not withstanding...the app WILL get purchased.
The largest problem the Devs here have is not getting your $10 BGEE app buried in the app store to the point where no one knows it's out there.
Not the size or the cost.
Any day I can make a choice between putting another month of development time to make a game better or putting out a demo, I'll make the same choice.
-Trent
I hope that if an "phone" sized version of this game does get produced that Atari, Overhaul, and Beamdog doesn't try to get existing iOS customer to pay for it a second time. There is an exception, as I've said with Square-Enix games, if there was an in-App purchase option to "unlock" the bigger/smaller quality I'd settle for maybe 10-25% the cost of the original launch price.
As to extra content not being included... as long it makes up the difference in price and doesn't go over the PC/Mac version I don't see the harm. Although IMO it would be better to be full priced with all the content.
Apple should really get with some game developers (just a group of game Devs themselves) and start promoting higher quality higher cost iOS games that equal or pass GameBoy cartridges.
I'm pretty sure that has been announced already:
3$ for Neera and her extra related areas.
3$ for Dorn and the Blackguard kit
2$ for the Jason Manley portrait pack (10 pics I believe).
2$ for 6 (I think) soundsets.
But hes a black Guard!!!
What is this research one poster talked about? Did this research include actual earnings of applications, or just a superficial browsing of reviews?
I don't know to which post you're referring, but I get what you're saying, and it's a worry of mine too.
There's an ugly mentality on the AppStore, that unless a game is 0.99$ or less, it's too expensive.
On top of that is the Freemium wave, that are very much some developers last, dying attempt at creating revenue, because of the expected cheap prices and the vast amount of competition on the AppStore now.
Other developers is flying high and making big money using that method, some in an ugly way, a.la Smurf Berries, and others by offering new levels and characters for a price.
It's a very difficult marked to penetrate, and even more so if you're trying to do so with a set, high price as Beamdog attempts to do with this release.
BUT!
It's not impossible if you have a strong brand and/or following, there's good examples of that with for instance the Cave Shmups and other big retro titles that have a warm place in many arcade gamers hearts. They're selling very well, and for high prices too.
One reason is because it's quality ports or remakes, another is because not ALL iOS gamers is preteens, there's a whole lot grown ups who misses good quality, big, expansive and challenging games, of which there are very few.
Look at Spiderwebs RPG's, they're selling on the AppStore, and the audience maybe limited, but it's a growing audience.
And while Spiderwebs games are very good, they aren't even close to be in the same legue as BG.
That's the audience Beamdog is targeting, grown up people, who might enjoy a simple endless runner for a buck, but dreams of expansive, well written, no compromise games, not difficulty scaled to the lowest denominator, In other words, games like they used to make them.
I'm one of those people, and there's several of us on TouchArcade.com forums as well as here.
I actually think Beamdog has a chance of making this game a run away success on the AppStore, and I really hope they make it.
When it sells well and hopefully gets good reviews, many younger gamers will hopefully join, compelled by the promise of what is one of the best cRPG's ever.
Sadly, App Store reviews are often no longer a guide to potential customers. Reviews have become a form of extortion as in "lower you price or I will review you poorly". It also seems evident that some companies have review farms to promote their apps.
I can see charging 3$ for them, they have new content associated, however the asking price for a portrait pack and soundset pack seems way overpriced for what they are. Its almost like extortion since its not likely people will be able to to copy their own downloaded soundsets and portraits onto the IPad for use in the game, so your forced to pay their pricing if you want additional stuff.