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Buy once, play everywhere?

GammaLeakGammaLeak Member Posts: 5
edited July 2012 in Archive (General Discussion)
Hi! I'm excited about BGEE, but I have to admit, as a person with multiple machines, devices, OS's, etc., I'm pretty tired of platform fragmentation. Steam has it right: buy once, play everywhere.

Will BGEE be "buy once, play everywhere?" If it is, then I'll pre-order a copy. If not, I'll have to wait and see if the Windows version works perfectly with Wine (http://www.winehq.org). If that doesn't even work, well... I suppose I'll stick with the Baldur's Gate Trilogy mod + widescreen mod. :^)

EDIT:
OK, for those who don't know, "buy once, play everywhere" means that when I purchase the game I'm purchasing the right to download and play every "version" of that game for each platform. So, my $20 would allow me to download the PC version, the Mac version, the iPad version, and the Android version -- all for $20 and no more than that.

The alternative (i.e,. NOT "buy once, play everywhere") is that even if I buy the Windows version, I have to shell out an additional $20 to download the Mac version, etc.

Steam does this. For example: I bought Tales of Monkey Island on Steam. I can play it on my Mac. I can play it on my Windows PC. I didn't have to buy it twice.

Comments

  • lordkimlordkim Member Posts: 1,063
    Well after 1 buy you can install it on all the machines you will .
  • TanthalasTanthalas Member Posts: 6,738
    @GammaLeak

    What do you mean about buy once, play everywhere? If you mean buy the PC version and be able to play that on a Mac, iOS or Android, I don't think that's going to happen.

    I think I did see a topic where PhillipDaigle said that BGEE will probably work fine with Wine.
  • lordkimlordkim Member Posts: 1,063
    edited July 2012
    @GammaLeak here you go:
    http://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/2050/bgee-works-with-wine#latest
  • azuritazurit Member Posts: 182
    i don't understand this platform separation either - it's still the same game, why pay more then once?
  • ShadowShadow Member Posts: 20
    Why pay more?

    Different eco systems, different rules.

    The way I see it is if you buy iOS version your paying for the time that it took to develop that port of the game.

    Then if you want it on PC then you'll be paying for the time it took them to get it working properly on that platform.

    In my opinion it's simply selfish to want to instantly get it on all platforms when developers have to spend a lot of time making sure it works on each platform.
  • azuritazurit Member Posts: 182
    @Shadow i think that reward for developers should be a bigger customer base which will (potentially) results in higher sales
  • TanthalasTanthalas Member Posts: 6,738
    Its the exact same thing with multi-platform games that are released on consoles.
  • LediathLediath Member Posts: 125
    Shadow said:

    In my opinion it's simply selfish to want to instantly get it on all platforms when developers have to spend a lot of time making sure it works on each platform.

    Yes, but it also seems a bit of an oversight by the developer not to offer incentives for multiple copies of BGEE on different platforms.

    For example I would personally love it if Beamdog gave me a code to unlock all in app purchases for the iPad version when I also buy the PC version. Therefore I'd be paying a total of $30 (as opposed to $40) for complete versions of the game on both platforms.

  • ShadowShadow Member Posts: 20
    In the past the greatest incentive would be to have another device which is mass market be able to play the game.

    Though I do agree buying DLC for multiple platforms is wrong to an extent.
  • LediathLediath Member Posts: 125
    Shadow said:

    Though I do agree buying DLC for multiple platforms is wrong to an extent.

    Nope, not saying its wrong. Their game, their release strategy, their rules. But, I am saying that, as a potential costumer, I would appreciate it if they had the "buy DLC for all" option :)

  • FuzzyPuffinFuzzyPuffin Member Posts: 289
    Lediath said:


    For example I would personally love it if Beamdog gave me a code to unlock all in app purchases for the iPad version when I also buy the PC version. Therefore I'd be paying a total of $30 (as opposed to $40) for complete versions of the game on both platforms.

    That would be impossible, as Apple allows only a limited amount of codes for developers. They aren't meant to be used that way (just promotionally). Same with the Mac App Store.

    If the game were to eventually appear on Steam, it would have to be SteamPlay (PC & Mac) per Valve's rules. (Beamdog could not sell separate versions). But there's no way you'll ever be paying once to get every version.
  • GammaLeakGammaLeak Member Posts: 5
    Shadow said:

    In my opinion it's simply selfish to want to instantly get it on all platforms when developers have to spend a lot of time making sure it works on each platform.

    You're certainly entitled to your opinion that I am "selfish." But I'm also entitled to keep the money I've earned. And since platform agnosticism is a big deal for me, I guess I will not be pre-ordering as I had hoped that I would be able to.

    I can quite easily load up my existing BG1+2 copies on Mac for free via Wine, add in mods that get me pretty close to the BGEE experience, and in the process keep my $20. If and when people confirm that the Windows version of BGEE works with Wine maybe then I'll purchase. But in my opinion Steam (and others) have changed the rules with PC gaming. Buy once, play everywhere. I now refuse to pay twice for the same content and I expect it to work on both of my preferred platforms. That's how I choose to spend my money. If you make different choices, good for you.
  • TreyolenTreyolen Member Posts: 235
    Can you name one game that you've bought on Steam that has allowed you to play on an iPad? You seem to be directing your anger at the wrong party. Apple makes the rules for the App Store not Beamdog. Google will make the rules for Google Play not Beamdog. Why are you holding Beamdog to a higher standard than the great and mighty Steam?
  • Kitteh_On_A_CloudKitteh_On_A_Cloud Member Posts: 1,629
    All of this whining about Steam is making my head hurt... :/
  • TanthalasTanthalas Member Posts: 6,738
    @GammaLeak
    GammaLeak said:

    If and when people confirm that the Windows version of BGEE works with Wine maybe then I'll purchase.

    http://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/2050/bgee-works-with-wine

    Probably not the definitive answer that you want but...
  • SamielSamiel Member Posts: 156
    I can't see this happening, especially where apple and it's appstore is concerned. They actively try to make you double dip on software, you have already bought on earlier devices with HD versions!
  • GammaLeakGammaLeak Member Posts: 5
    Treyolen said:

    Can you name one game that you've bought on Steam that has allowed you to play on an iPad? You seem to be directing your anger at the wrong party. Apple makes the rules for the App Store not Beamdog. Google will make the rules for Google Play not Beamdog. Why are you holding Beamdog to a higher standard than the great and mighty Steam?

    Actually, I don't care about iPad/Android. But I do want to play on both Mac and Windows. And I'm not going to pay twice for the opportunity to do so.

    Also, I'm not "angry." Just resolute. If the Windows version runs well via Wine, I'll buy the Windows version and I'll be happy. If it doesn't, I'll stick with my existing copies of BG1+BG2.
  • Jedi_GnomeJedi_Gnome Member Posts: 92
    What I'd like to know, if I get BG:EE for my PC, can I also load it onto a laptop, or does that require a separate purchase?
  • TanthalasTanthalas Member Posts: 6,738
    @Jedi_Gnome

    You only need to buy it once and can then install it as many times as you'd like.
  • Jedi_GnomeJedi_Gnome Member Posts: 92
    @Tanthalas
    Thanks! I'm use to old fashioned discs for installing games. Never downloaded one.
  • LediathLediath Member Posts: 125
    Evidently you need to be connected at least once per install to the internet for authentication. Not a huge deal IMO, as long as it doesn't install junk on my computer and their servers are stable, I'm fine with it.

    source : twitter quote from trent oster regarding multiple installs, therefore I'm assuming each install will require one authentication check
    "You can copy the files over to a new computer and then run the updater and it will activate the version".
  • hfmhfm Member Posts: 8
    There might be one way to do this. Offer it for free and also have a login/password/registration for registering it if you bought it elsewhere, and an in-app purchase for those that want to buy it from the AppStore. It's a total PITA the way Apple controls their ecosystem and the stringent rules around this type of scenario. Apple is so draconian about these things that the best thing for Overhaul to do here is just put it on the AppStore for $9.99 or whatever outright. Anything else would be way too complex and problematic for a release such as this.

    Bottom line, they will be unable to do this for iOS versions, it would never be worth the invenstment required to make it work, and they would also have to contend with Apple changing the rules all the time. I speak from experience. It's not worth it for them to do so.
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