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Matrixgames and Demos - 7/25/2007 1:21:59 AM

SittingDuck
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I'd like some input as to why Matrixgames products rarely, if ever (because I can't recall the last one - that is, a wargame) are promoted with demos. I find it discouraging and it has really limited my purchasing of games from Matrixgames.

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RE: Matrixgames and Demos - 7/25/2007 1:50:29 AM

sterckxe
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quote:

ORIGINAL: SittingDuck
I'd like some input as to why Matrixgames products rarely, if ever (because I can't recall the last one - that is, a wargame) are promoted with demos. I find it discouraging and it has really limited my purchasing of games from Matrixgames.

Well, fyi : last demos from Matrix were :

Gary Grigsby's World at War
Panzer Command - Operation Winter Storm
Battles in Normandy
Tin Soldiers - Alexander the Great

Greetz,

Eddy Sterckx

(in reply to SittingDuck)

Post #: 2

RE: Matrixgames and Demos - 7/25/2007 2:28:05 AM

KG Erwin
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I disagree with this philosophy. A demo is usually a half-as#ed version of the complete game, and it doesn't serve much other than to give a few folks cheap thrills for free.

To me, it actually is a detriment, as prospective buyers will simply say, is this all there is? and quickly dismiss it.

Offering demos is a bad business model -- screenshots and descriptions are sufficient to sell someone on a game.

(in reply to sterckxe)

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RE: Matrixgames and Demos - 7/25/2007 3:37:18 AM

ravinhood
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I have to agree with Erwin when it comes to wargames you just can't make a good demo without basically giving the game away for free. It just doesn't work for wargames like it does for a FPSer or RTS game. Those are games, Matrixgames makes historical recreations and to give you a good glimpse of that would just be giving it to you for free and I see no need for them to give it away for free. Even if I do wait until the products are at reduced prices. ;) I'm still not getting them for free nor do I want them for free. Notice you didn't see me jumping into Judge Dredds thread for a free game. I'm not after free, I just want a good deal. ;)

(in reply to KG Erwin)

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RE: Matrixgames and Demos - 7/25/2007 10:15:56 AM

JudgeDredd
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I agree. Demos for wargames are bad news imo. I remember being put off buying Red Devils Over Arnhem (the first in the HTTR series) because of the demo.

In addition to what has already been mentioned, I'd say a good AAR is an absolute must prior to release. Not only does it explain (if done correctly) the mechanics of the game in detail, but it gets people interested in it fired up for release. But the AAR should be done properly, probably by someone who has been beta testing for sometime.

< Message edited by JudgeDredd -- 7/25/2007 10:17:06 AM >

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RE: Matrixgames and Demos - 7/25/2007 1:25:03 PM

IainMcNeil
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Wargames take a lot of time investment to get the best out of them. When you pay $30-$50 for the game you have invested money so you're willing to invest the time.

With a free demo people try for 5 mins, don't get in to it and because it cost them nothing feel no urge to continue to invest their time in it. This means they never really expereince the game properly and end up tossing it away and not purchasing it.

I'm totally against demos for the sort of games we make, but sometimes the marketing people just force you to do it....

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RE: Matrixgames and Demos - 7/25/2007 3:55:30 PM

Terl
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I agree with what is seeming to be the majority - no demo. I do like to see AAR's and screenshots though. I get a great feel for the game that way. My past purchases help with the decision as well, like Slitherine games, since Iain was here

- those I purchase almost right off (money permitting) due to past great experiences and the new game's subject matter and level of play (CEAW is coming home this week - payday!!) The same goes for games like HTTR and CoTA, those were amazing so I can hardly wait for their next entry.

< Message edited by Terl -- 7/25/2007 3:56:16 PM >

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RE: Matrixgames and Demos - 7/26/2007 2:44:53 AM

SittingDuck
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OK, thanks for all that feedback. Having bought FoF, and not really done much with it yet simply because of my schedule and the learning curve, I can certainly understand the reasonings put forth here.

I did search for a demo of GGWaW quite some time ago, but never found one.

(in reply to Terl)

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RE: Matrixgames and Demos - 7/26/2007 5:01:11 AM

Awac835
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quote:

ORIGINAL: KG Erwin
I disagree with this philosophy. A demo is usually a half-as#ed version of the complete game, and it doesn't serve much other than to give a few folks cheap thrills for free.

To me, it actually is a detriment, as prospective buyers will simply say, is this all there is? and quickly dismiss it.

Offering demos is a bad business model -- screenshots and descriptions are sufficient to sell someone on a game.

Well maybe for many of the games matrix put out. But id be sorry the day modern RTS and FPS games dont come with demos. Today you have little garanti that a game that use advanced graphics etc will run without driver conflicts and god knows what else.
And its always nice to see how the game performs on once rig. I for one cant afford to keep a top of the line rig and i think we all know how much trust to put in the Min. specs and recomended specs.

(in reply to KG Erwin)

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RE: Matrixgames and Demos - 7/26/2007 10:46:10 AM

Fred98
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The best way to promote a game is in the form of a movie.

The movie needs to include the mouse and mouse clicks.

The commentary should not discuss the tactical situation becasue wargamers already know that part.

Rather, it should discusss in game terms why he clicked here and what thta toolbar means etc. Thereby giving a feel for the User Interface

-

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RE: Matrixgames and Demos - 7/26/2007 4:20:03 PM

Rainbow7
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Yeah, I've never played a demo that prompted me to buy the full game. There's something about forking over money that gets you to invest more time and not dismiss too easily.

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RE: Matrixgames and Demos - 7/26/2007 7:42:01 PM

LiberalEuro
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Rainbow
...There's something about forking over money that gets you to invest more time and not dismiss too easily.

Exactly.
Pay up first, ask questions latter.

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RE: Matrixgames and Demos - 7/26/2007 9:35:16 PM

ravinhood
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quote:

ORIGINAL: LiberalEuro

quote:

ORIGINAL: Rainbow
...There's something about forking over money that gets you to invest more time and not dismiss too easily.

Exactly.
Pay up first, ask questions latter.

That doesn't fit into MY design of purchasing product. ;)

(in reply to LiberalEuro)

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RE: Matrixgames and Demos - 7/27/2007 12:43:23 AM

sterckxe
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quote:

ORIGINAL: ravinhood
That doesn't fit into MY design of purchasing product. ;)

I could make one of my lousy jokes here but I won't, because I want to add my 2 (euro)cents to this discussion.

Demos have sold me on games I wouldn't have bought otherwise. Of course there are people who will look at a demo for 5 minutes and then dismiss the game, but would they have bought the game if there wasn't a demo ? Doubt it.

Tomorrow will see the release of the demo of Combat Mission : Shock Force. I've read the 4 reviews of it, have gone over the forums and really have an uncomfortable feeling about this title. Without a demo this game is a definite no-buy. In fact the only thing that could convince me at this point in time *is* a demo - so I can see for myself who's right and who's wrong.

Going by the forums I'm not the only one who's buying decision hangs on the demo. If it's great it means a lot of extra sales, if it isn't ... well.

Short : a good demo sells games, a lousy one doesn't

Greetz,

Eddy Sterckx

(in reply to ravinhood)

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RE: Matrixgames and Demos - 7/27/2007 1:12:28 AM

JudgeDredd
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It is fair to say if the demo is done properly and comes with proper documentation, then it's a good idea. The problem is, they seldom do. They seldom have proper documentation, leaving the user floundering around trying this and that.

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RE: Matrixgames and Demos - 7/27/2007 3:43:23 AM

ravinhood
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quote:

ORIGINAL: sterckxe

quote:

ORIGINAL: ravinhood
That doesn't fit into MY design of purchasing product. ;)

I could make one of my lousy jokes here but I won't, because I want to add my 2 (euro)cents to this discussion.

Demos have sold me on games I wouldn't have bought otherwise. Of course there are people who will look at a demo for 5 minutes and then dismiss the game, but would they have bought the game if there wasn't a demo ? Doubt it.

Tomorrow will see the release of the demo of Combat Mission : Shock Force. I've read the 4 reviews of it, have gone over the forums and really have an uncomfortable feeling about this title. Without a demo this game is a definite no-buy. In fact the only thing that could convince me at this point in time *is* a demo - so I can see for myself who's right and who's wrong.

Going by the forums I'm not the only one who's buying decision hangs on the demo. If it's great it means a lot of extra sales, if it isn't ... well.

Short : a good demo sells games, a lousy one doesn't

Greetz,

Eddy Sterckx

Now I get to rebuttal this. ;) A good demo can also NOT sell a game. I have gotten good demos of Doom, Doom II, Heretic, etc. etc. a bunch of shooters. Even got a good demo of Rise of Nations. I'd even say great demos if you like FPSers/RTS games. But, my point. Because they were so good and gave me so much I never had an urge to buy the full product because the demo gave me enough enjoyment I saw no reason to waste money on just more levels of the SAME. So, you see demos can be bad for sales as well when they are oh so GOOD. ;)

I think a publisher/developer have to be very careful just HOW MUCH they give an audience in a demo. It shouldn't be so much they don't want to buy the full product. For wargames that's rather hard not to give too much I think. Combat Mission series did a pretty good job. A small quick battle with only a select few units was just enough to sell me on the series. But, if they gave me a free scenario of BIN or BII or (hell how would they give a demo of KORSUN Pocket? lol doesn't matter I wouldn't buy it anyway), TOAW, Harpoon, really just about all Matrixgames these days except the Tin Soldiers series (which that also is like getting a free game) they would be giving me a free game. Give me a demo of CAW yeah gemme gemme gemme. Give me one scenario and I won't want to buy the full game either. (I already have the full game from years ago). But, my point is a free scenario of the majority of wargames is a free game, it's not a demo. If it wasn't a full scenario it wouldn't do enough for those that want a demo to see how it works. lol Unless of course they could get away with a 1 turn or 2 turn demo and then people would scream how lame that was.

I've always just believed those that want demos just want a free game. That's just me cause that's how I see a lot of demos as a free game. The origional Doom and that one level was plenty of fun an entertainment to me for weeks on end till I got bored with it. And more levels of the same wouldn't have changed the boredom. You've played one level you've played them all basically in a shooter. ;)

(in reply to sterckxe)

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RE: Matrixgames and Demos - 7/27/2007 6:28:30 AM

mek42
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I purchased Dominions II solely based on finding the demo game. It gave a 50 turn limit and research caps iirc. I then went on to purchase Dominions 3 based on playing Dom. II. So, the one demo actually sold two games.

In the world of PC games, there are a lot of games not worth the resources put into them, especially at the mass-market level, and I am not aware of anyone that offers a "return if not satisfied for full refund" option.

Therefore, I will typically not purchase a game without a demo or the chance to try at a friends (which hasn't happened in a decade or more, so really, the demo is key). I might be willing to take a risk if something is discounted to ~$10 US or so, but too much more than that is "real money" and I need to know ahead of time that I will be getting an acceptable amount of entertainment time from my purchase.

For wargames, I think that a good demo would be to have a tutorial and one scenario with fixed length of time to play (i.e. X turns). This seems to be how the World at War demo was released, but that demo is no longer available - I tried to download it before making this post and one of the sites given can't find the file and the other delivers a corrupted zip.

Regarding the free game, how many wargamers would be able to get "weeks of entertainment" from a scenario where you were able to break through a line and victory was in sight except that the game ended due to a turn limit before it could be acheived? I submit that this would leave a wargaming frothing at the mouth waiting to get their hands on the full version. The poster discussing Doom admits that shooters are not their preferred genre and probably would not have been purchased demo or not.

(in reply to ravinhood)

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RE: Matrixgames and Demos - 7/27/2007 10:04:14 AM

JudgeDredd
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quote:

ORIGINAL: ravinhood
Now I get to rebuttal this. ;) A good demo can also NOT sell a game. I have gotten good demos of Doom, Doom II, Heretic, etc. etc. a bunch of shooters. Even got a good demo of Rise of Nations. I'd even say great demos if you like FPSers/RTS games. But, my point. Because they were so good and gave me so much I never had an urge to buy the full product because the demo gave me enough enjoyment I saw no reason to waste money on just more levels of the SAME. So, you see demos can be bad for sales as well when they are oh so GOOD. ;)

Apart from the crap I generally talk, I don't think I've ever read anything like this.
Ravinhood, knowing your track record with buying games (and I aint attacking you for that record - that's old ground and been covered...just using it in the context of this post so don't go shouting for mods to close the thread 'cos someone disagrees with you) it doesn't surprise me you can get enough enjoyment out a demo to NOT want the game.

I agreed with you that a demo can prevent sales, but a good demo preventing sales? Maybe in rh's world

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RE: Matrixgames and Demos - 7/27/2007 12:37:44 PM

Charles2222
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quote:

ORIGINAL: JudgeDredd

quote:

ORIGINAL: ravinhood
Now I get to rebuttal this. ;) A good demo can also NOT sell a game. I have gotten good demos of Doom, Doom II, Heretic, etc. etc. a bunch of shooters. Even got a good demo of Rise of Nations. I'd even say great demos if you like FPSers/RTS games. But, my point. Because they were so good and gave me so much I never had an urge to buy the full product because the demo gave me enough enjoyment I saw no reason to waste money on just more levels of the SAME. So, you see demos can be bad for sales as well when they are oh so GOOD. ;)

Apart from the crap I generally talk, I don't think I've ever read anything like this.
Ravinhood, knowing your track record with buying games (and I aint attacking you for that record - that's old ground and been covered...just using it in the context of this post so don't go shouting for mods to close the thread 'cos someone disagrees with you) it doesn't surprise me you can get enough enjoyment out a demo to NOT want the game.

I agreed with you that a demo can prevent sales, but a good demo preventing sales? Maybe in rh's world

What he says can be true, even for a buyer more into quality; like myself. I was interested in MOHAA, and had the demo. There's things I liked about it and things I did not, but I got an awful lot out of one lousy scenario for the demo; but never finished it. It was in my thinking almost an entire game because there was so much eye candy compared to my other games I could just let my guys stand around and enjoy even that (having spawned enemies helps to create the illusion, for us methodical tacticians, that you are fighting a longer battle anyway, since there is more fighting where there are more enemy). When push came to shove, however, I did buy the game. Basically the things I didn't like about it convinced me I didn't want to pay full price, because I wasn't too sure with not completing the demo that I would want to finish all the full game scenarios, but I did think since I would likely play just a portion of the game, that it was a worthy purchase for a portion price.

So while the demo seemed like a real game, mostly based on the fact I never finished it, and got so much out of it, much more than anybody into FPS, which I'm not, there was the element of having such a full experience that it might had prevented me from buying the game (in a sense getting too much, if you can believe that). The difference here being, that the fuller the demo was for me anyway (not typical again) the much more likely it was for me not being interested in the full price, however, if the demo had been much less, it wouldn't have likely prompted me to pay full price, because I find FPS lacking anyway. It's just at a certain point it could have had so little that even buying at discount wouldn't had interested me. To back this up somewhat, there's tons of other FPS, even of WWII vintage I have never tried. That mostly rides on my very limited interest in FPS adn knowing that as time passes my computer being able to handle them becomes less.

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RE: Matrixgames and Demos - 7/27/2007 1:24:57 PM

JudgeDredd
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Well, that defies belief. But each to there own

I don't understand that philosophy, I have to be honest. The basic premise is "That demo was great. I don't want the game"...the floss around it takes away the point, and I don't get how it works.

Charles, in your example, you did get the game, so how can you use that to reinforce the point being made which was basically "demos can be so good as to make me not buy it"?

< Message edited by JudgeDredd -- 7/27/2007 1:26:55 PM >

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RE: Matrixgames and Demos - 7/27/2007 10:37:11 PM

ravinhood
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I can give another example of waiting till some games are bargain bin even for a demo of it. Like recently I got Call of Duty Game of the Year edition. It was around $5 and I bought it because it got so much appreciation and awards and blah blah from the gaming world and communities. Well I loaded it up and got to the 3rd or 4th mission I think and that was the end of that. I had already played the demo that was the 2nd mission I believe in the full version. I really should have known and stuck to my guns that "all levels are alike, once you've played one you've really played them all" because that is exactly what it turned into. Just repeating the same basic stuff over and over again each mission. Kill, capture, destroy for this particular game. For $5 I don't feel ripped off for as many games as I've got under $10 even under $5 it didn't hurt my feelings a bit that I only got about an hour maybe 2 hours worth of play out of this game.

This is my point once again though that a good/great demo for some is a complete game to them. I'm not the only one that thinks this way Judge. ;) Good/Great Demos can lose a sale for a game is a fact. Now, on the other hand I got the demo of BF1942 AND bought it full retail as well. BF1942 is the first shooter that I like, I like how it plays I like that it's not really mission based and is a FFA shooter and that you respawn when you get killed even in the solo player games. Even the MPer was fun online and I don't usually go in for MPer anything online except Guild Wars now. But, I didn't like it enough to buy all the expansions of BF2 or the Sci-Fi BF game. That's where it gets to the point that if you have one shooter you have them all as well. BF1942 was just the first really innovative shooter I had played since Doom origional. Therefore it was new and I bought it. ;)

Before the internet it was usually a buy it to find out if it's any good, but, back in those days we could "RETURN" the game for a full refund or another game as well. So, back in those days that was how you demoed the games. Today some people known as pirates demo the full game before they buy it. They are still labeled as pirates even if they do buy the game. But, welp that's just society for some. Like these guys wanting demos of the games before they buy them. Some will buy after the demo, some will not buy, and some will just download it off a warez site for free. lol Anyway you look at it though if a person really wants the game they will get it one way or the other.

Let's see how many types of consumers we have:

1: Buy it on the spot release no matter what is inside the box because you're a fanboi of the company/developer

2: Buy it after reading great reviews/consumer responses

3: But it after previewing a demo (if there is a demo) if the demo provides enough information that is to your liking

4: Download it for free off of warez, if it's good then go buy it

5: Download it for free off of warez and that's that.

6: Wait till it's bargain bin and buy it based on great reviews, consumer reports

7: Wait till it's bargain bin and buy it on a whim you will like it or because you are a collector.

8: Be fortunate enough to get it as a gift from a relative, though rare cause relatives hardly ever get you what you really want. ;)

(in reply to JudgeDredd)

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RE: Matrixgames and Demos - 7/27/2007 10:52:54 PM

Joram
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quote:

ORIGINAL: sterckxe

quote:

ORIGINAL: SittingDuck
I'd like some input as to why Matrixgames products rarely, if ever (because I can't recall the last one - that is, a wargame) are promoted with demos. I find it discouraging and it has really limited my purchasing of games from Matrixgames.

Well, fyi : last demos from Matrix were :

Gary Grigsby's World at War
Panzer Command - Operation Winter Storm
Battles in Normandy
Tin Soldiers - Alexander the Great

Greetz,

Eddy Sterckx

I seem to remember 3 out of 4 of those having demos before even being picked up by Matrix so I don't think those are good examples.

Any company that truly believes in their product would make a demo in my opinion. It will certainly cause some people not to buy it but if it's a good product, it will gain more than it loses. I've expressed the same complaint but it has pretty much fallen on deaf ears. With that said, wargaming is a pretty niche market so a demo probably doesn't have as dramatic effect as it might in other markets but that's part of the problem. How do you expect to ever draw in a larger audience if you don't try?

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RE: Matrixgames and Demos - 7/28/2007 11:43:43 AM

sterckxe
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Joram

quote:

ORIGINAL: sterckxe

quote:

ORIGINAL: SittingDuck
I'd like some input as to why Matrixgames products rarely, if ever (because I can't recall the last one - that is, a wargame) are promoted with demos. I find it discouraging and it has really limited my purchasing of games from Matrixgames.

Well, fyi : last demos from Matrix were :

Gary Grigsby's World at War
Panzer Command - Operation Winter Storm
Battles in Normandy
Tin Soldiers - Alexander the Great

I seem to remember 3 out of 4 of those having demos before even being picked up by Matrix so I don't think those are good examples.

??? - SSG and Grigsby have been at Matrix for ages and Panzer Command is by the same outfit that made Tin Soldiers.

Mr. Rutins has once posted somewhere that Matrix is demo-agnostic - they let the individual developers decide on the demo/no-demo question, but I'm pretty sure they've monitored it's effect. Or non-effect.

Greetz,

Eddy Sterckx

(in reply to Joram)

Post #: 23

RE: Matrixgames and Demos - 7/30/2007 1:09:12 PM

Ike99
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I like demos because they allow me to make sure if a game will work on my system before I buy it.

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RE: Matrixgames and Demos - 7/31/2007 12:08:05 AM

David Heath
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Joram

quote:

ORIGINAL: sterckxe

quote:

ORIGINAL: SittingDuck
I'd like some input as to why Matrixgames products rarely, if ever (because I can't recall the last one - that is, a wargame) are promoted with demos. I find it discouraging and it has really limited my purchasing of games from Matrixgames.

Well, fyi : last demos from Matrix were :

Gary Grigsby's World at War
Panzer Command - Operation Winter Storm
Battles in Normandy
Tin Soldiers - Alexander the Great

Greetz,

Eddy Sterckx

I seem to remember 3 out of 4 of those having demos before even being picked up by Matrix so I don't think those are good examples.

Any company that truly believes in their product would make a demo in my opinion. It will certainly cause some people not to buy it but if it's a good product, it will gain more than it loses. I've expressed the same complaint but it has pretty much fallen on deaf ears. With that said, wargaming is a pretty niche market so a demo probably doesn't have as dramatic effect as it might in other markets but that's part of the problem. How do you expect to ever draw in a larger audience if you don't try?

Hi Joram

You got this completely wrong. We do believes in our products it just that some games do not make for good demos its that plain and simple. Also we never have notice an increase in sales of any type do to having a demo. So in most cases the deveoper does not see the need in making a demo and instead works on improving the game etc.

David

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Post #: 25

RE: Matrixgames and Demos - 7/31/2007 12:35:17 AM

Joram
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You're right, I am sometimes too cynical. And not being a developer I can by no means dispute you on the cause/effect but I just have a hard time reconciling the fact that there is a preponderence of demos out there for every crappy game when many of the very good games here don't ever get a demo. If you want to say it's because of the niche wargame market, then that's fine but if you expand your analysis to other markets, I don't think you could discount the power of a demo.

As a consumer, I have bought games for 3 reasons, concept (I buy most Napoleonic games for instance no matter what), reviews (which suckered me into buying RoN and BC3000 so I don't trust them a whole lot anymore) and demo's. The demos being the only way I have bought games I never thought I'd enjoy. If you want to expand the wargame market, then a demo seems to be the best way to do it!

(in reply to David Heath)

Post #: 26

RE: Matrixgames and Demos - 7/31/2007 2:42:30 AM

David Heath
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Joram

You're right, I am sometimes too cynical. And not being a developer I can by no means dispute you on the cause/effect but I just have a hard time reconciling the fact that there is a preponderence of demos out there for every crappy game when many of the very good games here don't ever get a demo. If you want to say it's because of the niche wargame market, then that's fine but if you expand your analysis to other markets, I don't think you could discount the power of a demo.

As a consumer, I have bought games for 3 reasons, concept (I buy most Napoleonic games for instance no matter what), reviews (which suckered me into buying RoN and BC3000 so I don't trust them a whole lot anymore) and demo's. The demos being the only way I have bought games I never thought I'd enjoy. If you want to expand the wargame market, then a demo seems to be the best way to do it!

Hi Joram

You are 100% right there. A large part has to do with the fact that we are making detail strategy games for the most part and they just don't do well when it comes to making demos. First person shooters or RPG games you can pretty much play with never neededing to read a manual. If we did make those type of games I guess we would make a demo for them as well. I agree there is no hard fast rules in either case.

David

_____________________________

(in reply to Joram)

Post #: 27

RE: Matrixgames and Demos - 7/31/2007 1:40:34 PM

Charles2222
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quote:

ORIGINAL: JudgeDredd

Well, that defies belief. But each to there own

I don't understand that philosophy, I have to be honest. The basic premise is "That demo was great. I don't want the game"...the floss around it takes away the point, and I don't get how it works.

Charles, in your example, you did get the game, so how can you use that to reinforce the point being made which was basically "demos can be so good as to make me not buy it"?

I only partially made that point, if you go strictly by my example that is. I was basically in agreement that it "can" happen, since MOHAA was the most recent and closest I had come into that situation. The point being that the demo was good enough in my limited case, that if the price had not drastically gone down I would not had bought it. It wasn't so good that I wouldn't by it entirely, but then again different people have different amounts of monies available, even though my attitude rides my decisions these days than my money (you keep or attain plenty of money by being discriminating and thoughtful about it).

(in reply to JudgeDredd)

Post #: 28

RE: Matrixgames and Demos - 7/31/2007 1:58:11 PM

Charles2222
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Actually a go-between that might work fairly well for the Matrix games that are not good demo material, which harkens quite a bit to AARs, would be to have a video.
I realize it probably wouldn't be that hot an idea for games which are just repeats of others, but for games that have some innovative point, the case could be made more effectively through a well designed video presentation. I don't know if just having a camera on somebody playing the game would work, nor do I know if having lots of splashy special effects outside of the game, to where you're making more of an infomercial than anything, work too well, but it would satisfy to some degree the gap that is between AARs and demos. You get a sense of the pace and what is really going on and how diffiuclt the controls are, without having to put too much or too little into a demo. AAR's are often just screenshots, which neither answer the pace nor concerns on how easy the interface may be. Naturally anybody can make any form of media and claim all the aspects of the game are superior, but then there are different tastes and fanboyism too. I'm not saying this is a panacea, but it does seem a bit peculiar that often people don't even seem to remember it as an option. Now if only it will vacuum up 30 marbles off the carpet in 3 seconds, then we will have it made.

(in reply to Charles2222)

Post #: 29

RE: Matrixgames and Demos - 7/31/2007 8:22:47 PM

mek42
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From: Upstate (Central) NY
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So, how should a newcomer use the AAR's in lieu of a demo? Looking at some of the products that have been on the market awhile, the AAR's seem full of heavy, advanced concepts.

Would the best way to use the AAR's as an evaluative tool for purchase decisions be to go to the last page and read the oldest AAR's first?

(in reply to Charles2222)

Post #: 30