Unhealthy interest in sales figures

[SniperHF]

I can see it both ways. The game would probably sell very well 50% during the Christmas sale + repeat day finale. Selling more of AoD now could boost sales for the crawler.

But the decision to make the dungeon crawler could factor into AoD's pricing strategy the opposite way. Try and co-promote them around release of the crawler by discounting AoD heavily then. If timed right that might line up for next years Black Friday sales based on the dev timeline VD has mentioned previously.

 

[Crooked Bee]

I get not doing 50%, but 25% off seems like a small enough discount to do even this winter sale.

 

[Aterdux Entertainment]

We never had much luck with the front page, so for us it's a random factor we can't rely on.

You are not losing anything proposing a featured sale for Christmas. The game will not be discounted if they don't select it... You can even put 0 for duration discount and then what you want for featuring discount.

 

[Lurker King]

Well, imagine that VD discount the game at 60%, but 90% of the new buyers ask for refund. That sucks. On the other hand, VD can see this as an opportunity to increase awareness about his studio and the next game. The fact that he will obtain less profit from AoD in the next years is compensated by the exposure and new buyers for your next games. But then again, players who only buy at 60% are not exactly the type of faithful players that follow projects for years. So, I'm undecided...

 

[you know what time it is]

Even though in my (CIS) region price seems okay even without discounts, some folks from EU and US were whining about it being relatively pricey. Knocking it down to 15 bucks on winter sale might do the trick.

 

[HobGoblin42]

Blackguards, Amnesia and Grimrock are possibly good examples why you shouldn't sell out your indie game too early (and too often). I believe, those sell-outs massively hurt the initial sale of their sequels at full-price. Of course, numerically you sell many copies at 66%/75%/90% sales, but at what costs in long-term?

Edit: AoD at RPS.com http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/10/19/age-of-decadence-impressions/ , should boost the sale by a few hundreds copies

 

[Grotesque]

AoD should suspend selling copies on STEAM the reason being that they are sold out at the moment and time is needed for... stuff.
That would get some attention and everybody will flock to buy a copy of this greatly sought after gem!

 

[Goral]

I wouldn't ever discount AoD more than 33%. It's a matter of respect for your own work and to hell with those consumers who don't see that. AoD is not another Spiderweb shovelware game. I am sure, VD will benefit from sales at a high price in long-term.

Seconded. When you see a game being sold for 5$ you will want to wait for another sale and won't pay anything more.. At least I behave that way . Don't go below 15$, this game won't age much and will become a legend.

 

[likaq]

Well, imagine that VD discount the game at 60%, but 90% of the new buyers ask for refund. That sucks.

What's worse, they will first wrote negative review and then ask for refund.
Discount the game by big % and you have guaranteed swarm of negative reviews followed by refunds by people who buyed only because sale was good. Without trying the demo or even reading about the game.

On the other hand, VD can see this as an opportunity to increase awareness about his studio and the next game. The fact that he will obtain less profit from AoD in the next years is compensated by the exposure and new buyers for your next games. But then again, players who only buy at 60% are not exactly the type of faithful players that follow projects for years. So, I'm undecided...

Yes and no, agressive sales will increase awareness about ITS and their next games, but at the cost of hurt the initial sale of their next games at full-price.
And let's not forget about race to the bottom syndrom.

 

[Amasius]

It would be stupid to treat AoD like all the shovelware on Steam. While it doesn't have massappeal it is unique even nowadays where we have plenty of indie RPGs unlike a dekade ago when VD started development. Jeff Vogel learned his lesson with steam sales (check out his blog posts) and unlike Iron Tower he releases a full RPG every year, so you can always get his older games cheap instead of buying his newest RPG for 20 bucks. And his older games are better anyway.

 

[Lurker King]

Guys, you should also vote on Goral's list at GOG to increase the awareness about the game:

Since AoD will be on GOG there's a good way to promote it, i.e. you can createa custom list of games so that people who look for one game will be recommended other games that are similar in some way. The only problem here is that for a list to be visible it needs to have enough votes, otherwise it might stay buried, especially when a game is popular (so including something like Planescape Torment will make your list invisible there unless you get like 500 votes).

 

[Galdred]

Actually, the problem with sales now is that every expects every game to get discounted shortly after launch. Even not going on sale for a while would not prevent people from waiting for it.
I think it is better in the long run not to discount the game too early, but with the recent sale frenzy, it will take quite a long time for people to realise that this game will remain at a fixed price.

 

[Cadmus]

fuck the sales imo, Blizz never do discounts and shit and it works for them
As the others have said, this is not some shit shovelware and fuck those retards who complain about the price while swallowing Ted Howard's latest cumshot. I wouldn't listen to them at all.

 

[Sitra Achara]

Vince, you should swim against the current and raise the price to $735.

 

[laclongquan]

AoD is a niche game for a niche group of gamers. I have my doubt that going for the broad appeal approach will be having much effect. So fuck sale discount~

 

[Western]

I'm not sure Steam has ever done anything right by AOD, they didn't feature early access launch, I don't think they featured launch or even bothered to change the game from early access to full release, no reason to think they'll feature it for a sale.

 

[Infinitron]

I'm amused by this new phenomenon of Steam games that are actually afraid to sell more because they might get bad reviews from players who don't get it.

 

[HobGoblin42]

I'm amused by this new phenomenon of Steam games that are actually afraid to distribute more because they might get bad reviews from players who don't get it.

A new phenomenon that is called full refund with full access to Steam ratings. Contribute a shitty rating while getting your money back, an excellent environment for trolls and of course asshole competitors. So now, as developer, you better watch out what kind of gamer you actually lure into your game.

 

[likaq]

A new phenomenon that is called full refund with full access to Steam ratings. Contribute a shitty rating while getting your money back, an excellent environment for trolls, retards and of course asshole competitors. So now, as developer, you better watch out what kind of gamer you actually lure into your game.

small fix.

 

[Cadmus]

I don't understand the mindset of VD and some of the cheap shitslurpers here. "might get it if the price drops"
wtf
You slave on this game for 12 years or something, it comes out amazing and pretty much revolutionary in some aspects and you're afraid to charge more than 30 bucks for it because it's ugly?
Are EA afraid to charge 60 bucks for their latest call of idiot because they know it's got shit gameplay? Surely not. They already got an audience that will buy the game no matter what.

You already got a tiny audience that will buy it also.
I mean, I kinda get it but it's not right, you know? In terms of scope and complexity, this game is a holy grail for its audience and you act as if you were some shit vapourware indie hipster flash developer when the product is actually objectively outstanding. In a better world, you'd charge 60 dollars for this while call of duty would cost 15 because it's a rehash of a rehash of a rehash that was shit in the first place.
Supply and demand and whatnot but come on=/

 

[likaq]

you're afraid to charge more than 30 bucks for it because it's ugly?

Only edgy pixel-art lovers and/or retards can find AoD ugly.

 

[Cadmus]

Only edgy pixel-art lovers and/or retards can find AoD ugly.

It might surprise you but the average PC RPG Gamer (see Reddit for further references) looks at Dragon Age: Incest and then at AoD and thinks to himself :"Hmmm, this game looks so much better, why should I play something that looks worse?" which is the maximum extent of their decision making for the day and they go play Zelda 4tehh4rd0r3 or somesuch crap.

 

[likaq]

It might surprise you but the average PC RPG Gamer (see Reddit for further references) looks at Dragon Age: Incest and then at AoD and thinks to himself :"Hmmm, this game looks so much better, why should I play something that looks worse?" which is the maximum extent of their decision making for the day and they go play Zelda 4tehh4rd0r3 or somesuch crap.

average PC RPG Gamer who is comparing Faggot Age: Incest ( AAA game with huge budget, or any AAA game for that matter ) with AoD ( graphics-wise ) is a retard.

 

[a bear named spigot]

why is it that basically everyone with an aod avatar just constantly dribbles out dumb shit

 

[dragonul09]

Only edgy pixel-art lovers and/or retards can find AoD ugly.

The game is fucking ugly,deal with it.
You want a good looking game made by amateurs?


Pity the game kinda sucked ass,still good-ish for a playthrough..