Demo

[corny.1234]

Can Stellaris into Demo?

CK2 had a demo (which Wikipedia tells me came out after the game) as did EU:4 (which launched about 5 days before the game).

Any hints on a Stellaris Demo?

Stellaris has the Augustus click game. Do you want more?

 

[BobbyDylan]

Stellaris has the Augustus click game. Do you want more?

Yeah.... A lot more.

 

[Mackus]

Demo? No, there are strong financial incentives to not release demo, on top of extra work it takes to prepare one, so I totally get why they don't want to release one.
But early access? Yes, sure. For one, it would actually make me bother to preorder.
I played and enjoyed games that were far more incomplete than what we can see from Blorg stream.

 

[SlyEcho]

It's hard to create a demo for a game of this scope. Demos should be like a small version of the game, quick to download and try out the first few levels. But there are no levels in this game, there aren't any assets to throw out (although I doubt this game will be a 50 GB download anyway).

Then there's the technical issues that there will inevitably be. They can be patched in the main game easily enough, but you'd need to update the demo as well.

 

[Valer1us]

It's hard to create a demo for a game of this scope. Demos should be like a small version of the game, quick to download and try out the first few levels. But there are no levels in this game, there aren't any assets to throw out.

Well, technically you could simply create an ingame time limit (e.g. a demo user can only play for 20 or 30 years) and then let the match finish once the player has reaced the limit. It would be enough time to get an idea of Stellaris. It would also make it possible to always provide the latest build, since you just update the game, everyone logs in and the demo users still have the time limit.

 

[Amightypie]

cost to benefit ratio is just so bad it makes more sense not to make a demo.

 

[SlyEcho]

Well, technically you could simply create an ingame time limit (e.g. a demo user can only play for 20 or 30 years) and then let the match finish once the player has reaced the limit. It would be enough time to get an idea of Stellaris.

IIRC, the CK2 demo was limited in what characters you could select and also a time limit. But it was not tested very well and there were ways to get around the limitations.

It would also make it possible to always provide the latest build, since you just update the game, everyone logs in and the demo users still have the time limit.

What, you mean like "free" mobile games where you get the real game with a paid DLC ?

 

[[Q]uik]

Would not have bougt EUIV if it weren't for the Demo (y)
Would not have bought CK2 if it were not for the awesome video series (y)
Would not buy Stellaris without the Livestreams (y)

 

[Valer1us]

IIRC, the CK2 demo was limited in what characters you could select and also a time limit. But it was not tested very well and there were ways to get around the limitations.

There is always a way to get around limitations... I bet once Stellaris is out, it takes less than 24 hours and you can find an illegal copy somewhere.
I am not saying that there are no pros or cons to limitations, I just think that the fact you can get around these is not a very strong argument.

What, you mean like "free" mobile games where you get the real game with a paid DLC ?

I mean that, when you let everyone download the same build and just add a time limit on every version that is no "full" version, basically everyone has the same... build? Unfortunately I am not into mobile games at all, so I don't know how it is handled there. But yes, maybe in a way you pointed out there.

 

[Fonz]

Honestly the last time I ever played a demo was when Mount and Blade original came out, and that was because I was too young to afford it. With YouTube and twitch nowadays (and I think cKnoor confirmed a full-week stream for May and full day stream on release), there isn't much more a demo can offer anyway. And plus demos with activatable codes like M&B just makes piracy a lot easier.