Is This True?

[unmerged(13000)]

quote:

The game was ready when it was released. We had fixed all reported bugs, and were convinced that it was great. However, we did not play every single country in all campaigns ourselves, so we had to acknowledge that there would be imbalances at times.

However, it does not seem that we were right, as the reviewers disliked the game, and hardly anyone bought it.

So from now on, we'll focus on games easier to play, and where we can put down enough inhouse testing time to make the games super-balanced before release.

I suspect that the policy we have had of patching games, extending the game with features hurt us more in the eyes of the masses. Of course hardcore fans like it, but average joe just sees patch = broken.

ps. basically, only the sales the first 2 months matter for a game to the developer. The fraction recieved from games in bargain-bin is <0.01$ for us.
__________________

Johan Andersson
Europa Universalis I/II - Lead Programmer
Hearts of Iron - Lead Programmer
Victoria - Lead Programmer
johan@paradoxplaza.com

I found this on Matrix games forum, just wondering if this is true? Paradox is finally going away from the complex to the simple?

 

[PrussianAtHeart]

Unfortunately I believe that it is true as I have seen it mentioned in other forums as well. I for one love the games Paradox has put out, and don't mind the patches. Apparently though people have been complaining about this because they don't understand or don't care that Paradox is simply trying to improve their games with future patches as new issues come up and also including new features as well. So sad as I am to admit it i do believe that it is true.

 

[Sir Humphrey]

Paradox games are brilliant, even if the masses are to stupid to play and understand them for their brilliance.

 

[PrussianAtHeart]

Paradox games are brilliant, even if the masses are to stupid to play and understand them for their brilliance.

:rofl:


well said Sir Humphrey ... Pradox games ARE brilliant!

 

[Stefanos]

It is my hope that the decision to sell direct will convince Paradox to stay the course. This is definitely an example of how to make a game. After all, how many games are you still playing two years after they have come out [like I am still doing with EU2]? Really, the complaints show that we care.

 

[Ardryn]

It is my hope that the decision to sell direct will convince Paradox to stay the course. This is definitely an example of how to make a game. After all, how many games are you still playing two years after they have come out [like I am still doing with EU2]? Really, the complaints show that we care.

I agree, I still boot up EU2 when I feel the need to, say, unite Russia, conquer the new world as Spain, or perhaps see how I can do with Ming China.EU2 is a great game, and it is my hope that Paradox stays it's course and continues to make such great games like EU2 and Vicky.

 

[PrussianAtHeart]

Thats just it though. The reason we are all still playing EU2 ( I just started a game as Byzantium last night ) is because the way Paradox continually patches and improves upon the product we all originally buy. I LOVE Victoria and even though i grit my teeth sometimes when I am trying to get the Prussian economy started I have never found a game company who puts out games as great as Paradox games!

I am hoping we can change their minds! I know I don't want them to change the type of games or the way they handle patches. It's the complexity that keeps us all hooked and that will be lost if the people griping about patches force Paradox to change. So anywayz .... I would keep singing Paradox's praises but I think I am going to get back to reconquering the balkans as Byzantium!

 

[unmerged(22698)]

What I find really interesting is the amount of activity in these forums compared to forums for 'bigger' games. A game such as Empire Earth, which sold nearly 2 million copies, never had as much forum activity as a Paradox game. I've always looked at forum activity as the 'lifesigns' of the game, but if that were the case then Victoria (Or EU2, or HoI) has outsold a game like Empire Earth because EE never had the amount of forum traffic as Victoria has...or even HoI.

I've said this before. If Paradox wants to continue making games like HoI and Victoria, they MUST accept the fact it will never be considered a business success. If they are prepared for that, fine, the niche market will keep playing their games if they keep making them. If they want to make the big $$ and compete with the bigger developers it will mean a radical transformation at the design level.

Let's face it. Most here in the forums love Paradox games. They probably constitute 90% of those who purchase their games, which would explain the high level of forum activity. But two things dictate game sales. Good reviews and eye candy. Marketing is also one, but if you market a game that doesn't look very good, it won't matter if you have advertisements during the Super Bowl. I believe Paradox can make some concessions in order to make their future games sell better. It won't please most of the niche fans, but then again moving in that direction is not meant to please them. It's meant to please a wider audience to make more $$.

 

[unmerged(11117)]

Paradox Games ? ... love 'em I do. Ever since EU I.

As for the patches. In some games they are an indication of problems ... MOO III ... to name but one.

At least Paradox do something concrete about the problems.

Look at HOI, it had issues (especially with regard to difficulty) when it first came out, but it has received a lot of work since then.

Furthermore because it was so easy to MOD, those who wanted insane levels of difficulty could get them (viva Stony Road 4evr).

So, I haven't got hold of this one yet (need to wait until it reaches me at the Far side of the World), but when I do I will enjoy.

If they keep making 'em I'll keep buying 'em.

 

[unmerged(16875)]

Sad, but true. Hopefully, like Stefanos suggests, CK will sell huge through direct sales and give a nice little bump to Paradox's bottom line which will encourage them to stay the course.

 

[Sikker]

well, actually I am not entirely certain that too many strategy fans have really heard of Victoria, and really KNOW what EUII REALLY is about.
Victoria hasn't received too much press, and there are still people who think that EUII is just another RTS game.

I can't see how you can be a strategy game fan and not love EUII - so my guess is that a lot of people simple haven't got a clue about what the game REALLY is about .. if they've even heard of it ...

 

[unmerged(22698)]

I never played EU or EUII. I remember seeing the screenshots for it, and while the gameplay sounded like fun, the screenshots of the game sadly prevented me from ever wanting to buy it. It wasn't until HoI did I buy a Paradox game, and only because I had been looking for a worldwide representation of WW2 ever since Command HQ.

 

[Sikker]

I never played EU or EUII. I remember seeing the screenshots for it, and while the gameplay sounded like fun, the screenshots of the game sadly prevented me from ever wanting to buy it. It wasn't until HoI did I buy a Paradox game, and only because I had been looking for a worldwide representation of WW2 ever since Command HQ.

you want EUII - believe me

 

[Darkrenown]

Sad, but true. Hopefully, like Stefanos suggests, CK will sell huge through direct sales and give a nice little bump to Paradox's bottom line which will encourage them to stay the course.

Yeah, direct sales should up pardox's profit nicely. Apparently the only reason Galciv broke even was its direct sales.
http://www.wargamer.com/news/news.asp?nid=574

 

[Theodotus1]

Yeah, direct sales should up pardox's profit nicely. Apparently the only reason Galciv broke even was its direct sales.
http://www.wargamer.com/news/news.asp?nid=574

Interesting information in that link. With a profit margin as bad as is described in retail, it's no wonder that game developers have trouble. The interesting thing is that more of them don't use direct sales. (Making almost 700% more per unit -- $40 as compared to $6 -- is always a good thing. 10,000 copies of Galciv at $40 each is worth almost as much as the remaining 90,000 copies at $6 each. Mathematics like that clarify all sorts of issues.)

 

[Darkrenown]

Publishers don't like losing out on the sale so it's hard for developers to sell directly. Some really big companies, like Blizzard, publish thier own games, but smaller companies like Stardock have to get the right to direct sales in their contract AND set up thier own webshop and/or high-bandwith download server. SD had them both in place already.

 

[unmerged(22698)]

I say go back to the days of shareware. Give out a handicapped version of Victoria, for example, that allows you to play just like the full version except it stops at 1850. Then send a check or money order to Paradox for the full game.

 

[PMLF]

I say go back to the days of shareware. Give out a handicapped version of Victoria, for example, that allows you to play just like the full version except it stops at 1850. Then send a check or money order to Paradox for the full game.

It would be too easy for pirates to hack the game.

 

[unmerged(22084)]

Paradox games are brilliant, even if the masses are to stupid to play and understand them for their brilliance.

The masses are the ones to appeal to when making games; Paradox must do this to survive.

 

[unmerged(11117)]

The masses are the ones to appeal to when making games; Paradox must do this to survive.

Nonesense.

Send the masses to "re-education" camps.

It worked for Stalin ... it'll work for Paradox, too.