Purple Heart icon for all those people who pre ordered HOI3

[LogicCure]

Full disclosure: Didn't read this thread except for skimming a few posts at the end.

Pre-ordering without any kind of information and with due research into the project is of course stupid. For instance call of duty games are available for preorder basically as soon as it's officially confirmed to exist, usually about spring, with absolutely zero details about the actual game available. Should you preorder in those circumstances? Hell no.

On the other hand I do preorder games. Sparingly. The last couple of games I preordered were XCom, EUIV, Wolfenstein, and just yesterday I preordered the Homeworld Remastered collection. There are some commonalities in that list. They're all underdog or niche games that had more or less uncertain futures. And I preorder with the intent to send a signal to these studios and their publishers that yes there is an enthusiastic market for these products and please for the love of all that is holy make more of them.

 

[crownsteler]

I'm trying to think... Outside of maybe indies that are in perpetual alpha / beta, how many companies keep updating the exe and not charging people?

Blizzard?

There was another thread on this, and not trying to get away from the purple heart icon ( ) but pre-orders can (and apparently do - I don't sell games for a living, but I've heard people that do say that they're helpful in asessing demand) provide some indication of demand for a title. Strong pre-orders make it more likely that DLC plans will get greenlit (and in the case of HoI, more extensive DLC plans - I can't imagine for a second they don't have any DLC ideas lined up) - so stronger pre-orders:

- support the studio (as you say, something that's unlikely to be an issue in PDS' case at the moment, although back in the day when things weren't so rosy I'd still get their games at launch but wait for a patch or two to actually play them with this in mind - as there just wasn't (and isn't) anyone that makes titles that match up to PDS')
- provide an indication of demand, that can give some sign of post-release support (launch sales obviously are important here as well, but pre-orders are, from what I've heard, used to help make early post-release support decisions). I don't tent to pre-order single-player 'story' games that I'm not particularly interested in post-launch support (Uncharted, Half-life and what-have-you), but will be more likely to pre-order games where expansions tend to make sense (and PDS games, as any CK2 player will tell you, are very ripe ground for post-launch support indeed - on that note, is there any strategy game, anywhere, that's ever had as much post-launch DLC as CK2?!)

Also, on Steam it often gets you 10 per cent off as well, which if it's a game you're definitely going to get in any event actually gives it a leg up even for the purely individualist perspective (and a much better model, from my angle, than the 'get extra digital doo-dads' approach that generally prevails on console). This 10 per cent discount is also a pretty decent clue that pre-orders are valuable to the studio above and beyond just getting the money a month or two earlier. And then there's the usual electronic doo-dads as well (usually sprites, music or an events pack for PDS titles, which I don't mind, but are never the reason I'd do it) - so it's not all negative. My last pre-order (EU IV) included the base game of CK2 in it as well as some electronic doo-dads, so while I was going to pre-order it any which way, I actually did pretty well out of it (and then, once I realised I liked CK2, supported the studio by getting most of the DLC).

Of course, one should never, ever pre-order a title they're not strongly expecting to play in any event, unless they really, really want to support the studio! If I wasn't really into WW2 strategy games, and had come off the back of HoI3 and didn't play EU4/CK2, I'd wait until launch and see what the reviews/community had to say, and would recommend that to anyone in the same boat.

And very happy to have my logic torn up, if torn up it should be .

Let's indeed not hijack the topic. I agree that pre-orders serve a signaling function. I don't agree that it is in the interest of consumers to give this information in this manner. It is a damaging way to collect the information, and all it gets the consumer in return is a DLC/sequel which may, or may not, have been delayed otherwise. Which if it is a good game or good DLC should not have to matter. All this has done is transfer the producer's risk to the consumer.
There are a lot more issues at stake than just the risk of getting burned, but I'll link you to someone else making the argument. It doesn't encompass my entire argument, but generally correspond to my argument.
[video=youtube;yrc-YxG3-Gk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrc-YxG3-Gk[/video]

 

[Had a dad]

Let's indeed not hijack the topic.

You are aware that the topic is about an icon for people that preordered a game 5+ years ago?

 

[FACEofINSANITY]

i pre-ordered my copy from a store, does that mean i get a purple heart? or another pleb?

 

[Axe99]

You are aware that the topic is about an icon for people that preordered a game 5+ years ago?

Hahaha, so pre-orders could have the added bonus of five years down the track possibly getting you a new forum icon! Discussions merged .

@crownsteler - thanks for the vid . There's deffo a strong case to be made for your argument - but me, personally, I'm pre-ordering for a (slim!) chance at getting a forum icon in 2020 saying I pre-ordered HoI4 .

 

[ariansandstrom]

You are aware that the topic is about an icon for people that preordered a game 5+ years ago?

Then surely this has to be considered a spam topic if it is posted in the HoI4 section while it has nothing to do with HoI4...
In addition to that, I have now noticed that it is thread necromancy...

 

[Daelyn75]

I think you completely missed the point TB was making. In the age of digital distribution, pre-ordering games is never in your interest.* By pre-ordering you are actively working against your own interest. Any pre-ordering, whether or not it is a good game is irrelevant, actively encourages this bad business practice to continue. Never pre-order.*

*Only exception which applies is if you don't have broadband internet and live in bumf**k nowhere with only 1 store selling games in the vicinity.

Oh I got the point. I still will pre-order from companies that I approve of and can trust. Just because I said I agree in general with TB, it doesn't mean I don't get what he means. I don't have to 100% agree with him. How about 95%?

 

[Had a dad]

Then surely this has to be considered a spam topic if it is posted in the HoI4 section while it has nothing to do with HoI4...
In addition to that, I have now noticed that it is thread necromancy...

Well, see that's where the forum staff comes in. Lets cover these in order:

Spam -

{No Spamming} You will not flood or post on the forums redundant, empty, or nonsensical posts or advertisements as determined by Paradox staff (i.e. no "spamming"), or necromancy (posting in old threads). Chain letters, pyramid schemes and solicitations of any kind are not allowed on this Board.

Notice the part I bolded

You are correct necromancy is not allowed, unless it contextually relevant, and I decided in this case it was.

also your post in saying what is and isn't allowed breaks forum rule # 2, as you are telling me that this thread isn't allowed, which is commenting on my and other moderators decision to leave it open.

If you have any further questions regarding this, feel free to PM me.

 

[Red Phil]

Well to get back to my original post. The post was about HOI4 and a light hearted joke about how all those people who suffered through the growing pains of HOI3 should get a purple heart icon if they ordered HOI4. (However people pointed out Paradox could not find out who pre-ordered HOI3) As I said it was meant to be light hearted (wasn't thinking of the technicalities) and one of the Paradox developers thought it was a funny idea. Paradox and all those who ordered HOI3 know it had a difficult birth but lots of us have had great fun with it and some of the MODS were great. I saw the Purple icon as a collective "Yup we all suffered a bit with that release but we are back!"

I will leave my thoughts about pre-order to different post.

 

[RELee]

1. Never had any issue playing the original HOI3
2. The entire HOI franchise is awesome
3. HOI4 will be a steam-only release, which saddens me
4. I'm playing HOI3 now
5. I never argue with Had a dad ... well, almost never
6. I never care about icons, except when I do
7. HOI4 will be awesome
8. Stay thirsty, my friends