Brad Wardell Interview, Part 3

[MarkG]

well curently you can get 5 games (http://www.stardock.com/products/dre...asp?page=games) and any updates on them for the next 12 months for $70

after the first year, you can get any new Stardock games and the updates to the existing ones

as for galciv, i'm not sure about it, but perhaps more important updates(stuff that could be in an expansion pack) will not be given away for free(as patches)....
Brad?

[Harry Seldon]

I'd need to be able to download the games and install them myself. I have a POTS system and can't leave my machine connected for days at a time while the manager installs components. I have access to a high speed connection so if I can pull it down, burn it, and take it home it would be a great plus.

[Draginol]

We plan to have an expansion pack but it'll be free.

[Harry Seldon]

You guys rock! If you keep providing all these wonderful services you may have cult worship on your hands.

[Draginol]

LOL. There's actually a business case to be made for a free expansion pack: Reduces piracy.

On our non-game software (Object Desktop, WindowBlinds, etc.) the piracy rate, while somewhat high at times, is much lower than other products of similar popularity because of all the updates.

There are two kinds of pirates:
1) People who pirate because it's convenient.
and
2) People who would never buy your game no matter what anyway.

The first category is probably the largest (based on our experience) so if you can keep updating your product where it requires a valid, non-pirated, serial # to get it, then you'll get a lot of those people who originally pirated the product to buy it.

I suspect I'm not the only one who doesn't feel a terrible amount of sympathy for game companies that release buggy games, then throw a patch out a month later and then abandon it. No wonder there's so much piracy in games.

[Harry Seldon]

That's why I usually stick with consoles these days. I only spring for PC games when they're really good or a series I've followed for a while.

[TaGirl_Keri]

Hey Brad, Glad to see a ex-Boneyards player. TA is still alive and kickin. The fans have built their own online server with Galactic Warz. Similar to BY, but much better, even down to the irritating drone. Play me there and lemme see ur mad TA skillz. Core still rules tho. www.gamingbattleleague.com Sorry to the Apolyton regulars, I'm a bit off topic