Don't buy MOO3

[Ming]

Think what you want... but telling people to screw off isn't discussing the topic. So post while you can, it shouldn't be too much longer

[MitchDev]

Yawn, whatever.

Don't buy MoO3 the first week it comes out and constantly e-mail IG to let them know why!

There, on topic enough for you? Sheesh, some people...

[vee4473]

Well,

My view remains that if the game was indeed ready to be shipped and stocked and sold shortly after gold, and IG did indeed sit on the release the last few weeks, then I would love sales to slump as a message.

That aint gonna happen tho, i dont think, mainly because boycotts almost always fail due to lack of discipline...people have gripes with certain companies etc.. but they "just gotta have this product" no matter what.

And this isn't a put down. I include myself in this category in many cases.


And most companies know this I think.

[kalbear]

You want to actually send a message? Don't buy from wal-mart. They're the real instigators of why the delay occured.

[vee4473]

Kal,

what do you think of my overall comment? you know...that a company that sees the loyal fans' money as a given, so they set their release policy accordingly, should stop that policy.

I appreciate your comments. You seem to be someone in the know as far as software development is concerned, so let me know what you think of this.

[kalbear]

I think it's functionally incorrect. It punishes the wrong people and doesn't send a strong enough message to the right ones.

Again, Walmart is the real culprit in terms of causing pain. They're the ones that are dictating exactly when game X can be on the shelf - and the choice becomes 'do we agree with walmart, or do we simply not sell to walmart.'

IG's likely not at fault here. QSI is only at fault for releasing so late - if they had made their x-mas deadline, this would be an non-issue. Because of tax software now, IG had to wait for a window of opportunity, and Walmart easily dictated it.

So again, not buying it when it comes out is not telling IG anything aside from QS is a failure. If you want to send a message, tell everyone you know not to buy from Walmart and to buy from somewhere else; even better, have them send mail to IG to this effect.

It won't hurt wal-mart sales enough to matter, but it might make IG reconsider their sales agreement with Walmart in the future.

[Sarxis]

I don't shop at Walmart anyway. And I tell everyone I meet that they are a horrible company, which they are.

[vee4473]

I've never shopped at walmart.

But are you saying that walmart dictates release dates for software?

If the game is ready, why wait because it's tax time? people who want the game will buy it, even if they need to do their taxes.

[kalbear]

Walmart has limited shelf space. Currently their shelves are full of tax software, and that sells and has higher margins than any games.

That's what's on the shelves right now. They have windows where they can put their software, as well as windows for ad time, shelf talkers, etc.

Walmart said that they could sell the game no earlier than the 25th-ish. Walmart also has the power to dictate whether anyone else can sell a game before they can.

Basically, IG either plays ball with Walmart, or Walmart doesn't carry the game. Simple as that. Walmart says they won't carry unless you release it on the 25th. That's what happens.

[Tuberski]

That is a very logical assumption.

ACK!

[QwertyX]

Its a good theory too bad all the walmarts in my town have had an empty shelf space labled MOO3 for over a month. Tax software will placed near registers in the front, will get a special aisle display rack and will get endcaps in electronics. MOO never will, so its not really a shelf space issue as far as I can see...

[viciouscycle]

Originally posted by MitchDev
I don't CARE what the reasons are, I'm merel;y protesting IG's incompetence and ectreme customer-unfriendly attitude, if you don't like it agree, good for you, but screw you too...

Where is the evidence of IG's incompetence and customer-unfriendly attitude? By saying that you don't care what the reasons are regarding the release date you are confirming the fact that you don't have any basis for your opinions and the only reason you are posting here is to complain. The attacks need to stop... it is getting old quickly.

As for Wal-Mart... I don't think it is their fault for the 3/25/03 release date. The Wal-Mart and even the Best Buy here have had shelf space ready for MOO3 for some time now and seem to be simply waiting to get it like the rest of us.

It is possible that with the recent release of several new titles, IG needs the time to set up their tech support. We will probably never know all the factors that went into the choosing of the release date. But in a few days it won't matter.

The boycotting idea is just ridiculous. To make a boycott work, you need to have a lot of influence which... a small group of angry "fans" of MOO3 won't make a difference. You want a boycott? Who is going to go along with you? Very few people... not because they don't care, but because there simply isn't a good reason to do so. If you really want to send a message to IG, the best way is take pen in hand and write them a letter.

[vee4473]

true,

many stores create dedicated cabinets for tax software at this time.

I haven't been in walmart, but best buy, staples, comp usa, etc..all have dedicated displays. near, but not in the usual software aisle.

I'm not about to dispute kalbear, because i have no inside knowledge of walmarts' sales contracts with publishers, or their influence in that same matter.

i must say that it is hard to believe that shelf space is the issue (let alone walmarts so called Godly influence of software releases).

I don't know...

[vee4473]

Originally posted by viciouscycle




The boycotting idea is just ridiculous. To make a boycott work, you need to have a lot of influence which... a small group of angry "fans" of MOO3 won't make a difference. You want a boycott? Who is going to go along with you? Very few people... not because they don't care, but because there simply isn't a good reason to do so. If you really want to send a message to IG, the best way is take pen in hand and write them a letter.

I was just expressing my personal opinion that IF ig was delaying the game for weeks, AFTER YEARS IN DEVELOPMENT, that they were taking advantage of what they perceived as "guaranteed sales to hard core fans no matter what".

After so many years , some might argue that a few more weeks is nothing, but I counter that by saying that after a few years and many broken promises, a few weeks means EVERYTHING. Anything less I perceive as IG saying to the moo base "you idiots are always there, we are gonna release when we see fit, because we know we can count on you regardless".

I already said that a boycott won't work, and why.

I submit that there is a good reason, if my reasons for wanting a boycott are true.


and a boycott against C&C or tomb raider wont work because many buyers are casual, but if moo is more of a fan based game than the action 3d shooter blow 'em up games are, i think any publisher is making a mistake in thinking that their sales lie substantially anywhere else










i'm tired

[delmar]

Originally posted by vee4473
if moo is more of a fan based game than the action 3d shooter blow 'em up games are

Maybe it isn't. I read in one of the interviews that they expect to sell 500,000 copies. I am not sure how to determine the number of Moo fans. I guess we can assume that a real fan is frequenting at least one of the three biggest forums. Of course I don't know what are the 3 biggest Moo forums, or how many members they have, plus a lot of people sign up to multiple forums, and also not every member is a "real" fan. I do remember however that CivFanatics "acquired" its 30,000th member recently.

While all this is a bit vague, it makes me think that "fans" contribute to maybe 5% of all Moo sales, possibly far less.

Btw, is there a way to figure out how many copies of a certain game were sold? Is this information public?