No Demo?

LordGrey ofLeva · October 14, 2001, 15:12

I've got word that there are no plans for a Demo of Civ 3. After reading the thread about Fait in Firaxis, I got more doubt than ever, that Civ 3 will be a sequel worth buying.

I got that bad taste in my mouth i've got after Westwood's great fraud, you remember? No Demos, not even for Game Journals, presentations only beyond closed doors for small groups, not allowed to test it on their own. Manipulated Pictures declared as screenshots. And so on.

Since then, after some other bad experiences with hyped games, I only buy games I have tested before. Usually in a demo. Most of my friend do it the same way, at least all that where interested in Civ 3, so I don't get a chance to test it that way. Last way is to get a Warez Copy from the net. Some may call it illegal, I call it self protection.

Don't get my wrong, I loved Civ and Civ 2, Civ 2 is still installed on my PC and I still play it

But Alpha Centauri lies now in a corner. Somehow it wasn't that fun like Civ 2. I can't name why. I played it thru a few times and enjoyed it, but it hasn't the same "Impact" like Civ 2. And this was the first Game of Firaxis, remember?

But in todays time, a good Game is no guarantee for a good sequel. I just can't understand why they don't offer a Demo. Have they something to hide? Aren't they convinced of their own game? Are they expecting people will buy the Game if they have doubts? Sure, some will. But are those sufficient? I don't know.
I think to produce a Demo of a Game is today mandatory.

I want that Demo

Just my two cents, but I will be interested in your opinions.
Greetings
Lord Grey

Adagio · October 14, 2001, 15:28

I personally think that a demo of a TBS game is unuseable, a such demo just don't give the right feeling of the game...

Quote:

Originally posted by LordGrey ofLeva
Last way is to get a Warez Copy from the net. Some may call it illegal, I call it self protection.

I call the warez copy the demo...I don't trust demos anyway, they only show the good parts of the games, while the real game has most bad parts (I have seen that in too many games by now). Everytime a new game (I could image myself buying) is near to be released I always try to find a warez copy, if the game is good I'll buy the game, if not then...yeah, then I wont buy it. it's that simple. It's not like I say "hey I got the wares copy, now I don't need to buy the game"

Akron · October 14, 2001, 15:40

I would definitely like a demo, though only if it came out before the actual release.

Gramphos · October 14, 2001, 15:45

A demo would be good, yes.

Sabre2th · October 14, 2001, 15:59

I would like a demo, but as ADG says, it doesn't always work well with TBS.

LordGrey ofLeva · October 14, 2001, 16:05

And if anyone have a Page for downloading a Demo, please E-Mail it to me

cyril25376 · October 14, 2001, 16:08

A demo before the release would have been a fine thing. But after the release I don't need it anymore ..

Akron · October 14, 2001, 16:08

TBS= turn based strategy

Stuie · October 14, 2001, 17:18

Demos are marketing tools. Civ3 will sell without one, thus there
is no point in making one.

We should all be glad that Firaxis is using the time on other things instead of wasting it building a demo. And don't try to tell me that a demo is "easy" to make, it's not.

Crouchback · October 14, 2001, 17:36

The SMAC demo worked just great for a TSB, put me right off buying the game till it was reduced.

David

Jaybe · October 14, 2001, 18:20

I do not need a demo.
We will start getting all sorts of REAL screenshots and reviews after October 22 when people who got a game in advance will have their lips unsealed (contracturally).

I will probably be spending more money on their Civ3 than most, since I will soon be buying a Wintel computer just to play it (after I can find a place to put it)!

Green Giant · October 14, 2001, 18:24

Do I want a demo? YES, who wouldn't want an early sneak peek
Will I cry and whine if my exact needs are not met? NO

Mars · October 14, 2001, 18:32

I don't need a demo, i've barely ever played a demo of a game i'm going to buy. Civ2 or civ1 didn't have a demo and it turned out to be a great game(at least i don't remeber it having one).
In CFC someone already has the game and said that it was awesome. if you don't know what i'm talking about go to the thread advanced copy review.

Falconius · October 14, 2001, 18:37

It was announced months ago that there will be no demo. Whether or not we want one is moot. This poll is pointless.

Inverse Icarus · October 14, 2001, 18:44

markg will have a "demo" out soon now wont he?

Sabre2th · October 14, 2001, 18:47

Quote:

Originally posted by Falconius
It was announced months ago that there will be no demo. Whether or not we want one is moot. This poll is pointless.

As is just about everything else in this forum.

I can't wait for the game to come out so there's at least a point to all the b*tching.

jdd2007 · October 14, 2001, 19:09

i dont want a piece of the game, i want the whooole thing...

PGM · October 14, 2001, 19:54

Quote:

Originally posted by LordGrey ofLeva
I want that Demo

Lord Grey

It would only delay game release. And after release, I'll buy civ3 as soon as I can (depending on european release), so I don't need a demo.

Chuckles · October 14, 2001, 23:51

No demo always sucks. Very few games I buy without a demo, or trying at a friends.

However quite a few demos have saved me the money I would have spent on them. Like SMACABRD for example.

squid · October 14, 2001, 23:56

for an unknown game, a demo generates revenue

for a known game, like Civ3, it brings some and removes others. Also the work to make a small footprint demo for such a multimedia centric game would not be worth it, not to mention the code to limit the amount of time one could play and to prevent the demo from being cracked into something else.

No demo makes sense when you have as many good screenshots and people like Dan giving us good information.

Adagio · October 15, 2001, 05:54

Quote:

Originally posted by Crouchback
The SMAC demo worked just great for a TSB, put me right off buying the game till it was reduced.

David

I tried that demo and it really sucked big time, did the game suck that much too, I don't know never tried it!

BLackraven42 · October 15, 2001, 15:58

The SMAC Demo was horrible, it made me almost not want to buy the game, because you couldn't get anywhere. The same would happen for a Civ3 demo.