Pre-order Early Access - Why?

Why would you allow a two days pre-order that seemingly grants you nothing outside of the game? The game is digital after all. It's not going to run out because they can copy it ad infinitum.

It's preposterous. It fills the exact same role as a newsletter letting you know that they'll launch early access on friday, except that they're asking for the money in advance. And why do they need the money now? What will happen if they receive it in two days instead?

Take it as you will, be it as criticism, ranting or a hateful comment towards gaslamp games. But however you choose to take it, remember that it's a question and it's a rather well placed one if you give it some thought.

 

Funny, the amount of times you hear of suppliers running out of keys...

Ahem. Why?
1. Because they can.
2. See 1.
3. Because it works as marketing. It raises awareness.
4. Because it gives sites time to put a story together and put it up before release.
5. Because it potentially takes load off the Humble Widget and/or gives time to get things corrected before the 'release' day.

 

In the video game industry, it is very important to generate early awareness. Why do you think a lot of games are announced before hand prior to events like E3? Because you want people to start talking about it.

 

To be honest, I am new and not new to the game, been following for a long time now, no reason to post however, due too this fun email I decided to support the title. It WAS that email and the humor they put into it and too also realize what Early Access really means.

What I find hard too understand is how anyone can be upset by this being you have a choice to do so or not. If your beef and or questions is about why would a company do such a thing, I would counter with why not? You gave some bleak examples of your personal opinion, but to be perfectly honest I don't see how any of this effects anyone one bit, hell this is the same thought I have about all pre-launch, pre-orders, pre-alphas or whatever.

The one common denominator is ... "you as a consumer have a choice", so whatever a company does is really no effect on you directly beyond pettiness or personal grudges. So if you decide to let those feelings consume your life, I feel sorry that your life is such in low esteem. Other then this the last thing on the list is trolling and more so then not most threads like this are just that.

The only reason I am actually responding to this thread is to let (if they actually read it) the devs know their email worked perfectly on me. I love the humor and subtleties they implied to a well thought out alpha release. That alone gives me hope for a great game which in turn made me chose to support the title.

 

Now how does preorders come in? You said "We're launching in two days!" and that will get people talking about it. In fact, the only additional boon the pre-order has is that I'm talking about it. And before you congratulate yourself for beating me at my own game, did you actually anticipate me? Maybe I'm doing you some sick and twisted PR favour? Maybe I'm you, coming in here with the first post about the news? Riling up the public? Oh the existentialism!

But aye, what's with the preorders is all I want to know. Do you really need it by the day after tomorrow?

 

Funny that you'd bring that up since Gaslamp Games is the source, not the supplier. The only additional function the preorder (outside of a newsletter that says "Hey, we're launching the day after tomorrow) fills is to get them your money two days earlier and you the game two days after you've paid. This is only to their favour yet you, the customer, defends it.

But thank you for your input.

 

How many times have game companies made people wait until the designated hour and then their website is too hosed for people to order stuff? And would you rather they did some absurd thing like pre-order dlc that they make people who weren't already fans pay for later on?

 

How many of them had less than 15.000 forum members? Until they get on steam, this forum is their greatest demographic. And it's one month until they do get on steam. How will two days of preorders lighten the burden? They're not exactly youtube fodder.

Edit: regarding the preorder DLC; no, but preording grants you nothing. You only succeed in paying them to wait two days for a game. Five dollars off on the game or maybe a diggle would make sense for their more devout followers? Even a day-one DLC customer milking contest brings something more to the table than the vast emptiness their preorder provides.

 

Forums aren't the only place to get this info. I in fact learned about this game from RPS and PC Gamer. And they carry far more readers than any forum. Not everyone subscribes to a forum; I bet there are many lurkers too.

 

Gaslamp are the source of what, exactly?

 

Of the game, the digital distribution of Clockwork Empires.

 

Yet here you are, like most people who are excited enough about clockwork empires to "preorder". But how many of those "lurkers" signed up to the newsletter? How many of those will receive the news today? In fact, how many on this forum are actually subscribed to the newsletter? Most of them will just notice it in a couple of days so the preorder will have done nothing at all.

But that is of course not the question. The question is: Why the boon-lacking preorder?

 

Yes, and no. Gaslamp are not hosting the game, they are not hosting the payment system for the game and they are not distributing the files. This is being handled - currently - by the Humble Widget, a system that is linked to the Humble group. Payment is handled by their system, files are distributed via their site - Gaslamp only have to supply Humble with the distributable files. Humble are handling the orders. The keys themselves would have been generated in conjunction with Steam (though I'm unsure whether Steam generates keys on the fly per order or whether Humble/Gaslamp (who would then supply to Humble) would be given a batch). So again, Gaslamp aren't the source of the keys. The distribution, payment and registration components are ALL third-party.

You also seem to be perplexed by the idea of a pre-purchase or why people would pre-purchase the game now instead of, say, Friday. Well, many reasons. If you pre-purchase a game then you don't need to worry about having to pay for it in the future, as you pay then and there. That reduces stress for the buyer. Secondly, it will mean that the buyer will be able to play the game almost as soon as the gates open. Thirdly, it means the buyer doesn't get caught up in their excitement on release day and getting stressed if something doesn't go right. Again, stress-reduction. Fourthly, some people like to pay in advance. Why? I don't know, they just do. I do so myself sometimes. I've paid for books months ahead of release, as an example.

I will be blunt and honest. I don't get what your problem is. I feel like you're being like this for the sake of it, and not because you truly have problems with understanding this situation. It is a marketing device, it is a consumer stress-reduction device, it is something GLG have decided to do for their own reasons, ones they don't have to share with you. It's two damn days, and if that's a problem, then it is your problem and one you must deal with. The full-game won't be out for a year (give or take a couple of months) going by the announcement post, so 2 days (about 0.03% of that period of time) is beyond inconsequential. If this upsets you or is some great big moral chasm you cannot cross, then don't cross it. But the GLG team are stressed enough as it is right now without people trying to be all melodramatic because there's no discount or a two-day wait between the opening of pre-purchases and the opening of early-early access.

 

Of course, but you're still getting our money and delivering a product two days later. It's not like you're offering a preload or a price cut? How is it amusing? Was it all for a short gag in an email?

 

It is called a *pre*purchase for a goddamn reason.

 

First off, "Gaslamp only have to supply Humble" is what you said. Therefor they are the source.

And secondly, I don't have a problem. I asked what's the point of the preorder. If you consider curiousity a problem I doubt you lead a very interesting life.

And finally, what's with all the anger? You just spend a good half of an hour writing a rant about how I asked what's the deal with a preorder. Why did you do that?

Edit: Added a handy little link to the definition of "Source".

Double Edit: Note that none of the points you've brought up have been brought up by Gaslamp Games.

 

It's called pre-purchase because it allows people to secure an otherwise demanded and limited product. Not because you get to pay them before the product, that's merely a means of providing the intended service.

In today's gaming market that service is often securing a free DLC. The customers provide money in exchange for some worthless virtual trinket. In this case the customers provide money and they provide the privilege of giving them your money.


Edit: Added another handy little definition of what pre-ordering is. You should really not argue against the very definition of the word, thank you very much.