Distant guns worth it?

AJ! · 09-11-08, 12:58 PM

Hey peeps

I tried the distant guns demo a few weeks ago to see what it was like. I must admit i rather enjoyed it. It wasn't a great looking game but it was quite fun and is set in a very interesting pre-dreadnought era.

So i went to their site to see where i could buy it thinking a game like this would be about $25. Of course to my horror i saw the price of the game was $70

. What was worse is that was just for the main game with a few scenarios.... the campaign add on is available for another $25 taking the price of the full game to $95!

They now have a Bundle promo with both games for $70 but i still see that as alot of cash for a game of this quality.

Can anyone tell me if the full game is worth this amount?

Thanks

Antonin · 09-11-08, 05:22 PM

I, too, would be interested in hearing more about this game.

I downloaded the demo but was unable to get it to install. The website said something about their installer conflicting with some versions of Win XP, and to go to the Microsoft website to download something that will enable DG to install.

Back in the DOS days I regularly jumped through hoops to get games to run, and I'm just not inclined to do that any more. I'm too old and too tired after a long day at a lousy job to come home and fiddle around with a game and search for this and download that and install this just to get a bleeding demo to install.

Especially considering that they want $70 for the game. That's just crazy. At that price, a game should run easily on my system, be addictively fun, have lots of scenarios and also have a random battle generator.

GlobalExplorer · 09-11-08, 05:46 PM

I heard the game was pretty good but was brought down by DRM. Lots of guys couldnt get it to run after they had switched their systems.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antonin

Especially considering that they want $70 for the game. That's just crazy. At that price, a game should run easily on my system, be addictively fun, have lots of scenarios and also have a random battle generator.

I keep hearing such comments and they dont make sense. Somehwat simplified: minimum p.p.u. = total development cost / number of customers. If we want small companies develop niche products (simulations, historic strategy) we must say bye bye to cheap 50$ game, in fact we might end up with games that cost 100 - 500$. Thats the only way I see this market survive ..

NefariousKoel · 09-11-08, 06:09 PM

Yeah, the DRM and the exceptionally high price just turned me away.

I tried out the demo and it was interesting but the "phone home" activation DRM is a big no-no for my wallet. Not to mention the godawful price.

Captain Vlad · 09-11-08, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antonin

Especially considering that they want $70 for the game. That's just crazy. At that price, a game should run easily on my system, be addictively fun, have lots of scenarios and also have a random battle generator.

It is crazy. Price your game too high, no one will buy it, especially if it doesn't seem to have much in the way of replay value.

Sonarman · 09-12-08, 01:24 PM

I purchased the game and have had no probs at all with the activation. The developers have also certainlly supported the game well with a ton of patches since the original release.

If if were you however I'd hold off and buy the forthcoming 'Jutland' instead of DG as it will have many new features, including subs and zeppelins, and a much larger area of operation. Also one of the main issues, the rather obtuse interface/camera control of DG has been totally revamped for the new game which hopefully should be out 'very soon' now.

As to the issue of price it seems expensive at £35 but I paid £50 for the original Silent Hunter and that was over 13 years ago. They are a small team working in a very small niche market and deserve our support.

Blacklight · 09-12-08, 05:26 PM

My only complaint with that game is that the interface was kind of on the clunky side in my opinion.

I also bought Harpoon III Advanced Naval Warfare and that game was about $75 with a clunky interface also (But is still a good game and hopefully will be a FANTASTIC game once they patch out a lot of the bugs).

Sonarman · 09-12-08, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blacklight

My only complaint with that game is that the interface was kind of on the clunky side in my opinion.

I agree absolutely, in particular with regard to the camera controls in DG, it was clear the devs had not played a lot of other 3d games as their implementation was downright weird and very user-unfriendly. This is to be remedied in Jutland though where they have made many changes to that side of things and they have hinted that they may port some of the features from Jutland into DG at some point.

Ilpalazzo · 09-15-08, 01:04 AM

I was going to get Distant Guns quite some time ago until I noticed the price.

Sorry, I don't care how niche a game is. $70-$95 would have to be a great game with a lot of replay value. What really burned though was that I thought it was a low budget game and like the op, I was ready to spend 20-30 dollars.. It certainly looked and felt like one. I saw $70 as greedy. Honestly, I would have thought even $50 would be too much for that game. Then again, I don't know anything about it other than what I saw in the demo.

I don't pay more than $50 unless it's a collectors edition or some such.

Except for a game called Steel Battalion....that one cost quite a bit and honestly didn't completely live up to my expectations. Was still awesome though.

Zakalwe · 09-15-08, 04:58 AM

But DG is a game with a very high replay value.

First you have the two opponents with a complete different task, playing as Japan, I have to hunt down the Russian raiders. Playing as Russia, I have to brake the japanese supply-lines by sinking or capturing merchants. As a player, you have to use completely different tactics.

Even the attack on Port Arthur can make things completely different from the Russian viewpoint, if you loose many of your fast Protected cruisers, you`re almost toast.

I agree the interface isn`t the best on the planet and the graphics could be better.

But the campaign game is outstanding!

Antonin · 09-15-08, 05:35 PM

I agree that we should support small companies and buy their products so they can stay in business and continue to develop the games we want to play. We need more naval combat games.

But their price (or "price point" in retail industry lingo) is just too high. I've been buying computer games since the late 1980s and I've purchased more than a few over priced clunkers.

Every game purchase is a gamble. $70 is just too much to gamble on one single game.

Especially when I have to jump through hoops just to install the bloody demo.

09-11-08, 12:58 PM	#1
AJ! Commodore Join Date: May 2006 Location: That lil island above france Posts: 601 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Distant guns worth it? Hey peeps I tried the distant guns demo a few weeks ago to see what it was like. I must admit i rather enjoyed it. It wasn't a great looking game but it was quite fun and is set in a very interesting pre-dreadnought era. So i went to their site to see where i could buy it thinking a game like this would be about $25. Of course to my horror i saw the price of the game was $70 . What was worse is that was just for the main game with a few scenarios.... the campaign add on is available for another $25 taking the price of the full game to $95! They now have a Bundle promo with both games for $70 but i still see that as alot of cash for a game of this quality. Can anyone tell me if the full game is worth this amount? Thanks __________________

09-11-08, 06:09 PM	#4
NefariousKoel Ace of the Deep Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: No-good Missouri scum Posts: 1,223 Downloads: 43 Uploads: 0	Yeah, the DRM and the exceptionally high price just turned me away. I tried out the demo and it was interesting but the "phone home" activation DRM is a big no-no for my wallet. Not to mention the godawful price. __________________ "When Gary told me he had found Jesus, I thought, Yahoo! We're rich! But it turned out to be something different." - Jack Handey

09-12-08, 01:24 PM	#6
Sonarman The Old Man Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Ayr,Scotland,UK Posts: 1,383 Downloads: 79 Uploads: 0	I purchased the game and have had no probs at all with the activation. The developers have also certainlly supported the game well with a ton of patches since the original release. If if were you however I'd hold off and buy the forthcoming 'Jutland' instead of DG as it will have many new features, including subs and zeppelins, and a much larger area of operation. Also one of the main issues, the rather obtuse interface/camera control of DG has been totally revamped for the new game which hopefully should be out 'very soon' now. As to the issue of price it seems expensive at £35 but I paid £50 for the original Silent Hunter and that was over 13 years ago. They are a small team working in a very small niche market and deserve our support. __________________ "The action is simulated...the excitement is real!" Microprose Simulation Software.

09-12-08, 05:26 PM	#7
Blacklight Ocean Warrior Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Connecticut Posts: 2,507 Downloads: 142 Uploads: 0	My only complaint with that game is that the interface was kind of on the clunky side in my opinion. I also bought Harpoon III Advanced Naval Warfare and that game was about $75 with a clunky interface also (But is still a good game and hopefully will be a FANTASTIC game once they patch out a lot of the bugs). __________________ Be my friend or be a mushroom cloud. "I am coming at you. You will explode in a couple of minutes !"

09-11-08, 05:22 PM	#2
Antonin Sailor man Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Somewhere near Iceland Posts: 46 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I, too, would be interested in hearing more about this game. I downloaded the demo but was unable to get it to install. The website said something about their installer conflicting with some versions of Win XP, and to go to the Microsoft website to download something that will enable DG to install. Back in the DOS days I regularly jumped through hoops to get games to run, and I'm just not inclined to do that any more. I'm too old and too tired after a long day at a lousy job to come home and fiddle around with a game and search for this and download that and install this just to get a bleeding demo to install. Especially considering that they want $70 for the game. That's just crazy. At that price, a game should run easily on my system, be addictively fun, have lots of scenarios and also have a random battle generator.

09-15-08, 01:04 AM	#9
Ilpalazzo Frogman Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 309 Downloads: 20 Uploads: 0	I was going to get Distant Guns quite some time ago until I noticed the price. Sorry, I don't care how niche a game is. $70-$95 would have to be a great game with a lot of replay value. What really burned though was that I thought it was a low budget game and like the op, I was ready to spend 20-30 dollars.. It certainly looked and felt like one. I saw $70 as greedy. Honestly, I would have thought even $50 would be too much for that game. Then again, I don't know anything about it other than what I saw in the demo. I don't pay more than $50 unless it's a collectors edition or some such. Except for a game called Steel Battalion....that one cost quite a bit and honestly didn't completely live up to my expectations. Was still awesome though.

09-15-08, 04:58 AM	#10
Zakalwe Torpedoman Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Eckernförde, S-H, Germany Posts: 113 Downloads: 3 Uploads: 0	But DG is a game with a very high replay value. First you have the two opponents with a complete different task, playing as Japan, I have to hunt down the Russian raiders. Playing as Russia, I have to brake the japanese supply-lines by sinking or capturing merchants. As a player, you have to use completely different tactics. Even the attack on Port Arthur can make things completely different from the Russian viewpoint, if you loose many of your fast Protected cruisers, you`re almost toast. I agree the interface isn`t the best on the planet and the graphics could be better. But the campaign game is outstanding!

09-15-08, 05:35 PM	#11
Antonin Sailor man Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Somewhere near Iceland Posts: 46 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I agree that we should support small companies and buy their products so they can stay in business and continue to develop the games we want to play. We need more naval combat games. But their price (or "price point" in retail industry lingo) is just too high. I've been buying computer games since the late 1980s and I've purchased more than a few over priced clunkers. Every game purchase is a gamble. $70 is just too much to gamble on one single game. Especially when I have to jump through hoops just to install the bloody demo.