Peter Molyneux Doesn't Like Demos

[HobbesMkii]

Everything old is new again! I'm not even sure he's talking about shareware. He might very well just be talking about time trials, because he specifically mentioned a time limit. Time trials are even worse than shareware, in my eyes. At least the demo is a contained tidbit, a more or less complete idea. The worst thing is a game that stops working just as you're getting to an interesting part.

 

[hansari]

Doesn't sound any different to a demo to me.

Maybe he doesn't like them because they expose his hype as sweet nothings and lies?

I thought that too at first, but Molyneux is far too into the delusion that his Fable is "teh awesome" to make such a realization..

As for demos...well there are some out there that are wacky tidbits of different scenes cut and pasted together...and in a way, they do act as a spoiler for the game. (example. FEAR2 demo: bus falling on me was surprising in the demo, was mentally prepared when I came across it in the game though)

To resolve that issue though, some developers don't just lazily cut/paste different scenes together...some create origional level layouts that are different from those in the game but have the same basic look.

As for Molyneux...I see no problem with demos that just let you play the first level straight up...but he is still doing it after the fact so it doesn't exactly have a huge impact... (reveal the game first, then entice a few strays off Live)

 

[Joshimodo]

Gee, I wonder why he doesn't like demos...


Oh, yeah-Because nobody would buy his games if they found out that they were nothing like what he claimed them to be.

 

[Dan Shive]

I think the language of this is unnecessarily confusing and distracts from what is actually being said.

Peter doesn't like most modern free demos that are tiny, less functional versions of the game that don't let you keep the progress you made in them when you buy the full version.

What he is doing is still a free demo; it's just longer and doesn't force you to start over when you get the full game.

I like what Peter's doing, but for clarity's sake, call a free demo a free demo. Just make clear that it's a BETTER free demo. When I first saw the title of the article, I got mad at Peter on the basis that I thought he was saying bad things about the concept of being able to try games before buying, and that's not what he was saying at all.

Actually, this explains quite a bit. Perhaps Peter doesn't promise more than he gives; he's just bad enough at communicating that it sounds like he's offering you the world when he's actually just giving you Belgium.

 

[Jack and Calumon]

They did this with Duke Nukem 3D in certain places. Seemed to manage to keep 3D realms afloat for 12/13 years.

 

[Beltaine]

Brilliant! Peter Molyneaux has invented shareware!

On a game that's a year old already...

...and probably in the $19.99 pile at most game stores now.

Err... right.

The delivery of your software isn't the problem, Peter.


On a serious note. With larger hard drives and higher bandwidth available these days, I'd really enjoy some AAA titles being released like this. Maybe minus the cost of the box and manuals?

I can pick up Forza 3 at the game shop for $59.99 plus tax, or download it off Xbox live for $54.99?

Works for me.

 

[TikiShades]

He must play as Engineer.

I don't get it.

 

[SomethingUnrelated]

I'm not really into demos having only ever downloaded 2 in my life, but i know they're useful for indecisive gamers.

 

[lwm3398]

EDIT: For the love of fudge (I got it in my head for some reason), just release a demo, it works for every OTHER game developer

*COUGH-MIRRORS EDGE-WHEEZE*

Gold dust on top of a pile poo.

 

[EmeraldGreen]

Lots of indie devs do this, i.e. make demo saves compatible with the full version and whatnot. It's a good idea.

I simply cannot understand why mainstream developers don't have the sense to do this too. It seems so obviously a good idea to me.

 

[Lord Krunk]

Man, a lot of people in this thread hate Fable. Which is probably because, like most fanboys, they're trying to get refuge in audacity. His games weren't bad, people, they were actually very good. It's just the fact that Molyneux overhypes them, which is in turn a sign of his enthusiasm in the industry.

That said, this is a great idea. I mean, I got into Commander Keen this way.