US Boxed PC Version

[Specter1606688147]

Any word as to when the boxed PC version will be released here in the US? I heard it would be sometime September2011.

[Weasel]

Why not buying the English Version of the game?

 

for example http://www.amazon.cu.uk

[Jester2]

Weasel:

That link takes you to Amazon.com in the US. :(

 

Also tried typing http://www.amazon.cu.uk and it still goes to the US site, sorry mate, guess they don't like the UK site.

Edited September 3, 2011 by Jester2

[Lusche]

I think the correct one is

http://www.amazon.co.uk ... this should work, but dunno if they ship to the US

[Specter1606688147]

Actually, I do live in the US and the DVD is not available here in the US yet. Only the Digital Download and I'm wanting to get the Boxed DVD.

 

Just so you know www.amazon.com does not sell any version here or I would be happy to buy from them. Seems Eagle is saving the US DVD version for last.

Edited September 3, 2011 by Specter

[jazjar]

Why?

[kylania]

I think the correct one is

http://www.amazon.co.uk ... this should work, but dunno if they ship to the US

 

They don't.

[cichlidfan]

The UK box is version 1.1.0.7 anyway! ;)

[Wags]

From the A-10C FAQ:

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=67747

 

Q: When will the boxed DVD version of A-10C be available?

A: This is subject to change, but by country:

• US/Canada - between September and October 2011 - Jack of All Games

• Japan/South Korea (English) - Released

• Australia/Asia Pac (English) - Released- Mindscape

• Europe (English) - Released

• Germany (German) - September

• France (French) - TBD

• Spain (Spanish) - October

• Italy (English Software) - October

Edited September 3, 2011 by Wags

[jazjar]

"Jack of all games," Huh?

[cichlidfan]

"Jack of all games," Huh?

 

Generic game distribution house. Previously owned by Take-Two Interactive.

[Specter1606688147]

Why?

 

Why what?

 

Why do I live in the US? Because this is where I was born.

 

Why do I want the US version? Because I live in the US.

 

Why do I want the DVD Box set and not the Digital Download? Because, for over $60, I would like to show something for the money spent than an online receipt. Also, as long as there is a choice being offered, I will make a choice to go with what I want and not just what is offered now. I am willing to wait, I would just like to know for how long.

 

I'll be happy if the US version is released with the latest update and even happier if it comes with the Nevada update (since Nevada is in the US).:thumbup:

[lubey]

even happier if it comes with the Nevada update (since Nevada is in the US).:thumbup:

 

haha I like your logic. But I think Nevada will be released 1) later (like end of the year) and 2) as payware.

[Specter1606688147]

Yea, I read that the US DVD will be out in September and the Nevada patch will be out in December, but I can always hope :smilewink:

[EtherealN]

Nevada will be released separately. Those who bought into the Open Beta preorder program last year get it for free, others have to pay.

 

Regarding having something to show for money spent - it's software! What you show is the software running on your computer, IMO. But well, this is sort of the same thing as paper books vs e-books I guess - all about habit an preference. :P

 

(And it should be noted that regarding permanency of your purchase, if you purchase a download, your license key is stored and retrievable on the database, associated to your account and purchase, making retrieval if lost very easy for you to accomplish. This is not the case with a disc - it's printed on the quick-start manual, and if you lose it things become complicated - sort of like the classic "scratched disc" issue everyone used to have back in the days.)

 

Totally up to you what you prefer of course, I just have a hard time wrapping my mind around it. :P

[Specter1606688147]

I've heard of cases where people buy digital copies and after about a year the company decides to either not support the title in faver of their next version or the company closes. The customers are left at the mercy of how long the company is able to or willing to allow you to keep playing. With a CD/DVD I can install all I want when I want. Also since I do not favor MP, I do not have to be concerned with looking for other players to play the game either.

 

But I do see you point of view as well.

[EtherealN]

With a CD/DVD I can install all I want when I want.

 

Download.

Burn installer files to disc.

Profit. ;)

 

Now, what happens if your disc gets lost or scratched and the company is out of business or otherwise unwilling to offer replacements? That specifically is the thing that turned me around - with a release that relies on a physical disc, it is very very easy to lose your access to the software; all you need is a kid to play with it, a friend to spill a bit too much beer during a party or something like that.

 

But yes, there are cases of digital delivery releases that were less than awesome. I made the mistake of purchasing the original ARMA on one of those, failed to back it up and had a hard drive failure, and then noticed that I was not allowed to re-download. (Wow I was pissed off!) But this is basically a case of checking out each retailer beforehand - otherwise it would be like refusing to get a diesel automobile period becaues some manufacturer someplace cheated with their diesel engines.

 

Still, if you have a majestic DVD shelf collection a DVD release does have the added benefit of being a "shelf-piece" (which I used to have but I decided to put it all in boxes to free up space in the shelves for all my dismembered computer parts lying in reserve :P )

[Specter1606688147]

Well, I do not drink nor do I thro drinking parties. I have no kids to mess with my collection of disks. I do not lend them out and after installed, I always try to keep them safe in their cases. I also like paper manuals, though I do not expect a 700+ page manual with A-10c warthog. I loved the old manuals that came with Microprose sims. shame they were bought out then closed.

 

Unlike many people, I have no interest or trust in keeping my information or games stored on the internet, like many are trying to do withthis "Cloud" computing now. The only way I will decide to go with a digital download is if the price was a lot cheaper than the Boxed version. After all, what makes the digital copy cost so much compared to the boxed version. They are only selling the code, no box, no CD/DVD, no manual, they do not need to market to retailers. The companies can save a whopping amount of money with digital downloads and yet, I never see that savings getting passed down to the consumer. I have trouble supporting companies that fail to do that.

 

Even this sim is selling for about $60 for the digital download and that's about the same amout or a bit more than I would expect the box set to go for. If the box set ends up being more than $80, I will have to pass on this sim since it will be out of my price range. I can not afford nor do I have an interest in supporting any company that wishes to maximize profit.

 

Personally, I feel that digital copies should be ½ the cost of the box set but I have yet to ever see that happen.

[EtherealN]

Actually, the average (industry-wise - I have no clue about the specifics of TFC/ED) cost of merchandise (physical disc, box etc) and distribution on a 60 dollar game is 4 dollars. For DD, they have to maintain a considerable server park which drinks a rediculous amount of expensive electricity and needs 24/7 surveillance and maintenance, The only change worth considering is that there's no store margin (the take of the physical store), but this is fairly simple - if ED were to undercut the stores, you think those stores would bother placing orders and letting up space on warehousing?

 

Half the cost doesn't happen for a good reason. ;)

 

There is also the matter of costs due to returns, but they apply pretty much equally to digital distribution.

 

Basically, what I'm saying is, digital distribution doesn't save as much as you might think. We consumers may get the impression that the internet thing is cheap as heck, but it really isn't. Now, for a really major publisher that moves millions of copies, even a couple percent adds up to a lot. But the big deal is for small and especially independent developers - for them the DD is basically a matter of getting to market at all. Printing and distributing DVD's is something that requires a lot of money up-front, and to do this most independents would have to either get under the employ of a major publisher or basically stake their very survival every time they try to go to market.

 

Also, it should be noted, that the whole "no need to market to retailers" also isn't quite true. When something is in a store shelf, you get sales simply through it being there. Marketing to the consumer becomes partially automatic. In the case of DD this is however not the case - you have to take care of it yourself (unless you use a DD service like Steam where you get a similar marketing effect, in which case typically 30% of revenue goes to Valve).

 

What I'm basically saying is: don't underestimate the costs involved in doing things over the internet. It'll probably be slightly cheaper now, but a couple years back I ran a forum similar in size and traffic to this one, and that cost roughly a thousand dollars a month just in bandwidth... Imagine what it costs when tens of thousands (or more) of people want to download a 4 to 20 gigabyte game...

Edited September 4, 2011 by EtherealN

[jctrnacty]

Well i agree with both of you(ethereal and spectre)

 

I understand that some of us like me are oldfashioned people that like their DVD physical copies in their shelves.

 

I also understand that DD is not that free as we think. Bandwith costs a lot of money. But i am happy that ED chosed their way to be independent on those loosers like UBisoft.

[Phantom88]

Just think of what the price would have been if they had to print that manual,along with a boxed version!!!:doh:

[Specter1606688147]

Just think of what the price would have been if they had to print that manual,along with a boxed version!!!:doh:

 

And that's why I do not expect the full manual in the box, but it would be nice :pilotfly:

[Specter1606688147]

@EtherealN

Thank you for this information. It's nice to know that the DD should still be cheaper than the Boxed set, but surprisingly not by much.

 

Does not sound like ED owns there own servers. I would think that after the initial cost for the equiptment, they would save money if the did.

 

The only way I would consider DD is if it were considerably cheaper than the boxed set, but that's just my preference.

 

It's also a shame that their military sales don't help to bring down the costs to the civilian version.:cry:

[sobek]

It's also a shame that their military sales don't help to bring down the costs to the civilian version.:cry:

 

Who says that they don't?

[EtherealN]

Does not sound like ED owns there own servers. I would think that after the initial cost for the equiptment, they would save money if the did.

 

Actually, server hardware is the cheap thing. It's still not cheap-cheap in the sense that you or I would buy it for ourselves (think a couple times what a good gaming PC costs, and then find yourself having to buy a good few of them. ;) )

 

As I said, what costs money is bandwidth, electricity, and servicing/monitoring/maintenance. I'm not sure how owning or not owning a server would make any of those disappear. ;)

(And I don't know if ED owns the hardware or not. I know space is rented in a hosting center, but that's standard and doesn't say anything about ownership of the hardware. However, leasing hardware together with the datacenter can often be a lot cheaper than owning it, since you then reduce your maintenance liabilities. Sure, the center will charge for the service, but the center can streamline the thing a lot better.)

 

Think of it like this:

Price of my computer: ~1500 dollars.

Price of electricity per year towards running the computer: ~1250 dollars. (Includes taxes.)

So since I usually swap out main rig on a two-year interval, total cost of ownership assuming no repairs or MLU's occur: ~4000 dollars.

 

Now of course, these numbers don't quite apply since these are domestic numbers, and I'm not in the same country as the servers. Just illustrating the point. :)

 

It's also a shame that their military sales don't help to bring down the costs to the civilian version.:cry:

 

Like Sobek said: who says it doesn't?

Without the military version, DCS A-10C wouldn't exist at all. But a lot of the features are not common. The military doesn't care about fancy graphics, surround sound, über-advanced flight model, proper gas and liquid dynamics for engines/hydraulics etcetera etcetera. The military wants a procedure trainer - a classroom tool - towards learning to use the systems. They learn flying in real jets, after all. This means that all those awesome things that aren't weapons and avionics are not necessarily helped by the military project. (I wouldn't know to which degree exactly, but one figure that has been stated publically is in the order of 75% being "new" compared to the military product, if my memory serves me right. I believe it was an interview Matt gave to an australian magazine? Unsure.)

 

But anyways, as the update states, September or October. We've ventured heavily off-topic, but the idea of half-price just had to be corrected - it's a common one, and I don't blame laymen for not knowing this stuff - but I feel a lot of people could benefit from getting corrected on that. Always a shame to be frustrated by things needlessly. :)