I just wanted to know your thoughts on early access games. Do you think this is a good idea or bad. I am not sure my self. In one hand you are buying into a game where players can have some input to the final version. But are there any guarantees that the game will ever get finished. When it is finished and ready to be released will the fan base still be there or moved onto something new. I do like the early access idea but i think there should be some rules. What is there to stop a game on steam never coming out of early access. Developers are getting paid for a game that might never get finished. There are lots of pros and cons i could go on for ever but what are your thoughts.
Early access for Indie games? yes! Early Access for big Publisher games? No! Big Publisher just want you to buy an unfinished game, why should they hire some tester if you (the normal Player) can test it for free (for free because they don't have to pay you money). Just look at M&M X, they don't gave a F*** about the input from the "beta" tester, they just say "we have noticed your feedback but the game is almost finished and it's to late to change anything about the gameplay" (not the exact quote). They have seen they can make money before the game is even finished. ((like EA does with BF3/4) or all of there games?)
I dont buy early access games i don't see why i should have to pay actual full game money to alpha test a broken ass pos game (that in all likelyhood will never come out of 'Early Access' or how i see it is broken bug central)
For me it has a lot to do with how it's presented and peer pressure. Because all the Early access games I have bought was from some one telling me I had to get this game. Mostly only for indie or small game studios as I'm unlikely to want to fund a large company that is having financial issues. Just seems like I'm gonna pay those developers 4-10 times as much and they would be likely go out of business without releasing the game or cancel it to save money and to try something else. Life happens to an indie developer and they have to cancel the game, That's understandable. Large company gambling or cutting the development when they have specialists crunching numbers and probably a more stable foundation to develop games from...
Should steam bring in a code of conduct for early access. Mabe only for indie developers only have a full release date money back for games that don't get released? your thoughts plz
The point of the Early Access (which is basically a type of crowdfunding) model is for developers to be free of the shackles of regular investors. It gives them complete control over their IP as well as a (mostly) loyal userbase for testing purposes.
One particular issue affiliated with Early Access is a problem which haunts every developer and that is the very real possibility of failure. This has not yet dawned on the masses, but the fact remains. Crowdfunding does not entitle the funders a finished product. When it comes to games backed by a distributor or an investment company the customer never has to deal with this fact. Unfinished products just vanish and the customer has not lost a cent. However, with crowdfunding the customer and the investor is one and the same.
I like crowdfunding. It gives me access to games, movies and music that would otherwise not be made. In the end, there is a simple question one can ask oneself: "Do I believe strongly enough in this product that I Am prepared to fork over my hard earned cash for this product, knowing full well that it might suck and/or fail miserably?"