Support NeoGAF

[Evander]

This part might be blind fanboyism on my part, but you know Gabe and Tycho wouldn't charge 20$ for their game if they didn't think it was worth it. There is very little info on this game, and the fact that it's 20$ tells me it's going to be much larger than what some people assumed it would be based purely on the fact that it's "episodic."

That is blind fanboyism.

It's Khoo who wouldn't be charging that much for the game if he didn't think that consumers didn't thik it was worth it. That's why I keep feeling like we're missing some info here.



But to those who say that I'm just speulating, you're damn right I'm speculating, and guess what; I'm going to keep speulating until I recieve information that either proves me right or wrong.

 

[Fusebox]

I see it as 800 points for the game and 800 points for all the good times and laughs PA have given me.

 

[Deleted member 22576]

Everyone here is just speculating. DUH!
I just can't believe people are honestly in shock that this game is priced the way it is, let alone pissed. Just because it's being called an episode doesn't mean it has to adhere to any standard of content or length.

In a day and age where games are never worth how much they cost. With anomalies like the orange box. And downloadable titles are usually bottom of the bin crap, I just don't get why so many people are jumping on the 20$ hate train when there is as little info as there is.

 

[Evander]

800 points for all the good times and laughs PA have given me.

If you really want to give them money, there's nothing stopping you from buying a shirt or book or something right now.

I'm the last guy to attack Penny Arcade, but the Penny Arcade name alone doesn't justify a 100% increase in price.

 

[NinjaFridge]

Exactly, how is this a ripoff but HL E1 and E2 aren't?
What if there are only 3 episodes? That "larger game" would infact turn out to be 60$ The standard price for a game.




This part might be blind fanboyism on my part, but you know Gabe and Tycho wouldn't charge 20$ for their game if they didn't think it was worth it. There is very little info on this game, and the fact that it's 20$ tells me it's going to be much larger than what some people assumed it would be based purely on the fact that it's "episodic."

Half life is a proven franchise by a proven developer. Who the fuck are hothead games? You know that lots of time and effort has been put into those games by very talented developers,we know jackshit about Hothead. I think you also miss something else, its PennyArcade. How many XBL users will go to the Arcade and know who PennyArcade is, this is why $20 is balls. Also PennyArcade is vastly overrated,it has never made me laugh or even smile. Why would i pay for a game based on the webcomic?

 

[Deleted member 22576]

Half life is a proven franchise by a proven developer. Who the fuck are hothead games? You know that lots of time and effort has been put into those games by very talented developers,we know jackshit about Hothead. I think you also miss something else, its PennyArcade. How many XBL users will go to the Arcade and know who PennyArcade is, this is why $20 is balls. Also PennyArcade is vastly overrated,it has never made me laugh or even smile. Why would i pay for a game based on the webcomic?

So just because Hothead didn't make Half Life2, they didn't put "lots of time and effort" into their game, nor are they "very talented developers?" I respect a lot of the people who are other side of this argument's opinions because most of them make sense. But your's doesnt.

Rock on, dude.

 

[Evander]

Everyone here is just speculating. DUH!
I just can't believe people are honestly in shock that this game is priced the way it is, let alone pissed. Just because it's being called an episode doesn't mean it has to adhere to any standard of content or length.

In a day and age where games are never worth how much they cost. With anomalies like the orange box. And downloadable titles are usually bottom of the bin crap, I just don't get why so many people are jumping on the 20$ hate train when there is as little info as there is.

No it doesn't HAVE TO adhere to anything.

And I don't HAVE TO buy it.




There's no reason to be surprised when consumers get upset because a company prices their good above the industry standard.

 

[Narag]

No it doesn't HAVE TO adhere to anything.

And I don't HAVE TO buy it.




There's no reason to be surprised when consumers get upset because a company prices their good above the industry standard.

$59.99 $599.99

It happens and the consumers ultimately decide as you've said. I don't see why people need to start drama over this instead of stating they feel its not what they'd pay then move along.

 

[Deleted member 22576]

No it doesn't HAVE TO adhere to anything.

And I don't HAVE TO buy it.




There's no reason to be surprised when consumers get upset because a company prices their good above the industry standard.

I'm not trying argue anyone out of thinking it's not worth it, I'm trying to argue that no one really knows if it is, in fact, worth it or not. You're right, there is a missing piece to this puzzle. I'm just giving them the benefit of the doubt instead of assuming it's a ripoff.

 

[Zer0]

10 bucks for the new capcom games yai

20 bucks but a PA arcade game nai

 

[I AM JOHN!]

What industry standard? What the fuck are you talking about, Evander?!

Okay, Sam and Max charges you $9 for two to three hours of gameplay. Meanwhile, SiN and the HL episodes were about five or six hours on average, and all three were $20. Therefore, isn't the industry standard, oh, I don't know, $20?

Christ, you people keep saying "IT'S SO OVERPRICED FOR AN EPISODE" when we know fuck-all about it. Prove to me that it's only going to be, like, three hours long, or shut the fuck up and stop whining.

 

[Narag]

What industry standard? What the fuck are you talking about, Evander?!

Okay, Sam and Max charges you $9 for two to three hours of gameplay. Meanwhile, SiN and the HL episodes were about five or six hours on average, and all three were $20. Therefore, isn't the industry average, oh, I don't know, $20?

Christ, you people keep saying "IT'S SO OVERPRICED FOR AN EPISODE" when we know fuck-all about it. Prove to me that it's only going to be, like, three hours long, or shut the fuck up.

I tihnk people take issue with the term episodic as its no clear notion when it ends rather than coming out and saying trilogy like Mass Effect or Too Human have done.

I've no regrets about purchasing Mass Effect: Episode 1 except I knew what I was getting into.

 

[NinjaFridge]

So just because Hothead didn't make Half Life2, they didn't put "lots of time and effort" into their game, nor are they "very talented developers?" I respect a lot of the people who are other side of this argument's opinions because most of them make sense. But your's doesnt.

Rock on, dude.

What im saying is people are more willing to hand over $20 to a company like valve than they are to hothead. I'm sure that the dev's at hothead are very talented and im not trying to insult them but if this game was made by someone like valve do you think as many people would be complaining? People anticipate Valve games for a reason, they know it will be good and so they are fine with paying for it. But with hothead they need to prove themselves, no-one other than PennyArcade fans are antcipating this game.
The price point is a major fuck up imo.

 

[Evander]

I'm not trying argue anyone out of thinking it's not worth it, I'm trying to argue that no one really knows if it is, in fact, worth it or not.

So, you are just fighting for the heck of it? NO ONE is claiming to know the absolout future.

 

[Evander]

Prove to me that it's only going to be, like, three hours long, or shut the fuck up and stop whining.

Prove to me it isn't, or else I'll keep whining.

I never said that it was. What I said was that IF IT IS, then I have an issue with it.



If you pull your head out of your ass you'd probably have a bit better reading comprehension.

 

[Deleted member 22576]

What im saying is people are more willing to hand over $20 to a company like valve than they are to hothead. I'm sure that the dev's at hothead are very talented and im not trying to insult them but if this game was made by someone like valve do you think as many people would be complaining? People anticipate Valve games for a reason, they know it will be good and so they are fine with paying for it. But with hothead they need to prove themselves, no-one other than PennyArcade fans are antcipating this game.
The price point is a major fuck up imo.

I'd argue that Penny-Arcade has just as much of a rabid fanbase as Valve does.
When you buy HalfLife you aren't buying HalfLife, you're buying a Valve game.
Likewise, you're not buying Hothead game, you're buying the Penny-Arcade game.

So, you are just fighting for the heck of it? NO ONE is claiming to know the absolout future.

You know, I guess I am a little bit.
I don't see many other people in here on the 20$ dollar defense force, and I've been excited about this game since it was announced.

And I guess I didn't really type that as clearly, I'm not arguing that no one knows the future, I'm arguing on the chance the game is worth it.

 

[I AM JOHN!]

I never said that it was. What I said was that IF IT IS, then I have an issue with it.

Well if that's the case, then I feel like an idiot. My bad, dood.

 

[Evander]

I've been excited about this game since it was announced.

So have I, man.

Which is the reason I'm worried. Everything I've seen has had me expecting another Sam & Max type thing, and IF that's the case, then the cost is way too much. If it turns out I was wrong about the game structure, and it's really what ammounts to a downloadedable budget retail title, then I'll be pleasantly surprised and go ahead and buy it.

 

[Joseph Merrick]

how much was the oblivion expansion? 1200 or 2400 points?

 

[Evander]

how much was the oblivion expansion? 1200 or 2400 points?

Dunno. I got mine free.

 

[Narag]

how much was the oblivion expansion? 1200 or 2400 points?

2400, I think. $30 like it was instore.

 

[Deleted member 22576]

See, everything I've seen has pointed at something much bigger and fleshed out. Not just an adventure puzzle game, but also an action RPG.

 

[Mr. Hyde]

You should be so lucky to pay ONLY $20 for the return of RON GILBERT.

INGRATES!

Agreed. I also can't wait for his own episodic game.

 

[Grecco]

Parity pricing? Didnt stop Puzzle Quest from being cheaper than its counterparts

 

[CamHostage]

What's the difference? If you have no problem paying $20 on PC, then why is a $20 Live Arcade game that's incredibly substantial now a problem?

Who is saying that $20 for the PC version is the right price? We're just not arguing about it because nobody cares, PC pricing has been so all over the map for years. You can get MMOs for free, you can pay $29 for a puzzle game, who the hell knows. If you can't torrent it, that's when you look at the price tag for a PC game, but before then, you don't really pay it any attention.

However, if this were being released over Steam, I think we would be talking about the PC price because there does some to be some standardizing and expectations in pricing there.

 

[LunaticPuma]

The nice part about this being on XBLA is that I can pick up 2 1600 pts cards during any TRU B1G1 accessory sale. That makes it half price.

 

[Kintaro]

10 bucks for the new capcom games yai

20 bucks but a PA arcade game nai

This thought crossed my mind as well. Who knows though. I'll wait to hear impressions. I'll also wait to see if Episode 2 is in the works as well.

 

[svenuce]

Meh, it was going to happen sooner or later. Bigger, quality games will cost more than $15 regardless of the method of distribution.

It's fine. I'm still in.

 

[Aaron]

Anyone point out yet that the official press release with the $20 price point talks about PC/MAC/Lunix, and doesn't mention XBLA? There's a reason certain sites are banned.

 

[SapientWolf]

$20 is okay if the base game is a 10+ hour RPG and the episodes are cheap. But if it's $20 an episode they better have something that could put Square to shame.

 

[markom58]

Parity pricing? Didnt stop Puzzle Quest from being cheaper than its counterparts

This.

$20 = pass
$15 = will deliberate
$10 = probably day 1

Sorry PA, if you stick to that pricing -1 sale over here.

 

[SapientWolf]

This.

$20 = pass
$15 = will deliberate
$10 = probably day 1

Sorry PA, if you stick to that pricing -1 sale over here.

Financially speaking, the difference between $20 and $15 isn't that much. $5 is the difference between filing up with regular or premium gas. $5 might buy you a large popcorn or a combo meal at a fast food restaurant. You could save $5 a month in electricity just by unplugging your surge protectors every night.

But psychologically, it's huge. It's easier to make two $10 decisions than one $20 decision, so they should have chopped the game in half and released it as two episodes.

 

[Evander]

Financially speaking, the difference between $20 and $15 isn't that much. $5 is the difference between filing up with regular or premium gas. $5 might buy you a large popcorn or a combo meal at a fast food restaurant. You could save $5 a month in electricity just by unplugging your surge protectors every night.

But psychologically, it's huge. It's easier to make two $10 decisions than one $20 decision, so they should have chopped the game in half and released it as two episodes.

you're taking it out of context.

If you have $20 in your pocket, and walk in to a store where most things are $10, but one thing is $20, the fact that you could buy almost any other two things for the price of that one thing IS a big deal.

 

[DubloSeven]

Is this going to be on Steam? How will it be distributed on the PC?

 

[Aurelius]

There's a Mac version? So getting that one!

 

[PepsimanVsJoe]

Has there been any word about how long this game is?
Over 25 hours would make this game totally worth the price.

 

[Joe Molotov]

$20 for episodic games of dubious quality and scheduling is just asking for this thing to tank. Yeah sure, Valve can get away with charging $20 for Half-Life 2 Episodes and releasing them whenever they feel like it, but then you've got Sin Episodes which bombed after the first release. Sam & Max worked, but it was only $8 and came out on a tight, predetermined schedule.

 

[Gigglepoo]

you're taking it out of context.

If you have $20 in your pocket, and walk in to a store where most things are $10, but one thing is $20, the fact that you could buy almost any other two things for the price of that one thing IS a big deal.

Not if you have a credit card.

 

[PantherAttacks]

Jesus, I can't believe the people complaining that $20 is too much for a game. Haven't you seen the average price of a game? You're probably the same people that complained when Valve sold 5 games for $45 with the Orange box.

 

[Icarus]

If it's funny, and I'm predicting it will be, it'll be worth it.

Ok, if a good adventure game was say, 8 hours and at retail that game cost me $50-$60... and this is 2-3 hours of similar quality/value, then I've got no problem putting up $20 for it.

Quit yer whining... you've all be spoiled by the goodness that has been XBLA.

 

[Sqorgar]

Jesus, I can't believe the people complaining that $20 is too much for a game. Haven't you seen the average price of a game? You're probably the same people that complained when Valve sold 5 games for $45 with the Orange box.

It's not just one game though. It's episodic. In the interviews, it was said that the individual episodes would be fairly stand alone, but that there would be a grand over-arcing storyline that tied all the episodes together. I'm a huge fan of serial storytelling, and when it is done right, I think it is superior to any other kind of story that can be told. But it can be difficult to determine whether or not to invest in that whole concept knowing only the price and release date of the first episode (said to be between 5 and 10 hours of gameplay). You are essentially buying the first chapter of a book and being told that they won't tell you how much the next chapter will be, they won't tell you when it will be, and they won't tell you how many there will be. It's asking the player to take a lot on faith - maybe too much, in my opinion. It's not the price, it's that big question mark that will either justify the price or not, most likely not (I'm a cynic).

As a writer, the idea of an episodic game is very, very appealing based on the many positive opportunities provided by serial storytelling. As a developer, the iterative development with shorter dev cycles, increased revenue, and constant cash flow is an extremely interesting proposition. But I don't think players have been sold on the concept yet. Sam & Max may be successful products, but I don't think they've proven the distribution method, exactly.

Anyway, it's not the price. $20 for a 5-10 hour game is completely justifiable in my eyes depending on the quality of the game. It's the unknown. How much more money will it require to own the whole experience?