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Any Chance For A Physical Release Of Star Control In The Future?

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Any Chance For A Physical Release Of Star Control In The Future?

from StarControl Forums

The title of the thread pretty much speaks for itself, but I should expand on this a bit more.

I've been collecting PC games since I was a child, and while the collection itself isn't very large, one of the memorable pieces has to be Accolade MAX PAK which contained Test Drive 3, Hoverforce and of course, Star Control I.  It was the second PC game my brother and I ever bought and I still have vivid memories of installing and playing SCI on our old 286.  I still open it to read through the manual and fiddle around with the code wheel.

I know that Stardock has moved on from physical releases of their products, but I do think that Star Control could be an exception.  Even if it's a limited run, I would love to see a physical big box release, containing Star Map like in Star Control II and a manual that not only contains instructions, but also is chalk full of lore.  I would love reading through it.  A code wheel as copy protection might be a bit much, but it would be funny to see.

I understand if you can't do it, costs being what they are and all, but i do hope you consider it down the line.  Hell, I bought your Gal Civ II expansions through your webstore back when you still sold physical products, I'll certainly do it again for this.  

 

 

13,219 views 30 replies
Reply #26 from StarControl Forums Top

Quoting MusM, reply 25

So are we getting Steam Codes for this game?  That was definitely an aspect that made me hesitate before purchasing this as I figured it was highly possible Stardock would skip steam with the Founder's program.  I hope they don't as I have a Steam Link and Steam controller.  

I sincerely doubt they would skip Steam, it's the largest digital distribution platform for games. Only big studios like Ubisoft, EA and Blizzard can do that without hurting their sales.

Reply #27 from StarControl Forums Top

Yes, I would note I was hoping that as a founder at the 99 dollar level I was kind of hoping for a copy of the game on steam and xbox or wherever else so I could be able to play my friends in melee anywhere. As it is, I'd be happy to shell out for another code if there was some kind of discount, but I hope they take it into account and at least give us a choice. I also have Steam Link :)

Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion
Reply #28 from StarControl Forums Top

(When I saw "Early Access" I assumed that it meant Steam Early Access)

Reply #29 from StarControl Forums Top

Quoting satoru1, reply 16


Quoting drcdcs,
reply 4

I'm not sure how a limited-run physical release would hamper them in anyway.  Still, it was just a request, nothing more.  I'd love to have a boxed copy, and I know I'm not the only one.



I'm simply outlining the limitations of doing so. And the fact that there's almost zero financial benefit to them for making a boxed copy.

"Limited" boxed release has its own set of problems. And I've seen KS campaigns collapse under the weight of them. From shipping costing a lot, especially for international customers, to forcing your devs to spend a week boxing up stuff to send out.

To you it may have value, but for Stardock, there's really not a giant upside to making a box set of any kind. Its mostly a resource sink.

I've also seen some pretty good KS campaigns provide decent physical products including games.  I have a couple of them myself. And there are alternatives to having your own devs do the boxing themselves, and I'm pretty sure Stardock knows who'd be able to provide that service for them.  Off the top of my own head?  Indiebox. They've done it for other developers in the past outside of their own subscription service (Retro City Rampage, again another title that I own physical products of), and they do made quality physical releases (although I do miss the cardboard inside the box).  

 

 

Quoting satoru1, reply 17

Quoting drcdcs,

reply 10

Well I guess its a good thing then that Stardock is also a publisher that has the prior experience with retail releases of their own games as well as others like demigod and sins.  Lol



They also have experience bypassing retail all together. Sins of a Solar Empire Rebellion was pure digital.

And it was a HUGE success

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-07-26-stardock-to-ditch-boxed-releases-after-sins-of-a-solar-empire-rebellion-digital-success

100k units of Rebellion in 30 days.

Now compare that to how much 'fun' being in retail is

https://forums.galciv3.com/449009/page/8/

So on the one hand, get sodomized by retail stores with fees and all the other nonsense that goes with getting into retail

Or sell purely digitally, not be tied to a release date, and sell more copies for better margins.

That's not really a big 'choice' if you're in the money making business.

I guess I have to clarify this again. I guess my title needs more work.  I only meant to suggest a LIMITED retail release intended for founders only and I guess anyone else who is willing to pay the EXTRA cost of making it.  Not a full blown retail release of the game.  If anything, the people who might be interested in this would be collectors willing to double or triple dip (depending on any extra cost the set would incur).

and even though it's not necessary linked to the discussion at hand, I thought I should point this out.  The thread you linked also mentions gog as being an issue with why they won't be having non-steam releases of their products.  Gal Civ II and III are now on gog.com, so I guess I can still hope for a limited retail version! lol

 

 

Quoting satoru1, reply 18

 

Quoting drcdcs,
reply 14

Didn't they partner up with other publishers for markets in Europe?



GalCiv3 got a retail release in Kalypso BUT

1) It was like 5 months post release

2) it was because Kalypso put up the money for translations, and thus got the retail rights in return for doing that. And in Europe retail physical boxes are still inexplicably popular. While in America you couldn't find a boxed copy of a PC game if your life depended on it.

 

My point was that Stardock has had experience with their digital products being made into physical products even after going all-digital.  they wouldn't be breaking new ground here.  And it goes to my point that Stardock would know partners that could potentially be interested making a physical collector's edition for founders, especially for a new Star Control game.

and personally,  I wouldn't mind getting a physical set months after the digital release, but that's just me.

anyways, it's not that big a deal.  If Star Control ends up getting released in europe as a physical release same as Gal Civ III,  I'll just have to pay the extra cost on ebay and get a boxed copy on my shelf that way.   I was just hoping for a limited special edition for those of us who are willing to pay the extra cost to get one and foot the bill instead of stardock themselves. 

Reply #30 from StarControl Forums Top

Quoting MusM, reply 25

So are we getting Steam Codes for this game?  That was definitely an aspect that made me hesitate before purchasing this as I figured it was highly possible Stardock would skip steam with the Founder's program.  I hope they don't as I have a Steam Link and Steam controller.  

Pretty much the only practical way to do Early Access kinds of things is to do it via Steam. Its the only real way right now to reliably send patches to your audience in a timely manner.

While Stardock has recently embraced GOG as a platform, I'm doubtful they'll use GOG Galaxy to distribute the Early Access phase