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TotalGaming Phase 2 Preview..

TotalGaming Phase 2 Preview..

Here are the details..

Things are about to get very exciting for TotalGaming.net subscribers. We are about to embark upon TotalGaming.net: Phase 2.

First off, existing TotalGaming.net subscribers are going to be getting two new games shortly: Hacker Elite and Nexagon.

Shortly after that, we’ll be going into phase 2. It will be a different type of subscription model than what we’ve had before but one that we think will benefit gamers and developers more so than the current system.

TotalGaming.net Phase 2 will change to be as follows:

Price: $69.95
Time: 2-years
Tokens: 10

In the current system, a user pays $89 to receive all the games available plus what we come out with for one year. On paper, it sounds terrific. But in reality, it creates a real challenge to keep getting new content onto the system.

In the new system, different games will cost differing amounts of tokens. For instance, The Political Machine would cost 2 tokens. Celtic Kings would cost 2 tokens. Galactic Civilizations would cost 3 tokens, and so forth. The user would have 2 full years to use their tokens. If the tokens are used up before then, they can purchase booster packs at $34.95 for 5 more tokens at a time.

Through this system, game developers will be able to receive royalties based on the popularity of their individual game. This enables Stardock to provide newer games from a larger variety of sources for the player to choose from.

Existing TotalGaming.net customers would be transitioned to the new system. On the day of Phase 2’s launch, existing TotalGaming.net active subscribers would get all the existing games on TotalGaming.net automatically.

On top of that, they will receive 10 tokens to use on future games and two years to use them. This has the advantage of ensuring that players who want to get Galactic Civilizations II (for instance) don’t have to worry that it will come out after their subscription expires (it’ll be definitely out within the next year or so, let alone two).

Needless to say, if you haven’t already gotten TotalGaming.net, now’s the best time to get it since existing TotalGaming.net users end up with the best of both worlds.

And for game developers, the new system enables them to receive royalties on the tokens spent on their game. Games can still, of course, be purchased stand-alone.

Stardock also has a massively multiplayer real time strategy in development that will be available first in beta for TotalGaming.net subscribers.

If you’re a game developer and want to have your game distributed on TotalGaming.net, contact [email protected].

To learn more, visit http://www.totalgaming.net
8,101 views 67 replies
Reply #51 Top
I don't know what SD is going to do with this, but, don't you think we should wait a bit before we condemn them for overpricing of games way before the new system is implemented? How do you know that a game X will not be 2 tokens from 4 when it is first released, after some time?
Reply #52 Top
First off I'm very pleased to see Uplink as one of the games finally fulfilling SD's promise to us. Secondly it's good that you're effectively extending existing subscribers into the new phase 2 token system. I guess it's enough for me not to feel so poorly treated and mislead when my subscription expires. Incidently, kudos to you for re-inventing Remote Desktop/WinVNC. Bravo...
Reply #53 Top
as I recently learned, Multiplicity is really nothing like vnc/remote destop. It is not a remote system. It allows you to use the keyboard and mouse for all the systems (no video).
Reply #54 Top
Eth...I am not condemming, I am merely stating an observation for future consideration. I know that its being worked on, and can change.
Reply #55 Top
Let's keep anything about Multiplicity to its own thread (so we don't tangent off).

As to the points brought up by Delaron and Games_Master: Prices on the titles currently on TotalGaming are going to be adjusted in the near future (this is actually the first thing I researched after joining Stardock). However, you will always pay a bit of a premium for games you get via TotalGaming when it comes to old releases. Remember, retail stores are just trying to burn through their inventory once games have been out for awhile; they can afford to sell titles at cost or even for a loss. Also, you're not just paying for a game on TotalGaming, you're paying for no DRM, continued access to your purchase at any point in the future, easy/automatic updates and much more. (Having to not deal with ridiculous copy protection schemes is more than worth it to me personally.)

Now, as Efthimios surmised, this doesn't mean that Title X is going to launch at 4 tokens and remain there forever. We will be tracking prices as time passes and making adjustments as needed on a game by game basis. Another big part of what we're working on is adding new titles to TotalGaming for Phase 2; so it's highly unlikely that you won't find something to spend your tokens on in the 2 years you have to use them.
Reply #56 Top
What will 1 token get?
Reply #57 Top
What will 1 token get?

Maybe something like BaseGolf, since it is available on TGN for direct purchase at $9.95
Reply #58 Top
I've asked the "what about *new* games?" question before, and now I realize that it's not yet a relevant one. Stardock is trying to prove a new business model right now to developers. Companies are probably much more willing to toss in a game they're no longer making noticible revenue from as an experiment. If these older games that aren't making any more money on retail can make money on this new system, then maybe they'd be willing to put up newer and newer titles. Also, we'll be more likely to see new games from relatively unknown developers before we see any from the big name houses. And I doubt we'll ever see the likes of EA publishing first-run content through SDC, they're control freaks.

Valve was the first really visible experiment in the area (yes, I know SDC was first... but Valve is way more visible), and it met with mixed success. Issues of scale were discovered that at the moment may act more as roadblocks to major titles than anything else. Also, I don't think they've released sales numbers for copies purchased through Steam yet, once they publish that we may see a change in attitude. This online distribution model is pretty new, and companies are starting to test the waters. GameSpy has DirectDownload, Valve has Steam... Stardock is gaining notoriety in the gaming world.

For now be satisified for second or third run titles, buy them, play them... prove the system works. In time we'll see the *new* titles coming from other companies once everyone feels a bit more secure about this.
Reply #59 Top
well my main gripe bout the new system is the time frame bit...not the fact of pricing cause stardock DOES back their games with the best support I've seen ever.....so don't get me wrong there we should be able to buy x amount of tokens for a said price then if and when we use em up then buy more at a discount (incentive to keep us getting em)
Reply #60 Top
I have a mainly marketing suggestion to make the system more attractive to people not used to it. Instead of 10 tokens, it could be 100 tokens and GalCivII would cost 50 tokens. This does two things: 1st, it allows for more flexible pricing. 2nd, people will look at it and say "100 tokens wow that would get me a lot of games." instead of "10 tokens wow that would get three or four games." Whether or not the prices actually change it looks better on paper.
Reply #61 Top
Well, as long as this is the only change, e.g. you're not forced by some evil multimillion $ media company to include different licensing rules and DRM piggybacks on the software, I dont see this token system as a bad thing.

However, I would like to see the ability to get and download through stardock Demos for all the games you offer, so you can Demo before you buy. Although this would run up the costs on your end, I suppose.
Reply #62 Top
Ask and you shall receive. Demos have been added for most of the games currently available via TotalGaming.net. You can jump to their downloads either via SDC or (more directly) via their pages here on the TG.net site.

Edit - Oh, as for evil DRM stuff. Not going to happen. DRM doesn't work and it's an inconvienence.

Reply #63 Top
Sorry for the late reply, I don't know if anyone will see this, but on the chance that someone might, I might as well post something.

Sounds good to me... but I'm a bit confused about the subscription idea. It seems more like all we are doing is buying tokens to buy games, why is there a 2 year limit on spending these tokens. What happens after the two years to unspent tokens?

I'm guessing its just a way to keep the MMO subscription based, why not just have a renewal cost of tokens for just the MMO. I guess its sorta also like those mega money making gift cards that expire or people forget about and can't use later on. I really don't think its that big of a deal, honestly the only games I really cared about on TG.net were SD's(except for Uplink... but I already had that...).

For a developer it sounds great though... I know very little about marketing but the amount of statistics alone would be awesome. I'm sure SD already has some nice stats they made through TG.net already, any chance they will be released to the public?

Haha, I bought Drengin.net when it first came out way way long ago... I think it lasted about 4-5 years while going through beta and with the extension put on it... then I renewed, and I'm definatly going to keep renewing.

Just a thought, it would be neat if you could get other SD products with the tokens as well...
Reply #64 Top

With TG phase 2, people won't have subscriptions so much as TotalGaming memberships. When people hear "subscription" they think of something like a magazine, where you get an issue every month and pay for each in advance. That's not really how TotalGaming will work, so we feel that "membership" fits what things will be like better.

We'll be putting out a FAQ in the near future with all the details on how things will work.

Reply #65 Top
How about an idea of when the changes are going to go in? At this point I'm beginning to wonder if I'll end up getting into Phase 2 before my subscription goes out, and since the original claims of game releases on a regular timetable slipped, I feel a bit put off by the whole system.
Reply #66 Top
I just got my first warning that my subscription is ending . . . what is the status of phase 2?
Reply #67 Top

Hi guys,

Looks like both of your TGN subscriptions won't expire until sometime in July. TotalGaming's relaunch will be happening well before then, very soon in fact, so I would put the odds of you "getting in" at 99.9%.