Altarian Prophecy

As I remeber their publisher Stategy First said it would not be made available for retail. And it's really their decision not Stardock's.

~SDC~

Yeah, but I heard that they are maybe reconsidering it.
That is why I was asking out it.

It's a dicey issue. We have had significant trouble getting paid for GalCiv sales at retail. Despite over 100,000 copies having shipped or sold worldwide, the revenue Stardock has received from retail is incredibly tiny even though we fully paid for 100% of development (i.e. we received no advances).

In short, we've only been paid a fraction of what we were supposed to be paid. If it weren't for direct sales, we wouldn't be having this discussion at all, GalCiv.com would be gone we'd be looking for new jobs.

So before we let someone publish the expansion pack at retail, we need to get paid for the original game. Technically, Stardock was supposed to only develop the game. But we've ended up doing the bulk of tech support, a good chunk of the marketing, running and developing the website, etc. And we've done all that without the benefit of having gotten paid for sales at retail.

That puts us in a difficult position of wanting our customers to be able to get the game at retail if they want but us also wanting to..you know...actually get paid for having made the game. If we can't get paid for the original game, it doesn't make sense to repeat the whole thing with the expansion pack.

I suspect a number of you have yearly salaries the exceed what we've been paid via retail sales. So until we can get that situation straightened up, don't expect to see the expansion pack at retail.

And I hate to say it but if retail is the only mechanism in which PC games can sell, then either this situation at retail will have to get fixed, or we'll have to find our own way to do things at retail or we'll just not do more games and focus on our non-game software which does just fine without being at retail.


~SDC~

Galactic Civilizations needs more advertisemnt then ....We must spread our propaganda to buy this game....!!! I really like it....!!!!

~SDC~

True it is what my fellow Jedi says!!

By the way:
I here by formerly invite you to join the Jedi Republic

May the Force be with you, Sergei

This is one of the biggest reasons I got a subscription to Drengin.net. Even though I bought the game retail, I shelled out another $30 because I think the gang at Stardock deserves it.

Me too I just send my subscription for Drenging.net, so hopefully soon I will have the expansion pack.

If I had known this, I never would have bought it at retail! You deserve every $ you get as this is one of the best TBS games I have ever played.

I will be signing up for Drengin.net after the first of the year. I would rather Stardock make the $...

Frogboy:

When you say "GalCiv wasn't paid for retail sales", do you mean that you weren't paid what you were contractually obligated to receive? Or, do you mean that the standard payment is so low that it isn't really worth your time?

What is the current total # of drengin.net subscribers, and how many do you need to make it a worthwhile long-term plan?

Why can't you place direct marketing ads on gaming web sites and in gaming magazines and forget about the stores and the middlemen?????

~SDC~

fsk: I mean we haven't been paid what we're contractually owed. 

Our issue is that we haven't even been paid what our royalty statements claim we're owed.  IF that part gets sorted out, then we can worry about other issues with that.

GalCiv is fine because of the direct sales. Whether via Drengin or just stand alone sales.

No one should feel bad for buying it at the store. We consider all GalCiv users equal regardless of where they bought it. It's not their fault after all.

Does this mean if you are getting enough money (yeah - damn thing we've invented to run this world of greed (just a small side comment )) AP could be released in retail too?

-Sergei

Brad, with all due seriousness, have you considered that strategy first may be teetering, seeking outside investors, unable to pay their dues, and hoping you go away for the time being? I've seen this sort of patten before in business, usually about 6 mos. before someothing very dire happens.

I seriously hope it's their BAD behavior and not their bank accounts that are causing them to dis. you like this. :notsure:

~SDC~

We woudln't self-publish AP.  Not enough time to get that together.

Hey, I wrote my first thread that got removed! OK brad, message received. But know that there IS a horde you could unleash if ya wanted to.

~SDC~

Sorry to have to do that (remove your boycott post).  But we're still in the "diplomacy" phase of trying to resolve this. 

But believe me, we won't be silent on this issue if months late on royalties turns to years late.

Here's hoping you get greentext soon!

~SDC~

Frogboy I already sent my drenging subscription check, but the office it is close until January 4th, man I love your company from the 24th to the 4th, you are a great boss, can I come and work for you? LOL LOL LOL

Frogboy: Just waiting until you all come back to sign on to drengin.net after I back out of the preorder for AP.

Hope you and all had great holidays! And, thanks for the best game I have bought in years!!!

Thanks for your support guys!

This kind of honesty and information is what makes Stardock special

Frogboy, Indeed you have such an horde.

Hope everything gets sorted out fast and well.
Happy new year everyone.

~SDC~