Trial versions

[Hidden Sanctum]

I know the trial period have been discussed numerous times here. With the discussions seeming to focus on 30 or 60 minutes. What I've noticed is that there are too many ways to 'break' it. As one person pointed out, you can downlaod the same games from different sites and play again. What I've found is that they REALLY don't work as intended. For example, games from Oberon and Real Arcade can be downloaded and played to the end with no restrictions! Just don't turn it off. They only seem to check the time you played it on start up. So if you download a game and play it you you can continue on until you you stop. Once you exit it will tell you your 60 minutes are up - even though you could have been playing for the last 6-8 hours. After being able to play for 6-8 hours, the odds of making a sale are pretty slim, the customer will most likely be burned out from playing your game.

Did I miss something here with cripling the software? Either blocking certain features or limiting the level you can reach without being registered. That seems to be frowned upon and classed as shareware. Heck, I see the timed games as being shareware (try before you buy), so I don't quite understand that one. Limiting levels or blocking features seems to be looked at as bad.

Am I missing something here?

[Vorax]

Shhh...that's how I have been playing all the games! ;) (kidding)

Real is probably loosing tons with several games and not realizing it for some reason. I spoke to a 50+ year old granny (near reitrement lady at my office) the other day who plays casual games and she flat out told me she doesn't purchase, she just downloads and plays the game for a night and gets her fill. She even said if they do have a timer (other sites, maybe some on Real do?) she'll download something else.

I have no idea what percent of the market does that, but this lady is almost sterotypical of the casual games market if you talk to her. I actually caught her playing Bejewled 2 (web) at work which is what sparked the conversation.

[Tertsi]

Not to mention you can easily convert a Real Arcade demo to a full version as someone mentioned on this board legally without buying it.

It is extremely weird that they do nothing about those although they both are costing them tons of money and more as more and more people realize them.

[Sol_HSA]

I've bought a couple of indie games for my wife recently. I showed her gametunnel and urged her to try things out, and to tell me if she found something she likes.

The latest one I bought was zombie smashers x2, which doesn't have a time limit on the demo, and the demo itself can take a long time to finish. Still, she wanted it, so I bought it. I've also played it and I don't think it was a waste of money.

On contrast, she was completely put off by the crippling in 'democracy', and I agree; not seeing any kind of result for whatever you do in the demo makes it rather pointless. (I tried to make as bad choises as possible, but it didn't seem to make any difference. In real world there would have been demonstrations and strikes at least..).

Same kind of crippling doesn't work on all kinds of games, naturally. I really liked 'Bonnie's Bookstore', and after the hour was done I considered buying it, but ended up not doing so. Some other day I might have; who knows. Perhaps I'll let my wife try it out, and if she wants it, I'll buy it =)