This is useless

[Raxxman]

Okay, this is a somewhat punchy first post... But sod it I'm really PO'd

 

Okay, I've got my copy of aftershock, and only just read the manual.

 

Wow, this fecking rocks, spoiler warnings, detailed, assembled with care, this is an oldschool manual, back inthe day were manuals were manuals, and boxes could be used as houses. No problem with that, it's really good.

 

Not got to install the game yet so no problems here.

 

but...

 

WTF is going on with the release.

 

I went to Game (not in), Virgin (not in), gamestation (you guessed it), and finally HMV, were I found they had 2 copys tucked away.

 

Now I know strat games are a dying breed, only for those of us who like to use a bit of grey matter every now and again. But this game isn't even sitting on the new relase sections, it's already sitting in the list of other games nobody really gives a damn about.

 

On the other hand Fm2006 (fair enough, it's the national sport), FEAR (first person shooter done right), and Quake 4 (err universal panning anyone) are spammed all over my face...

 

So rant off, but seriously the marketing campaign for Aftershock SUCKS.

[Azrael Strife]

That's because FPS games get all the good publicity nowadays, games like Quake 4 can be far more flashy than Aftershock, and sadly what attracts more people now is flashy graphics rather than good gameplay, plus in FPS games you are not required to think much, whereas in a strategy game you really have to put your brain to work, and people enjoy more mindless shooting than good strategy

[Gungadin]

I had a similar argument with the clerk in a geek store today. I browse their shelves, I see a million shitty titles, it was all Sims, Half-Life, RTS-Bullshit-game, Endlessly-Rehashed-Doom-Clone 30001, but no damn Aftershock and no damn game I'd even consider playing (apart from Total Overdose, which is awesome).

The clerk told me that stupidass mainstream games is the only thing that sells, and an obscure title like Aftershock, after the even more obscure Aftermath, just wouldn't SELL. I have now ordered my copy online to spare myself the hassle of tracking down the one decent geekshop in the country.

I weep for mainstream gaming. Seriously. It's all the same.

[Kret]

Well, if little to no marketing campaign has helped keep the game at a reasonable price range then all those other games can stay on their pedestals. I never payed attention to marketing except for a good laugh at idiotic comercials

[fastestlouigie]

I was gonna buy this from my local store but when I asked about it 4 days ago(in6 stores,count them,6!!!!),they didn't have a clue it was coming out and they didn't seem bothered either.So,I ordered it from Play and recieved it today....playing cards,dvd,posters and fan fiction.Btw,great game as well!

[lgonggr]

I was gonna buy this from my local store but when I asked about it 4 days ago(in6 stores,count them,6!!!!),they didn't have a clue it was coming out and they didn't seem bothered either.So,I ordered it from Play and recieved it today....playing cards,dvd,posters and fan fiction.Btw,great game as well!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

No suprise there. I'm not even gonna try to find it in the shops

Most of the major game sites haven't even written a preview, for diety-of-choice's sake.

However, as there are so few decent strategy games coming out I expect Altair will make quite a lot of money worldwide on online sales (why do you think they bothered to make a sequel ?) because there is a huge fanatic underground of strategy gamers. Check Amazon how much Galatic Civilizations II sold. You'd be suprised.

And hey, that's cool in my book. More money to Altair I say !

 

Can you say : part III UFO:Retaliation (just guessing )

 

Cheers,

Lodewijk

[Rezed]

Why just 3 parts ? Think big

[lgonggr]

Part III : UFO:Retaliation - We take the fight to the aliens !

Part IV : UFO:Survival - The aliens bring some new friends !

Part V : UFO:Common Cause - A new monster race threatens both aliens and humans !

Part VI : UFO:Borderline - A renewed monster assault threatens to defeat the alien-human alliance !

...

Part LVI : UFO:Balderdash - Altair ran out of names !

...

Part C: UFO:The second coming -

 

Cheers,

Lodewijk

 

p.s. I should buy a synonym dictionary

[Auran]

Hey Guys, first time poster, usually I just read and be content, but I had to say somethn gin this thread.

 

I believe that the current situation is not simply the fault of the marketing camapign. The thing that really struck me was the fact that when I got my hands on PC zone in UK last month UFO:AS was not mentioned in the release dates.. and I mean it was not mentioned AT ALL.

 

That was very worriyng for me. I knew from thr forums that the game was due to come out, but all it got in PC zone mag was a mention back in the days of E3. that was all. Now that was the magazines omission (fault) or was it due to incompetent marketing? I do not know either.

 

Anyway, had my say, and if someone can enlighten me I would appreciate it. I would like to know the things I am reading in a computers game magazine if they are there because they are worth it, or simply because they are in fashion, or because their developer or distributor has dished out the "proper" amount of cash.

 

Cheers Guys, and looking forward to get my hahnds on the game... (and some time off to play it )

[Slaughter]

Hard to tell Auran. I think there is a certain amount of corruption in the gaming press (like everywhere else). The best example would be when for instance PC Gamer has the "Worlds first *** review". You can be pretty confident that they will give the game above 80% as part of the "first review" deal.

 

Regarding Aftershock, I do not know. I think they put too little money into marketing, but Cenega is a small publisher, so there are limits to how much they CAN put into it. Oh, and welcome to the boards!

[STRYKER]

Hey Guys, first time poster, usually I just read and be content, but I had to say somethn gin this thread.

 

I believe that the current situation is not simply the fault of the marketing camapign. The thing that really struck me was the fact that when I got my hands on PC zone in UK last month UFO:AS was not mentioned in the release dates.. and I mean it was not mentioned AT ALL.

 

That was very worriyng for me. I knew from thr forums that the game was due to come out, but all it got in PC zone mag was a mention back in the days of E3. that was all. Now that was the magazines omission (fault) or was it due to incompetent marketing? I do not know either.

 

Anyway, had my say, and if someone can enlighten me I would appreciate it. I would like to know the things I am reading in a computers game magazine if they are there because they are worth it, or simply because they are in fashion, or because their developer or distributor has dished out the "proper" amount of cash.

 

Cheers Guys, and looking forward to get my hahnds on the game... (and some time off to play it  )

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

You know, I used to buy PC Zone all the time because it's well written and illustrated. Until I started realising that the only kind of game they were interested in were FPS's, with the ocassional side order of RTS's and the odd ridiculous article about how to play your games whilst completely drunk. RPGs barely get a mention. I began to get really PO'd when issue after issue after issue I found myself reading about DOOM 2 and HL2 and HALO again and again and all over again.

 

So I simply stopped buying it. Nowadays I prefer to waste my six quid on some other trivial pursuit.

[Auran]

Well thanks alot for the welcomes guys

 

I guess that it is inevitable to have these kind of deals in th eindusrty, oh well, as stryker said all we can do it refrain from buying.

 

I guess the best judge is ourselves and if the demo rocks then we go out an buy the game. Unfortunately not all games come equiped with demos, and the worst part is that is you do not know the game you are not going to look for the demo.

 

I feel quite fortunate in that I know that these type of games appeal to me and actively look out for them, but there are a lot of new games out there who are not as lucky as I am to know what they want.

 

Anyway my rant at the way world works is over...