So much is lost today with everything going the way of digital. PC boxes, when they do exist, have gone from being incredible works of art to nothing more than an empty shell that might not even contain a DVD but instead just a steam code. The boxes when I was a kid were incredible. Who could forget the excitement of seeing Daggerall on the store shelf for the first time? The last really great box for a pc game I bought was Vanguard. I hope the Pantheon collectors edition box is similar to that and it's definitely something I'll buy.
Vanguard CE http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vanguard-Saga-of-Heroes-Limited-Edition-Collectors-Edition-Box-Disks-/162455235660?hash=item25d3162c4c:g:Jm0AAOSwMmBVjaQY
Daggerfall: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Elder-Scrolls-Chapter-2-Daggerfall-PC-DOS-and-Windows-1996-CD-Big-Box-/302292448255?hash=item466208b3ff:g:e34AAOSwWiBY-4Py
Everquest: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Everquest-BIG-BOX-FACTORY-SEALED-BRAND-NEW-Very-rare-Verant-3DFX-/272580092294?hash=item3f770a2186:g:LyIAAOSw32lYo57l
I remember seeing the box on the shelf in Electronics Boutique in early 2000 when I decided to see what this game was all about. It was the game box that really got me excited to find out what the game was. The back especially stirs up a dormant feeling and elecits some kind of response that is hard to describe. Somehow though, it's able to bring me right back to that day. Little did I know I would have an incredible 5 year journey across a foreign land known as Norrath, or the friends I would make along the way. Friends, in some cases, I still talk to 17 years later.
Anyone have any similar stories?
I hope they do all digital to save on their cost structure. Boxes are a complete waste of money that could be used elsewhere in development in my opinion. Small firms like VR need to save cash wherever they can and going all digital would be much easier.
kaifus said:I hope they do all digital to save on their cost structure. Boxes are a complete waste of money that could be used elsewhere in development in my opinion. Small firms like VR need to save cash wherever they can and going all digital would be much easier.
They can drive sales and can get the attention of new customers who otherwise would not have tried the game. Much like I did with the original EQ. That brought them that box sale + 5 years of revenue from me. That said, my thought was of a collectors edition at this point since I dont even know if stores like GameStop even have pc sections anymore.
kaifus said:I hope they do all digital to save on their cost structure. Boxes are a complete waste of money that could be used elsewhere in development in my opinion. Small firms like VR need to save cash wherever they can and going all digital would be much easier.
As much as I love my boxes and collectables...I am hoping that they don't do it for the initial launch and that the game booms right off the bat. Then expansions can have box collector editions.
I normally pay 150-275 dollars for a collectors edition, but I have such faith here I dropped 500 on a boxless edition.
I would invest more but with medical bills from my wife being ill, bills and morgage, 4 dogs 2 cats 6 rats, ect...I can't affod 100 bucks a month until after this year when I should be getting a large promotion.
The items I got from the Vanguard CE were pretty neat. I would say though that I would be equally happy with a digital version of that map and the CD from that set. Alternatively, the ability to purchase physical items from an online store portal similar to the way Blizzard does it, even if limited edition, would be nice feature.
See https://www.pantheonmmo.com/content/forums/topic/5297/collector-s-edition
kaifus said:I hope they do all digital to save on their cost structure. Boxes are a complete waste of money that could be used elsewhere in development in my opinion. Small firms like VR need to save cash wherever they can and going all digital would be much easier.
Let's be honest, that's their prerogative. We don't know their financial situation. They're obviously going to do whatever is in the best interest of the company. So if they think they can make a profit from Collector's Editions, then they'll do it. But if they don't think it's worth it, then they won't. This is not their first rodeo. They've shown financial prudence in other areas such as delaying hiring voice actors to do voice overs for the game as it can quickly become a money pit. So I don't think we have to worry about the game collapsing because they decided to buy a bunch of shiny boxes.
Just FYI as Kilsin doesn't really like it when people talk like they know how to spend VR's money better than VR. It's literally none of our business.
I walked into EB Games in the mall back in 2000. I was looking for a new game to play on my new computer. The first one I had ever purchased myself. While running around the store I found this game that for some reason caught my eye. Everquest: Ruins of Kunark. I hadn't heard of Everquest before, being rather new to PC gaming. As I read the box I got really excited. I bought the game not even realizing it was online. When I got home I found out you need an internet connection to play. I did not have internet at the time. I installed the game and started the offline tutorial. I loaded the game and started running around on the only character, Soandso. I played that tutorial every day for six months until I finally found out from a friend that I could get free internet service from Net Zero! I got the installer from him, which was on four 3.5" floppy disks. I installed the client and connected my modem to the phone line and dialed in. I played EQ for almost a year with the Net Zero banner half showing inside the game UI. I couldn't click on anything at the top of the game screen.
If I had not had a physical box, with a physical disk, I never would have played Everquest. The box caught my eye and the tutorial on the game disk got me hooked. I wouldn't have hunted down an ISP if not for that tutorial. I REALLY would like a physical box. I have already pledged and will get the two digital copies, but i'd buy a third for the physical box.
I am all for the game box. I really like the hands on feel of having the box vs download. I do not know the cost of making the box and dvd but I am sure it is not that costly that they will completly reject this idea. I too used to roam the stores.EB,Egghead,and others looking for an interesting game and the box was the selling point. In the last few years the boxes have gotten really small and the items you get with them is not worth the price you pay. Give me the old 8inch by 11 inch box with a manual showing the classes and races etc. A paper map would go a long way also.
kellindil said:I walked into EB Games in the mall back in 2000. I was looking for a new game to play on my new computer. The first one I had ever purchased myself. While running around the store I found this game that for some reason caught my eye. Everquest: Ruins of Kunark. I hadn't heard of Everquest before, being rather new to PC gaming. As I read the box I got really excited. I bought the game not even realizing it was online. When I got home I found out you need an internet connection to play. I did not have internet at the time. I installed the game and started the offline tutorial. I loaded the game and started running around on the only character, Soandso. I played that tutorial every day for six months until I finally found out from a friend that I could get free internet service from Net Zero! I got the installer from him, which was on four 3.5" floppy disks. I installed the client and connected my modem to the phone line and dialed in. I played EQ for almost a year with the Net Zero banner half showing inside the game UI. I couldn't click on anything at the top of the game screen.
If I had not had a physical box, with a physical disk, I never would have played Everquest. The box caught my eye and the tutorial on the game disk got me hooked. I wouldn't have hunted down an ISP if not for that tutorial. I REALLY would like a physical box. I have already pledged and will get the two digital copies, but i'd buy a third for the physical box.
HAHA Yes! I can relate! I used my friends fathers internet connection for years back in the early 2000s.
On Twitter, VR actually recently asked if people prefer digital or physical. Seems like most people preferred physical: https://twitter.com/PantheonMMO/status/855134070346469376/photo/1
kellindil said:I walked into EB Games in the mall back in 2000. I was looking for a new game to play on my new computer. The first one I had ever purchased myself. While running around the store I found this game that for some reason caught my eye. Everquest: Ruins of Kunark. I hadn't heard of Everquest before, being rather new to PC gaming. As I read the box I got really excited. I bought the game not even realizing it was online. When I got home I found out you need an internet connection to play. I did not have internet at the time. I installed the game and started the offline tutorial. I loaded the game and started running around on the only character, Soandso. I played that tutorial every day for six months until I finally found out from a friend that I could get free internet service from Net Zero! I got the installer from him, which was on four 3.5" floppy disks. I installed the client and connected my modem to the phone line and dialed in. I played EQ for almost a year with the Net Zero banner half showing inside the game UI. I couldn't click on anything at the top of the game screen.
If I had not had a physical box, with a physical disk, I never would have played Everquest. The box caught my eye and the tutorial on the game disk got me hooked. I wouldn't have hunted down an ISP if not for that tutorial. I REALLY would like a physical box. I have already pledged and will get the two digital copies, but i'd buy a third for the physical box.
Hahaha, I was so addicted I had to do the same thing on half of my weekends. Parents were divorced and one parent had DSL and the more frugal parent had "free" Netzero with the banner ads clipping through the game and pop ups knocking me to desktop. Still worth it.
Back in 2000 there really wasn't much of a digital store to purchase from. Eveything back then came in boxes. Thats why they were so good art wise, to catch your attention even if the game was not very good.
Now days I don't go into a computer store to see whats there. there hardly is anything anyway, it is all PS or Xbox. Nothing much for the PC.
I stuck with getting boxes and avoiding digital a lot longer than most people. But I think the train has left the station and suspect that boxes won't do much to attract people.
One option is having boxes available as an extra cost item when you order the game, whether you order it from VR, Amazon, Steam or whoever is used as a distribution channel. If they aren't convinced the cost of printing boxes and contents will generate enough upgrade orders to be worth it, they can say something like "Box will be sent only if 1,000 or more people order it - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED THE EXTRA COST FOR THE BOX UNTIL IT SHIPS". The box can include various extras to make the extra cost seem worthwhile to customers.
Many of us call this option a collectors edition or the like. Of course there can be digital premium editions too with more in-game goodies. Most of us will agree that these should not be "pay to win" items OR as good as the items given for pledging. Perhaps there should be an a la carte list of order options spanning the gamut from nothing other than the basic game and a month's subscription to a premium digital edition with the box.
Needless to say however this works VR will doubtlessly consider having a pre-order package as well.
Bazgrim said:On Twitter, VR actually recently asked if people prefer digital or physical. Seems like most people preferred physical: https://twitter.com/PantheonMMO/status/855134070346469376/photo/1
I still dont think they would do it. While some could argue having a ratail presence could help drive some sales its still a bigger investment than just releasing digital. Either way I doubt it'll really help much for a relatively unknown game unless they really go all out with full retail displays and what not.
And for what? I always go for box copy but unless its console games you have little choice anymore, even a physical PC purchase will just give piece of paper with a freaking printed code to download digital. This wouldnt be so bad if it wasnt by way of a forced spyware/DRM "game client" but it is... so I mostly buy old school GOG games on PC while others I may buy a steam key for moraility reasons then play the "alternative version" from elsewhere.
Since Kilsen hasn't closed this yet and I don't tweet, I would love to have a box copy, I still have every game box that I have played and would like to add Pantheon to the library.
If they only offered as an online sale and not a full retail release I think they would do alright.
I'm a box collector as well and remember when game stores where more computer and less console. I have every PC game and original Nintendo console games I have bought since 1984 with disks in storage containers in my basement since I took down my bookselves. Close to some 2000 titles mostly back then no on-line presence single player campaign games. Then again I still have every D&D / AD&D module since 1978 in containers as well. Only thing I have yet to put in storage is my DVD / VHS collection which is close to 3000 movies. Wish I could play alot of those older games, but unfortunately as computers advanced older games became un-playable.
Y a know what? I want the GAME.. I don't care if I have to buy a box or a code to download or even pucker up to Aradune's south bound side when he is heading north.. I want the GAME!!! Once I have the game everything else becomes reletive to the actually playing the game :) I know there is interest in discussion of the box or no box, hardcopy or digital or cloud or whatever but lets be honest here people we all want the game REGARDLESS of how we have to purchase it :)
I'm completely prejudiced in this, as I have no facts, but I imagine many of the older mmo players ( likely a large portion of the Pantheon player base) might be more susceptible to more old fashioned forms of marketing. Such as a box they find at the store they go to to purchase computer parts/games for their children.