Stardock Releases '08 Customer Report

[Telefrog]

Brad Wardell and company once again proves that they can walk the walk. Remember that Gamers Bill of Rights? There was some criticism that it was all just empty marketing with no real substance. Well, Stardock has decided to fire back with a report detailing what they've done for customers and the status of certain projects.

Why this report

Stardock is a privately held corporation. It does not release its financials to the general public but the company has thrived by being very transparent to its customers. The objective of this report is to let people know what the company is currently doing and what it is planning to do next.

We will look at the 3 primary areas the company is currently focusing on: Impulse, the games, and its Windows desktop software.

We hope you find this report informative and interesting.

-Bradley Wardell President & CEO.

It's refreshingly honest and gives a bit of transparency into a "small" game developer/publisher. Brad isn't shy about pointing out flaws in Impulse, for example, and detailing target dates for improvements.

I know people will say it's just more Stardock marketing, but it's a damn good read anyway.

[JediSanf]

If this is marketing, consider me hooked.

That said, Impulse Phase 2 still has things it needs to take care of, such as:
1) Impulse still takes too long to load. It should be able to load in less than 3 seconds even without fast load.
2) The store needs to be improved. It’s still an awful experience.
3) The store lacks freeware. 99% of the software on it is either commercial or demos of commercial programs.
4) The .NET stuff is still troublesome – if you leave Impulse running for long periods of time, it will hang.
5) Still needs more content.

That's a group who speaks my language.


Re: DRM

Legitimate complaint: If a program wants to have a limited activation system, then it needs to provide a way to de-authorize other computers (ala iTunes).
 Legitimate complaint: A program should not be installing drivers or other hidden files on the system that use system resources.
 Legitimate complaint: Activation-based DRM means that if the publisher goes out of business or simply stops supporting their content that the customer can no longer use their legally purchased item.
 Legitimate complaint: Having an arbitrarily low limit on personal activations makes the program feel like it’s being rented.

llegitimate complaint: Keeps people from installing the program on as many PCs as they own. I own an office full of PCs. I don’t think Microsoft would be happy if I installed Office on all of them.
 Illegitimate complaint: Keeps people from easily having LAN parties with their game. We allow this but demonizing publishers who frown on this seems unreasonable.
 Illegitimate complaint: Requires people to get updates through a specific source (Steam, Impulse, publisher secure website, etc.). This is one of our biggest pet peeves. If a game ships and there’s some bug found that materially affects gameplay, then sure, put out a patch wherever. However, we’ve had users complain loudly that Sins of a Solar Empire v1.1 (essentially a free expansion pack) requires Impulse to download. Publishers have every right to make sure the people downloading updates are legitimate customers.
 Illegitimate complaint: Makes it harder for people to resell programs. (Not saying reselling
programs is right or wrong, only that it is not the function of DRM to make it hard or easy to do this, it’s a separate issue.)
 Illegitimate complaint: DRM is just wrong in principle, you buy something, you own it and should be able to do whatever you want. This is a view held by some but the person who makes the thing has the right to distribute it how they want. If I spend $5 million making a game, someone paying $50 doesn’t “own” it. There has to be some middle ground on serving customers and protecting IP holders.

Everyone of these responses is reasonable. God, I'd love to work for this company.

[fitbabits]

Moved to the front page. Stardock - keep doing what you're doing.

[neutralism]

Strategy Game 2010: The fantasy strategy game

Stardock has also been developing a new fantasy strategy game franchise. It has been described on the Internet as “Not-MOM” (as in, Not Master of Magic). It’s a turn-based strategy game that supports random map generation, integrated modding, city building, unit design, tactical combat, multiplayer, incredibly powerful magical spells, and much more.

It is scheduled to go into beta prior to June 2009.

[PathMaster]

Great info coming from Stardock.

Stardock has also been developing a new fantasy strategy game franchise. It has been described on the Internet as “Not-MOM” (as in, Not Master of Magic). It’s a turn-based strategy game that supports random map generation, integrated modding, city building, unit design, tactical combat, multiplayer, incredibly powerful magical spells, and much more.

That sounds sexy.

[jpublic]

If they keep their policy of allowing pre-order customers to beta test games prior to release, I'm buying Not-MoM.

[JayVe]

I'm constantly surprised at Stardock. Keep up the good work kids. It feels great to read such a refreshingly honest corporate releases. Wish more companies followed suit.

1) Impulse still takes too long to load. It should be able to load in less than 3 seconds even without fast load.

This is my one (small) complaint. I don't like the "Fast Load" practice that Impulse and other (non-Stardock) software like Adobe Acrobat use. For those who don't know, Stardock's Impulse (and Acrobat!) load a portion of themselves into memory every time you start your computer. Then, if you happen to launch the software, it can appear on screen faster. That is sloppy, sloppy programming. Every time you turn on your machine, you are Loading software you may never even open during your session. That is wasteful and sloppy, and degrades the startup time of every computer in which the software in installed.

The good news is that Stardock is aware of this as a problem, and is trying to solve it.

[Ancalagon]

Holy crap, these guys cant be in the same industry as EA. There is no way that they can be involved in doing the same things as EA, and yet be so sensible and cool. Its impossible. Someone pinch me and tell me its time to get up for work. They actually understand our grievances with DRM? Can they explain them to EA? You know, one publisher to another. Think they would get it?

[JayVe]

Originally Posted by Ancalagon

Holy crap, these guys cant be in the same industry as EA.

Vote Stardock!
The Common Sense Candidate!

[NoName]

That document was a really interesting read.

What a novel concept, being open with your customers. It creates a strange feeling of empathy with the company and turns into more paying customers.

[Telefrog]

Originally Posted by NoName

That document was a really interesting read.

What a novel concept, being open with your customers. It creates a strange feeling of empathy with the company and turns into more paying customers.

It's crazy what happens when you build trust.

[JayVe]

Originally Posted by Telefrog

It's crazy what happens when you build trust.

Exactly! I'm wiling to give companies that have gone out of their way to be honest and open the benefit of the doubt. Like I said above, there are some issues I have with one of their products. Yet Stardock openly admits that. Their acknowledgment of their own flaws is VERY IMPORTANT! They aren't trying to tell me that their product is "perfect" when it obviously isn't.

[Hotcod]

*huggles stardock* at this rate there going to get me to have just as much as a man crush on them as i do for valve

[itchyeyes]

Originally Posted by Ancalagon

Holy crap, these guys cant be in the same industry as EA.

In a lot of ways they're not. Stardock still derives a large portion of its revenue from non-gaming related software (eg Windows Blinds). Even in respect to gaming, they're operating on completely different levels. Stardock's games are low budget games (both Gal Civ II and Sins cost less than $1 million to develop) aimed at niche markets.

I admire a lot of what Stardock does, but people too often think that every game developer in the industry should use Stardock as a template for their own business model. That's just not the way it works. Stardock plays by their own rules. That makes them a positive and welcome force in the Industry, but it doesn't make it a legitimate expectation that everyone else can emulate what they do with success.

[Ancalagon]

Originally Posted by itchyeyes

In a lot of ways they're not. Stardock still derives a large portion of its revenue from non-gaming related software (eg Windows Blinds). Even in respect to gaming, they're operating on completely different levels. Stardock's games are low budget games (both Gal Civ II and Sins cost less than $1 million to develop) aimed at niche markets.

I admire a lot of what Stardock does, but people too often think that every game developer in the industry should use Stardock as a template for their own business model. That's just not the way it works. Stardock plays by their own rules. That makes them a positive and welcome force in the Industry, but it doesn't make it a legitimate expectation that everyone else can emulate what they do with success.

No, actually I think I would like it if other publishers and developers played by similar rules, and I dont think the different scope makes a difference in what we can expect from game companies. I think its perfectly reasonable to set the bar as high as StarDock does. I dont think their revenue sources make a difference - Microsoft for example is mostly about non gaming software.

Besides, even larger and arguably more succesful companies, such as Valve and Blizzard, are more committed to openness and quality than EA. Both deliver quality and stupid DRM free products, and both keep supporting their games (heck you can still play StarCraft online!). StarDock may have one or two valid criticisms of Steam, but on the whole Valve is leagues ahead of EA in terms of game quality, and I dont think EA is catching up.

I think its perfectly legitimate to expect such things of EA, although I know quite well EA wont deliver, because EA is a business first, before anything else, and as such make short sighted decisions that ignore customer goodwill in favour of increased profits. To be honest I think EA underestimates how far goodwill can go, at their peril. I also dont know why EA being a larger and more complex business should mean we should say, "Poor EA, they are so much bigger, we should give them a rest and buy their shovelware crap loaded with DRM." Um no, I judge them as I judge any other publisher. They easily have the resources to out StarDock StarDock, but choose not to do so.

[MagGnome]

That fantasy TBS game sounds very interesting! I'm looking for something to fill that void that Age of Wonders once occupied, and I'm hoping this will be it.

[KingGorilla]

How can this be from 2008? None of this will be possible for at least 10 years. They are witches sent from hell itself.

[biosc1]

Originally Posted by neutralism

Strategy Game 2010: The fantasy strategy game

Stardock has also been developing a new fantasy strategy game franchise. It has been described on the Internet as “Not-MOM” (as in, Not Master of Magic). It’s a turn-based strategy game that supports random map generation, integrated modding, city building, unit design, tactical combat, multiplayer, incredibly powerful magical spells, and much more.

It is scheduled to go into beta prior to June 2009.

Finally just read this report...and yes, this little picture has me most intrigued