We all like demos. No matter what our platform of choice, we all love free demos. But we don't trust them do we? Well, we trust them more than trailers. The problem with demos is always that they are so limited though.
Something else we don't like are PC demos that play okay on our battered old Apricot (we've updated it to DOS 5 now and Windows 3.1), so you go and buy the full game, and it makes the entire system fail.
So, when Criterion announced that "Like both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions, this (PC) product combines the original Burnout Paradise with all the incredible support content we’ve developed so far! That means our Cagney Pack update, the Bikes Pack and the forthcoming Party Pack are all included", we were quite moved but not utterly.
Then we read, "Here’s what you didn’t know - anyone will be able to trial the game for FREE."
Okay, we thought, a free trial. Big deal. Who is going to pay for a trial?
Then we read, "When the full game’s released in Feb ’09, we want all our PC players to be sure it runs perfectly on their system, before they commit to buying it. We also love the game and feel confident that if you try it, you’ll want to sign up for more!"
That sounded sensible. In fact that sounded laudable. So we read on...
"In Burnout Paradise, you’re free to explore a massive city, loaded with fun things to do and places to go. Pull up at any of the 120 junctions to start one of 5 event types – Burning Route, Marked Man, Stunt Run, Race and Road Rage. See if you can find the beach, quarry, dirt track and airfield playgrounds spread through our five boroughs. The city also morphs seamlessly into an online world anytime you want to hook up with your friends and cruise around beating challenges."
Even online? In a trial? That could be fun, but we bet that we won't be able to visit the bits we've visited in our Xbox 360 and PS3 playing hours. But then we read, "So rather than restricting what you can do, we're letting you play through the start of the full game for a limited period.
"That’s right, you can go anywhere in Paradise City and check out everything on offer."
Bloody hell. That makes total sense. Surely, though, it's a super-limited edition; wait by your inbox for a private invitation sort of a thing?
"In Feb '09, the demo will be available from www.criteriongames.com and www.ea.com, but we’ll also be distributing millions of disks. Once you’ve installed the demo, you don’t need the disk to play, so you’re free to share it around. "
Share it!? This is a superb thing to do and restores our faith in video game makers. It's late in the year, but this rates very highly on the "Best Things that Have Happened in Gaming in 2008". Let's hope others follow the example.
Find out more here.
Something else we don't like are PC demos that play okay on our battered old Apricot (we've updated it to DOS 5 now and Windows 3.1), so you go and buy the full game, and it makes the entire system fail.
So, when Criterion announced that "Like both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions, this (PC) product combines the original Burnout Paradise with all the incredible support content we’ve developed so far! That means our Cagney Pack update, the Bikes Pack and the forthcoming Party Pack are all included", we were quite moved but not utterly.
Then we read, "Here’s what you didn’t know - anyone will be able to trial the game for FREE."
Okay, we thought, a free trial. Big deal. Who is going to pay for a trial?
Then we read, "When the full game’s released in Feb ’09, we want all our PC players to be sure it runs perfectly on their system, before they commit to buying it. We also love the game and feel confident that if you try it, you’ll want to sign up for more!"
That sounded sensible. In fact that sounded laudable. So we read on...
"In Burnout Paradise, you’re free to explore a massive city, loaded with fun things to do and places to go. Pull up at any of the 120 junctions to start one of 5 event types – Burning Route, Marked Man, Stunt Run, Race and Road Rage. See if you can find the beach, quarry, dirt track and airfield playgrounds spread through our five boroughs. The city also morphs seamlessly into an online world anytime you want to hook up with your friends and cruise around beating challenges."
Even online? In a trial? That could be fun, but we bet that we won't be able to visit the bits we've visited in our Xbox 360 and PS3 playing hours. But then we read, "So rather than restricting what you can do, we're letting you play through the start of the full game for a limited period.
"That’s right, you can go anywhere in Paradise City and check out everything on offer."
Bloody hell. That makes total sense. Surely, though, it's a super-limited edition; wait by your inbox for a private invitation sort of a thing?
"In Feb '09, the demo will be available from www.criteriongames.com and www.ea.com, but we’ll also be distributing millions of disks. Once you’ve installed the demo, you don’t need the disk to play, so you’re free to share it around. "
Share it!? This is a superb thing to do and restores our faith in video game makers. It's late in the year, but this rates very highly on the "Best Things that Have Happened in Gaming in 2008". Let's hope others follow the example.
Find out more here.
Comments
Andrew 11 Dec 2008 00:26
1/1
Play flash games and be lucky :) http://pcgamesx.com