The Return Of Shareware Games

An anonymous reader writes "CNN has a new column up looking at the re-emerging trend of shareware as a means to distribute games. With development prices soaring and space on retail shelves getting scarce, smaller companies like PopCap Games and GarageGames are returning to gaming's roots - and making money in the process."

Comments

KDE Games

[Anonymous Coward]

I am just fine with the games that come with KDE. Not only can they entertain you, they may also build some intelligence.

I wonder why

[Disevidence]

With the emergence of games shipping unfinished, with so many bugs and really pathetic gameplay, is it any wonder shareware is coming back. Its the simple phrase - "Try before you buy".

Most development houses are pushed these days by publishers to get games out in peak selling periods, and often these games are lacking in more than a few departments. Thats why shareware could work once more, especially with ease of purchase over the internet and bandwidth these days.

Re:Shareware = Demo on release

[ctrl-alt-elite]

A lot of times, it wasn't just the demo but the full first episode of the game. That way, you got more than enough experience playing the actual game in order to decide whether you like it or not. This is a far cry from the "one level, two guns" approach that most games take nowadays, where you barely even get to see what the game is about befor you're presented with a screen telling you to buy the full version.

Then again, back in those days the gaming industry was a lot smaller and a lot less driven by hype machines. Could you imagine a game like Daikatana selling in the glory days of shareware, when sales were driven by word of mouth and 'gaming personalities' such as John Romero, Kilcreek, and Cliffy B were non-existent? Back then, they relied on a good shareware first episode to hook the player, not slick magazine ads or fancy movie tie-ins (*coughenterthematrixcough*).

But then again, maybe I'm just looking at the past through rose-coloured glasses here... ;]

Re:Is this good news for developers ?

[Doctor7]

I released one shareware game on the Atari ST, and had some success with a hybrid approach. The released version was the full playable game, and registering got you the editor, support files, and even the source code if you specifically asked for it. So anyone who just wanted to play the included scenarios (it was a wargaming system) was under no obligation, and those who did register had enough interest in creating content that they were worth corresponding with.

The registration fee was fairly nominal, I'd written the game for my own use and it was only the fact that it could be neatly divided into game and editor that prompted me to try a shareware release. A few people even sent more than I asked for on the basis that it had given them as much playing time as any commercial game.

Mind you, all this was in the days when recieving a registration meant sending out a floppy containing the new content. Being able to do everything on-line makes the whole business a lot easier, but it has also killed off the concept of public domain libraries, which were the primary way of getting the unregistered version out there in the first place.

Play before you buy

[phorm]

Really, if more games came out first as shareware, it's likely piracy might decrease.
Good thing about shareware include:

• Test the actual gameplay
• See how it runs on your hardware
• Not having to shell out for duds
• Bugfixes to pre-release shareware can help final releases be more stable

In many games, it should be hard to make a shareware copy. Just clip the game after X levels/scenes/items etc, and you've got a nice demo. Shareware could also be nice for hardware reviews, I seem to remember various hardware being tested on shareware versions of doom, etc - which provided a nicer "reality" benchmark than today's crackable Futuremark, etc

I did this recently..

[marcushnk]

I downloaded a "shareware" version of "Crimsonland" http://crimsonland.reflexive.com/crimsonland/

Got hooked, finished what I could and proceeded to whip out the CC to finish buying it..

Bastard addictive game it is too.. highly recommended for those that want a deceptivly simple challenge...

The games are on OS X, actually.

[lysium]

I was quite surprised when I came across the shareware offerings that are appearing on OS X. Ambrosia Software released what I have to say is the first innovative game I've seen in a long time. Uplink by Ambrosia Software-- a Gibsonish hacking simulator, in the sense that Elite and Frontier are economic simulators.

The first time I ran against an International Banking system, I actually started sweating as I watched the traceback get closer (so quickly) to my home system............ this will appeal to your inner hacker, perhaps as a guilty pleasure.

Most engrossing game experience since Half-Life. And at least six other games floating around the mac shareware sites of equal quality. Blows the hell out of anything commericial AND the noble offerings of Linux developers.

---------

Re:Low budget != automatic quality.

[Mac Degger]

"I don't think you are going to learn a whole ton from Unreal 2K (I could be wrong)."

Yeah...to 'try-before-you-buy' warez games before spending your hard earned cash on them.

I mean, I tried it for part of one level, and just deleted it from my HD; same-ol', same-ol' fps shit. GTA3:VC I played for ten minutes and then ran out to buy it (well, actually after 5 minutes of playing I knew I would buy it, so I played on for the rest of teh night and bought it the next day, but you get the picture :) ).

Then a week later I installed Alpha Centauri again (from my original cd) and have been playing that and Vice City in turns, between work, beach and going out.

Not usually shareware though

[gerardrj]

The problem with this article is that 90% of the "shareware" I download isn't shareware at all, it's a demo.

The way I (and most people I know) define these terms:

Shareware: Software distributed in a fully functioning, non-limited version. A request is distributed along with the software that asks the user to send some money to the author(s). whether or not you send the money, the software will have all features and not disable itself at any time. The software may have a "nag" screen that asks for you to send the fee.

Demo: Software that is disabled or restricted in some way from it's full version. To use the software's full feature set, or to use it for an ulimited amount of time requires you to pay a fee. Not paying the fee will cause the software to disable itself, or to continue to operate in a lesser manner than the full version.

Freeware: Shareware that has no request for money. the software is free.

Free Software: Similar to freeware, but the source code is usually available and usable by end users.

There is a VERY large push today (apparently backed by sites like Versiontracker) to use "shareware" and "demo" interchangeably. Sorry, but I just don't but it. I pay shareware fees when I use truely shareware software. I've decided to boycott any software that claims to be shareware but is in fact a demo.

Some software (such as BBEdit on the Mac) sort of blur the line a little. BBEdit Light is freeware, you may use all the program's features for as long as you like. But Light is also a demo for the full BBEdit which is commercial software that has more features than Light. There is also a true demo version of BBEdit that is lauch limited, then refuses to operate.