Doom 3 Gets Info On Demo, Linux, DVD, Xbox

Eeknay writes "Following up yesterday's announcement about Doom 3 going Gold, id software today went into specifics on a Doom 3 demo and a Linux version of the full game, saying: 'We will release the demo as soon as it's done, but this probably won't happen until after the game has arrived on U.S. store shelves', and adding: 'Linux binaries will be available very soon after the PC game hits store shelves. There are no plans for boxed Linux games.'." Eurogamer also has a handy round-up of other Doom 3 news, noting, via CNN Money, that "Doom will apparently ship exclusively on CD", quoting Todd Hollenshead as saying of the Xbox version: "We can't say, at this point, that it's going to come out this year", and relaying on game length: "the [PC Gamer paper-mag] reviewer claims it took 23 hours to complete."

Comments

Doom 3 demo.

[Eeknay]

I still don't understand why more and more game companies push back demos to after the retail release; I want a demo to decide whether or not I want to buy your game. The sooner you give that to me, the sooner I buy your game. Simple.

Re:Doom 3 demo.

[shaka999]

For a highly anticipated game it probably makes more sense to release the game and follow with the demo.

For a game that doesn't have public recognition it would be just the opposite.

If you game is already getting the press that DOOM3 is then getting a demo out early would be more likely to keep people from buying the game than to encourage them to buy the game. I know this has worked on me several times. I go buy a hyped game and find out it sucks later. If there had been a demo I wouldn't have made the purchase.

Now, if nobody knows anything about you or your game getting a demo out may help people pay for the whole version.

Just my 2 cents....

Re:Doom 3 demo.

[kannibal_klown]

It depends on a lot of things.

Most people have already stated the obvious: a demo isn't really needed when a game has as much hype and fans as DOOM 3. They know they have those people locked into a sale.

But demos can hurt a game in many ways. For examples:

Deus Ex II: Invisible War - the demo showed everyone how sucky the game was. Poor performance, dummied-down concepts (hacking anyone), small maps, and weak relation to the original. It probably hurt sales, as some of those that were foaming at the mouth probably changed their minds or waited to get it as a gift for the holidays.

Ground Control II - they shot themselves in the foot with the demo. The demo is great! The game is great! One problem - the demo had so much content in it that nobody bought the friggin game. Hordes of people are still on the demo servers, as the only thing they are missing out on is a few maps. Only a small number of people are on the retail servers.

Between the time and funds that ned to go into fixing up a demo, it's more cost effective to get the interested early-birds to buy the games. You demo will do little to make them want it more.

The ones that will buy it later, let them hear about the polished game and then try the demo later.

Re:Multiple Binaries on CD

[Zed2K]

Why should they delay the windows version just so that people that run OS's that are such a small percentage of the population should be able to play at the same time?

It would be more convenient for linux and OSX users but not for Id or anyone else.

Re:Monitoring demand

[GeckoX]

STFU Troll, you as a linux user (or osx) are getting a good deal hear and you know it. Anyone that buys the boxed game, which is required to play the game on ANY platform, gives you access to play it on ANY platform they release binaries for in the future. This would include linux and OSX binaries apparantly in the VERY near future.

Do NOT turn this into yet another "poor us linux users abused again" argument, especially whey you're targeting it at one of the very few game companies that even give a flying fuck about linux.

You should be happy for chrissakes that you a) will even be able to play it on linux and b) that should you for some reason want to install it on both linux and windows (to prove how much better it is on linux of course, or whatever floats your boat) WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY FOR IT TWICE!

I know, I'm feeding the troll but I couldn't let that crap go without saying _something_.

Speed Demo People

[-=[Dr. AJAX]=-]

"Bah", I say to the alleged 23 hour completion time. Speed Demo people, I expect to see a 1 hr 37 min demo (maximum, of course) one week after Doom 3 hits the shelves.