Well-Actually War Trall Spidweb Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 For a long time, Spiderweb Software has released rewritten versions of our older games. Until now, we have always sold the new version to owners of the older version at a discount. Alas, we now need to heavily modify that policy. We wanted to say a few words about what the new policy is and why we changed it. For many a year, Spiderweb was unusual among indie game developers in that we ran our own private store. Our custom store was able to handle giving players discounts based on what they had purchased already. However, maintaining these stores and buying the custom scripting they need to work has grown extremely expensive and time-consuming. So we have had to switch to selling our games through 3rd parties, like Steam, the Mac App Store, gog.com, and the Humble Store. This has made things cheaper and more convenient for our customers, but these systems don't allow the sort of scripting and customized pricing we would need to keep offering individual discounts. We are very sad to say individual buyers of our older games won't be able to get immediate cash discounts anymore. Instead, we offer some options: 1. If we release a rewrite of a game and you purchased an older version, you can get a complimentary copy of the hint book for the new version for the first 3 months after release of the rewrite. To get this, email us at support@spiderwebsoftware.com. Give the name and address you ordered the game from and say where you purchased it (Spiderweb, Steam, Humble Bundle, etc). 2. In the new game economy, sales are very common, especially on Steam. If you can wait a few months, you should be able to get the game at a discount similar to what you would have gotten under the old system. We're sorry that changes in the game industry have made this necessary. We fought it for years, but, in the end, we needed to go with the flow. Many thanks to all of the good people who have supported us for the last couple decades, and we hope that our decisions will help, in some small way, to make up for the change. - Jeff Vogel SurraAgob, Edgwyn, Slawbug and 5 others 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rotghroth Rhapsody madrigan Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 (edited) I understand this decision and have no problem continuing to support your company. Will Crystal Souls be available on Steam only, then? Sorry if I'm being dense, Spiderweb games are the only ones I play and I have no idea how other distribution channels work. Edited January 14, 2015 by madrigan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenderfoot Thahd vixenk99 Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 I have the same question as madrigan, so no, you're not dense, unless both of us are All the other Spiderweb games that I've played have been either gifted to me, or purchased thru cheaper sites...this time around with Crystal Souls, I wish to buy via this site. I want what I pay to go solely to Jeff, no middle man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Alorael at Large Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 I didn't realize until you brought it up, but it does look like Jeff's saying that, doesn't it? But I don't think he is. The Spiderweb store will remain in operation, at least for a while, but orders will be simpler. No discounts for owning previous incarnations of the remakes. —Alorael, who thinks the dissolution of Spiderweb's in-house store would get a slightly more eye-grabbing topic title. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unflappable Drayk Edgwyn Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 While hovering over the spiderweb site waiting for A:CS to come out, I have noticed some changes. It looks like SW has automated its system where if you order from the game's page on their website, you have the choice of PayPal and Amazon and you are automatically sent your registration code. The order form option is still on the website and it accepts V/MC/AMEX, but it is hand processed, and so it might take a little longer to get your registration code that way. When Avadon 2 came out I did my order over the phone because I did not trust the web connection where I happened to be to keep my credit card info secure. So, it looks like there are still plenty of ways to pay Jeff directly the full price and avoid Steam for those of us who prefer to do so. How long this will last before SW goes to distribution solely through Steam/GoG/App Store/whatever you would have to ask them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ineffable Wingbolt TriRodent Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 I saw if for sale on GOG this morning (a nice front page/initial slideshow of games placement) so that's at least 3 different places that it's for sale (Steam, GOG & SW itself) & probably more. As to the topic at hand, it's perfectly understandable. Keeping track of decades old customer info (information that probably 2 addresses, 3 phone #s & 5 email addresses out of date....) is something that would take a lot of time for very little return. I would much rather that you put your time into getting A3 & the return to the surface in the works... so when's that coming out ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasoned Roamer Dire Hobbit Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Give the name and address you ordered the game from and say where you purchased it (Spiderweb, Steam, Humble Bundle, etc). I'm not sure what this means. Does it mean my geographical/mail address? I'm probably being dense. I became reacquainted with Spiderweb rpgs when they were first released on steam and then the original Avernum trilogy via the humblebundle. Since then (post Avadon) I've bought them on day of release. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Randomizer Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 He means usually the email name and address used to order if done online. It probably helps to use the name and address if ordered by phone or snail mail and include it too to help locate the original order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasoned Roamer Dire Hobbit Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Thanks. The last time I ordered from Spiderweb itself was blades of exile in the 90s. Anyway - apologies - now I reread this isn't aimed at someone like me who isn't purchasing via spiderweb's own store. I'm not an "individual buyer". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fledgling Fyora Nartak Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 Hey Jeff, I'm a long time fan of the series and I own every copy of your games since classic Exile. You can see from my user ID that I'm in these forums since 2004, hence the fact that I never log in and only lurk from time to time. I logged in today, just to tell you that I can totally understand your reasons behind the decision. I think it's okay! I will always buy your games, as they are one of the very rare games that I can play till the end and still enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrulous Glaahk ixfd64 Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 Funny understandable. On a somewhat related note: seeing that the original Exile series is now freeware, is there any chance that those three games will eventually go open source? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rotghroth Rhapsody Locmaar Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Ordering from spidweb.com forwards you to Humble Bundle plus you get a free Steam key. So I guess that means the spidweb store is no longer working as a store but rather as a humble hub. Still, that's where I ordered from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rotghroth Rhapsody Luca Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 I'm still sad that the days of mailing a money order to Seattle and getting a physical CD and hintbook are gone. Even if the pages were out of order sometimes. Locmaar 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrulous Glaahk macdude22 Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Ordering from spidweb.com forwards you to Humble Bundle plus you get a free Steam key. So I guess that means the spidweb store is no longer working as a store but rather as a humble hub. Still, that's where I ordered from. He's using the humble widget to process the sales. A lot of indie devs are going this route. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unflappable Drayk ĐªгŦĦ Єяŋϊε Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Does that get you the game in the humble store also? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyshakk Koan Hyena of Ice Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Normally I get upset when companies remove discounts-- but this I have no problem with, esp. since I was not aware of it in the first place-- besides that, I think a discount for previous owners of games that are more than 10 years old is incredibly generous. My only gripe with the new policy is that 3 months is not very long for a discount when purchasing via Humble, since, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Humble much closer to 1st party sale than the others? I mean, that's the default place to DL the games when purchasing through your site via Amazon (and I'm guessing Paypal) For sites like Steam that determine their own pricing, this gripe does not apply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrulous Glaahk Richard Bacon Posted June 18, 2019 Share Posted June 18, 2019 For years ive just been casually playing the Exile Trilogy and never actually tried or even purchased any newer titles from this company to play. The only reason I actually am even here is because I fond Exile 3 Ruined World on a shareware disc when I was 10 years old and played the demo until I had to email spiderweb for the unlock key (which was actually free too) lol. I might look into buying one of the newer games I guess, I just haven't liked that you don't get 6 party members. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrulous Glaahk Snowwhite Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 Re January 14 2015 post - Is this still in effect? I've never seen it before and I do own just about all Spiderweb games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrulous Glaahk Snowwhite Posted January 22 Share Posted January 22 Hi. Re post. Didn't get an answer and the new Geneforge game will be coming out soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Slawbug Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 Hi! What part are you asking about? This is basically just an announcement that the old policy is kaput (as of 2015) because it isn't viable to give previous-owner discounts in the modern app-store-centric world. If you're wondering about the free hint books, I'd suggest emailing the support address listed in the announcement to ask. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrulous Glaahk Snowwhite Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 "f we release a rewrite of a game and you purchased an older version, you can get a complimentary copy of the hint book for the new version for the first 3 months after release of the rewrite. To get this, email us at support@spiderwebsoftware.com. Give the name and address you ordered the game from and say where you purchased it (Spiderweb, Steam, Humble Bundle, etc)." I am hoping that I would qualify for the hint book for the new Geneforge game as I have owned the older one for a good while purchased from steam. That is the question I was asking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Slawbug Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 I suggest emailing the email address you quoted and asking. Amira The Hot Potato 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrulous Glaahk Snowwhite Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 Good idea. Thanks. I actually didn't think of doing that, at least until the new Geneforge 2 is released Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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