I'm Robby and i just registered here a minute ago. English is a secondary language to me, and i just woke up after a bad nights sleep, so forgive me if i fail to use words that makes sense in some sentences. I just really need to write this.
I came across this interesting-sounding strategy-game called A.I. War about fifteen minutes ago in the pirating scene, so i downloaded it illegally while heading over to the official website for the game to read more about it. From the very first minute onto the last sentence i read, it became clearer and clearer to me that there is something special about this company.
The game itself clearly is a worthy masterpiece of it own, though i haven't actually even played it yet. So a deep bow to all your amazing efforts to turn this game into the best it can be during these financially grim times. Even though this by itself is an inspiring feat, it's not the point here.
The first fact that you've chosen to release version 2.0 of the game as a free upgrade, with which you had hired a certain artist to help you improve the visuals of the game and which thereby logically should have made this version wear a price-tag, is the first thing that got my attention.
The second thing i noticed was that you openly recognize your customers as the ones who make your company even possible. The vast majority of companies today, in fact every single one that i can think of right now, have such a stuck up and smug policy of how to treat the people who makes their pay-checks possible. It's like they put on a blind-fold to their own customers' feedback and love for the game because the only reason they're even getting up in the morning is to try and go and make as much money as possible with as little effort as possible before they die. This makes me sick and it makes me very averted to purchasing their stuff even if i know it's the best there is.
The third thing was that you are plain amazing at giving your fans the change-log information that they so sorely want for version-changes. You even provided images of all new ships for version 2.0! This is something that most companies take for granted, and i sincerely hope that you never change this about yourselves because when you've made something that made people become the fans of that something, you've got a responsibility to let those fans know exactly what it is that you change about this something that they love.
The fourth was that you reveal so much information about your upcoming patches, DLCs and projects. I think it's amazing that you do this for your fans. Nuff said!
The fifth that you obviously work very hard with trying to make your games run on less-than-stellar computer hardware. This is another thing that most developers probably dont even reconize anymore.
The sixth and last fact (for now) is this:
"If you like our games, please buy them so that we can make more, but we're not about to start treating our real customers like thieves just to thwart the inevitable pirates. "
This is what totally sealed the deal for me. Do you guys even realize how unique that is? I can't believe that this company, apart from all the already great things, actually also happen to understand that DRM doesn't make than perhaps a few tiny percentage of difference. You focus on everything that is important to the customer, rather than to yourselves. You are the best!
Arcen games, you guys are the idols i didn't know i had. You guys are a very nice find for a guy sore from today's greed. You are in my eyes pioneers and champions in customer relations and that is the number one most inmportant thing to me. EVen more important than the quality of the game itself.
This 23 year old gaming veteran (now casual player after years of hard-core RTS and FPS playing) is due to your undisputed genuine spirit going to do something that he has never done before: purchase a game that he haven't tested and read a lot of reviews for first. The complete lack of greed and constant struggle to give your fans what they want is the most beautiful thing i have come across in a very long time and it actually makes me want to give you my money whether i'll even like the game or not. (Read and learn, EA games!)
I've got to get me some breakfast before i die from exhaustion here (which would be sad since i couldnt send you those 20 bucks for a license first
), but you're going to have a new, proud fan and owner of A.I War within the next hour due to your outstanding spirit.
For what its worth, this RTS expert officially salutes Arcen games with a tear in his eye. Your spirit means more to me than any game has ever meant. And that is probably the nicest thing i could ever say to anyone. This company has with its personality written a golden page in the hall of fame in my brains this day.
I'm going to be a proud follower of Arcen games from this day forward. Thank you again for shedding some light of decency into the cruel world of game-developing.
Edit: By the way, feel free to use any of this as oh what it's called again.. you know, when you show off what customers say about your products?
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Thank you x4000 for the heads-up and thanks to Arcen for adressing this issue.
