Rewind: Chapter 1: Pg 2 1-17-11
Elepire is Dirty: 2-1-11
NEW SERIES! Starts 2011!
SHADOW BAND! New Song Debuts Soon!
Virtual Sketchbook! Updates Coming soon!
***I know I haven't edited this in a while, but since I'm starting back up anyway, I figured I'd start with a letter I sent out to Capcom about Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3.***
Hello Capcom (and subsequently, the agent who received this letter),
My name is D. Houston, and I have been a devout follower of your brand since I was old enough to say your name. Something about the nostalgic difficulty curve of Mega Man will always stay with me, as will the delightfully diverse games you guys release. There's always a Capcom game for any type of gamer, and that deserves respect.
Having said that, I was super stoked when you guys finally announced Marvel vs Capcom 3. Being an independent developer myself, I understood that bringing this game to fruition AT ALL was no small task (legally AND technically), and I wanted to show my support of the efforts you guys poured into the game buy purchasing the best version you guys had to offer. Sure I was basically unemployed (at the time); sure the extra comic PROBABLY wouldn't be the best thing ever; sure I had to wait for my downloadable characters JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE; none of that was important. I wanted to show my support of a hard fought victory on your end, and so I excitedly plopped my $70+ dollars into the coffers of the the gaming industry.
The game releases and I feel that on all sides, justice has been done, and Capcom sleeps well knowing at least one guy supports their hard work and effort.
But then you guys spring a surprise on me: After definitively stating that certain characters wouldn't appear in your game, they magically surface, and under a new title too: Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom, and I realize that, for the 4th time in 2 years, you guys have "Upgraded" yet ANOTHER game I bought at launch (Resident Evil 5, Street Fighter 4 AND Super Street Fighter 4).
Even still, I figured, just as always you guys would come through and AT least offer the new content at a discount, recognizing the people who helped make the game popular enough IN THE FIRST PLACE to even support an add-on. But I was wrong. You all have decided that the $70 I put down for the game the first time for your now defunct "Collectors Edition" wasn't enough and that those who held out should be totally rewarded for MY (yep, I'm calling it) efforts in making "Ultimate" a reality. And while I'm sure many people will complain and still buy the upgrade, I'm severely torn.
I recognize that you deserve compensation for add-ons to games, and more than most companies you guys make TRUE add-ons. Your games are definitely complete with or without the extras. My gripe here is that I'm constantly watching people "wait" for the "real" editions of your games lately, knowing that if SOMEONE doesn't take the financial hit that version may never become a reality. At least when I paid for the add-ons at a reduced price, I could justify it buy saying: "An extra $15 is totally OK because I got to play before ANYONE else". This isn't the case this time.
Despite what I feel was a complete lie (Nemisis, Frank West, and Phoenix Wright being legit examples as you guys made various excuses as to why they just COULDN'T be in this game), I just happen to be broke now.
The job market has been tough on me for the past two years because I suffer from both Narcolepsy AND Cataplexy (making it hard to stay "active" in a field like programming), so all of my non-bill related purchases have to be thought out carefully. I'm also the bread winner for my household and my extended family as well.
Telling me, "Thanks for the $70, now fork over $40 more," really, REALLY stinks, Capcom. I know you guys work to earn the money you ask for a game, but I work to earn the money I spend to give it to you. While the argument you might make is, "Well maybe you should wait next time,", is that really something you could (or should) be saying to customers, loyalists or casual? If every cash strapped person waited for the possibility of an "Ultimate" version of this (or any other) game, can you honestly say you would have even made it?
What am I supposed to do, Capcom?
Everyone (especially you guys) knows that sequels, add-ons and other extras are directly linked to the FINANCIAL response of the original release. Releasing a game that people talk up in forums and reviews but never actually buy will ENSURE it's quick demise. You rely on guys like me to show that early support so that you can justify making the games even better. It's not fair to look down on the work I had to do in order to show that support, and it's even more unfair to ignore it.
I'm certain that, whomever is reading this probably has absolutely nothing they can do about this predicament and will probably just log this case as "resolved". In most cases it is, except I really take to heart the efforts people in the field I work in make to produce quality products, and that for all their hard work those in marketing are making it hard for people like me to continue recognizing it.
I would hope this could filter it's way to the higher ups who need to see this so they can think a bit harder about how they want to treat the people they rely on for their bread money, because I think this time I have to spend mine on actual bread.
It's like that old saying, "Fool me one time, shame on you. Fool me 4 times, shame on me." I'm sure whoever said it wasn't talking about you guys though.
Thanks for everything,
D.Houston - Hardcore Gamer, Devout Fan, Super Awesome Nerd.
Hello Capcom (and subsequently, the agent who received this letter),
My name is D. Houston, and I have been a devout follower of your brand since I was old enough to say your name. Something about the nostalgic difficulty curve of Mega Man will always stay with me, as will the delightfully diverse games you guys release. There's always a Capcom game for any type of gamer, and that deserves respect.
Having said that, I was super stoked when you guys finally announced Marvel vs Capcom 3. Being an independent developer myself, I understood that bringing this game to fruition AT ALL was no small task (legally AND technically), and I wanted to show my support of the efforts you guys poured into the game buy purchasing the best version you guys had to offer. Sure I was basically unemployed (at the time); sure the extra comic PROBABLY wouldn't be the best thing ever; sure I had to wait for my downloadable characters JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE; none of that was important. I wanted to show my support of a hard fought victory on your end, and so I excitedly plopped my $70+ dollars into the coffers of the the gaming industry.
The game releases and I feel that on all sides, justice has been done, and Capcom sleeps well knowing at least one guy supports their hard work and effort.
But then you guys spring a surprise on me: After definitively stating that certain characters wouldn't appear in your game, they magically surface, and under a new title too: Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom, and I realize that, for the 4th time in 2 years, you guys have "Upgraded" yet ANOTHER game I bought at launch (Resident Evil 5, Street Fighter 4 AND Super Street Fighter 4).
Even still, I figured, just as always you guys would come through and AT least offer the new content at a discount, recognizing the people who helped make the game popular enough IN THE FIRST PLACE to even support an add-on. But I was wrong. You all have decided that the $70 I put down for the game the first time for your now defunct "Collectors Edition" wasn't enough and that those who held out should be totally rewarded for MY (yep, I'm calling it) efforts in making "Ultimate" a reality. And while I'm sure many people will complain and still buy the upgrade, I'm severely torn.
I recognize that you deserve compensation for add-ons to games, and more than most companies you guys make TRUE add-ons. Your games are definitely complete with or without the extras. My gripe here is that I'm constantly watching people "wait" for the "real" editions of your games lately, knowing that if SOMEONE doesn't take the financial hit that version may never become a reality. At least when I paid for the add-ons at a reduced price, I could justify it buy saying: "An extra $15 is totally OK because I got to play before ANYONE else". This isn't the case this time.
Despite what I feel was a complete lie (Nemisis, Frank West, and Phoenix Wright being legit examples as you guys made various excuses as to why they just COULDN'T be in this game), I just happen to be broke now.
The job market has been tough on me for the past two years because I suffer from both Narcolepsy AND Cataplexy (making it hard to stay "active" in a field like programming), so all of my non-bill related purchases have to be thought out carefully. I'm also the bread winner for my household and my extended family as well.
Telling me, "Thanks for the $70, now fork over $40 more," really, REALLY stinks, Capcom. I know you guys work to earn the money you ask for a game, but I work to earn the money I spend to give it to you. While the argument you might make is, "Well maybe you should wait next time,", is that really something you could (or should) be saying to customers, loyalists or casual? If every cash strapped person waited for the possibility of an "Ultimate" version of this (or any other) game, can you honestly say you would have even made it?
What am I supposed to do, Capcom?
Everyone (especially you guys) knows that sequels, add-ons and other extras are directly linked to the FINANCIAL response of the original release. Releasing a game that people talk up in forums and reviews but never actually buy will ENSURE it's quick demise. You rely on guys like me to show that early support so that you can justify making the games even better. It's not fair to look down on the work I had to do in order to show that support, and it's even more unfair to ignore it.
I'm certain that, whomever is reading this probably has absolutely nothing they can do about this predicament and will probably just log this case as "resolved". In most cases it is, except I really take to heart the efforts people in the field I work in make to produce quality products, and that for all their hard work those in marketing are making it hard for people like me to continue recognizing it.
I would hope this could filter it's way to the higher ups who need to see this so they can think a bit harder about how they want to treat the people they rely on for their bread money, because I think this time I have to spend mine on actual bread.
It's like that old saying, "Fool me one time, shame on you. Fool me 4 times, shame on me." I'm sure whoever said it wasn't talking about you guys though.
Thanks for everything,
D.Houston - Hardcore Gamer, Devout Fan, Super Awesome Nerd.