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Macintosh support forum for Eschalon: Book I
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Saxon1974
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Post by Saxon1974 »

I dont have a Macinstosh but anyone have any idea if there are many Mac gamers out there? Any ideas as to the percentage of gamers that are Mac users? 10%? 30%? I honestly have no idea.
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macdude22
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Post by macdude22 »

Oh I'd figure the same % ratio as Windows users (though I couldn't guestimate what that is). Though I think there may be a a higher proportion of Mac users drawn to this game than Windows users, I know we flock to the Spiderweb goods. I think we're used to quality shareware too, I know a lot of Windows users that cringe at the word shareware due to the unbelievable amount of garbage shareware in the windows world.

I suspect a higher proportion of Mac users are Console gamers though than Windows users. Just from my limited observations. Might be because there are fewer games (though a higher proportion of better games, the bad ones seem to get weeded out before they are brought over). I know I just prefer sittin in my comfortable chair hittin the goods on my big screen.......Nothing like 8-bit FF via a Messiah Nex on the ol HD. That's puttin it to good use.
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Saxon1974
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Post by Saxon1974 »

macdude22 wrote:Oh I'd figure the same % ratio as Windows users (though I couldn't guestimate what that is). Though I think there may be a a higher proportion of Mac users drawn to this game than Windows users, I know we flock to the Spiderweb goods. I think we're used to quality shareware too, I know a lot of Windows users that cringe at the word shareware due to the unbelievable amount of garbage shareware in the windows world.

I suspect a higher proportion of Mac users are Console gamers though than Windows users. Just from my limited observations. Might be because there are fewer games (though a higher proportion of better games, the bad ones seem to get weeded out before they are brought over). I know I just prefer sittin in my comfortable chair hittin the goods on my big screen.......Nothing like 8-bit FF via a Messiah Nex on the ol HD. That's puttin it to good use.
The same percentage as users? That doesn't sound right to me, but what do I know I could be way off :) Sure seems like there are alot more PC user's from what I see.
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Post by BasiliskWrangler »

How can we get some Spiderweb fans to take a look at Eschalon, without going to Spiderweb's forums and trolling the game? I know last year someone mentioned Eschalon there...and later the thread mysteriously disappeared.
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macdude22
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Post by macdude22 »

Saxon1974 wrote:
The same percentage as users? That doesn't sound right to me, but what do I know I could be way off :) Sure seems like there are alot more PC user's from what I see.
I mis-phrased I think. What I mean is the ratio is the same I would expect, say X% of windows users are gamers than about the same % of Mac users are gamers. Maybe slightly higher on the windows side. Numarically more Windows gamers, ala more Windows users but I don't expect the actual ratio of users to gamers to be much different, in fact I think the ratio of windows computer gamers might be higher but Macintosh console gamers may be higher as well.

I don't think the question was quite right, the question aught to be What percentage of Windows users are gamers and what percentage of Mac users are gamers? Is it different, higher, lower? Are Mac gamers more likely to game on a console? Are windows gamers more likely to game on a computer? Are Mac users or Windows users more likely to be "casual" gamers? Discuss.

It's actually a rather complex question when you think about it. Unfortunately I doubt any of us have the statistical data to prove what we may believe based on personal anecdotal evidence.
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Post by focus »

BasiliskWrangler wrote:How can we get some Spiderweb fans to take a look at Eschalon, without going to Spiderweb's forums and trolling the game? I know last year someone mentioned Eschalon there...and later the thread mysteriously disappeared.
It is a shame if Spiderweb have that attitude.

I know that I only heard about Spiderweb after I read an interview where BW was asked how his game would compare to Spiderwebs which led me to wondering who they were. So in my case Spiderweb got some sales off the back of Basilisk Games. Dissappointing if they won't reciprocate.
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macdude22
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Post by macdude22 »

You guys should join forces and make the Retro RPG Alliance The RRPGA........I'm not in marketing, thats a terrible acronym. You'll need someone smarter than I to come up with a cool one.
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Post by Necromis »

actually BW cannot use RPGA as that already exists for Role play game association. It is for D&D style paper and pencil gamers.
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Post by GSV3MiaC »

BasiliskWrangler wrote:How can we get some Spiderweb fans to take a look at Eschalon, without going to Spiderweb's forums and trolling the game? I know last year someone mentioned Eschalon there...and later the thread mysteriously disappeared.
Ask Jeff nicely? Offer to share sales/demo information, and cross market his games here (we already did I think).
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txa1265
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Post by txa1265 »

I plan to do a Mac review (I review for RPGWatch and GamerDad) and post a link on the IMG forums, and hopefully they will do their own review as well.
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Post by dryden »

Send a free copy to MacWorld. Send emails to Peter Cohen telling about this great new RPG for the Mac.

http://www.macworld.com/topics/software/games/
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Post by PhilosophiX »

BasiliskWrangler wrote:How can we get some Spiderweb fans to take a look at Eschalon, without going to Spiderweb's forums and trolling the game? I know last year someone mentioned Eschalon there...and later the thread mysteriously disappeared.
If we have a discussion about Spiderweb and Avernum, then those words would be spidered and would bring these forums up in searches for Spiderweb. Thus people would see that and come here.

If you want a more direct way, why don't you make a deal with Spiderweb to do a mutual advertising swap...?
What is a man, If his chief good and market of his time Be but to sleep and feed? a beast, no more. Sure, he that made us with such large discourse, Looking before and after, gave us not that capability and god-like reason to fust in us unused.
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Post by PhilosophiX »

I see from screenshots of Avernum 5 that Jeff's added pillars that are at a different angle from the rest of the game so it looks as if they are not quite sitting right and about to topple over. Man I had just decided to buy Avernum 5 when it comes out for windows to satisfy my RPG cravings until Book II. Way to go Jeff! Guess I'll have to settle for Avernum 4 now, because those pillars would drive me nuts.

Anyway, I think cross marketing would work well since to be honest playing Book I has given me a thirst that will need quenched before Book II, and Jeff would be nuts not to see that standing together to build the market is a good strategy.

[Update] I've worked out what's wrong with the pillars. The rest of the game is Isometric (Definition: having equal dimensions or measurements), wheras the pillars and some of the furniture has perspective. So it's giving me a headache! A cupboard with different perspective sitting against an isometric wall... NO!!!!!!!!!!!!
What is a man, If his chief good and market of his time Be but to sleep and feed? a beast, no more. Sure, he that made us with such large discourse, Looking before and after, gave us not that capability and god-like reason to fust in us unused.
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Post by Siemova »

Actually, as I understand it, spiders don't usually index pages with ? in the URL. So that's not likely to work.

I think I'd agree with trying to work out a cross-advertising deal with Spiderweb. Something like, "Finished with Book I? Can't wait for Book II? Try Avernum 5 to tide you over!" and vice versa. I know there's a bit of de facto competition there, but not so much that it wouldn't be beneficial to team up rather than try to shoot each other down or simply ignore each other.
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txa1265
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Post by txa1265 »

Siemova wrote:I know there's a bit of de facto competition there
But *WHY*???!?!?!?!

These guys are BOTH serving an under-served community of hardcore RPG gamers looking for excellent experiences heavy on gameplay ... and both are delivering excellent results. The games are cheap - heck, you can buy *both* Av5 and EschBk1 for less than a single 'next gen' console game.

This seems like it should be an opportunity to team up to widen the audience rather than fight over it! Especially with the numbers the 'classic console' games for the Wii, PSN, XBLA and GameTap are doing ... the focus on gameplay is there, just looking to be exploited!
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