Thinking of buying AP but need more info...

from Stardock Forums
I would appreciate it if someone at Stardock could answer these questions (as opposed to a player who thinks they know the answer). I'm posting them here because I would guess I'm not the only one thinking them, especially at this particular point.

I'm assuming that if you have a GalCiv license, like me, you can still upgrade to Drengin.net. I didn't see that option at the ordering page. Did I miss it?

Anyway, I'll start by listing a fewe of facts, please correct me if they are wrong, because the questions that follow exist because of my understanding.

FACTS:

A) WIth a GalCiv license I'm entitled to all patches of GalCiv. (excluding expansion pack(s)) for as long as they keep making them.

B) With Drengin.net I'm entitled to all patches & expansions to GalCiv that are made within 1 year. I'm also entitled to a all the other games and patches/expansions made for that one year.

C) I can upgrade to Drengin.net. If I can't many questions are pointless because I obviously won't pay full price at this point. Oh yeah, and how much is it? Although if there is a spot to make this purchase I assume the price is listed.

That's what I understand the facts to be, and based on that, I have these questions:

1) If I upgrade to Drengin.net does that mean if there are bug fixes to GalCiv and expansion pack or one of the other games after the year is up I won't be able to download it?

2) If (1) is true, can I purchase AP seperately as I did GalCiv and be entitled to patches to it beyond a year?

Anyway, I guess it's only two questions. I'm mainly interested in GalCiv, so I'm trying to figure out which option is best for me.

Thanks
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Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top
Oh yeah, one more question.

I think the Drengin.net subscription is good for 1 year. That infers there must be a way to re-subscribe. What is the re-subscription rate? I assume it's not $69.95 because one people have the big games downloaded, they're not going to want to pay $70 just for updates/patches.
Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top
This link describes Drengin.net http://www.stardock.com/products/drengin/

I think the Drengin.net subscription is good for 1 year
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18 months actually

1) If I upgrade to Drengin.net does that mean if there are bug fixes to GalCiv and expansion pack or one of the other games after the year is up I won't be able to download it?
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Probably. Since bug-fixes and feature-expansions have been released together (so far)

they're not going to want to pay $70 just for updates/patches.
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If no new games are in the pipeline i agree, but if new games are on the way one would be entitled to those too.

But I agree with you Stardock explanations on the above would be nice
Offworld Trading Company
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top
The current re-subscription cost is likely to be $39.95.
Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top
Probably. Since bug-fixes and feature-expansions have been released together (so far)
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This was not true until AP. Although I hear of some bug fixes in AP which have not come out for GalCiv. I find that trend very disturbing, but it's too early to say that they won't be released for GalCiv as well. Microsoft did this with AoE2:Conquerers thing and it ticked off so many people I know, they didn't buy it, and just stopped playing it all together. Generally speaking, when someone buys a game, they expect to get bug fixes for free. Not talking about new functionality, just fixing what is broken. I.E. ships dissappearing...

If no new games are in the pipeline i agree, but if new games are on the way one would be entitled to those too.
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I only have 10 months of history to draw on, but in the 10 months I've been here, there has not been any new releases and AP is the first thing to come out. That certainly wouldn't be worth $69.95, especially since you can buy it seperately for $20. (eventually)
Although it looks like Political Machine should be released before the initial memberships are up. Maybe it would be useful to know what's in the pipeline? Then again, maybe that's impossible, because some of it could be from other development teams.

Sorry, but I've always been taught to watch my money. So I'm just trying to find my best value.

Right now, the good news is, I'm actually coming around, and thinking of buy AP. That was not originally my intent. I just want to know what my best value to do so is.
Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top
This was not true until AP. Although I hear of some bug fixes in AP which have not come out for GalCiv. I find that trend very disturbing, but it's too early to say that they won't be released for GalCiv as well.
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As far as I know, the bug fixes in the AP beta that relate to base GalCiv will be part of CG 1.14.

~SDC~
Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top
As far as I know, the bug fixes in the AP beta that relate to base GalCiv will be part of CG 1.14.
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Glad to hear! That's why I said it was too early to say yet.
Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top
Okay, so we got clarification that Drengin.net is for 18 months instead of 12 like I suggested, but I still have not received answer as to whether there is a difference after 18 months between having a GalCiv license as opposed to a Drengin.net license.

I made the assumption that if I bought GalCiv I'd get bug fixes indefinately. Maybe this is a false assumping, but that's the way most companies work.

If I buy Drengin.net, will I still be able to get bug fixes to my games after the 18 months are up? I know I won't be able to download expansions or new games, but what about bug fixes to the games I already have?
Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top
This is my understanding of Drengin.net

You get 18 months to download anything. After the 18 months you keep what you have and nolonger have any access.

If Stardock comes out with a release that fixes some bugs and you let the drengin.net subscription expire the only way you will get an update is if they release a standload patch.

Yes the AP fixes the disappearing ship bug but there is a thread that does say this fix we be in 1.4
Reply #9 from Stardock Forums Top
That's why I'm torn. Of course, I'm assuming that when I bought GalCiv I'd get bug fixes for free, maybe that assumption is wrong too. That's the way it works with every other company I know. Of course, some of them stop releasing bug fixes after awhile...

GalCiv has more bugs at this state than most game, HOWEVER, that's because they kept adding new functionality when most companies would have stopped.
Reply #10 from Stardock Forums Top

1.2 is going to fix a lot of bugs, and we're going to make sure that it's a good, solid build.  1.12 and 1.13 are buggy because I tried to fix some things at the last minute and didn't test enough before the builds went up.

Reply #11 from Stardock Forums Top
I was told by someone at Stardock sales (in email) that once your Drengin membership expired you'd still be able to download bug patches for games you had installed prior to your membership expiring.

You would NOT be able to download new (non-free) expansions or new games, of course.

That's what I wanted to know, and obviously that's fair. So I guess I'll buy Drengin.net instead of AP. I think Political Machine will be worth the difference.
Reply #12 from Stardock Forums Top
Paguma, to whom did you send an email. I have pre-ordered the AP cd, but am considering subscribing to Drengin.net. I will not do it if I still have to pay for my AP cd, obviously.

Thanks.
Reply #13 from Stardock Forums Top
When you are not interested in "The political machine" and some pointless minigames Stardock is releasing time by time you should only preorder AP instead of subscribing the whole drengin.net.

However, I'd guess Frogboy and Carielf 'd have a differnet opinion. ;)
Reply #14 from Stardock Forums Top
Paguma, to whom did you send an email. I have pre-ordered the AP cd, but am considering subscribing to Drengin.net. I will not do it if I still have to pay for my AP cd, obviously.Thanks.
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I sent email to [email protected] as is listed on the website. I had not already ordered AP, however I'd guess since they have not shipped it yet, they'll likely let you switch, since it means more money and less work for them.

Like I said, they were very quick in responding.
Reply #15 from Stardock Forums Top
When you are not interested in "The political machine" and some pointless minigames Stardock is releasing time by time you should only preorder AP instead of subscribing the whole drengin.net.
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That's what I was going to do, but I decided all those games which have less appeal than GalCiv combined are probably worth $15, which is the difference in price between buying AP or upgrading GalCiv to Drengin.net.

I have to admit, Political Machine looks like it could be fun.
Reply #18 from Stardock Forums Top

#17 by Citizen PoisonedAcid - 2/25/2004 2:43:47 AM umm, why does one have to PAY to patch the game?
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It's not a patch, it is an expansion.
Reply #20 from Stardock Forums Top
I emailed Stardock about paying for AP with a money order and they said that I should wait til it comes out for the public which should be by the end of Feburary(hopefully). Anyway I'm going to get it since I love Galciv and it's one of the few single player strategy games that I play besides Civ(online civ sucks). I may still get my but kicked by the Drenglin, but at least I'm like the Donald Trump in my games (muw ha ah ah)lol. I'm not going to get the Drengin subscription, hopefully Gal Civ2 will be in development and maybe if you buy that you'll get a free year of updates for that(hopefully)