Mini rant on timed demos

WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY????????

(I imagine the converstation went something like this)

Suit 1: Okay so, our tech geeks have burnt holes in their socks getting the demo ready to put on next months trade rag

Suit 2: I thought that they have just taken the tutorial level and ported it across

Suit 1: Oh, okay. Well, okay so, we need to implement something into the demo that's going to make Joe Public drool and be some damn eager to buy the game that they'll stop being cheap-ass bastards waiting for the game to hit the pre-owned section and actually buy the game at release price

Suit 2: We need to entice them into playing ...

Suit 1: okay

Suit 2: ... demonstrate the range of things to do ...

Suit 1: so

Suit 2: ... but not allow them to play it to death and get bored ...

Suit 1; Okay so?

Suit 2: ... ummm ...

[Suit 3 enters] Guys, sorry I'm late. Fred from Development cornered me about a timer. Still have no idea what he was on about. What's with the light bulbs over your heads?

So even though the developers have to port a whole level across and the average gamer will either love or hate the game, someone thinks that timing the demo out is a good idea.

lets look at the effect

OPS2 demo disk:
Lego Star Wars 2. Excellent. I'll try that. Cool, I can still deflect blaster shots. Neat, I can get into vehicles. And there are hundreds of studs hidden away. And that's an interesting .. oh the screens gone dark.
Well, maybe I need to finish story mode to avoid that
I don't think I can stop that timer. Well that's annoying.

Yakuza
Atmospheric intro piece and now I get control and this guy is offering examples of gameplay in different sections. 1 done - this game seems okay and that's the second section and , oh it's gone dark again. Ho-hum.

Micro Machines v4 Well, me and the guys are looking for another 4 player party game - let's have a gander. Excellent - it's similar to Mashed but with a bit more of a sense of humour - racing on a roof, cutting up a chicken coop, oh damnit it a timers started. Boo

Tomb Raider:Legend Well Lara looks better and she moves much more gracefully (I can see my Prince of Persia and God Of War taking notes). And man it's nice to be acrobatic and have a ranged weapon. And here are the puzzly bits, climb here, jump here, move that and the door opens and .. oh the demo has ended. Oh well fair enough.

See, all that work in getting the demo ready and by having a timer on a demo of a game that doesn't normally have a timer - it just makes me go, "well why couldn't they end the demo at a end point" and adds a couple of negative points. The coders have had to put the whole level on the demo disc anyway so why not let me explore the level to death at my own speed. If I like the game, I'll buy it anyway. If I don't, then having the time-out won't make me change my mind.

Okay, rant over.

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