Why are we releasing DQ1HD as a free upgrade?

#1

We recently announced an HD re-release of Defender's Quest 1, and that it will be a free upgrade. Some people want to know why.

Specifically, two things prompted me to write this article:

  1. This thread on our steam page by long-time DQ fan Whisperling, advising us not to release as
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at http://www.fortressofdoors.com/why-dq1hd-will-be-a-free-upgrade-on-pc/
#2

I don’t like buying for an expansion anyway. I bought the full game, so I should have all its contents.

#3

You get all the content that was intended or able to make it in at release?

I agree that the free content update model is great for everyone (developers, fans, community, modders) where it works. Not all game developers are lucky enough to be able to make it work.

Expansions are actually a really great idea even at similar market prices to a full game, so long as the amount of extra content reflects the price, as it’s MUCH easier to develop, bugfix, and otherwise perfect new content in an existing engine with an existing player base.

#4

Please don’t have that pop up every time you start. After a game is installed and working properly, when I double-click a game, I want it to start immediately, and not have to fiddle with other options.

In your sample dialog, this could be fixed by having a checkbox for “Always play this version”. Each game version should also have an in-game option to allow the player to get back to the choice dialog the next time they start it.

At least for Steam, it is also possible to have the context menu have multiple choices for a single game. For example, here is a screenshot (with colors modified to make it easier to read) of the right-click menu for the Steam game Commander Keen Complete Pack (which actually isn’t all the Commander Keen games (grrrrrr), but now I’m getting off-topic).

#5

Yeah, we’ll have something like that! Figured we’d get a comment like this approximately immediately :smiley:

#6

Quick question: Will you upgrade the DQ2 pre-order tiers to include DQ1HD after DQ1HD’s release or will it stay as the non-HD version?

#7

@Pravaris:

Yes, every store slot that currently offers Defender’s Quest (Steam, Humble, GOG, etc) will have DQHD added to it. If you own DQ1 right now anywhere, you will automagically become a DQ1HD owner as well, and since we use Humble for our DQ2 preorders that includes the pre-order tiers.

You’ll still have access to the original game everywhere, as well.