Collector's Editions do you really use the extras?

I have purchased a few of them,
but find that I don't really us the 'extras'.

For one thing, I don't re-play a game
so the extra/bonus gameplay goes unused.

My Wallpapers are always pictures of my triplet grands.
Wit the colored bubbles screensaver.

As for the Interactive Strategy Guide,
ex: Sweeney Todd
I wasn't all that impessed with it,
and you can find W/T's or Forums
all over the internet if needed.

How do yall feel about them?
Have you been pleased/disappointed/etc?
Or do you mostly go for them to get the
game earlier?

In other words, do you feel the $19.99 price tag
is really justifiable?

Personally, I think all the games are worth 19.99 and would like nothing better than to see most of that money go to the developer, not the publisher. I think the prices should have stayed at that point all over and if you want deals you should have to join a club, etc to get them. The at least you are guaranteeing them you will continue to purchase games.

I do not feel the Collectors Edition are a good idea at all anymore. I didn't mind the first one, in fact I thought it was a great idea, but now it's not special anymore and it seems anyone can call anything a Collector or Special Edition by throwing in things that are meaningless. I also don't get why some are and why some aren't collectors edition. I understood Dire Grove and thought it was fabulous, I have not found another one that was worth my extra money. I purchased Mortimer for full price from the developer so at least they made the extra money.

Ana

For me...I don't feel any casual game is worth $19.99...Years ago I believe some developers charged that amount.. With not many takers.

Collectors addition is just another way to set the price higher for a few weeks to see how many will pay...I don't need a strategy guide as a WT can be found so fast after the game is released..

I don't need wallpaper or screen savers...Most of us live on a budget...With the economy being what it is, and all...

Casual gaming should not be in the ball park price range of Adventure Games..

My opinion...

Why should they not be in the same price range? I think Dire Grove and Drawn surpass any recent full Adventure game in entertainment value and quality and think they would have been well worth the price set for a top quality game. I would not blink to pay 19.99 for a sequel.

Ana....That is my Opinion on the subject..

Dire Grove, and Drawn is a very good casual game..Its an Adventure "Lite" I just don't feel $ 19.99 for a game in the casual category is worth $19.99

Everyone else might feel different, but I can't see paying that amount for a casual game..

Ana,
I can also see your point.
Do you feel like some sites are becoming
the 'Wal-Mart' of the gaming sites?
I will distribute your product but only
for My price?

BTW~I do have a subscription to Shockwave, also.

I think everyone has good intent katbear, I'm just not sure if things work out as planned when they restructured the prices. Unfortunately, it's hard to go back once you give a taste of a bargain.

I just think that offering us wallpapers and such is a weak reason to charge more. If they need more money for the games, then just say the price is X amount of dollars like they do with other games and so be it. I pay anywhere from 39.99 to 19.99 for an adventure, if I want it, I'll buy it.

Btw, I love walmart.

Ana

Me too, just have to use a electric cart sometimes,
feel like i've just walked an 18 hole golf course afterwards
I wouldn't mind if sites like BFG went up $1 on their inidividual game prices,
or offered a yearly subscription like Shockwave
or Pogo.
We are Retired, our income can take a bad hit along w/the market,
so a $39.99 game would be a pipe dream for me.
Thank God for Boomers who don't mind swapping

At least BFG gives us a choice. I, personally don't think the extras are worth the $13, but we can always wait and the standard game will be offered. That doesn't work in any other situation. "I want that designer pair of shoes but if I wait 3 weeks I can buy them at nearly a third cheaper". We also get the chance to try before we buy, so really only the length of the game is an unknown quantity. I've bought a couple of Collectors Editions because I want to play them NOW!

Ana, you said, "I think all the games are worth 19.99 and would like nothing better than to see most of that money go to the developer, not the publisher." How does one do that? I typically go to Interact for adventure games so GameBoomers can benefit....and to get excellent customer service, of course....and to BFG for great service and bargains in casual games. What can I do to ensure the developer gets as much money as possible for his/her talent and hard work? Those folks are absolutely amazing!

Barb

If the developer has it on their own website and you purchase it, the full amount goes to them.
I only buy from BF, SpinTop or developer sites depending on the game.

BF has a fair share for their developers also and at least are known to pay them where other publishers tend to stiff the poor developers. That is another reason I prefer buying from them.

Ana

Thanks for the info, Ana. I'll keep that in mind when I buy games.

Ana...

I agree with you that paying 19.99 for a game, whether casual or adventure, is definately a fair way to go. I also only buy from BFG and SpinTop, or go to the developers site. I do think though that I would be more careful in my selection process. I reckon (a southernism) I might appreciate the game more in fact if I were more choosy. The Game Club idea is great IF the game club really pays the developer more. I guess it is quality or quantity. Boils down to length (so I feel that I have gotten my moneys worth) and quality (so that I feel they have given their all to make it stellar).

Poser to be sure...and relying on GameBoomers is a huge crutch that I use to choose games. AND I have chosen certain people that I "listen" to more than others, as I feel they are looking for the same thing in games for which I am searching.

As to Collector's...I never use the wallpaper (I think that is a waste), I do play the extras IF they continue the story. And you know I have never even opened the strategy guide in any game LOL, so why do I sometimes buy Collectors ...impatience and thirst for something really good amongst some games I play to ward off boredom.

Interesting discussion again...thanks to all who reply and thanks for the different insights.

Jody

I thought Dire Grove was worth the extra $$. I preferred to use the W/T from Gamezebo and/or from the BFG Blogs.

I bought from SpinTop before and, until recently, they were always $20.

I liked Mortimer Beckett and it was worth the money - but to me it wasn't worth being called a Collector's Edition. At least in Dire Grove you had another puzzle to solve with the "morphs" but really, seeing the hints for the next game was not worth the bother of getting into the secret room.

While I am willing to spend $20 for a CD/DVD version game, I prefer to buy the downloads from BFG for the $6.99 for obvious reasons. This is not saying the games are not worth more $$ - it is only saying that I prefer to spend less when possible. Same to me as buying a used PC game from the Trading Post.

If you only go by "worth" than Drawn was a $20 game that went for the bargain price of $6.99

JMHO here

**edit: After starting Dark Parables Curse of Briar Rose C.E. I would like to edit my posting to say, quality of the game is worth the price of admission to a C.E.

Interesting discuss. I bought the CE of Dire Grove and Sweeny Todd. I bought Dire Grove because I am a huge fan of the MCF series so didn't want to wait and enjoyed the "morph" mini game throughout the main game. I don't typically replay HOGs but was okay with the 19.99 price tag for Dire Grove it truly was a well made game. Now with Sweeny Tood, the posts I saw were for the most part positive and then BFG threw in the carrot of CE purchases counting as 3 stamps so I bought it. I don't think I or anyone can say what is justifiable an amount that a developer feels his or her work is worth. I can say that I am glad that they list what the extras are and we as the consumer can decide whether to pay extra or not. I am not sure it's fair to say that 19.99 is not justified because the game belongs in the Casual genre. If the game has high production values and is well made, then IMHO 19.99 is not a bad price point.

I love the CE editions. I always use a walkthrough and it is a tremendous advantage for me to use it during the games. I never use wallpapers, but that's a small item to me. I used to play as much as $59.00 for a game, so I think $19.99 is a huge bargain. I am, fortunately, not on a budget, but I appreciate the cost reduction. I dearly love BigFish and will always buy what they have to offer if it it something I want. I'll continue to buy from BigFish and appreciate their giving us a choice between CE's and and regular editions. Teddo

I rarely use the extras. After I complete a game I am ready to move on to another one.