[BloodEagle]

The price is increased because developers have to cater to Australia's ****ed-up game ratings system .

Part of the extra cost is due to the shipping, I would imagine.

--

Hoist the black flag me buckos.

Oi! We call those Jolly Rogers 'round 'ere!

(Unless you're talking about the Anarchist Flag.)

[Spicious]

The price is increased because developers have to cater to Australia's ****ed-up game ratings system .

Part of the extra cost is due to the shipping, I would imagine.

Even international shipping from the US for individual games is still cheaper.

[NGTM-1R]

Oi! We call those Jolly Rogers 'round 'ere!

(Unless you're talking about the Anarchist Flag.)

The Black Flag is traditionally not only symbolic of pirates, but also a signal that no quarter will be offered.

[mxlm]

Meanwhile, upcoming releases like Tony Hawk: Ride and DJ Hero, which ship with unique controller peripherals, will likely carry price tags that push £100.

In the latter case, well, okay, fits the grand tradition of Guitar Hero I suppose. In the former case, wtf?

[Mongoose]

Tony Hawk: Ride apparently comes with a full-size motion-sensing skateboard deck peripheral, so it's kind of in the same league as Guitar Hero and its ilk.

[SpardaSon21]

Boy, and everyone knows Steel Battalion and its peripherals did so well.
//end sarcasm

[Scotty]

Yeah, and the limited number of copies they produced helped that so much.
//end sarcasm.

[SpardaSon21]

Well, it was around $200.  That couldn't have helped sales all that much.

[Scotty]

Quite seriously, neither could the fact that only around 50000 were even produced.

[NGTM-1R]

I never even saw a copy of Steel Battalion, or I might have purchased it.

[Mongoose]

Given the massive success of the Guitar Hero/Rock Band franchises, I can't help but think that a game like Steel Battalion would probably go over far better today than it did when it was released.

[Thaeris]

I'm not so sure...

Really, why play with giant armored fighting vehicles and an advanced control system when you can instead play a game with untold numbers of assorted releases (of the same game with the same engine...) and engage in various pop-culture related wingdings while playing with your friends? Not to mention that you don't even have to learn a real instrument, just an imitation fake one. I'm not saying there's no skill involved, I'm merely stating that the sound of clicking is just not as fulfilling as... actually really learning three chords and playing "Smoke on the Water."

This is the reason the modern game is usually not up to par. It's not saying it's bad, but it's nothing special. The special, great games tend to have a selective audience, and they appeal to that audience; they also did a great job doing it. I feel the modern title, if super-overgeneralizations are to be made, are meant to appeal to everyone. This results in "meh." Enough said.

Obviosly, it comes down to sales. If it's great but not everyone buys it, then the quota is not met and the project was a "failure." Just look at our friend, Lucas Arts: Since when do TIE Fighters have PROTON TORPEDOES?!

On a secondary note, support your small-time developer. They actually do what they feel like doing.

  Well, rant over then...

-Thaeris

[Mongoose]

I only meant that it would have a better chance in today's market due to the fact that people are fairly used to paying $100+ for a game bundled with some sort of external peripheral now.  Back when Steel Battalion came out, the only comparable purchase was something like DDR.  But in a world of Rock Band instrument packs and Wii Fit boards, that sort of investment isn't unusual anymore.

[mxlm]

Obviosly, it comes down to sales. If it's great but not everyone buys it, then the quota is not met and the project was a "failure." Just look at our friend, Lucas Arts: Since when do TIE Fighters have PROTON TORPEDOES?!

Wait, LA was appealing to the lowest common denominator by giving TIEs missiles?

[Titan]

Obviosly, it comes down to sales. If it's great but not everyone buys it, then the quota is not met and the project was a "failure." Just look at our friend, Lucas Arts: Since when do TIE Fighters have PROTON TORPEDOES?!

Wait, LA was appealing to the lowest common denominator by giving TIEs missiles?

He's talking about SW Battlefront 2
It was a balance issue: The fact is that TIE's aren't supposed to carry proton torps, but X-wings can, since they are better. But TIEs are far more numerous.

In the game's space stages, what lucasarts basically did was create 4 different ships, then made a model for each of those for every faction, to preserve balance.

[mxlm]

Ooooh, okay. Never played Battlefront 2, so didn't know that. Thought he was referring to the X/TIE series.

[MR_T3D]

oh...yeah....fogot abot battlefront2's crappyness
pandemic games CAN NOT MAKE A SINGLE SEQUEL that does not screw up a franchise.

[Sarafan]

Enstein said stupidity was infinite, turns out greed is as well.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Activision-2Q-profit-edges-apf-4090148487.html?x=0&.v=2

[Commander Zane]

Meanwhile, upcoming releases like Tony Hawk: Ride and DJ Hero, which ship with unique controller peripherals, will likely carry price tags that push £100.

In the latter case, well, okay, fits the grand tradition of Guitar Hero I suppose. In the former case, wtf?

Good, I was starting to think everyone was too blind to notice the hundred pound games sold with game-issued components.

[SpardaSon21]

What's the exchange rate on pounds to dollars?  Isn't it about two pounds equaling one dollar, or is it more?  The dollar is pretty weak right now.