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[forwardresent]

Most people here have probably heard of Introversion. Well their new game Prison Architect is now in alpha, basic alpha access is $30 with a tier pledge system for various bonus. I'm really looking forward to this, it looks very interesting.

Alpha trailer

www.introversion.co.uk/prisonarchitect/

More information on the site.

[Ricomu]

I'm pretty excited about Prison Architect, but that's a little rich for me. I'll wait for a bit. Appreciate the update though.

[deathtotheweird]

yeah, I'm a fan of their games (though Multiwinia was a bit of a letdown) but that's pricey.

hopefully they'll release a demo on release, otherwise I'll just pick it up when the price is a bit more reasonable. the only real reason to buy it now is to play the alpha, but I'm not really in a hurry to play a bug-ridden unfinished game.

[C.A. Silbereisen]

so is it expensive because it's some kind of "alpha funding" thing or is this like a large scale game with a ton of content?

[forwardresent]

I'm not sure why it's $30 for the basic alpha bundle, I guess it's just some adventurous pricing, maybe they need money fast for the development. A lot of people have mentioned that as an issue, it'll probably get a price drop at some point. Maybe once all the number restricted bonus' have gone?

I went for the $100 option, because my Darwinia Limited Edition is beautiful and this very well might be. It may also be horrible, but I have faith in Introversion, probably wouldn't have gotten interested in development had I not stumbled across a lone copy of Darwinia in my once local Gamestation. Plus there'll be a prisoner walking about with my name who I'll get awfully attached to until one day he's stabbed in the showers whilst eating lunch.

I've played a little of the alpha, and all my prisoners escaped and stood outside whilst the guards stood in the cells. It was brilliant.

[alastair]

http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/09/26/prison-architect-paid-alpha-released-for-good-behaviour-trailer-and-interview-within/

PCG: Isn’t $30 a little higher than normal for alpha or beta access?

MM: There are a couple of reasons for that. We’ve got a pretty close relationship with the Humble Bundle guys, and we were talking to them a lot about how they do things. Another is that we’re more interested in a smaller number of players that are more engaged in what we’re doing, than a huge audience that want to pay less. There’s a quality bar we’re putting in there.

Imagine the [alpha] went on sale for $10. This is all “ifs”, right? But imagine it goes on sale for $10 or $20, and people chose to buy it, and it doesn’t work for them, and they say, “This is bollocks. I hate this. It’s crap. It’s broken. It doesn’t work.”

[J-Snake]

People have to learn how to make a finished game by release, no matter how hard it is. I have no respect for a broken mess because it is a sign of rotten habit, and that will be reflected in the game.

[JigxorAndy]

I instantly bought it for $30 when I heard about it last night. I've been really interested in this game since I first heard about it so I've just been itching to try it. I played the alpha for about 2 hours straight. It was a lot of fun but it is definitely still an alpha in all sense of the word. There are a fair few bugs - none really gamebreaking - but it's a really fun game so far. I'm looking forward to their next builds.

[Kinten]

People have to learn how to make a finished game by release, no matter how hard it is. I have no respect for a broken mess because it is a sign of rotten habit, and that will be reflected in the game.

Not entirely sure what you mean by that - is an alpha supposed to be a finished game in your opinion?

[J-Snake]

If you know features x y z etc. are not working but you know how they should work then work them out before releasing the game, especially if you charge money for it. I am not a friend of lazy attitudes.

[Malky]

If you know features x y z etc. are not working but you know how they should work then work them out before releasing the game, especially if you charge money for it. I am not a friend of lazy attitudes.

I wouldn't call this a lazy attitude at all.  That seems like a bizarre interpretation of this release.

It's an alpha.  They said it's an alpha.  Everyone who bought it knows (presumably) that it's an alpha and that alphas aren't always fully functional.

I don't really like buying broken games, but that's why I don't buy alphas.  I can't really wrap my head around how it's lazy to release an alpha.

[J-Snake]

I don't really like buying broken games, but that's why I don't buy alphas.

Imagine there is an alpha version of metal gear solids or street fighters. How would you feel about that methodology?

[Dragonmaw]

$30 for a preorder seems... too much. $15-$20 seems like the proper price for this game, IMO.

[Derek]

Imagine the [alpha] went on sale for $10. This is all “ifs”, right? But imagine it goes on sale for $10 or $20, and people chose to buy it, and it doesn’t work for them, and they say, “This is bollocks. I hate this. It’s crap. It’s broken. It doesn’t work.”

I don't understand the implications of this. Isn't it worse if someone buys the alpha for $30 and hates it? The assumption that people who are willing to pay more will like the game more seems misguided imo.

That said, I do want to play the game when it's finally released!

[starsrift]

Imagine the [alpha] went on sale for $10. This is all “ifs”, right? But imagine it goes on sale for $10 or $20, and people chose to buy it, and it doesn’t work for them, and they say, “This is bollocks. I hate this. It’s crap. It’s broken. It doesn’t work.”

I don't understand the implications of this. Isn't it worse if someone buys the alpha for $30 and hates it? The assumption that people who are willing to pay more will like the game more seems misguided imo.

That said, I do want to play the game when it's finally released!

As I understand it, it's a barrier. Introversion only wants alpha testers who REALLY want to play the game, not sort of folks who purchase more casually. They're trying to increase the signal to noise ratio of their test feedback.

[ElVaquero]

I think I'm more excited by the eventual deep discussion/backlash on the SERIOUS themes than the game itself... but maybe that's because I'm bad (like REALLY bad) at management games.

[Blademasterbobo]

their motives are pretty fucked up. instead of paying testers or something, they make their testers pay them... more? so that they'll be able to take advantage of their biggest fans? fuck them, i'm never buying this game no matter how good it is

[deathtotheweird]

I don't think this is them selling alpha testing (I can't find anywhere on the internet that says that except in this thread which provides 0 sources), they're just selling the alpha version in the form of a pre-order for the game. not really a big deal, people do it all the time these days.

[Kinten]

If you know features x y z etc. are not working but you know how they should work then work them out before releasing the game, especially if you charge money for it. I am not a friend of lazy attitudes.

Well, if the full game would feature x y z and x y z are fully implemented then the game isn't in alpha, even if they were partially implemented it would be more of a beta, not alpha. An alpha lacks features. You don't have to like it, but don't call it something it is not.
It's like if someone asked for advice on extra ingredients in a cookie dough and all you answer is "this cookie dough is not warm and crisp".

EDIT: Just to clarify: You're using the word "released" - Prison Architect is not released.

[C.A. Silbereisen]

their motives are pretty fucked up. instead of paying testers or something, they make their testers pay them... more? so that they'll be able to take advantage of their biggest fans? fuck them, i'm never buying this game no matter how good it is

what? people are buying this out if their volition (or at least i hope they do) and they're getting exactly what introversion tells them they're getting i.e an alpha.

i'd be with you if this was one of those cases where a developer releases an unfinished version of the game as finished and abuses their customers as unwitting beta testers, but that's not what's happening here.