Ah-HA! PA Pre-Orders!

I'd like to take this opportunity to say that I really resent unfiltered mass marketing, and it would be great if Uber put some effort into appropriate filters early on. Sending out pre-order e-mails to everyone who has already effectively pre-ordered is a heavy-handed and impersonal approach to marketing. You have the information necessary to distinguish between Uber account holders that have and have not pledged on Kickstarter (and presumably which ones are in your employ). Please use it, and minimize marketing to people who have already bought the thing you're selling.

In this case, I understand that pre-orders are for people who didn't pledge, but that word of mouth is really important. Still, I think you'd avoid a lot of confusion if there were at least two versions of the e-mail: one for Uber account holders that pledged, and one for those who didn't. It shouldn't take very much effort on your end to make this distinction, and then you could tell us, "Hey, thanks so much for pledging on Kickstarter. Official pre-orders are starting now, which you don't need because you've already got all this stuff in your Kickstarter reward. Please tell your friends!" That's probably what you'd say in person, right?

Mass marketing is an unfortunately effective strategy, so I don't begrudge your using it. However, you don't have to make it as impersonal as most companies do.

Okay, I don't want to drag this off-topic, but I gotta ask, Wut?

I mean, yeah 'Best Game Ever' is incredibly subjective, but how can you find fault with 'Never Before Seen'? I didn't realize there were other Massively scaled RTS in which you can control potentially thousands of units, across multiple planets, moons and asteroids and where you ca build engines on those planets, moons and asteroids in order to move them around and/or crash them into each other?! Cause gosh darn I'd sure love to play such an RTS right now instead of waiting, would have saved me heaps of money too! ;p

Also I don't see how you can find the "Gameplay Visualization" scammy in the slightest. Uber never tried to lie about what it is(it did say "Gameplay Visualization" in the video right at the beginning) and frankly, compared to a lot of other game Kickstarters where you get some Concept art and 5 minutes of developers awkwardly talking about what they want to do, they put tons more effort to create what is essentially a trailer for the game, and it wasn't some cinematic cut scene either, it was created specifically to show off not only the aesthetics they want, but also try to show how they want to game to play out, which as I said above, is a lot more than you usually get to see.....EVER.

It's true this could still be a flop in the end, that's the risk of KS, but you look at the fore-thought already put into the project, and people at Uber and their experience and even just fan reactions from some of the most cynical and judgmental fans out there(GPG OT Represent!) watching their every move, it's clear as day We'll get PA, and Uber will make sure it's the best it can be.

Just some things to keep in mind.

Mike

Why do you have to be such a negative nancy? I was excited to get the email and I pledged at the $120 level.

I just love hearing any and everything about this project.

Also, if you were honestly confused on whether or not you were getting the game, well, I just don't know what to say to that.

Working with business, I'm afraid I have to see some of his points. If it's possible for someone to become confused, they will be confused. At which point, filtering out emails of those who have already backed would make sense -- above and beyond the fact that it would be possible to send out two different versions of the same message, one for backers, one for not.

Hrm... I can't edit my last post, but the confusion has already started:

viewtopic.php?f=61&t=41525&view=unread#unread

If someone who backed the project, where it was made VERY clear REPEATEDLY that they would get the full game at release, is confused about the status of their 'pre-order', I have no reason to believe a banner at the top of an email saying "YOU ALREADY HAVE THE GAME" would dissuade any confusion.

Kinda insanely early for pre orders imo.

Some people really value hard and fast preorders that don't go through a service like kickstarter. If you're legitimately preordering something that comes with alot more weight then what is effectively a donation on kickstarter.

Just inspires more confidence in people that haven't pledged and gives people more time to get in.

Good thing you don't have to deal with marketing then. Because that's exactly the kind of thing they have to think of -- since it does in fact work.

it is, but see it as addition to the crowdfunding process. If they know now, oh we sell 10000 additional preorder games for 40$, that is 400000$ they can use.

Except you aren't the guy getting a bunch of emails every day from people wanting to get in on the action. Basically people are demanding pre-orders.

As for sending out the email to everyone in our database, how are you supposed to tell your friends that preorders are available if you don't know? Every single person can unsubscribe from our emails if they want to do so.

oh I see, I was kinda confused that I was being sent a pre-order considering my 90 dollar backer level already gives me the game access at alpha and all that, but you meant it more as an announcement and a way of getting the many monkeys off your back

I understand that you want us to tell our friends, and I think that's perfectly reasonable. What I asked was that you send appropriate e-mails to people who have already pledged, both to avoid confusion and to show respect for your already-paying backers.

The worst part of Battlefield 3 right now is that I've paid for their "Premium" DLC package, yet the game is still littered with advertising for that very same package. It's annoying noise at best, and shows a serious disregard for the customer at worst. But they're EA, and I expect that sort of thing from them. It figures into my overall opinion of the company, and affects my purchasing decisions.

You guys are way cooler than EA. I don't think it should be too much trouble to put a bit more care into the messages you send your customers. I don't think this is a big deal, either. I'm just telling you how I feel about untargeted marketing from companies that already have my money.

Crazy considering there's not even a gameplay trailer yet!

I'd actualy love to pre-order already and I even made a thread about it. It's also a good income of extra money while developing the game :mrgreen:

Actually, when you order an figure in japan, there are pre-orders nearly over 6-8 months, so I dont feel its too early.

I just feel a little bit mean that people can get now easily alpha too, while people who pledged early and get alpha before too. I guess, I am just to stubborn of wanting special customer. So, I am sorry and hope many people will order, for hoping you get enough for considering many add-ons

He he, understandable. On the other hand, more alpha testers means more bugs found, more feedback on balance and features and the ability to stresstest the netcode. And it means more money of course which allows Uber to look into features that might not have made it into the game otherwise. Maybe it could be used for additional units or art.

Is it going to be possible to buy an Alpha key on it's own closer to when the alpha starts? I don't have much game retention and likely won't be interested in the beta and final product by the time they come out.

he-he I am in the same boat. I was hoping that we'd get to keep one of the skins as KS-only.

But more money for the company is good.

My understanding is that the Alpha and Progenitor Commanders were both exclusive to KS backers....The Pre-Orderers(and KS Backers of appropriate level I think) get the Theta Commander.

Mike