How much would you pay for a new Keen?

This is where you can post your Commander Keen related stories, artwork, or other stuff that is related to Commander Keen but otherwise doesn't belong in another forum.

How much would you pay for a new episode of Commander Keen?

A pirate's life for me! (Nothing regardless of RRP.)
0
No votes
$0 (Ad supported is fine.)
1
3%
$1 - $5
1
3%
$6 - $10
2
7%
$11 - $15
3
10%
$16 - $25
9
31%
$26 - $50
3
10%
$51+ (And Tom Hall can have my first born child.)
10
34%
 
Total votes: 29

Keening_Product
Kuliwho?
Posts: 2167
Joined: Fri Jan 20, 2012 7:02
Location: Tied up in the Oracle Chamber's basement
Contact:

How much would you pay for a new Keen?

Post by Keening_Product »

I'm curious about how much people would be willing to pay for a new episode of Commander Keen, should one be created.

Pricing is an important consideration in a new episode as profit is key in any game's development, but these days we are used to free ad-supported games and abandonware from the 90s and 2000s!

How much would you be willing to pay?
Keening_Product was defeated before the game.

"Wise words. One day I may even understand what they mean." - Levellass
User avatar
TerminILL
Skypest
Posts: 589
Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2009 8:59
Location: In a box.
Contact:

Post by TerminILL »

I'll be the first to admit I'm notoriously stingy, in a world of Steam sales and indie titles that don't usually cost more than $10. I think the outside I'd pay for a new Keen is $15, which I really don't consider unreasonable, all told.

Honestly, pricing on games these days is a hard issue. There's generally three factors to take into account: what developers deserve, what buyers are willing to pay, and what publishers want. These figures usually don't line up.
Shonikado wrote:Looking back on what we've done and wanting to change it is the first step in becoming a weakling that cannot do anything.
User avatar
Scarlet
Vorticon Elite
Posts: 1065
Joined: Mon Jul 05, 2010 2:56

Post by Scarlet »

I voted zero, because I do not want them to make a new one as I think people on here are doing a better job with the mods so far.
But at any rate, if they do indeed make one, my reply would still be a big big big zero. I'd probably watch it on youtube or something.
Join us for netkeen! irc://irc.foonetic.net/netkeen
Stay classy, Scarlet.
Ha, you really are a fucling legend aren't you you neocon netnanny.
By jove... You have exceptional taste in games, Scarlet!
User avatar
troublesomekeen
Vorticon Elite
Posts: 1245
Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2012 8:01
Location: Three-Tooth Lake
Contact:

Post by troublesomekeen »

Scarlet wrote:I'd probably watch it on youtube or something.
I dunno, Scarlet. What if someone posted a play-through of the first level plus the opening cut-scene, with perfect voice-acting, exhilarating game-play, quirktastic soundtrack, bombastic graphics, and slapstastic humor!?! There's no limit to the amount I would pay if I saw a preview like that!
Image
Commander Keen in... Canteloupe Quest!
User avatar
Roobar
Vorticon Elite
Posts: 3267
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2008 16:12
Contact:

Post by Roobar »

That depends. If the keen is going to be a 2D side scroller, the price should be somewhere between $7 and $12 (that's where I'm aiming). But I'll pay whatever it is the price! Even if it is a 3D (like Trine, BCR, Sonic 4 or Project Giana), but it is still a 2.5D perspective side scroller similar to the gameplay mechanics of Keen 4-6, I'd pay whatever it cost. But if it is a 3D third/first person ala Mario 64, I'll probably not buy it.
User avatar
cyber zero
Vortininja
Posts: 72
Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2012 21:13

Post by cyber zero »

I would pay $51+, even if it was an unjust price.
I just love keen, much more than most of the games that are coming out right now.
User avatar
Scarlet
Vorticon Elite
Posts: 1065
Joined: Mon Jul 05, 2010 2:56

Post by Scarlet »

troublesomekeen wrote:
Scarlet wrote:I'd probably watch it on youtube or something.
I dunno, Scarlet. What if someone posted a play-through of the first level plus the opening cut-scene, with perfect voice-acting, exhilarating game-play, quirktastic soundtrack, bombastic graphics, and slapstastic humor!?! There's no limit to the amount I would pay if I saw a preview like that!

Well, I don't think I'll see a preview like that. ;)

I found out about keen7 from youtube though. :) But they will not be making a new keen game in DOS graphics. No chance.
Join us for netkeen! irc://irc.foonetic.net/netkeen
Stay classy, Scarlet.
Ha, you really are a fucling legend aren't you you neocon netnanny.
By jove... You have exceptional taste in games, Scarlet!
Keening_Product
Kuliwho?
Posts: 2167
Joined: Fri Jan 20, 2012 7:02
Location: Tied up in the Oracle Chamber's basement
Contact:

Post by Keening_Product »

Scarlet wrote:But they will not be making a new keen game in DOS graphics. No chance.
Oh ye of little faith! Why not? MANY indie games have experimented with different graphical restrictions, so why should a new Keen not stick with the look that made it famous?!

Would you play the game if it had similar graphics?
Keening_Product was defeated before the game.

"Wise words. One day I may even understand what they mean." - Levellass
Ceilick
The Dude
Posts: 1670
Joined: Mon Sep 22, 2008 20:10
Location: Seattle

Post by Ceilick »

If the new Keen was comparable in gameplay, length, and general style of the original games, I would pay $16 - $25.

If the new Keen was something completely new, while still managing to maintain complete "keenishness", $26 - $50.
User avatar
Commander Spleen
Lord of the Foobs
Posts: 2384
Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2007 22:54
Location: Border Village
Contact:

Post by Commander Spleen »

You had me at perfect voice-acting.

Assuming it's an excellent new game, and it had a boxed edition, $26-50. If it came as a well designed special edition, $9,001.
Benvolio
Vorticon Elite
Posts: 976
Joined: Sun May 29, 2011 12:43
Location: Ireland
Contact:

Post by Benvolio »

Keen is the only video game I care about (except AOEII and that game needs no fooling around with) so really name your price Tom and I'll pay. I would however be quite unhappy if it wasn't done in EGA style. I would also be unhappy if there wasn't a freely distributable first episode. Resurrect shareware!
Keening_Product
Kuliwho?
Posts: 2167
Joined: Fri Jan 20, 2012 7:02
Location: Tied up in the Oracle Chamber's basement
Contact:

Post by Keening_Product »

Benvolio, your post made me realise something: I can't think of many modern episodic games. Well, not in the same way that Keen, GoT, Jazz and so on were. I've not paid much attention recently, so is this accurate?
Keening_Product was defeated before the game.

"Wise words. One day I may even understand what they mean." - Levellass
Benvolio
Vorticon Elite
Posts: 976
Joined: Sun May 29, 2011 12:43
Location: Ireland
Contact:

Post by Benvolio »

Well I suppose there's a lot of games with sequels these days. For example Halo is a series of episodes. But I'm pretty sure the model that Apogee and others worked off is long-gone. Probably nowhere near profitable enough. Sure look at Keen4 - if you were strapped for cash, you could very well get half a childhood's worth of fun out of it without bothering with Keen5 or 6. So there's probably lot of people who stuck to the shareware games and never paid Apogee a cent. I would probably have too only I was getting into modding and needed to buy them all to be fully up to speed. The games market has evolved and now probably forms the majority of the leisure spending of most 10-16 year old males.
Keening_Product
Kuliwho?
Posts: 2167
Joined: Fri Jan 20, 2012 7:02
Location: Tied up in the Oracle Chamber's basement
Contact:

Post by Keening_Product »

Yeah, I never ventured beyond Keen 4 until a few years ago.

Half the issue was payment methods though - living in Australia, all the order options for every piece of shareware were aimed at the US and Europe, and were snail mail options. The internet could do a lot to revive the model.
Keening_Product was defeated before the game.

"Wise words. One day I may even understand what they mean." - Levellass
User avatar
VikingBoyBilly
Vorticon Elite
Posts: 4158
Joined: Sat Jan 05, 2008 2:06
Location: The spaghetti island of the faces of dinosaur world for a vacation

Post by VikingBoyBilly »

If it's from Tom himself or Tom-approved, I'd be willing to pay standard modern PC game price for it ($40-60). Are we talking about just one small episode here, or a trilogy of episodes put together?
Image
"I don't trust players. Not one bit." - Levellass
Post Reply