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Limited Run Games |OT2| Sweet XOXO for Digital to Physical Media

Occam

Member
We keep hearing changes aren't made because some customers would be unhappy.

What do we have now, if not masses of unhappy customers...?

By the way, I think you should drop the Appeals to Accomplishment. It's a cookie-cutter logical fallacy, and you don't need it. Address the points if you'd like, not "They run a business and you don't".

That said, no one deserves the abuse LRG are getting just for not releasing games exactly the way they like. On one hand, you have mega-fans that just want the games, and become rabid when they can't get it. On the other, you have scalpers whose literal livelihoods depend on keeping everything scarce and chaotic.

Anyways, it's the last I'll address of this today, lest I get shouted down once again by half the thread.

20% being unhappy is apparently worse than 80% (who don't mind waiting for games to be manufactured and would prefer preordering or a subscription over the weekly lottery).
 

Dan-o

Member
That doesn't explain how it's possible to add it to your cart before it's time.

Depending on the browser, and how quickly the page loads, the "add to cart" element can sometimes appear before it gets properly removed and replaced with the countdown timer or "sold out" element, as the page loads.

I've personally seen this (
and yes, used it a handful of times on other sites. I hate myself.
)
So those who do it can just keep it in their cart until the onsale time, then check out faster than those who have to add it when it actually changes.

edit: to be clear, that's only ONE way to trick the system. There are others, I'm sure.

I can't tell you how to do it, but people are probably modding the HTML to allow the item to already be in the cart. So they remove it from the site to make it not possible.

I've done this for videocard preorders, but only by following some web developer's instructions.
I've heard of this, but never tried it. So there's two options... and it depends on how the site has set up the product pages to determine whether or not either of these tricks will work.
 

Weevilone

Member
That doesn't explain how it's possible to add it to your cart before it's time.

I can't tell you how to do it, but people are probably modding the HTML to allow the item to already be in the cart. So they remove it from the site to make it not possible.

I've done this for videocard preorders, but only by following some web developer's instructions.

It's too bad everything gets amplified by the ordering process. If the CE model isn't instantly avail, you risk missing the regular version by waiting. Stuff gets removed from cart, so you end up with 2 orders by ordering later. Or people place 2 orders becaus they try to speed order the main item first. All this winds up causing people to combine orders, putting heat on their customer service. I did that a couple rounds back and they wound up sending me duplicates of everything, so now I have tickets going to return stuff.

I just feel like the process creates headaches for everyone. All we want is an easy way to buy stuff without putting life on hold every Friday. It's even worse now because they need to slow the hell down. The notion that they can't change because it'll make people mad is crazy. People are already mad.
 
For anyone who said they should limit the games to 1 per customer, it looks like they listened:

Douglas Bogart‏ @LimitedRunDoug 1h1 hour ago

Just a heads up, we did drop the limit asap to 1 per customer. We will make sure it's 1 per customer on the 2nd batch.


For all the complaints LRG gets and (valid) frustrations some people have, you really can't beat that level of customer service and care IMO.

That doesn't explain how it's possible to add it to your cart before it's time.
Even after all the technical explanations, I still don't quite understand how they did it. I loaded the pages on separate tabs and refreshed until the "add to cart" button appeared at 10 - what I do every time I order something from LRG, basically.
 
D

Deleted member 57681

Unconfirmed Member
The product description for the CE already said it was 1 per customer though? Or is this for the regular?
 

Weevilone

Member
For anyone who said they should limit the games to 1 per customer, it looks like they listened:

Douglas Bogart‏ @LimitedRunDoug 1h1 hour ago

Just a heads up, we did drop the limit asap to 1 per customer. We will make sure it's 1 per customer on the 2nd batch.


For all the complaints LRG gets and (valid) frustrations some people have, you really can't beat that level of customer service and care IMO.

The change is great but the change shouldn't have been necessary. It should have been 1 the whole time. This isn't their first rodeo.

2 minute sellout last batch. Then they go with 2 per person for an obviously hot game the next week. They just keep shooting feet.
 

Wereroku

Member
The product description for the CE already said it was 1 per customer though? Or is this for the regular?

It sounds like the Regular was supposed to be 1 per as well but wasn't turned on at first. I wonder how many cancelled orders there is going to be if they mean to have it be 1 per from the beginning.
 

Moofers

Member
^^ Very glad to see the 1 per customer rule implemented. Bravo, guys!

I got a copy of Night Trap ordered, so I'm a happy boy today. I honestly thought I wouldn't be so lucky this time because I've never had a problem ordering from LRG but this is the first title I would have seriously bummed over missing. I had Night Trap when it was on Sega CD all those years ago, so for me this was THE special one in the LRG lineup.

I might go in on a copy of The Bunker later today if I can manage it. I cared so much about Night Trap this morning I didn't want to slow myself down by putting two things in the cart before checking out.
 

oneida

Cock Strain, Lifetime Warranty
The change is great but the change shouldn't have been necessary. It should have been 1 the whole time. This isn't their first rodeo.

It isn't their first rodeo but even in this thread you'll see they have longtime customers who purchase 2 copies of their releases, one to open and one to keep sealed.

LRG saying 'you guys can't do that any more' is honestly pretty rad and shouldn't be underplayed.
 
The change is great but the change shouldn't have been necessary. It should have been 1 the whole time. This isn't their first rodeo.
I'm not disagreeing. But to be fair, there is a difference between Night Trap/Wonder Boy and something like Flinthook.

With that said, even then, I don't get why people would need two copies. Yes, there are cover variants, etc. But I personally think needing one of each cover is excessive. What do I know though? *Shrug*
 
D

Deleted member 57681

Unconfirmed Member
Does that also mean 1 per customer through both batches? I mean, I really do want all y'all collectors to have one to play and one to look at, but if that means I don't get mine...
 

Weevilone

Member
Those play one, keep one sealed people must be a lot younger than me. I only buy one of stuff to play and I already look like a hoarder.

Someday they are going to look around and realize that for every rare thing that is valuable, they have 100 pieces of junk and 50 cardboard boxes full of trading cards and mini art books.
 

Fuzzy

I would bang a hot farmer!
Depending on the browser, and how quickly the page loads, the "add to cart" element can sometimes appear before it gets properly removed and replaced with the countdown timer or "sold out" element, as the page loads.

I've personally seen this (
and yes, used it a handful of times on other sites. I hate myself.
)
So those who do it can just keep it in their cart until the onsale time, then check out faster than those who have to add it when it actually changes.

edit: to be clear, that's only ONE way to trick the system. There are others, I'm sure.


I've heard of this, but never tried it. So there's two options... and it depends on how the site has set up the product pages to determine whether or not either of these tricks will work.
Yeah, people used to do this to the Canadian Best Buy site for Amiibo before they would go live.
 

Curler

Unconfirmed Member
By the way, I think you should drop the Appeals to Accomplishment. It's a cookie-cutter logical fallacy, and you don't need it. Address the points if you'd like, not "They run a business and you don't".

I just think some people have an honest time not trying to place themselves in their shoes, and they make it sound like decisions are as easy as a snap of a finger. We don't see behind the scenes, like how the contracts are created, things that the publishers are specifically asking for, etc. which are pretty important to the whole thing. Even if we received a fully detailed step-by-step process on how things work and why they do, people still wouldn't be happy and would still demand to change aspects of it.

I used to say it myself "make it a 24-hour run/pre-order" and "up the run count", but they had honest reasons why which they can't. It's not like a BS PR answer from Nintendo that is always vague. I'm used to following small companies, and reasons why things CANNOT happen, and most of it boils down to $$ and losses.

I have never made a business myself, but I know generally how they can work and just HOW MUCH risk is on the line for the company and workers. But saying "just do this!" is never as easy as it sounds...
 
Nope. I was logged in watching the timer count down for 20 minutes before it went live. It sold out while I was in the checkout process. So fuck that defense.

Maybe it is just a lottery for the checkout?

I logged in 5 minutes before listing and sat on the SE page. As soon as the time hit 00:00:00 I refreshed the page and added it to cart. Then I swung back to main page for the Blu-Ray and added it to cart. Next I hit the PayPal button and sat in queue for like 30 seconds. Finally I completed the checkout and received my confirmation.

All this by 7:03 am, pacific. And I broke CA state law by doing this one-handed as I drove to work, which is bad decision...

Not trying to be a dick but for all the other releases they've included them under the games tab. Why change it now?

No worries, I was just speaking from personal experience.
 

Moofers

Member
I'd like to add that if they have batches selling out in 2 minutes and then even their slowest sellers like LawBreakers can still clear out in a weekend, maybe its time LRG begin considering increasing the size of the production runs. They are clearly getting a lot of flack from pissed off/confused customers who don't understand why its so hard to secure some of these games, so I think having larger quantities that would give people a reasonable amount of time (10 minutes in the morning instead of 2-3) would go a long way to ease the frustration on both sides.

Also, having "one to play and one to keep sealed" is greedy when you could just play the digital release of any of these games and keep your lone copy sealed if you're an extreme weirdo like that. Besides, open your stupid games anyway. You're going to die in a nuclear apocalypse soon enough and sealed copies of Wonder Boy aren't going to trade well for bottled water. LOL
 

oneida

Cock Strain, Lifetime Warranty
I'd like to add that if they have batches selling out in 2 minutes and then even their slowest sellers like LawBreakers can still clear out in a weekend, maybe its time LRG begin considering increasing the size of the production runs. They are clearly getting a lot of flack from pissed off/confused customers who don't understand why its so hard to secure some of these games, so I think having larger quantities that would give people a reasonable amount of time (10 minutes in the morning instead of 2-3) would go a long way to ease the frustration on both sides.

Also, having "one to play and one to keep sealed" is greedy when you could just play the digital release of any of these games and keep your lone copy sealed if you're an extreme weirdo like that. Besides, open your stupid games anyway. You're going to die in a nuclear apocalypse soon enough and sealed copies of Wonder Boy aren't going to trade well for bottled water. LOL

Supply should be higher, absolutely. Night Trap and Wonder Boy selling out in 1 minute and 3 minutes respectively... fuckin insane.
 
I'd like to add that if they have batches selling out in 2 minutes and then even their slowest sellers like LawBreakers can still clear out in a weekend, maybe its time LRG begin considering increasing the size of the production runs. They are clearly getting a lot of flack from pissed off/confused customers who don't understand why its so hard to secure some of these games, so I think having larger quantities that would give people a reasonable amount of time (10 minutes in the morning instead of 2-3) would go a long way to ease the frustration on both sides.

Also, having "one to play and one to keep sealed" is greedy when you could just play the digital release of any of these games and keep your lone copy sealed if you're an extreme weirdo like that. Besides, open your stupid games anyway. You're going to die in a nuclear apocalypse soon enough and sealed copies of Wonder Boy aren't going to trade well for bottled water. LOL
Agree with all of this.
 
I'd like to add that if they have batches selling out in 2 minutes and then even their slowest sellers like LawBreakers can still clear out in a weekend, maybe its time LRG begin considering increasing the size of the production runs. They are clearly getting a lot of flack from pissed off/confused customers who don't understand why its so hard to secure some of these games, so I think having larger quantities that would give people a reasonable amount of time (10 minutes in the morning instead of 2-3) would go a long way to ease the frustration on both sides.

Also, having "one to play and one to keep sealed" is greedy when you could just play the digital release of any of these games and keep your lone copy sealed if you're an extreme weirdo like that. Besides, open your stupid games anyway. You're going to die in a nuclear apocalypse soon enough and sealed copies of Wonder Boy aren't going to trade well for bottled water. LOL
Way to end on a bummer, lmao
 

Skulldead

Member
Totally miss it this morning, i have zero fate at 6 PM from the comment here. They truly need to change thing, this is starting to hurt their reputation....

I can't imagine Ys.....
 

MrFortyFive

Member
1 per customer, at least for a day or two, is definitely a good move. Larger production runs as mentioned above would also likely be a good move, though I don't know exactly how/if the financials and logistics on LRG's end change for increasing run sizes. I remember early on they said they simply didn't have the capital for larger runs, but surely that situation has improved given how many runs they've done by now.
 

blazeuk

Member
Also, having "one to play and one to keep sealed" is greedy when you could just play the digital release of any of these games and keep your lone copy sealed if you're an extreme weirdo like that. Besides, open your stupid games anyway. You're going to die in a nuclear apocalypse soon enough and sealed copies of Wonder Boy aren't going to trade well for bottled water. LOL

Some of the releases are designed to attract collectors into buying multiple copies though, if they didn't have cover variants (even if they are reversible) then those collectors would probably just buy a single copy they'd keep sealed, then do as you say with buying the digital version to play.

I'm not convinced there's a lot of people out there buying 2 copies of every game so they can play one and keep one sealed - that would definitely be pretty extreme for most people.
 

Moofers

Member
Some of the releases are designed to attract collectors into buying multiple copies though, if they didn't have cover variants (even if they are reversible) then those collectors would probably just buy a single copy they'd keep sealed, then do as you say with buying the digital version to play.

I'm not convinced there's a lot of people out there buying 2 copies of every game so they can play one and keep one sealed - that would definitely be pretty extreme for most people.

Yep, this is a good point. Cover variants motivate people to buy multiple copies, I'm sure. I'd rather they just stopped doing those to be honest.
 

Weevilone

Member
Yep, this is a good point. Cover variants motivate people to buy multiple copies, I'm sure. I'd rather they just stopped doing those to be honest.

People will try to obtain both orientations of a reversible cover game if possible, so they can display both. Normally I'd say whatever, it's their money. But in this case it causes supply issues.
 

Credo

Member

Yeah, I agree it seems obvious, but I had the Games page up because I assumed all their available games were going to be on the page labeled "Games" because that's just what made sense in my mind. Now that I know how it's set up, I figure I'll miss out on the second try this afternoon purely by being too slow.
 
Honestly, I think I am going to try for the FMV FRIDAY MEGA-BUNDLE.. I think I will have a better chance at 6 PM

They have 75 bundles left. I will sell everything else on Ebay at the same price to help others.
 

oneida

Cock Strain, Lifetime Warranty
Yeah, I agree it seems obvious, but I had the Games page up because I assumed all their available games were going to be on the page labeled "Games" because that's just what made sense in my mind. Now that I know how it's set up, I figure I'll miss out on the second try this afternoon purely by being too slow.
no harm in trying... i got mine at 10AM on a cell phone, on my shitty data plan. In the middle of a meeting. you can do this!
 
Damn, slept in and now I'm going to have to try to get it on my phone at work. That won't be a pain at all.

If trying for the CE, should I be refreshing the product page if it 404's, or the home page?
 

Curler

Unconfirmed Member
The defence force for this is real though. Detractors need a business degree etc etc.

Hey I'm just trying to make sense of all of this, and the reason behind the choices they make, and why the print runs are as low as they are. I want to understand how things are being done now, and hope that things will improve in the future.
 

hawk2025

Member
Hey I'm just trying to make sense of all of this, and the reason behind the choices they make, and why the print runs are as low as they are. I want to understand how things are being done now, and hope that things will improve in the future.

One thing I always go back to is that, whatever issues aside, I've got nearly 75 games I never dreamed would get a physical release thanks to this company.

I quibble because I care -- they are awesome :)
 

LQX

Member
To be honest, if you are also a PC gamer that regularly buys Humble Bundles then more than likley you bought a good amount of releases for $1 or so. Plus a number of them have been on PSN+. So for me many of the releases are not really worth opening as I have them in one form or another but I still like having them in my collection. I do not buy with the intent to resell but these days I find myself contemplating a lot more if it is worth buying more releases or even holding on to what I already have seeing as so many of these games I already have the digital versions of.
 

Curler

Unconfirmed Member
One thing I always go back to is that, whatever issues aside, I've got nearly 75 games I never dreamed would get a physical release thanks to this company.

I quibble because I care -- they are awesome :)


75 is a lot! I've been selective with titles I buy with them, mostly more Japanese/niche things.

It's just tough with all the disappointed and angry people, but I put a lot of trust in smaller companies when I can see how hard they trying to do the right thing for their customers, but I DO understand how nothing is easy. The hate does get tiring when you see pissed off people on Twitter just saying the same stuff over and over.

There's a difference with small companies like LRG, and how small adjustments are constantly made to try and make things better (changing the policy to 1 per is definitely a plus, after their consumer numbers have exponentially grown), and comparing it to Comcept where NO voices were heard, and the whole thing was a complete circus that is still on going several years later!
 
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