refunds

Please email [email protected] with your request.

Hmmmm. I just got a less than hoped for response. Apparantly Stardock doesn't refund software that is in Beta or some such thing? I haven't even played the Beta.

Note that this isn't a software quality issue or anything. I just had a life-changing event that is going to prevent any "gaming" for the foreseable future.


Thanks again,

steve

PS- I am actively working this issue with the sales people. I am just hoping someone has better answers here.

Sales is really your only recourse in this matter.

Sorry to hear about the bad news chewy, hope everything works out fine.

Oh! I didn't mean a bad life changing event! Thanks for the concern though. It is actually a convergence of: new better job with longer commute and a new child. The latter is what is really eating into my free time.

I figure I only have time for one new title (latest GalCivII expansion). I'm in the process of liquidating all my other titles.

cheers,

steve

Oaoowhrrrcraaohuanraaoshoowhc!

Thats Shyriiwook for Congratulations!

yeah congrats!

I just need to note that I went through a rollercoaster of thoughts in a course of 5 seconds

"gasp you bastard"
followed by

"oh... that sucks" mixed in with guilt
then finalized with

  
good luck with both by the way.

Basically, (assuming its the issue I think it is) they don't allow refunds once you've downloaded the product -- there is no way that can make sure you haven't run / copied it already, so in essence as soon as you've downloaded it you've "consumed" the product, irreversibly. Its not like a set of shoes, where once you turn it in they know you aren't using it anymore.

As a father myself I actually found having a newborn child actually creates windows of oppourtunity to play games, though what you need is games you can pause or quick multiplayer rounds like Counter Strike. Essentially any game which doesn't screw you up by having to go afk.

So the single player version of most games incl. SoaSE or the mother of all single player games X3 are exactly what you need.

What else are you gonna do at 3am whilst your missus is asleep knowing baby needs feeding in 30mins? Sleep? haha you wish...but seriously its all worth it congratulations  

I think your nuts, I absolutely abhore people who are indian buyers.
Everybody assumes that everything is returnable. I don't know why.
You made the decision and now you have to take the responsability.

All of this you speak of is outside Stardock's control, why should they pay
for your mistake?

Anyways I have said my piece, I also know what gaming is like with kids around
It can be fun.

Thanks guys. Maybe there is a way around this to make my happy without imposing difficulties on Stardock. How easy is it to re-sell a game like this and transfer your serial code? I've never really tried. Maybe that's what I'll do (assuming I haven't found time again somehow between now and the release date).

cheers,

chewy

PS - My only real issue with the return policy is that they kinda penalize those who order early. I do understand why they have the policy though... too many people would treat the Beta as a demo and whine to get their $$ back. Oh well... all I can do is ask the sales people nicely. Never hurts to try.

Serial codes are linked permanently to your account upon registration, sorry.

Really? That seems odd... definitely some potential for legal issues there Kyro (given that the end-user might take the boxed copy if ordered and re-sell it to someone else...)

As I recall the GuildWars series had/has similar issues. At least a couple of years ago some were complaining about the ability to resell used copies. I don't think the issue was ever solved.

I hope this isn't the future trend of game sales. It would stink not being able to recoup part of the cost of games you no longer play.


steve

Not really.  Look at the games that have serial number activation.  Any Battlefield game, Guild Wars, Hellgate London, MMOs etc.  You can only link the key to one account, and the accounts aren't transferrable.  It's a pretty normal deal now with games.

 

Hmmm... Maybe there is a market for this!

A secure way to resell/transfer accounts for a cut of the sales prices. Almost like selling a "real"/"physical" game on Ebay or Amazon.

Sounds like I'm stuck this this.


Thanks for trying,

steve

I suppose you could transfer your entire Stardock account to someone else - not that doing so would be in any way an ethical thing to do and probably violates several state and federal laws.

Its only a handful of tokens, and maybe you will have time to play in a year or two. Why worry about it?

By the way, congratulations!

I suspect it'll become even more widespread once other publishers catch on.  When EB/Gamestop sell a used game, they get 100% of the proceeds - the publisher/developer get nothing but additional support issues (which costs money).

Doctor J- Thanks! I don't have any tokens and I don't plan on getting rid of my GalCivII Trilogy (single-player games I may be able to find time for ). So I don't have a desire to transfer the account. At this point I think I've "justified" the purchase to myself (and beautiful wife) by reselling many of my old titles... some, surprisingly, for full purchase price.

Yarlen - If publishers want a piece of the "used game" pie, why not setup a system that allows your customers to do this in exchange for a percentage of the sales price? Technical reasons?

It would be sad to see the used game industry disappear (speaking as a consumer). I've been selling worn-out titles since my Atari-2600 days. It takes some of the sting out of your next major game purchase, when you can recoup the cost of some of your old ones.


cheers,

steve

How important could it be? I wouldn't even have the balls to ask for my money back let alone for the reason of a new baby and a better job...lol.

I'll take your word...

And hope that there aren't too many people out there who get sold a useless box :D

./shudder! I still play a lot of my "old" games, like Might and Magic III and XCom: Ufo Defense. (Well, more XCom: Apocalypse than the original... the UI issues are getting annoying these days, I'm just so used to better )

he does have a point, go make money at your new and shiny job!

How important could what be?

It's got nothing to do with a baby and a job. It has to do with paying for a product that I don't even have in my hands yet and asking for my money back before it is in my hands. Not an unreasonable request I should think.

I didn't have to give a reason, but did to avoid personal attacks. Clearly not a wise strategy on my part.


cheers and sorry to have wasted anyone's time,

steve

hey chewy, we aren't attacking you here. we're just amusing ourselves with your actions, which seem mildly humorous from our end.

If you've downloaded the beta, then you've already received the game -- in a sense, the instant you associated the CD key with your SDC account, you "received" the goods you payed for.