Regional Pricing.

[Herodotus]

Hey fellow aviators, tank crews and the like.

 

I just saw “Operation Bodenplatte" come on sale for 80% off in my newsletter, and almost jumped onto it…till I checked the Steam Store where it is also 80% off.

 

The difference is, there is no regional pricing on this website, where I have always purchased my products dating back to neoqb's, then 777 Studios “Rise of Flight”.

Here, with the U.S. pricing being used, U.S. $15.99, when converted I would be paying A$ 27+ for the product, whereas on steam it is A$ 13.99 in this Spring Sale. I am all for supporting the devs and all, but paying over A$14 more for the same product is a bit rich. It is close enough to twice the price.

 

Will there ever be regional pricing to make it fair to the rest of us outside the U.S.?

 

P.S. If there is already a topic posted regarding this, my apologies, but I don't have all day to wait for searches countdowns.

 

Edited March 16, 2023 by Herodotus

[bluey82d]

Found your post and am in the same boat! I saw Battle of Normandy on sale and as with every other Battle series I went to purchase on IL2 direct but even after having to add the mandatory Battle of Stalingrad on Steam I still save $20 buying on Steam vs direct from IL2 site. The normal price on Steam is about the same value as in USD on the main site (89.95), but who would come to the main site to buy and add close to $40 to the price?

[Zooropa_Fly]

It's time both these companies accepted Cryptocurrency.

Although I see 'Steam' has taken a firm stance against it.

How wonderfully progressive of them.

[HankCzinaski]

Buying directly was more expensive for me as well, however, like many others said before, this is a better way to support development of games you actually want to play.

 

If you want more combat sim content you have to vote with your wallet. Nobody's gonna make professional level content for free. Steam is good for Developers to get exposure but they don't get 100% of the price. That is because Steam gets a hefty "cut" of the price.

 

Besides, the discount price is very low anyway. If you have a job and can afford a computer that runs Il-2, you can spare 16 bucks.

[Livai]

Personally I don't care if steam cuts developer money from sales, not my problem! If buying in US Dollar is more expensive because the exchange works against my wallet I buy there where it is not, point.

[IckyATLAS]

On 3/18/2023 at 1:15 PM, HankCzinaski said:

Buying directly was more expensive for me as well, however, like many others said before, this is a better way to support development of games you actually want to play.

 

If you want more combat sim content you have to vote with your wallet. Nobody's gonna make professional level content for free. Steam is good for Developers to get exposure but they don't get 100% of the price. That is because Steam gets a hefty "cut" of the price.

 

Besides, the discount price is very low anyway. If you have a job and can afford a computer that runs Il-2, you can spare 16 bucks.

I could not say it better. You absolutely made the point. Buy from the Store!. IL2 has to be on Steam they have no choice, but true support to keep things going is to buy from the Store.

[Herodotus]

I have always agreed with supporting the developer first, and bought all of my “Rise of Flight” content from the neoqb, then 777 Studios site. The same with DCS with the first "Blackshark" (actually bought the game boxed in store with disc and manual as I did with "Rise of Flight"). However, when you have an exchange rate where your own currency is around 65 cents on the U.S. dollar, it means a pretty steep investment for gamers  who may not be working, but have been simming since perhaps Microsfot FS 3.5 on the i286 like me. With inflation now almost out of control, cost of living through the roof, people being turfed from rental properties all over and recession growing more likely, then the expensive luxuries will be first to go. I'd love to round out my collection here, but almost weep when I see how cheap they are on Steam while here, even on sale it is the equivalent of a full price AA game.

To continue support and grow the player base on the site, regional pricing needs to become a reality. Otherwise, as with DCS it just becomes far more financially acceptable to purchase on Steam, which I don't personally wish to do. I enjoy the camaraderie of this community, and would swap it for no other. Besides, by purchasing from the site, you aren't 'renting' the game as you are on Steam.

[Avimimus]

As a Canadian - I've felt this too.  

 

That said, if one can wait two years or so - the prices come down a lot. There is also a lot of good content already released to keep one busy while waiting for the sales.

 

One the other hand - if the pricing difference is causing people to go to Steam - and if the developers get a smaller cut from sales through Steam than through the website, from a purely financial standpoint, it makes a lot of sense to match Steam's pricing (or even beat it).

[Herodotus]

With the sale starting today I leapt to the Store page with “Operation Bodenplatte” on 75% off sale. The Premium Edition is USD $19.95, which is fair for Americans, but when I converted it to Aussie dollars through my bank's calculator (and PayPal's) it would cost me AUD $33 or more, depending on the hourly fluctuations. Considering it is AUD $17.48 on Steam with the same discount, I have to really argue strongly again for regional pricing - I can buy two expansions on Steam for the price of one here.

 

I wish I could afford the A$33 for the expansion, as being an old school simmer from the '80's I actually loathe Steam, knowing that I am not actually buying games but access to games, that Steam can revoke for any number of reasons with no recourse or refund for a lost library. However, I don't wish to get start a debate about the merits of buying here as opposed to Steam, just further reinforce the need for regional pricing.

 

I know that buying from here makes sure all proceeds go to the developers/Publisher and I have always supported that from purchasing the boxed release of “Rise of Flight” when it was pretty rough around the edges (remember the sniper rear gunners guys?). However, these days I have to put the gamer first. The exchange rates are worse than they have been for many years, and getting worse by the day. Paying in USD amounts just doesn't work anymore for many of us who no longer work but still wish to keep playing their beloved flight sims. I just politely ask for it to be at least considered moving forward.

EDIT: Many thanks to Hook_Echo for helping an old pilot out with his generous gift. I've said it before, and I'll say it again.: What a community!

I'd still push for regional pricing, to be fair to all. Inflation is outta control here, as in many countries and gaming has now really become a luxury hobby, at least flight simming is.

Edited June 29, 2023 by Herodotus
Altering content

[Zooropa_Fly]

Inflation ain't going away anytime soon.. so the longer you wait..

For what you get, I'd say A$33 is a bargain for Bodenplatte, but I understand where you're coming from.

[Art-J]

16 hours ago, Herodotus said:

I wish I could afford the A$33 for the expansion, as being an old school simmer from the '80's I actually loathe Steam, knowing that I am not actually buying games but access to games, that Steam can revoke for any number of reasons with no recourse or refund for a lost library.

 

Just for the record - partial content access restriction in Il-2 series happens in non-Steam version as well, albeit rarely, because of auth or update server issues. It all depends on game and publisher anyway. For example, these of us who play DCS had all their payware content in standalone edition inop for up to two days not long ago (caused by auth server crapping out), while guys playing Steam edition soldiered on without any issues. Go figure.

 

I don't use Steam either for Il-2 or for DCS by the way, but based on these incidents, I'd say Steam access seems to be more reliable actually.

 

In either case, glad to see you've got new toys donated to you. Enjoy!

[Herodotus]

On 6/30/2023 at 7:00 PM, Zooropa_Fly said:

Inflation ain't going away anytime soon.. so the longer you wait..

For what you get, I'd say A$33 is a bargain for Bodenplatte, but I understand where you're coming from.

Yeah, well the Aussie dollar hit a high of .67 cents on the USD the other night, but it is going back down rapidly to the .64 cents it's been floating at and doesn't equate to real life purchases. To find out the real cost to the buyer, you need to use the PayPal calculator if purchasing though them. Quite often a pretty big difference, and one that catches many by surprise. Exchange rate is .65 cents according to the Reserve Bank, but with PayPal it is .63 cents on the USD (as I found out this morning purchasing three Scripted Campaigns, separately to keep the cost down). Larger purchases, and you are almost (almost) paying double what U.S. and perhaps European  buyers pay (exchange rate with Great Britain is worse with .50 cents to the British Pound)

 

Regional Pricing would solve this, and I think have more flight sim enthusiasts buying from the site instead of through Steam where it is far cheaper, with less going to Devs. I only have all the original “IL-2” games on Steam (and in boxes), including 'Cliffs of Dover” as at that time,  as that's the only place you could buy them.

On 7/1/2023 at 1:17 AM, Art-J said:

 

Just for the record - partial content access restriction in Il-2 series happens in non-Steam version as well, albeit rarely, because of auth or update server issues. It all depends on game and publisher anyway. For example, these of us who play DCS had all their payware content in standalone edition inop for up to two days not long ago (caused by auth server crapping out), while guys playing Steam edition soldiered on without any issues. Go figure.

 

I don't use Steam either for Il-2 or for DCS by the way, but based on these incidents, I'd say Steam access seems to be more reliable actually.

 

In either case, glad to see you've got new toys donated to you. Enjoy!

Probably right.

 

Anyway, I just picked up a few scripted campaigns to give something back to the devs. Only wish I could return the favour to the community.

 

Edited July 14, 2023 by Herodotus
corrections

[LukeFF]

3 hours ago, Herodotus said:

I just mention Steam as I know a couple of guys who broke the rules, without actually knowing what rule and how and had their entire libraries locked to them, and in fact they vanished. Since then, I've always been very careful what I post.

 

If you want to complain about Steam's content access policies, please do so with them and not here.

[Herodotus]

Fair enough. Amended.

20 hours ago, LukeFF said:

 

If you want to complain about Steam's content access policies, please do so with them and not here.

Fair enough. Amended.

[m1244]

In my country, we have some price problems with IL-2 franchise.

 

Some examples from Steam prices (in TURKISH LIRAS):

 

IL-2 Arado Ar 234 (DLC)         = 359 TL

IL-2 Bf 109 G6 (DLC)               = 380 TL

IL-2 Spitfire Mk.XIVe (DLC)     = 380 TL

IL-2 C-47A (DLC)                     = 459 TL

IL-2 BON (DLC)                        = 1099 TL

IL-2 Sky Nomads (DLC)          = 250 TL

 

 

MS Flight Sim                          = 999 TL

X-Plane 12                               = 275 TL

Modern Warfare                     = 999 TL

F1 23                                        = 1199 TL

Fifa 2023                                 = 699 TL

Elden Ring                               = 699 TL

AC Valhalla                               = 699 TL

GOW Ragnarök (PS Store)      = 799 TL

Starfield (Preorder)                 = 899 TL

ACC - 2023 GT Pack (DLC)    = 250 TL

Forza Horizon 5                       = 599 TL

Dead Space                             = 999 TL

 

Note that these prices are not on sale; full prices. Examples are not genre or quality dependent.

 

When converted, the money we can give to games is very worthless for advanced countries. Before Steam, Turkish people wouldn't BUY games. They would DOWNLOAD games. But after, thanks to Steam price policy, we all can allocate money for games and we buy games. Maybe this is too little for a developer money income, but instead of harming developers, at least we buy a coffee to them and expand community.

 

 

 

 

[Herodotus]

I just paid A$37 for “Tank Crew"", which is priced at USD$22.49 on sale, an enormous hike. Whereas on Steam, it is 50% off at A$29, a lower discount than here. The Steam version should be higher, as Steam take their bite out of all transactions, but I am penalised for having a poor conversion rate. A USD$4.99 Collector's Plane is A$8+. I'm done, after purchasing TC, for the price of a full-blown new game on a 66% discount, plus three Collectors' Planes. I was going to purchase “Flying Circus Volumes II &III” but that's it for my sales budget. Over A$60 is a fair whack.
Please, guys, especially with Korea and The Pacific in view, bring in Regional Pricing. It's the reason I will never buy from DCS again - the costs are astronomical, and it's getting that way here. I'm not angry, but sad that I am at the stage where I just cannot afford any more titles or modules.

[BOO]

4 hours ago, Herodotus said:

I just paid A$37 for “Tank Crew"", which is priced at USD$22.49 on sale, an enormous hike. 

 

 

Your argument just doesnt make sense to me. 

 

$22.49 USD is never going to be the same as A$22.49.   If it were you'd be getting substatially less income in the first place. You are effectively wanting your cake and eating it. If I was selling something that cost me £1 to make, why should I sell it to you for 51p because your nomimated currency standand (A$ to GBP£) is only worth .51 of what mine is? Thats effectively what you are complaining about. 

 

Average Earnings Australia A$100,000

Average Earnings USD $64,000

Average Earnings UK GBP £34,000

 

Now those are averages but for every comparitor be in pensions, median, lows or highs, the differental is roughly the same. 

 

You pay more A$ cos you get more A$ and its worth LESS per unit than the USD.   You are looking at it as Eggs for Eggs and it simply isnt. The only similarily between currencies is the use of the term "dollar". 

 

For Tank Crew, the actual difference you are quibbling about is A$8.00, or USD$5.00 or £4.00 between the Dev site and Steam. 

[Pulstar]

I was thinking of getting Normandy, but the pricing on Steam is a fraction of the price here. I used to have games on both the launcher and Steam but the publisher revoked my Steam keys.

[AEthelraedUnraed]

51 minutes ago, Pulstar said:

I used to have games on both the launcher and Steam but the publisher revoked my Steam keys.

They did a while ago, for illegally bought keys. If you bought yours from Steam, you can contact their support to get a new key or a refund. If you bought your key from elsewhere and were unaware that it was an illegal key, you can contact the reseller and ask for your money back (but as they deal in shady business, I wouldn't get your hopes up). If you bought from somewhere else and were aware that it was an illegal key, you got what you deserved.

 

FWIW, I've played on Steam for many years without any account issues. Though you will have to buy BoS first before you can play other modules. These other modules can then be bought from either the IL2 store or Steam. If Steam is the cheaper option for you, I'd say go for it.

[Herodotus]

On 12/2/2024 at 7:55 PM, BOO said:

 

 

Your argument just doesnt make sense to me. 

 

$22.49 USD is never going to be the same as A$22.49.   If it were you'd be getting substatially less income in the first place. You are effectively wanting your cake and eating it. If I was selling something that cost me £1 to make, why should I sell it to you for 51p because your nomimated currency standand (A$ to GBP£) is only worth .51 of what mine is? Thats effectively what you are complaining about. 

 

Average Earnings Australia A$100,000

Average Earnings USD $64,000

Average Earnings UK GBP £34,000

 

Now those are averages but for every comparitor be in pensions, median, lows or highs, the differental is roughly the same. 

 

You pay more A$ cos you get more A$ and its worth LESS per unit than the USD.   You are looking at it as Eggs for Eggs and it simply isnt. The only similarily between currencies is the use of the term "dollar". 

 

For Tank Crew, the actual difference you are quibbling about is A$8.00, or USD$5.00 or £4.00 between the Dev site and Steam. 

I initially wasn't going to respond to you, as inflammatory arguments aren't my thing, but your post is really quite empty. The community here is a great one, ad I wish to keep it that way.

 

You have plucked numbers off the internet, without referring to context. American dollars are always going to be a lot higher for Australians and New Zealanders as at the moment, as it is less than sixty cents Australian on the American dollar. USD$1=A$.58 right now.

That's a fact. We here are paying twice the price, and to give some context, being on a pension, as I am, from injury as a Registered Nurse working through COVID, I make A$23,000 a year, or USD$14,298. Pretty different to your quotes of A$100,000, and there are millions of us In fact, amongst y friend only one makes A$100,00 perannum, and he's a King's Council.

 

Average earnings are rubbish. In Australia we have the highest proportion of millionaires per capita, which alters income wildly. That is all I will say about that, except stop referring to Dr. Google for your information, again, without context.
 

As far as regional pricing goes, we need it. I was going to buy "Flying Circus" Volumes II and III on this current sale, as they are presently USD $19.99 each. However, when it goes to checkout with Paypal, that price become A$33.40, a huge price hike. I won't pay that, as I'd pay a fraction of that on Steam.

Again, purchasing from here, where all the monies go to the developers is why I have done so since the early days of "Rise of Flight". But I am being punished for doing so, while those on Steam, where Valve takes an unhealthy chunck of the profit, get great value for money. The difference: regional Pricing.

P.S. Don't tell me I live in a wealthy country. If you think it is, bear in mind that Australia is one of the most expensive countries to live in.

[BOO]

45 minutes ago, Herodotus said:

I initially wasn't going to respond to you, as inflammatory arguments aren't my thing, but your post is really quite empty. The community here is a great one, ad I wish to keep it that way.

 

You have plucked numbers off the internet, without referring to context. American dollars are always going to be a lot higher for Australians and New Zealanders as at the moment, as it is less than sixty cents Australian on the American dollar. USD$1=A$.58 right now.

That's a fact. We here are paying twice the price, and to give some context, being on a pension, as I am, from injury as a Registered Nurse working through COVID, I make A$23,000 a year, or USD$14,298. Pretty different to your quotes of A$100,000, and there are millions of us In fact, amongst y friend only one makes A$100,00 perannum, and he's a King's Council.

 

Average earnings are rubbish. In Australia we have the highest proportion of millionaires per capita, which alters income wildly. That is all I will say about that, except stop referring to Dr. Google for your information, again, without context.
 

As far as regional pricing goes, we need it. I was going to buy "Flying Circus" Volumes II and III on this current sale, as they are presently USD $19.99 each. However, when it goes to checkout with Paypal, that price become A$33.40, a huge price hike. I won't pay that, as I'd pay a fraction of that on Steam.

Again, purchasing from here, where all the monies go to the developers is why I have done so since the early days of "Rise of Flight". But I am being punished for doing so, while those on Steam, where Valve takes an unhealthy chunck of the profit, get great value for money. The difference: regional Pricing.

P.S. Don't tell me I live in a wealthy country. If you think it is, bear in mind that Australia is one of the most expensive countries to live in.

 

I didnt refer to google. Nore did I state pensions were that level.  I referred to my friend whos a cop in Perth and my mate's sister who is a nurse in Melbourne. I could also include my sister in laws brother but he's a self employed builder and earning considerably more.  And it you want to talk pensions, how about my mother in law here in the uk, getting £11500 a year - thats AUD$23,000.   So no difference to you then.  None. 

[Zooropa_Fly]

It's International exchange rates.

What do you expect 1C to be able to do about it ? 

[Herodotus]

TO: Zooropa_Fly
I guess you've missed the point of the topic. Regional Pricing request, that's what 1C could do about it.

To: Boo

That's great you are quoting from a friend and a friend of a friend, but unless you live here, and know that living costs and earnings vary from state to state, you don't know. It would be like me arguing the financials in the U.S.
Now, let your argument die. I have only requested Regional Pricing, not to begin a debate about earnings and living costs.

Please either agree or disagree with my request for Regional Pricing, something many have asked for over time, but don't try and stoke the flames of an argument.

Edited December 31, 2024 by Herodotus

[BOO]

1 hour ago, Herodotus said:

To: Boo

That's great you are quoting from a friend and a friend of a friend, but unless you live here, and know that living costs and earnings vary from state to state, you don't know. It would be like me arguing the financials in the U.S.
 

 

Actually I qouting from two friends living to two different part of the country.  What are you basing your butt hurt on if not your own assumptions of other countries. Bottom line. Our pensioners get roughly the same as you and we pay roughly the same equivalent prices. 

 

Ultimately comes down to your failing to understand or accept international exchange rates. 

[Lusekofte]

My currency is pretty bad , meaning I pay more than a US Citisen for any merch bought in foreign currency. We do get well payed so that is fair. But it is as simple as that.

Happy New year Boo and all others

[Herodotus]

@BOO

Now you're just getting nasty. I don't care how many so-called friends you have have here. You aren't from here so have little-to-no understanding of our economy. I happen to have an exceptional grasp of exchange rates  - anyone does by simply looking them up.

 

"Butt  hurt"?
That's just plain childish, and obviously points to your age. I won't be answering any more of your inflammatory posts. You obviously do not understand the point of my original forum, and just want to get into a "I know more than you" argument. I'm too old with too many other things to do.

 

Have a great start to the new year.
Goodbye.

Edited January 1 by Herodotus
grammar

[BOO]

9 hours ago, Lusekofte said:

Happy New year Boo and all others

 

Happy New Year Luse. I really hope its a good one for you my friend. 

[Zooropa_Fly]

2 hours ago, BOO said:

 

Happy New Year Luse. I really hope its a good one for you my friend. 

 

2nd that