Originally Posted by r9800pro This is good to know. On the other hand, isn't it possible for Amazon to restrict this pre-order credit thing to older accounts only (accounts in good standing) ? That way there would be no loopholes and honest customers would still have the benefit

That would be great as long as they have no interest in gaining new customers.

Originally Posted by MysterD @ASHES Thanks, Ashes. I see that GOG has this Dream Pinball 3D game - which is DRM-FREE, since it's the GOG policy.

When I was looking at that it seemed unusually familiar... <checks GOG directory> /facepalm

Okay, so I played one game on the Amber Moon table and one game on the Aquatic Table, and a couple balls on Spinning rotors. Uncollected thoughts...

No AA setting but it needs AA badly (haven't tried forcing it yet). It has a lot of eye candy.
I don't like any of the cameras (esp with AA & perspective issues), give me something more overhead.

Ball inertial is whacked. I think maybe the ball (I'm talking the metal one here, I didn't notice too much difference on the wood/marble in my limited time with them), is too light. Pinballs are (supposed to be) heavy.

Ball-Flipper interaction is terrible. True overall, but let me highlight this with a specific point. If you have a ball cradled and you quickly toggle the flipper (ball starts at rest near flipper pivot, and it hit again near pivot), it goes very unrealistically flying off.

There is an activation item on the main menu that brings up dialog box for serial activation, I'm guessing that's the TopWare DRM. (GOG version, so I guess they just disabled the DRM-checks, I did experience one crash while quitting that spewed forth some serialcheck somethingorother crashed.

Verdict: For $0.74 you won't be kicking yourself too hard. The Amazon version could have TopWare DRM. The pinball gameplay is middling due to crappy physics (or lack thereof). The eye Candy Visuals are marred by a lack of AA. Camera angles and FOV/perspective are mildly annoying. I'm sure there are better pinball games that you could be playing.

TL;DR It's the Bad Rats of pinball games. (I don't mean to start a CAGy: I play it cause it's bad thing.)

Originally Posted by KBoom Not anymore. See previous posts, they changed the promotion due to people exploiting. Exploit: Pre-order > Use instant $15 credit > Cancel pre-order

Something that I always wonder when I see people exploiting things like this to the point where it just gets removed is if they know that they would probably save more in the long run if they didn't exploit it. If it gets exploited, then it stops, and you probably will never see that promotion again, at least not in the same way since it was exploited in that way. If it doesn't get exploited the promotion will keep coming back to provide similar deals in the future.

Originally Posted by igame I'm interested in a two things, but there is only 1 code How is Dark Souls Prepare to Die Edition because I see 3 editions 1 regular, 1 prepare to die and 1 collectors? I've read the only difference is 1 single player level and 1 multiplayer level. Heard you need a controller and a DSFix (dont have a controller though) and heard it is very hard normally and just about impossible with a keyboard

The Prepare to Die Edition of Dark Souls is the only version available for the PC. I would heavily recommend a controller, as the game was initially designed for consoles with no intention of later porting the game to PC. I am typically a proponent of mouse and keyboard for games, but many find the game to be near unplayable with that control scheme. Modding and dedication of time may prove mouse and keyboard a viable means of play, but in my experience it was not suitable.

Originally Posted by indef I bought Dream Pinball 3D. Thought the 0.74 price point was in my budget. Now I wish I had used the 25% discount code. It's not a good pinball game. The tables look pretty, but the physics just aren't there. It's also ludicrously easy...haven't delved deeper to see if there is any way to ramp up the difficulty. And the DRM activation is horrifying (Please enter your name, address, phone number, favorite pet's preferred food, how many roads a man must walk down, etc). Then again, it's 74 freakin' cents, and it's not like there are a ton of options for people who like pinball games (PLEASE VOTE FOR THIS).

Oh, thanks. Voted on Greenlight. That sounds like TopWare DRM confirmation. How many roads a man must walk down

I'll try Inversion for $3.37.

Dang, I leave for a week and another major sale starts.
I need to head out of town more often if this continues!

I always think it's funny to see people exploiting things to give them away to others. It happened with the giveaways last year where people would delete entire google docs and then "giveaway" the stolen keys to try to get online rep. pathetic

Originally Posted by r9800pro Yes I do. If you are referring to ordering from outside the US, it doesn't bother me because I already sorted it with CS long time ago and my account is verified with "real" billing/shipping address that is used for physical purchases too

Embracing the you, got mine attitude. Well, whatever works for you.

Originally Posted by lnknprk Something that I always wonder when I see people exploiting things like this to the point where it just gets removed is if they know that they would probably save more in the long run if they didn't exploit it. If it gets exploited, then it stops, and you probably will never see that promotion again, at least not in the same way since it was exploited in that way. If it doesn't get exploited the promotion will keep coming back to provide similar deals in the future.

Most of the people who do exploit things like this are extremely short sighted and selfish. Like who cares if it benefits anyone else as long as they get theirs.

Quick question for you guys.

I bought COD: World at War yesterday for 14.99 and used the code to get it down to 11.24. Today the game is down to 9.99 without the code, anyone think I could possibly get the 1.24 refunded and also have the code reset so that I can use it again on something else?

Originally Posted by pyschonerd You can try guess, they have a policy that most digital games are non refundable and for 1.24 i doubt they'll bother.

I wouldn't even care if they didn't refund it, it's just that I used the code without realizing that it was one time use.

I'd like to buy something more expensive so that I can get a better deal on it.

Well... I'm gonna give it a shot!

Originally Posted by Amazon DVG Deals FYI guys, just pulled down the current Bioshock pre-order offer, and changed it to the $30 credit after release. You guys were right but I'm glad we ran the test, I'll keep hoping one day the internet doesn't disappoint me. Cheers, Tony

Maybe I am in the very small minority in this, but as I mentioned when this promo was first mentioned, this arrangement was just begging for abuse. I also don't look down or am upset at people who take advantage of it. Maybe it's the internet or I'm simply too cheap or whatever, but I almost feel like people should take advantage of it since it's there and saving money is good for people. Having worked in the retirement finance area in the past, if people can save money and get games for free, you might as well since your retirement is more important than "being nice" I guess (and Amazon can seriously afford to cover this).

Sorta how it amazes me that people have to wait for 1 payday check to buy a game...seriously, if people are that tight, this is harsh, but maybe spend less on games or buy old stuff (like me!).

That said, I actually didn't take advantage of the promo...Maybe it's because I have most of the 2k games already other than x-com or didn't want to get banned from Amazon, but this promo made me think of someone saying they are leaving for a long trip and leaving the door to their house wide open and winking at everyone to come in and get bugularized.

What is disappointing is that instead of giving away $15 to pretty much loads of people, they could have sweetened their promo a bit more and just say give away $45 or $30 or whatever for people who actually KEPT their pre-orders. I know you have data now and can "prove" this isn't a good idea, but everyone here knew without having to run a test since it was pretty obvious. Maybe this is the Amazon way since I've had a friend work there before and the culture is different.

In the end and what I mentioned before is this HURTS your regular pre-order customers...Companies expect a certain amount of revenue from a sale, etc...and it would have been better to just give the real pre-orders more than the standard $15+$15 that probably thousands took advantage of. It's true $15 of old games isn't the same as $15 off a brand new pre-order game, but they could have made it even $5 or $10 more savings, etc...

Oh well, hope they can sweeten the deal for people who kept their pre-orders.

Originally Posted by yangwenli Sorta how it amazes me that people have to wait for 1 payday check to buy a game...seriously, if people are that tight, this is harsh, but maybe spend less on games or buy old stuff (like me!).

Maybe...just maybe... people that do this are trying to save and not spend money on frivolous things as well? I can afford to buy something, it doesn't mean I do it without waiting and using more than my allotted amount of money for stuff or anything like that.

Ugh! I'm so bummed. I missed out on the War of the Roses deal for $5 because I was waiting for a reply from Tony about something.
Drat.

Originally Posted by Amazon DVG Deals Yep, keys have been requested, just waiting to get them from Valve it sounds like. Cheers, Tony

My heart literally skipped a beat! I already have it on Origin (EA Account), but the thought of actually accomplishing getting a Steam version on sale. I shall not only double dip, but will buy copies for friends as well........if it is a complete deal (DLC included). Mooby, allow me to be the first to offer buying you your copy!! Tony, I'll buy you yours as well.

..and it occurs to me, that few of who may know the nice man in the picture. For you

Originally Posted by pyschonerd Your logic is very twisted. People should take advantage(knowingly cheat/scam amazon) because it's possible? There are poor people who cannot afford things, but i am not sure how that justifies many poor/non poor people scamming amazon just because they can.... Then saying give honest people an even better deal because dishonest people scammed amazon? I wonder if Mexico will say let us have nukes because we didn't try and obtain them illegally like iran

You said this much better than I could think of to say. There is a certain amount of respect and courtesy and consideration that people should have. Even if you see free samples it doesn't mean you should sit there and try to make a meal out of it. Part of the problem we have in the world is people taking advantage of everything because they can. It shouldn't be that way. You really shouldn't have to limit things and tell people not to take advantage of things and all that. It's ed up...

So what's up with prices for various games going up and down? Makes me too scared to buy anything for fear of it being cheaper the next day.... my inner CAG will never forgive myself.

Originally Posted by pyschonerd Your logic is very twisted. People should take advantage(knowingly cheat/scam amazon) because it's possible? There are poor people who cannot afford things, but i am not sure how that justifies many poor/non poor people scamming amazon just because they can.... Then saying give honest people an even better deal because dishonest people scammed amazon? I wonder if Mexico will say let us have nukes because we didn't try and obtain them illegally like iran

My logic is because this "Deal" was so obvious that it WILL be abused that Amazon and no one should be surprised...

I think EVERYONE on CAG told Tony this was a dumb idea and it will be abused. They still ran it so maybe I am of the camp of I told you so, so let's not be surprised and say, oh, a few ruin it for the masses.

The main problem is a vendor just sold games for free and instead of even getting $5 or $10 from these folks, they could have got real pre-order people to keep their order and save them a bit more money. This is because I assume that these "digital games" do have some value, even if it's a dollar so the hundreds or thousands of cancelled codes means no revenue for 2k that they would have gotten at least a little from. Definitely not the full $15, but at least a few bucks that they didn't get because of the offer.

Lastly, this didn't affect me and won't since I don't tend to pre-order (other than the few kickstarters)...and didn't take advantage of the promo...but to prevent from derailing this thread, my problem is that I think this promotion (and I mentioned this in my original post) eventually affects everyone and makes products more expensive for everyone else.

Everything is sorta connected in business and 2k losing revenue from the promo may make them less open to other promos in the future.

I won't comment on this further since I'm not here to say it's right since it's clearly not and this will derail this thread further, but I wanted to comment that Amazon could've ran this promo different since the experiment which took a day didn't need to even take that...I would also guess that plenty of CAGs took advantage of the promo as well without keeping the pre-order. My comment to you is that's fine! I don't think any less of anyone who did...

My bottom line is:
TL;DR: This promo was obviously going to be abused and Amazon is setting themselves up for it. Don't be upset or surprised. I didn't like the promo since it will affect everyone in the long run in higher prices.