Don't like Derek Smart's game? He'll refund your money
by Justin McElroy 
{ Mar 11th 2008 at 3:00PM }
We're the first to admit that Derek Smart should not be looked at as a role model in all things. We're happy that most developers fix bugs before they're released, and we're (mostly) happy there aren't more devs vs. fans scraps on message boards. But what we do like is Smart's willingness to release his products for free after retails sales slow. Seriously, you can play a good chunk of the guy's cannon right here.Now, he's taking things one step further, with a guarantee we're betting he wasn't counting on being as widely circulated as it has been. Posting on Blue's News, Smart said that if you buy his new game Galactic Command Echo Squad, and you don't like it, he'll refund your money. And he won't even invalidate your DRM license. Now that's something we'd like to see more devs promising. ... Now, to see if he follows through.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Shagittarius @ Mar 11th 2008 3:11PM
The Ewe Boll of the game industry.
Shagittarius @ Mar 11th 2008 3:24PM
or maybe Ron Popeil...
jdeuel @ Mar 11th 2008 5:42PM
If by the "uwe boll of the gaming industry" you mean "that guy who works all day doing what he wants, making the games he personally wants to make, and has a good time doing it" then you're 100% right.
Look over his blog, the man puts everything he has into space sims only for morons like you to sit there badmouthing him without even playing one of his games.
Hope you have fun at that job you probably hate, while insulting people doing the things they love.
Shagittarius @ Mar 11th 2008 5:52PM
Fries are up Jdeuel.
p.s. I like potatocakes.
Shogan @ Mar 11th 2008 3:16PM
I predict everyone hates this game just to get it free.
Mike @ Mar 11th 2008 3:23PM
I'm going to have to site you again for word over-use/mis-use, Justin. I'm guessing you mean "a good chunk of his 'canon'", but even then it wouldn't really be quite right. Actually it wouldn't be right at all. I always love your posts, but it's time to let this word go.
FK @ Mar 11th 2008 3:30PM
I am going to have to cite you on the word "site":
site: the spatial location of an actual or planned structure or set of structures (as a building, town, or monuments) b: a space of ground occupied or to be occupied by a building
cite: to bring forward or call to another's attention especially as an example, proof, or precedent
Mike @ Mar 11th 2008 5:25PM
Zing! And with that, he never made another grammar correction post again.
DefDealer @ Mar 11th 2008 3:34PM
Who is this guy and why is he curling his lips at me? Scary!
NATO_Duke @ Mar 11th 2008 3:48PM
How bout you give me the money now and we save ourselves the time?
Freelance @ Mar 11th 2008 3:52PM
Why so much animosity towards this guy?
Shagittarius @ Mar 11th 2008 4:13PM
Battlecruiser 3000 A.D.
jdeuel @ Mar 11th 2008 5:44PM
And how about Battle Cruiser Millenium Gold, which is the game 3000 A.D. should have been, and succeeds in near every aspect of the space sim?
Yeah, knock him for a buggy game, and then completely gloss over the good one.
Shagittarius @ Mar 11th 2008 5:58PM
Not that I feel the need to justify my comments to you Jduelel but all I mean by the Ewe Boll reference was that due to past performance of his games this guy needs to make outlandish promises / hold outlandish press gatherings in order to even get people to consider checking out his latest work.
I didn't intend to put down his talents, thats why I made the ron popiel comment 'money back guarantee' after words. But you can take it however you want to, it doesn't matter to me. Seems like your lookin for a fight.
dHattoh @ Mar 11th 2008 4:00PM
Universal combat was pretty nice considering the scale of games today.
TomCo @ Mar 11th 2008 4:34PM
Nice?
It was an abomination.
StarFoxA @ Mar 11th 2008 4:31PM
Oh man, I really hate this game.
BigD145 @ Mar 11th 2008 4:59PM
Loose lips sink ships.
Jerk Face @ Mar 11th 2008 5:24PM
Loose gooses take trips.
unfriendly_cat @ Mar 11th 2008 5:06PM
I usually try not to be too much of a grammar nazi, but playing "a good chunk of the guy's cannon" sounds a bit disturbing.
Randy @ Mar 11th 2008 5:54PM
There's lots you can say negative about him, but Derek Smart is not unaware of the interwebs. I'm sure he knew that news of this would get around, and I actually wouldn't be surprised at all if he did follow through and refund the money to anyone who claims they don't like the game. However, I expect him to add a caveat that the refund is contingent on some kind of feedback form first, which may well slow down people who just a free game.
And for all the trouble of 3000 A.D., it really was significantly improved in Millenium Gold. If he can just keep baking this one until it is actually in release shape, it probably will be good (if brutally difficult).
yojimb0 @ Mar 11th 2008 6:37PM
Didn't he use something that looked pretty much exactly like screenshots from google maps to texture cities? I heard you can even see the copyrights on some of the texture in that Echo game...
TWIMTBP @ Mar 11th 2008 6:43PM
Did those textures look good in the game? Seems like an interesting idea.
Savok @ Mar 11th 2008 8:01PM
The catch of course being you have to tell Derek Smart you don't his game.
Steve @ Mar 12th 2008 2:35PM
You know, I've had my share of scraps with Derek Smart Phd. over the years mainly because I think he's an asshole who make shitty games. This time though I've got to give credit where credit is due and this move deserves it. Hats off.