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To follow Fables lead, here is a question do you buy games according to the game itself or the company that has produced it?

I personally think company and game wise.
I own all strategy games by blizzard - well i own all the games by blizzard.

Warcraft 1 2 and expansion.
Diablo 1 2 and expansion
StarCraft 1 and expansion.

I have a few EA sports games - cricket and football.

Bioware, i have the BG series, IWD (no expansion yet) and planescape.
I am planning on buying NWN even if it sucks.

Microsoft and the Age of Empires, own all 4 games.

Sid Meiers stuff if it is micromanagement and strategy.
Alpha Centuari and plan on buying Civ 3.
I have not played Civ 2 and the expansion - don't have the money yet.

Activision - i will buy their games with they are Star Trek related.

I will not buy games from companies i don't know - like everquest.

And some companies are on my not to by list -
1. Bullfrog
2. Microids
3. Accolade
4. Sierra - though lords of the realm II rocked.

Sierra,

brings back memories of football pro 99, shudders at the horror.

That game killed me pon Sierra.

Originally posted by Fas:
<STRONG>To follow Fables lead, here is a question do you buy games according to the game itself or the company that has produced it?<snip>
</STRONG>

I've never bought a game because it was made by a specific developer.

I tend to follow developers, definitely not publishers (like EA, Inteplay, Microsoft). Many good developers "play the field," and I'd rather watch what they're doing, and compare the results to the kinds of games I enjoy playing.

Sierra used to be one of the companies that I would buy just about anything from ... not anymore.

Same with LucasArts, Microprose, and some others.

For now Blizzard and Bioware are the only two companies that I follow. They're just the most dedicated companies that I can see.

Of course, just one game can make me change my mind about that.

This is a little off-topic, but I have a question: what are the specific roles of the "publisher," and the "developer" - ? Do the developers do the actual programming, and then let the publishers take over from there? Just curious.

Originally posted by Lazarus:
<STRONG>This is a little off-topic, but I have a question: what are the specific roles of the "publisher," and the "developer" - ? Do the developers do the actual programming, and then let the publishers take over from there? Just curious.</STRONG>

Good question. Publishers are involved in contracting with developers for code, with CD and box manufacturers for format, and with merchandising groups to buy space on store shelves for product that they release.

Developers do the games. They may work directly for a publisher, in which case, the publisher is also the developer: Black Isle Studios is a division of Interplay. Or they may be hired to do a specific product after a developer approaches the publisher: Bioware approached Interplay about contracting on BG. Or the publisher may approach the developer, especially if the latter has a good name: Lucasarts approached Bioware about the Star Wars CRPG.

Control of the product depends contract terms. Some publishers prefer to control the design team, often with disastrous results: EA has a rep as a "development killer" because it buys companies, puts its own fat-salaried people at the top of their corporate totem poles, then leads them into disaster. At the same time, lack of control of distant developers can prove a real hassle. Sir-Tech made some terrible decisions to distribute a British developers products, and despite requests for changes, didn't get them. The results were bombs.

Hope that helps.

I pay little to no attention to who created the game. If I like the game(or think it looks like a fun game) and I have the game system(or compatible computer) to play it on and I have the money to buy it with, I buy it. I tend to stick to games for Nintendo systems and now also computer games, but that is only because they have the most games I like. Although, I currently want to get a PS2 because of Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance and a certian new racing game.

I don't play a lot of games, but when I do I tend to buy games according to the games, often I'm not aware in beforehand who has developed the game. For instance, I didn't now until recently that the same company made Warcraft (which I've played long ago) and D2, which I've also played.

If I like a game a lot, I might consider to buy more games from that developer but that seldom happenens apart from sequels. Actually, I think it has only happened with SSI in the old gold box time, and Interplay for BG, P:T and IWD.

One of my requirments for buying is that if the company has a good track record, I may consider it. If it's a bad track record, then usually no. Either then that, I go for what I like.

I usualy buy game according to companies (sid Meyer,Bioware,Eidos and even Sierra) but the first exeption I've made in a long time is Tropico By PopTop (never heard of them before) and it is the funnest Sim I have ever played!better Than all of the Sim city games(By Electronic Arts).

Morlock,
I just got Tropico! Was very fun

I buy for the game, usually influenced by box design or if I've heard good things (Tropico because it had a nice tropical scene on the box).

Tropico was the first (and so far only) game I ever bought on sheer instinct- I saw it on Amazon.com, where you can't even see the whole cover, and just ordered it.
I recommend it to anyone who likes a combination of building sims,politics and a bit of laughs.

Originally posted by Morlock:
<STRONG>Tropico was the first (and so far only) game I ever bought on sheer instinct- I saw it on Amazon.com, where you can't even see the whole cover, and just ordered it.
I recommend it to anyone who likes a combination of building sims,politics and a bit of laughs.</STRONG>

And nice dance music Or maybe only I enjoyed the music?

Originally posted by Vivien:
<STRONG>And nice dance music Or maybe only I enjoyed the music?</STRONG>

The salsa in it is great.

I can't believe I forgot the music! bet music I have ever seen in a game.

Originally posted by fable:
<STRONG>The salsa in it is great. </STRONG>

I can't believe I forgot the music! bet music I have ever seen in a game.

I will admit to doing more than my fair share of computer chair dancing to it

Plus, the sparkly water when they zoomed in was breathtaking. Made me want to go and buy a tropical island and be a dictator So, yes, good game, good box design, proving my point that box design helps weed out the good games

Originally posted by Vivien:
<STRONG>I will admit to doing more than my fair share of computer chair dancing to it

Plus, the sparkly water when they zoomed in was breathtaking. Made me want to go and buy a tropical island and be a dictator So, yes, good game, good box design, proving my point that box design helps weed out the good games </STRONG>

So is it a good game to play???

If you like the above, definetly.

Originally posted by Darkpoet:
<STRONG>So is it a good game to play???</STRONG>

Baldur's Gate is still my favorite, but if you like Civ type games, you might like it