I've already emailed stardock support and await a reply. If that fails, I'll be submitting a claim via PayPal using the category for goods not as described.

I don't like being screwed - as far as I can see I paid for a defective product that isn't worth ten bucks.  I could care less about the business of the developer or the business of making games - I am not a fanboy just a consumer. I only have so many game dollars to spend and won't be so quick to spend them with these guys - I have been looking forward to Demigod but considering the way they've managed this game I am not so sure that is a good investment either.

Maybe it's exactly this kind of patronizing tone that puts me off reading what the "well informed community" for which you appear to be the elected speaker has to say.

You're spot on, because the only thing that had SOME meaning was our credit card number. But don't worry, we got that part.

Maybe you should pipe down and do that instead of posting, since you don't seem to be able to handle a thread topic that is not to your liking.

For someone with such a vast industry experience (software AND hardware / development divisions of a COUPLE of large corporations) you come accross a bit juvenile, don't you think?

Either way, I certainly believe you that you have experience feeding poop to mushrooms.

So again, thanks again for your input.

As noted by others, January 1 was set as a placeholder date at the time of the delay (the store does not presently support a "TBA" option). This was openly noted as such then and subsequently to anyone who commented or inquired about the date on the Sins forums. Unfortunately, due to the server failures we experienced over the holiday we were unable to push the date further forward until after it had already automatically popped up "for sale" for a short while on Jan 1. We do apologize for any confusion or inconvenince this may have caused.

If you mistakenly purchased it during the time it was incorrectly showing as live on Impulse and do not wish to preorder/beta Entrenchment, please inquire with sales@stardock.com about a refund. Outside of that window, however, it was clearly marked as a pre-order item, and the standard refund policy applies.

As I have said in the past, this is a sweet release for me to actually say what I was thinking to myself when being paid for this kind of stuff.

I'm handling this just fine.  You are the one that seems threatened that I actually know a little about this topic.

I play the beta from time to time and have sent in a few minidump files to help.  It is actually kinda fun to try to "break" a project under development to make it stronger in the final release.

If you don't like the way this project has been handled, get your refund for the expansion and go play something else, your drama is doing little more than making me smile inside. 

Better yet, keep it up.  Your misplaced angst, it feeds me.

And if it shipped "on time" and was shitty you'd want free games too.

Sometimes, you just can't win.  I hope Ironclad isn't reading this post.  I'd imagine it would sicken them and might make them wonder why they do it at all.

Get real folks! The longer the game takes the more polished / complete / fun it will be. I am having fun with it RIGHT NOW. I already got my $10 worth in several hours of playing with it.  I am sure it is the same for the posters here. Just enjoy and wait for the final release. Realize that even after that is released there will be more tweaking. This is how it works with practically any software.

Engirush1

I love this game. I purchased the Entrenchment upgrade as soon as it was available. I even scheduled the day off from work (foolishly) the day it was initially scheduled to be released. Sure, I was disappointed that it didn't get released on time but hey it happens, so what. I look it at this way, someone is working on improving and adding content to a great game and that it will hopefully make it an even better game. That's a win win situation, in my opinion. SINS as it stood was one of the best games of it's type out there, now they are making it better! Hell, sign me up, I'll wait. Give me a BETA, sure sign me up for that too. I'll have fun and even more fun when it is finished.

Yes, I'm sold on this game...I'd almost say, "Here, take my wallet and give it back to me when you are done..." Except that I did that once with EA on Earth and Beyond and look where they left me? Literally, out in the cold with nothing to show for hundreds of dollars spent over the course of two years of game play on 7 accounts. So I wont complain about paying $10 and getting a Beta; which is OK as long as I get the final version in a reasonable time, say within 6 months.

Release dates are at best an educated guess, at least from my experience, and pushing the date back is understandable but let's be realistic here, anymore than a few months tells us one of four things:

1) Some serious issues exist that may or may not ever be solved

2) Someone in Marketing didn't listen very well when the projected completion date was set

3) Someone in Programming thinks miracles do happen with code

4) Some combination or variation of the above mixed in some creative accounting just to complicate things a bit more

I'm sure there are more reasons but heck these four are enough. Right now, we are looking a short delay and we're talking $10 which in the larger scheme of things is nothing. Play the Beta, Don't worry, Be happy...Hey, that might make a good song! No, wait, Bobby McFerrin already did that...nevermind. (sigh...)

People have the right to complain. Conversely, If some of us feel that they are whining, demanding undeserved freebies and/or lamenting the loss of TEN WHOLE DOLLARS...the rest of us who don't feel that way (those of us who don't feel entitled to free stuff, can afford ten bucks and/or just don't feel like kicking and screaming because the world is an imperfect place) have the right to ridicule them and tell them to cram it.  Ahhh, freedom!

Sir, you fail at life.  Even if it wasn't a "placeholder date" (imo this is just an excuse - more likely, with imuplse being so new they just forgot to update it), games get delayed all the time.

There are two alternatives: delay games when they're not ready, or release them as they are and patch them so that they actually work as intended.  Instead Stardock is allowing you to play the game as it is currently available as a freebie, just to be nice.  In other words, you are being given the choice of playing the beta or waiting for the real thing, while other companies force you to beta test the supposedly "release-quality" game for them so they can finish developing it more easily.

"Free copy"?  "Lose my 10 dollars"?  "Lose a customer"?  Stardock doesn't need or want troublemaking 14 year olds as customers OR their mom's money, so by all means go away and never come back.

(but you won't, you'll just realize what a tit you're being and buy the game anyway, enjoy the heck out of it, and pretend nothing happened)

Can't wait for the second micro, but on to the topic. I can't believe what some people are saying on here. It's just rediculous. I've had my share of mini dumps, but I just shrugged it off and started a new game. No biggy.

I love what they are doing. For me I think because it is a small digital download only expansion the only way to go is release it as a beta so they can really work with the community to make it the best they can. This way it is going to be extremely balanced, bug proof and hopefuly have more content because of the community working with them. I think this way is great and should be a model to follow. The way I see it is I am getting mroe for my money.