Pre-ordering concerns

[mrpham]

I've searched the forums, perhaps not thoroughly enough, but I've done some lurking around and couldn't find any information on the upcoming pre-order for the first batch, other than that for the forum members of gp32x.de, we get the exception to pre-order the unit on the 15th instead of the 30th. But how will we know where to place the pre-order?

Is the above information even correct?

 

[WizardStan]

The current rumour is that preorder info will be available on the 15th, not that any sort of pre-preorder will take place.
Other than that, no one knows anything. You'll just have to be patient like the rest of us.

 

[Mutilator]

craigix, ED and co will sure annouce something if they plan to give us earlier preorders, doesnt really matter as the second batch will follow shortly if they sell out

 

[Squidge]

I've searched the forums, perhaps not thoroughly enough, but I've done some lurking around and couldn't find any information on the upcoming pre-order for the first batch, other than that for the forum members of gp32x.de, we get the exception to pre-order the unit on the 15th instead of the 30th. But how will we know where to place the pre-order?

Is the above information even correct?

You will be emailed if you signed up, and the first pre-order will be on the 30th, not the 15th.

 

[CronoTriggerfan]

No, no, no. Jeez. :lol:

MWeston, when he announced the September 30th preorder, said that we may have an early preorder on or around the 15th for forum members only. Since then, Craig has denied that any type of early preorder will take place due to the lack of sufficient demos of actual Pandoras before that date. So the 30th it is, there will not be an early preorder for us unless the situation chanages dramatically.

 

[PoisonedV]

you got it all wrong. like chrono said, we get no special treatment, second, why does it matter?

 

[Reesy]

I've searched the forums, perhaps not thoroughly enough, but I've done some lurking around and couldn't find any information on the upcoming pre-order for the first batch, other than that for the forum members of gp32x.de, we get the exception to pre-order the unit on the 15th instead of the 30th. But how will we know where to place the pre-order?

Is the above information even correct?

You will be emailed if you signed up, and the first pre-order will be on the 30th, not the 15th.


Is that the newsletter sign up?

 

[Squidge]

Is that the newsletter sign up?

Yes.

 

[TrevorBradley]

You guys are going to have to face up to a harsh reality. The reason we haven't been hearing firm dates for pre-ordering is quite likely that they're not ready to give one yet. For an engineering project of this magnitude, you don't ask people to pre-order until you're 99.9% confident that the product is going to come out and that you have a schedule to move forward on.

I'm really quite skeptical of the Sept. 30th date at this point. I'm also quite skeptical that the Pandora will be out by the end of the year. The lack of new information on the Pandora is indicative that another delay is inevitable.

That's not to say I don't think the Pandora will be released and that I'm not eagerly looking forward for it. But the panicked fury of the forums aren't going to make the Pandora come out any faster than it's going to. Engineering isn't magic, you can't wish it to go faster that it does.

Craig and others should take their time to get it right. It's irresponsible of them to start people pre-ordering at the end of the month if they're not ready.

All that being said, I think we, the ravenous fanbase, would like to know more about the status of the project, and what milestones need to be passed before a call for pre-order is reasonable to make. That kind of data would ease my skepticism of this project meeting deadlines that Craig and others have set out for themselves.

 

[plopperz]

...
I'm really quite skeptical of the Sept. 30th date at this point. I'm also quite skeptical that the Pandora will be out by the end of the year. The lack of new information on the Pandora is indicative that another delay is inevitable.
...

That's being a bit pessimistic don't you think?

You really can't think that just because there hasn't been an update in a week or so, that the project suddenly isn't moving.

Craig has been pretty cautious about putting dates out, and the ones he previously put out were speculative. The September 30th date seems to be a well thought out and 'official' set date. I would imagine that will be the date of preorders. If something goes wrong possibly shortly afterward; Certainly not until the end of the year though.

 

[CronoTriggerfan]

PlopperZ, I think he's referring more to the fact that this thing was supposed to be out early this year and has been delayed countless times rather than the lack of updates. I agree with that point as well, to a certain degree. These speculative/unconfirmed comments by Craig are a bit unsettling, too. The whole, "Yeah September 30th sounds good, maybe kinda sorta if things go all right; we'll see..." crap that's been happening every time a date is thrown around. I'd like to see them commit.

 

[TrevorBradley]

That's being a bit pessimistic don't you think?

You really can't think that just because there hasn't been an update in a week or so, that the project suddenly isn't moving.

Yes it is being pessimistic, but also I believe realistic. And I'm taking into account the lack of data over the past six months as opposed to the recent past. Of course the project is moving forward. I just fear that the pandora is 90% complete, and the other 90% of the work hasn't even been started yet. (anyone now questioning why 90%+90%=100% hasn't ever worked on a project like this before).

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but is this CraigX's first project on this scale? Delays are inevitable. I don't think we'll get an actual date for release until a week after the Developer MK0's have been produced and distributed.

I do hope to be pleasantly surprised. I just think that this community should steel itself for the possibility that the Sept 30th, Dec 31st dates may not come to pass. Given the tone of most of the posts here I don't think many people are ready for what could be a very real possibility.

I'd rather think that the dates would slip and be pleasantly surprised when things came in on time rather than expect (and in some cases here, demand!) that the dates be met and then be thoroughly disappointed.

In the end, I don't know either. I'm predicting that a Sept 30th pre-order will not come, and I'm not going to be terribly upset about it. I'll be happy to say I was wrong when those dates come.

 

[atomicthumbs]

*ahem*

We have been hearing about firm dates for preordering... and release.

September 30 and November 13.

What's so hard to believe about that?

 

[TrevorBradley]

PlopperZ, I think he's referring more to the fact that this thing was supposed to be out early this year and has been delayed countless times rather than the lack of updates. I agree with that point as well, to a certain degree. These speculative/unconfirmed comments by Craig are a bit unsettling, too. The whole, "Yeah September 30th sounds good, maybe kinda sorta if things go all right; we'll see..." crap that's been happening every time a date is thrown around. I'd like to see them commit.

It's not crap, per se. Engineering (software, electrical, etc) projects are notorious for deadlines slipping because it's very difficult to understand the milestones in advance unless you have prior experience. This is why games like Spore are delayed by a year while NHL 09 and Madden 09 come out like clockwork.

"It's ready when it's ready" is exactly the attitude Craig & co should be taking for this product. That will lead to inevitable delays, but increase the probability that it comes out at all. The real fear is either ( A ) Craig and co run out of money and can't complete the project, or ( B ) Things move so slowly that they're outclassed by some other, commercial gaming UMPC product.

*ahem*

We have been hearing about firm dates for preordering... and release.

September 30 and November 13.

What's so hard to believe about that?

"hearing about" is exactly the issue. I've got 10 years of experience with software engineering projects. My spidey sense says these dates are likely going to slip because of the lack of information coming from the project team. If those dates were on the openpandora website, I'd feel a bit more certain about them.

As I've said, I hope I'm wrong. I'm more concerned that many here are unprepared for the possibility.

I guess we wait 18 days and 2 months and find out which happens...

 

[Nobax]

If those dates were on the openpandora website, I'd feel a bit more certain about them.

QUOTE
When and where can I buy it?
It is already available to selected developers and preorders on September the 30th for casual users via UK, USA, Canada, Germany and Turkey.

Ofcourse, nothing about the November date, but that is understandable.


Anyway, I've got a question about the distribution in the rest of the EU. I live in the Netherlands, but how would I be able to buy the Pandora (with English language).
Should I prepare to pay a 'premium price' since it should come from UK or Germany ?

 

[TrevorBradley]

Aha! I see that now.

I also see that the MK0 units are already out to developers.

I'll happily eat half my hat for each of those days they make.

 

[CronoTriggerfan]

PlopperZ, I think he's referring more to the fact that this thing was supposed to be out early this year and has been delayed countless times rather than the lack of updates. I agree with that point as well, to a certain degree. These speculative/unconfirmed comments by Craig are a bit unsettling, too. The whole, "Yeah September 30th sounds good, maybe kinda sorta if things go all right; we'll see..." crap that's been happening every time a date is thrown around. I'd like to see them commit.

It's not crap, per se. Engineering (software, electrical, etc) projects are notorious for deadlines slipping because it's very difficult to understand the milestones in advance unless you have prior experience. This is why games like Spore are delayed by a year while NHL 09 and Madden 09 come out like clockwork. No shit on the latter point, and yes it is on the former. Sure, I care about the project being delayed just as much as the next guy, but projects with speculative release dates either a. Don't say anything about them, or b. Pick a solid date and stick to it. Being jerked around about this kinda stuff, though unintentional, is very frustrating to many people, including myself.

 

[PoisonedV]

just an interjection here, i think we all are forgetting something, that spore sucked

 

[flammablepiss]

Personally I don't even bother to read about the Pandora dates anymore because they probably won't stick to them.
My advice is just be patient and check your inbox as often as you can !

 

[Mutilator]

i have faith that they know what they are doing. if it gets put back again i wont really mind as i know that they will have a good reason for it. at the end of the day if the product sucks it wont sell and then their investment was pointless