Those that are around in this forum know that TA CD-version is only a CD in a slipcase, no retail box is available and i believe there is nothing planned for a retail box in the future.

I think you are absolutely right about the advertisement, i checked it again a minute ago, there is no hint if you buy it, that you do not get the box shown on the picture in the shop. It does say "digital download + cd" but noone who doesnt know it would assume you`ll get only a cd without a box/manual. At least stardock should include that information, otherwise it is just delusion.

I'm actually glad to see them avoid the waste of a shelf-oriented box for the discs. That oil and wood should go to durable goods or transportation.

But I agree that it was sloppy to leave a faux box shot lying around without ensuring that all paying customers were clearly informed they would receive just a disc in a sleeve.

Well Stardock should inform a potential buyer that there is no box. That would be fair.
But I think it is better they put their money in games development than in nice and shiny boxes.

For Dark Avatar there was a downloadable cover for a cd case. I hope Stardock makes one for Twilight as well. How about it, Stardock?

kryo, I don't think that's right about DA a year ago, unless you're talking about the earliest release. I got DA in the retail Gold Edition box.

I'm not satisfied with this take-it-or-leave-it response. It isn't a "mockup image," unless you want to twist words like a crooked politician. It is a picture of a game box just like all the other GalCiv game boxes. CDs typically come in game boxes.

At a MINIMUM, you need to change your order page to say "CD (but no box)." I would probably have bought it anyway, but I wouldn't have felt ripped off when it arrived.

About four weeks ago, Sins of a Solar Empire permanently damaged my monitor, and Stardock refused to admit that the game could have anything to do with it. Now this. I still love GalCiv. I thought the DA campaign was one of the best computer games I ever played. But I'm starting to have some doubts.

I wrote to SD directly before about the product description back right after DA expansion. I too thought I'd be receiving a box and all just like I did with the first GalCiv2 package. I too would have ordered the game even if the game description was just "CD (no box included)".

FYI I always pre-ordered SD titles. But please in future, put the right package description with the product.

You:

1) claim to be an experienced PC user
2) claim that games can damage a monitor

And then say that the absence of a box in a package described as a "CD" is evidence of "corruption" of the morality of a company which is known exclusively for their dedication to customer support and production high-quality software.

*facepalm*

Funny thing happened the other day. I live in Phoenix, and it was 108 deg. outside. So I fiqured I'd chew a piece of Dentyne Ice and a sheet of ice would envelope me, a minor blizzard would show up and a really hot chick would pick up on me, and I would have a great day. It always happens that way in the ad right, and we know ads don't lead us on, truth in advertizing and all that. And yet, no ice, no blizzard and even worse no hot chick. Just one fat sweaty old me with crappy gum, and yet I never thought once to complain to Dentyne. Fact is boxes are a big waste of natural resouces, trees die, chemicals get used that poison everything, 99.9% of them are thrashed within minutes of being opened and they up the price of the game. Strangely enough, I never look at the manuels until I've played the game for a few weeks anyway. Much like life, it's live and learn. Sticks in the memory better that way. Learned to drive that way too. Pops din't stick any pamphlets in my hand or give me instructional videos, just took me to the country, put me behind the wheel and said, "drive". Burgers never come out of the wrapper all pretty and stacked well, they are lopsided, sloppy and look like crap. Man, all these years I've wasted enjoying what I had, when I could have been whining and bitching about unimportant crap. Tonight I'm gonna go to a bar, get a Budweiser, drink it, and see if I can walk through a wall or breath fire or is that just more eyecandy too?

But you can not simply expect that people guess by themselves there is no box. "Every person who asked..." - How often you ordered something did you ask beforehand if the product really looks like the picture it is shown on? I`ll bet you didnt because it is the most normal reaction in the world to just assume it does look like the picture. But actually i believe you know that - and you know that many people will react like me, just buying the download version because without a box and a manual it may be considered not worth the additional money.

I do not know how it is in the US, but in germany it would be against the law to sell something this way. If you advertise something with a completely fictional picture, you`ll have to at least point that fact out or it will be considered deception, even by law.

Oh, and what if i now buy Dark Avatar and The Twilight of the Arnor, digital versions only, and (much) later wanna get those cd's too or can i burn those dl'led versions to cd's and install them later from those cd's ?

You can back the download up as you choose for later installs.

You're free to contact sales for a refund.

Since the beginning we've always shipped expansion packs directly without a box.  Dark Avatar, Altarian Prophecy, and Twilight.  Let me put it this way: We have never shipped a box with an expansion pack ever in 15+ years.

Bruce: YOU are being irrational here, your screen burn has nothing to do with any piece of software

You left your screen on too long !! dont blame anyone else.

I believe i would be complaining as well if i would not had known that before. The advertising is just delusive, no one can see that before he gets his game, or before he has read it here in the forums.

SD,

at least you could update your online shop and add a note that points out, there is no box.