Hello, I've already bought the game (It was 12.5$ with a 50% discount) and now it seems I can't download the updated game because you raised the price.
What do I do? I don't want to spend another 25$
Thank you
Well, according to a previous patch note (https://sad-crab.itch.io/innocent-witches/devlog/337389/release-09a083b) the 0.9A version I bought was the patreon version. Now I understand that early access is something that should be monetized but does it mean that the 0.10.1A will eventually be accessible to people in my situation or does it mean that you need to pay everytime a new version come out? If it's the latter well that's just really disappointing. It never said anywhere that we would be buying temporary stuff.
Firstly, thank you all for supporting us! We really appreciate it!
Secondly, we already know that some players are having problems accessing versions of the game. The main distribution platform of the game is patreon, where by subscribing (for $ 20) you get not only the alpha version of the game, but also news with exclusive art and voting + a role in the discord with spoilers for the update.
The version name always consists of several numbers and a letter, for example 0.2.1B.
The letter means the type of the release: “A” - alpha, “B” - beta.
“Alpha” versions are available to 20$+ patrons. “Beta” version are available to 5$+ patrons, but later they are released to public access with the next alpha release. Each build includes the content of all the previous ones. The average time between releases is usually 2-3 months.
Each major version is released in cycles, alpha for 20$+, then beta for 5$+, then alpha for 20$+ and beta with fixes and adjustments for public, then beta for 5$+, etc. 20$+ patrons get all the versions, 5$+ patrons get every second version, everyone else gets every third version. Each consequent version is built on top of the previous one and includes all previous content.
If the number of the version consists of three numbers, i.e. 0.2.1B, then the third number means that it's the hotfix for the original version in this release cycle (0.2B -> 0.2.1B -> 0.2.2B etc).
Thirdly, the price of itch.io is higher because there are more taxes here than on patreon. Therefore, the price is not $ 20, but $ 25.
We don't know exactly how the discount system works with access to the game and why some can download the game and some can't, so at the very top of the page you can see the inscription
You can support this project directly at Patreon to access latest versions, otherwise consider itch.io purchases as a tip jar or just enjoy the game for free, although your support is really appreciated.
Try contacting support Itch.io I hope they will help everyone. Thanks again for the support!
Because you are using “individually priced files” to sell content, you will lock all people who have previously paid at that amount out of their access if you change the price of those files. You will have to keep the files at that price point if you wish those to keep access. If we get requests from people that have lost access then we will refund their payments. Unfortunately there is no way around this when using “individually priced files”
For pages where you want to set a purchase price for the project then we recommend setting the minimum price on the project. That was if you change the price it will not affect ownership.
I’m trying to understand this correctly: You put your project on sale for 50% off, then doubled the price of it so you can have it appear “on sale” despite the price remaining the same? That is illegal in many regions. If that’s what’s going on please turn the sale off and restore the price of the product, as what you are doing violates basic consumer protection laws around the world. (In addition to breaking access to people who have previously bought the game)
https://itch.io/docs/creators/quality-guidelines#sales/your-project-should-not-be-constantly-on-sale
If you intend to sell a digital product on itch.io then we expect you to make an honest effort to fulfill the promise to deliver what you collected money for. I’m sorry about the confusion with how the individually priced files work, but the most important thing right now is that you ensure that your buyers are not being withheld access to what they paid for.
Many other developers use this glitch to promote their games, and you only blame us for raising the price and convincing us to "sell" the game (when we don't sell it, but we use itch as a means of donations, following the example of Patreon ( you can see we write it on the top of the our page) at a lower price and a reduction in sales, because otherwise the game disappears from the list of discounts and, accordingly, fewer people will come to our page.
Check the discount pages and see what price other companies set after discounts - they resume discounts by simply changing the name of the sale. In addition, then what should people do who have "purchased" only ONE version of the game in a bundle for an extremely low price and then ask us to provide them with all other versions of the game?
It's not our fault that your system is flawed
There is nothing in the discount rules about what kind of break to take between discounts. Should it be 1 second? 1 minute? 1 day? Why can't I set any price for my product and make a discount on it? Please return the money from us to those who are not satisfied and I hope this will be the end of the problem
We end sale and just stay the same price, as we did before (25$), because only our team is under pressure from the itch administration.
Could you submit message to our team from https://itch.io/support for the refund request. Thanks
Just a update for people in my situation: I was able to download the latest version from the download page linked in the mail I've received from when I first bought the game.
If you don't have the mail anymore I believe there is a way to reclaim another mail from the support team (but I'm not sure).
Anyway, sorry Sad Crab for stirring up this mess, I really enjoy your work.