Only 6 months access is a big turn off for me. Even if I use it for less than 6 months, I like the feeling that I could go back to the site and practice, if I wanted to. I'm guessing over 90% of users would not use it for the whole time, so server costs would seem like a non-issue.

EDIT: I spent so long typing this that organsnyder had the same response.

In addition, I feel that the price point is off a little here. I think that dropping the price (or at least adding unlimited access) would increase the amount of people buying the game at a higher percent.

I wonder if the license actually deactivates after 6 months, or if the creator simply added this term to limit his liability. Per jtreminio, he purchased two years ago and continues to have access. I bring this up because you could flip this and rather appreciate his transparency, letting his customers know that they'll have at least 6 months access if and when he decides to shut the game down.

In defense of the fee, you likely won't be playing it for more than six months anyways—once you've mastered vim, you probably won't keep playing it.

However, my response really adds more weight to your idea: since we probably won't be playing the game very long anyways, why not just offer it in perpetuum for the same fee? I bet the author will get many more sales with that arrangement, and their expenses won't really change (if someone does become an avid long-term Vim Adventures player, even extensive usage costs mere pennies in server time and tech support).

I figured it was about restricting login sharing. At least that's why they do it on sites with question banks for standardized tests.

I bought the game with 6 months access one and a half years ago. After the 6-months period was over, I still was able to replay the whole game from start to finish. And even now, after 18 months the login is still working. I can play the game just fine. That's no guarantee, but it seems the 6 months policy isn't really enforced. Probably just a safeguard in case popularity and server load takes off.

For the game itself: I can highly recommend it. You will get a decent grip of vim. However, it doesn't get into advanced topics like macros, plugins etc. It won't make you a vim wizard. But for a beginner, it's excellent.

I have been a beginner for 18 months. I played until I got the first key, drove over the first chest, and apparently have nothing to show for it. Am I missing something?

Yep - keep going right and work out how you can navigate the water obstacle. You need to meet the young lady with pink hair.

The thing is, you can afford it, and you'd get great value out of it. And getting even slightly proficient with vim is a massive boost, since you can use it everywhere (I use it inside VS and Firefox). I agree it's probably just really bad marketing for him to limit access, since most people are going to have a negligible load. So from a business point, it's almost certainly wrong. The 6 month thing is only a problem if you really procrastinate. After you learn it there's no need to replay. But still, bad marketing.

From a personal point, vim is amazing and will significantly improve your text editing life and getting these skills is worth far far more than $25. (I'd pay at least $1000 to have vim proficiency loaded into me Matrix-style.)

Yup, it looks very nice, but I doubt that I'd get full usage out of it in 6 months. I'd have to time buying it very carefully. So most likely won't buy.

I bought a license over 2 years ago, I don't recall any such limitation back then.

Here's hoping this isn't retroactive.

"But I can not justify $ 25 for a game I can only use for 6 months, but I will pay $ 25 once off."

just to play devil's advocate, that's less than the price of a grande latte at starbucks every day for a week

I started to get tired of comments like "but that's less than X!!1". It just seems like you want to tell somebody they can't appreciate the value of money or that they can't put an amount in relation to some other amount.