Impulse is coming!

from JoeUser Forums

Since 1999, Stardock has been a pioneer in digital distribution.  The original Galactic Civilizations was the first PC game to be released at retail and digitally at the same time.  Its flag-ship product, Object Desktop, made the transition from being a retail product to being digitally distributed with a subscription in 1999.

For the past few years, Stardock has distributed its content with Stardock Central:

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Stardock Central

And while Stardock Central was very cutting edge when it was launched back in 2003, it's getting a bit long in the tooth.  For the past year, Stardock has been working on a  new platform that will finally combine Stardock's various technological assets into a single place. This new platform is called Impulse.

 

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Impulse

Impulse isn't just a cosmetic make-over of Stardock Central. It greatly expands the capabilities of Stardock's digital distribution offerings. 

Here are 5 key differentiators of Impulse:

  1. Users do not have to load Impulse to use the software or games.
  2. Impulse will support third-parties submitting their software or game, name their price, and then after review having it available -- all done nearly automatically. Stardock already has this system in place on WinCustomize.com with "Master" themes.
  3. Impulse will integrate its next-generation social networking features in the Community tab that will let users have friends, chat about games, have blogs, and more.
  4. Impulse includes built in support for backing up your purchase to CD/DVD.
  5. Impulse allows users who buy software or games at retail to still manage their updates and re-download the entire product on Impulse (for products that support this feature).

 

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Impulse provides a cleaner UI than Stardock Central.

 

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Managing your software on Impulse is a snap. If you bought a game or software program at retail or even from another digital distributor, you may be able to still manage updates and such on Impulse.

Impulse is still in internal beta at Stardock but it expects to release it in mid February with additional features for it being added through the course of the year.

138,481 views 53 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The interface looks great. but a couple of questions..

1) Will there be a skin browser?
2) Will there be integrated Chat (IRC)?
3) Will SDC still work in the long term?
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top

1) No. Not integrated anyway. As you may have noticed, it's difficult to maintain both the download client and an integrated skin browser.

2) Yes.

3) For quite awhile yes.  SDC won't be disappearing any time soon.

Elemental: Reforged
Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
This looks great! I'm really interested in the idea of submitting software, is your goal to be an alternative to sites like Plimus and RegNow, or is it still more of a distributor/portal type of deal? I can see how its probably somewhere in between, which would really be a great idea!
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Cool. Thanks for the quick Reply Frogboy :)

I drooling over that sweet Interface.. :HOT:
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
This looks like it's gonna be awesome. I can't wait.
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Looks slick. Don't see the monkey-lizard anywhere tho.....

Is it skinnable? ;p
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Cool! Reminds me of Steam, but way better looking.
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
looks good
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Don't see the monkey-lizard anywhere tho
Time to play "find the winky"
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Time to play "find the winky"


Last time I tried to play that game the mrs smacked me.. :LOL:

:LOL: :LOL: :LOL:
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Time to play "find the winky"


Zu, what you do in your spare time is up to you.......
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
If you have to play find the winky on a regular basis perhaps you should turn off your spam email shields and look for one of those "p3n1s enlargment" emails. :LOL:
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
looks good

Time to play "find the winky"



Yes, It looks good, but not good enough to prompt one to ... "search for the winky"! :LOL: 

Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Impulse includes built in support for backing up your purchase to CD/DVD.

Excellent! :CONGRAT:
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Sounds good,looks good. :) 
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Looks pretty... I can't wait!
Reply #17 from JoeUser Forums Top
Would be nice if the Configuration applets for each application were integrated into Impulse as well.   I hate having to open a bunch of different seperate windows to tweak stuff.
Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top
looks Sweet  :d
I can't wait to use it  :CONGRAT: 
Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top
So...is this whats going to replace SDC? Looks awesome! :D
Reply #20 from JoeUser Forums Top
Any chance Stardock are ever going to develop for the Mac?
Reply #21 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Is it skinnable?
Reply #22 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Well...is it? :LOL: 
Reply #23 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Not that it matters to me, will the archives made with SDC, be compatible with impulse so that can be used to apply them instead & SDC deleted
Reply #24 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Maybe there's already a way to do this but will Impulse support a way to import ALL of your registrations into the app in one shot? I re-install windows alot and I really get tired of having to click through all of the different options to enter all of my registration codes.


Looking good, can't wait to try it out!
Reply #25 from JoeUser Forums Top
Yes.