Direct Download vs Disk

[Anomaly1964]

I've never downloaded from Steam or anything before. In the past, I may play a game, uninstall it, and then play it again later by simply using the disk...

How does that work if you do a direct download, if you uninstall is it gone or is their an image stored on your HD?

 

[ImpulsE69]

You can store it somewhere just like anything else you download only usually much bigger. Many sites such as Steam, allow you to redownload whatever you purchased whenever you want. Be sure to read each sites policy regarding that.

 

[Throckmorton]

With Steam you can delete and redownload games whenever you want, on as many computers as you want.

With other services, like Digital River, it's not that easy. They limit how many times you can install, whether you can install on multiple computers, etc. I went through a huge hassle with Digital River to get my rightfully owned copy of Test Drive Unlimited to activate. They only allow a 3 activations, and it took about a week of emailing them to convince them to give me a new key. There should never have been ANY limit on installs for a game that you own.

That's why Steam is awesome. I don't buy games any other way now. Gog.com (good OLD games) seems good too because they don't restrict your downloads.

Messing around with other services like Digital River and Direct 2 Drive or EA digital downloads is a recipe for disaster.

 

[CPA]

Steam does, however, limit the drive you can install the games on based on which drive Steam is located. So make sure you install Steam on your biggest harddrive. Impulse Driven and Direct2Drive don't have that shortcoming.

 

[nyker96]

I have steam as well as Direct2Drive .com games. both work fine. I like steam because it does auto updates. with steam you just tell it to install a game and hours later it's done, it tell you so and you can launch it. with Direct2Drive .com you just download it in entirety then run the installer from the DL directory that's it, you done. Afterwards you can either save this download or delete it off disk. both is easier than DVD install, I remember I cracked a DVD game long time ago and had to rebuy it because manufacture won't replace for free. It's a needless hassle, that's why we have modern high speed internets. Oh BTW, you can never loose your game with either company, since you can DL as many times as you like (gotta check if it's the case with D2D, but off top of my head I believe it's the case, steam definitely.)

 

[DaveSimmons]

I'm starting to prefer Steam to regular DVDs. Some of its good points:

- You can download to multiple computers.
- No DVD check when starting a game (you do need an internet connection for many games though).
- Games are normally just as moddable as the regular DVD versions.
- Game patching is as easy or easier than DVD versions since they're handled automatically by Steam
- No need to hunt for CDs/DVDs or type 25-digit keys when you reinstall
- When you reinstall you get the patched version, unlike with old Bioware discs where you might need 10+ incremental patches to get up to date

Steam also has very cheap pricing on games if you wait for the right sale. I picked up the King's Bounty trio for $10 in their xmas sale.

The only drawback is that you can't sell used games but that isn't worth the effort for me anyway.

 

[M0oG0oGaiPan]

There's a bunch of digital game services out now. Some allow you to redownload the game off their services as often as you like. Others have a limit as mentioned above. UBIsoft is having a huge sale on their digital download service but it sounds like there's a limited # of times you can download. If you pay an extra $5 they gaurantee the game will available for another 2 years. What's up with that?

One thing to keep in mind about digital services is DLC on one usually won't work on another service. IE. Steam Borderlands DLC won't work on a Game for Windows copy of Borderlands.

Edit: Also if you happen to live in Canada you might not have a choice but to purchase a physical copy if you're already using a lot of bandwidth.

 

[Texashiker]

Steam does, however, limit the drive you can install the games on based on which drive Steam is located. So make sure you install Steam on your biggest harddrive. Impulse Driven and Direct2Drive don't have that shortcoming.

You can have steam installed on 1 drive, and your games can be on another drive. Steam in its native form does not support the spanning of multiple drives, you have to install and add-on. It takes a little to setup, but it can be done.

http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=998110


To the op - Anomaly1964

When I moved away from cds/dvds, I was a little worried to. But Steam gives you the option to backup your game files to DVD. Or, if you have a second drive - like an external drive - just copy your steam folder to the other drive.

Couple of things I really like about steam - access to so many games, and not having to worry about scratched cds/dvds. I have had several diablo II cds just stop working. 1 little scratch, and I had to buy the game again.

I also like being able to pre-load the game before its released, and then ready to play when the game goes live. No more trips to best buy or wal-mart on the day the game is released. I can pre-load, and play when I get home from work.

 

[StinkyPinky]

Steam is brilliant and I only discovered it 18 months ago. No more worrying about missing deliveries, shipping delays. Feel like playing a new game? Go to Steam store, purchase it, and download and play. No waiting days for some lazy ass dude that drops the package off at the wrong house.

The only recent game I've bought that's not from Steam is Dragon Age 2 because I wanted the signature edition and they didn't have that up for pre-order.

 

[coloumb]

I've never downloaded from Steam or anything before. In the past, I may play a game, uninstall it, and then play it again later by simply using the disk...

How does that work if you do a direct download, if you uninstall is it gone or is their an image stored on your HD?

Removed from your hard drive if you uninstall the game.

The only problem you might encounter with STEAM, D2D, and other digital distributions are bandwidth limits related to your ISP. There is a thread in Off Topic detailing about a Canadian broad band company putting 25gb caps on accounts. Plus, if you download the game at the wrong time of the day - your speed could end up being throttled because it looks like you're hogging bandwidth.

With STEAM - it downloads and installs the file into the STEAM folder. Once you uninstall the game - it's gone. You can "backup" the local files to DVD or whatever backup you use.
With D2D - it downloads an "install package" file to a directory and remains on your computer. When you uninstall the game, the "install package" file is still in the folder where it was saved.

 

[Powermoloch]

steam, is great when games are dirt cheap. otherwise i head to the physical route and not worry about anything.

 

[StinkyPinky]

Removed from your hard drive if you uninstall the game.

The only problem you might encounter with STEAM, D2D, and other digital distributions are bandwidth limits related to your ISP. There is a thread in Off Topic detailing about a Canadian broad band company putting 25gb caps on accounts. Plus, if you download the game at the wrong time of the day - your speed could end up being throttled because it looks like you're hogging bandwidth.

With STEAM - it downloads and installs the file into the STEAM folder. Once you uninstall the game - it's gone. You can "backup" the local files to DVD or whatever backup you use.
With D2D - it downloads an "install package" file to a directory and remains on your computer. When you uninstall the game, the "install package" file is still in the folder where it was saved.

So does D2D have a software client?

 

[ahenkel]

So does D2D have a software client?

Yes and no. Often times it'll ask you to use gamespy comrade, but you don't have to it'll let you just download a zip file.

 

[power_hour]

Digital downloads is a greate service. Steam and D2D have been great esellers. The drive location flexibility of Steam is a bit of a problem that I hope they address in a future upgrade.

Sadly I won't be using digital downloads in the future because in Canada the CRTC is trying to get us to have metered Internet usage. My new limit from my previous unlimited ISP is 25gb effective March 1, 2011. Yeah, disk it will be until I get another letter saying whoops, you get your unlimited back. I can thank the CRTC for that.

Steam's ability to keep your games patched and installed on multiple clients makes it a really decent service. I can see why they made some coin this year. Maybe they can buy one of the major players up here in Canada and then make Steam an unlimited use service that doesn't count against your usage cap. ;-)

But yeah digital is definitely the way to go.

 

[BD231]

It's like download a big ass zip file so installing takes twice as long even if you have the file saved already. You have to un-pack it every time. Fine if you get a deal of course, I don't pay retail for games. Just not interested enough to bother.

 

[StinkyPinky]

Digital downloads is a greate service. Steam and D2D have been great esellers. The drive location flexibility of Steam is a bit of a problem that I hope they address in a future upgrade.

Sadly I won't be using digital downloads in the future because in Canada the CRTC is trying to get us to have metered Internet usage. My new limit from my previous unlimited ISP is 25gb effective March 1, 2011. Yeah, disk it will be until I get another letter saying whoops, you get your unlimited back. I can thank the CRTC for that.

Steam's ability to keep your games patched and installed on multiple clients makes it a really decent service. I can see why they made some coin this year. Maybe they can buy one of the major players up here in Canada and then make Steam an unlimited use service that doesn't count against your usage cap. ;-)

But yeah digital is definitely the way to go.

I'm confused. How can this CRTC impose such a cap on all ISP's??? Aren't ISP's independent entities? What right does a govt agency have to impose restrictions on private companies?