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Half-Life 2 Retail Available NOW at BestBuy!! (Schaumburg IL)

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Originally posted by: EpsiIon
Originally posted by: NFS4
Originally posted by: EpsiIon
Originally posted by: abaez
Because I hate steam?
Click to expand...

lol That's a horrible reason. You still have to install Steam to install/run HL2 (unless you get some sort of crack).
Click to expand...

Maybe b/c I'd rather have the CD's/box/manual etc...??? I'd like to have something to show for what I paid for.

And as far as playing it right away, who gives a %&@????? If I have to wait an extra day or two, so be it. We've had to wait an extra YEAR to play the game (since it's original supposed "release date") so how is another two or three days gonna hurt? I'm sorry, but I don't bust a nut over being able to play a game on release day.

As for the other games, I don't give a crap. All I care about is Half Life 2.
Click to expand...

That's fine with me (and it makes a lot of sense if you got a good deal on a retail copy). But you should be aware that the game doesn't come with a manual and your CDs are easily replicatable with a burner. So the only extra thing you have to show for your purchase is a quick-reference card and a box. If those make you happy, more power to you.
Click to expand...

I'm with NFS4 on this one.. There's something about having the actual produced DVD rather than a burned DVD, as well as having the retail box. Maybe it's a little too old fashioned, but I really enjoy having it sitting there in my hands.
 
Originally posted by: EpsiIon
Originally posted by: NFS4
Originally posted by: EpsiIon
Originally posted by: abaez
Because I hate steam?
Click to expand...

lol That's a horrible reason. You still have to install Steam to install/run HL2 (unless you get some sort of crack).
Click to expand...

Maybe b/c I'd rather have the CD's/box/manual etc...??? I'd like to have something to show for what I paid for.

And as far as playing it right away, who gives a %&@????? If I have to wait an extra day or two, so be it. We've had to wait an extra YEAR to play the game (since it's original supposed "release date") so how is another two or three days gonna hurt? I'm sorry, but I don't bust a nut over being able to play a game on release day.

As for the other games, I don't give a crap. All I care about is Half Life 2.
Click to expand...

That's fine with me (and it makes a lot of sense if you got a good deal on a retail copy). But you should be aware that the game doesn't come with a manual and your CDs are easily replicatable with a burner. So the only extra thing you have to show for your purchase is a quick-reference card and a box. If those make you happy, more power to you.
Click to expand...

What does the fact that my CD's are easily replicatable have to do with anything? I personally like to keep the boxes to all of my games, it's just something that I keep ahold of. I have 'em all on my shelf.

That being said, the reason why valve has it two different ways is b/c everyone is different. No need to look down on either choice one way or the other.
 
Originally posted by: TheVrolok

I'm with NFS4 on this one.. There's something about having the actual produced DVD rather than a burned DVD, as well as having the retail box. Maybe it's a little too old fashioned, but I really enjoy having it sitting there in my hands.
Click to expand...

Agreed. It's just something I'm used to. Every once in a while, I'll pull out one of my old game boxes and just start looking at it/reading it. It just brings a smile to my face 😀...much moreso than a burned DVD with "Half Life 2" hand-written on it.
 
Originally posted by: NFS4
Originally posted by: EpsiIon
Originally posted by: NFS4
Originally posted by: EpsiIon
Originally posted by: abaez
Because I hate steam?
Click to expand...

lol That's a horrible reason. You still have to install Steam to install/run HL2 (unless you get some sort of crack).
Click to expand...

Maybe b/c I'd rather have the CD's/box/manual etc...??? I'd like to have something to show for what I paid for.

And as far as playing it right away, who gives a %&@????? If I have to wait an extra day or two, so be it. We've had to wait an extra YEAR to play the game (since it's original supposed "release date") so how is another two or three days gonna hurt? I'm sorry, but I don't bust a nut over being able to play a game on release day.

As for the other games, I don't give a crap. All I care about is Half Life 2.
Click to expand...

That's fine with me (and it makes a lot of sense if you got a good deal on a retail copy). But you should be aware that the game doesn't come with a manual and your CDs are easily replicatable with a burner. So the only extra thing you have to show for your purchase is a quick-reference card and a box. If those make you happy, more power to you.
Click to expand...

What does the fact that my CD's are easily replicatable have to do with anything? I personally like to keep the boxes to all of my games, it's just something that I keep ahold of. I have 'em all on my shelf.

That being said, the reason why valve has it two different ways is b/c everyone is different. No need to look down on either choice one way or the other.
Click to expand...

You are teh suck because you are teh different.
 
Originally posted by: NFS4
Originally posted by: EpsiIon
Originally posted by: NFS4
Originally posted by: EpsiIon
Originally posted by: abaez
Because I hate steam?
Click to expand...

lol That's a horrible reason. You still have to install Steam to install/run HL2 (unless you get some sort of crack).
Click to expand...

Maybe b/c I'd rather have the CD's/box/manual etc...??? I'd like to have something to show for what I paid for.

And as far as playing it right away, who gives a %&@????? If I have to wait an extra day or two, so be it. We've had to wait an extra YEAR to play the game (since it's original supposed "release date") so how is another two or three days gonna hurt? I'm sorry, but I don't bust a nut over being able to play a game on release day.

As for the other games, I don't give a crap. All I care about is Half Life 2.
Click to expand...

That's fine with me (and it makes a lot of sense if you got a good deal on a retail copy). But you should be aware that the game doesn't come with a manual and your CDs are easily replicatable with a burner. So the only extra thing you have to show for your purchase is a quick-reference card and a box. If those make you happy, more power to you.
Click to expand...

What does the fact that my CD's are easily replicatable have to do with anything? I personally like to keep the boxes to all of my games, it's just something that I keep ahold of. I have 'em all on my shelf.

That being said, the reason why valve has it two different ways is b/c everyone is different. No need to look down on either choice one way or the other.
Click to expand...

I'm not looking down on your choice. The thought of buying over Steam made me uneasy for a few weeks, but I'm glad I did it. I'm trying to help you completely understand your choices, which involves giving you what I view as pros and cons of each one.

When the pros and cons are weighed, I don't see any advantage to retail other than a box and a quick-reference card. The fact that the CDs are easily-replicatable is relevant because having a retail CD doesn't mean any more than having a backup CD. This becomes even more clear when you understand how Steam works. If you buy retail, you will still have to register a Steam account and you will still have to activate your copy (and your copy will still be specifically tied to that Steam account). That being said, if you prefer to have a box and an officially-branded CD, be my guest. I certainly don't have a problem with it.

[EDIT]Yes, I would feel more warm and fuzzy if I had an official CD but, for me, that warm and fuzzy feeling is outweighed by the convenience of purchasing over Steam. Now, if Valve has some sort of collosal database error and only those who purchased retail can re-activate, then I guess you'll have the last laugh. 🙂[/EDIT]
 
Originally posted by: EpsiIon

I'm not looking down on your choice. The thought of buying over Steam made me uneasy for a few weeks, but I'm glad I did it. I'm trying to help you completely understand your choices, which involves giving you what I view as pros and cons of each one.

When the pros and cons are weighed, I don't see any advantage to retail other than a box and a quick-reference card. The fact that the CDs are easily-replicatable is relevant because having a retail CD doesn't mean any more than having a backup CD. This becomes even more clear when you understand how Steam works. If you buy retail, you will still have to register a Steam account and you will still have to activate your copy (and your copy will still be specifically tied to that Steam account). That being said, if you prefer to have a box and an officially-branded CD, be my guest. I certainly don't have a problem with it.
Click to expand...

I know all of the "advantages" of Steam. All I'm saying is that I like the hard copy/box/CD cases/etc. It's more "official" to me that way. And I collect the boxes b/c that's something I like. Like I said, I keep them up on my shelf as if it were a row of books.

All I have to show with a Steam purchase is a burned copy of the game (unless I pay out the nose for the candy coated version).
 
This is fuggin sick. I'm hearing about this everywhere now. Steam should unlock all Steam-sold copies and keep retail copies locked till the 16th (and I'm dead serious here)... I've heard that Valve vowed to unlock early if the street date was broken, and it's not that I want the game early (but of course I do), but rather that it looks like VU is fvcking around some more.
 
NFS4:
I hope there are no hard feelings about this thread. I don't want you to think that I was mocking you or your decision, because I understand the desire for physical evidence of a purchase. Even if I didn't, there's no reason for me to be invested in how you purchase a video game, so I'm sorry if it came off like that.

Obviously, you already understand the difference between Steam and retail purcahases, but I can see a lot of people buying retail, taking it home, and saying, "What the hell? I would have bought it on Steam if I'd known they were going to pull this crap." When that happens, the Internet will be clogged with whiners who didn't bother to educate themselves. Hopefully this discussion will save a few people from that and everybody else from the repercussions of uninformed buying.
 
Originally posted by: EpsiIon
NFS4:
I hope there are no hard feelings about this thread. I don't want you to think that I was mocking you or your decision, because I understand the desire for physical evidence of a purchase. Even if I didn't, there's no reason for me to be invested in how you purchase a video game, so I'm sorry if it came off like that.

Obviously, you already understand the difference between Steam and retail purcahases, but I can see a lot of people buying retail, taking it home, and saying, "What the hell? I would have bought it on Steam if I'd known they were going to pull this crap." When that happens, the Internet will be clogged with whiners who didn't bother to educate themselves. Hopefully this discussion will save a few people from that and everybody else from the repercussions of uninformed buying.
Click to expand...

I understand completely where you are coming from. I'm just stating that Steam isn't for me 😀
 
im too lazy to burn a copy from steam (im on 56k) and also someones gonna crack/make fake authentication server the thing anyway so retail copy for me!
 
i'm going retail too, i've waited this ong figure *meh why not*

I'm actually considering waiting for a week unless my bestbuy has a great price on it so i can use a 10% off coupon and get the WOW collectors edition at the same time.
 
Now that I think about it, I don't really get why Valve/VU really cares when the game goes on sale. Since no one can play it until it's unlocked anyhow, the only advantage to having it released on a single day is so that you can say you sold $XXX worth of HL2 in 24 hours - the traditional "I want to be first" benefit is gone.
 
If you bought the games on steam, you can back it up to dvd / cd's. Just right click the game and backup option should appear. No need to redownload the games in the future now.
 
Originally posted by: ViRGE
Now that I think about it, I don't really get why Valve/VU really cares when the game goes on sale. Since no one can play it until it's unlocked anyhow, the only advantage to having it released on a single day is so that you can say you sold $XXX worth of HL2 in 24 hours - the traditional "I want to be first" benefit is gone.
Click to expand...

Valve/VU aren't happy with each other.
Valve wasn't allowed to release on Steam any earlier than stores were, but VU weren't allowed to sell it before the 16th on stores.
VU broke their part, and Vavle in theory could release it early.
 
Does the retail $54.99 copy include HL1 Source?

I bought the Gold version over Steam for that alone.
 
Originally posted by: jpeyton
Does the retail $54.99 copy include HL1 Source?

I bought the Gold version over Steam for that alone.
Click to expand...

Yes, I believe so. You could've bought the Silver version & get HL1 Source (I Have Silver & HL1 is available whenever its ready).
 
Originally posted by: Goosemaster
Originally posted by: flashbacck
how big is the HL2 preload?
Click to expand...

BIG..I think it was 2-4GB...
Click to expand...
Just HL2 comes in at 3.28GB, CS source is another GB, though some of the HL2/CS materials are shared.
 
One point nobody brought up, if someone who buys through steam wants to sell the game they'd have to sell the account. Not a problem for retail buyers.
 
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