In your mind when did the switchover from CD to DVD software distribution occur?

[JujuFish]

Originally posted by: SunSamurai
No. There has never always been. PS1 gave way to it around 1997.

Phantasmagoria was released in 1995 and came on seven CDs.

 

[Fayd]

Originally posted by: Hacp

Originally posted by: Fayd

Originally posted by: SunSamurai

Originally posted by: Locut0s

Originally posted by: SunSamurai
Couldn't see the need for them? Bullshit. Did you ever play FF7?

There has always been such a need for select titles. I was referring to the tipping point where almost everything went dvd. Most people probably didn't think Windows and other software titles like office suits would be released on DVD any time soon.

No. There has never always been. PS1 gave way to it around 1997.

I dont think there will be anything after BlueRay in terms of optical storage unless it is solid state. Flash memory seems to be the future for baseline storage. In five years or so I much rather get 2 64GB flash cards than some optical drive. Those things just scratch too each to store that much data on.

except flash media doesnt overcome the inherent feature of optical media, in that it's write-once. after that, it's read-only.

edit: i guess i should say the more logical reason, in that optical media can be written as fast as the stamping machine can get them through. it's just mass-manufactured plastic rings on a stamping machine. easy and cheap.

whereas solid state media, even if the unit cost comes down to stupid low levels, still has to be populated by the same method as the end-user is gonna access it. read: slow. thus, this ridiculously increases the marginal cost of distribution.

it's unlikely we'll outpace the need for optical media in the next 5 years. maybe next 20-30.

edit: but imo, by that time, the standard for distribution will be through the internet. not just for the PC, but for all games. (i'm not sure where consoles will fit in 20-30 years from now.)

I'm sure that's why the Nintendo DS uses flash to store its games. Obviously, the distribution costs are too high.

yeah, because the games on the DS can really be compared to the multi-gigabyte games that come for PC...

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

it hasn't completely yet so i have no idea what ur talking about.

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo
it hasn't completely yet so i have no idea what ur talking about.

this

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: Anubis

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo
it hasn't completely yet so i have no idea what ur talking about.

this

Originally posted by: The OP
DVD has become the distribution media of choice for most mainstream software. But does anyone remember when the transition was taking place.

 

[Dumac]

Originally posted by: Fayd
when i bought world in conflict.

then i realized internet distribution > DVD's, so steam > all.

No, no, no, NO.

Wrong.

Originally posted by: schneiderguy
2005-2006? IIRC that's when games started to default to DVDs instead of CDs.

This seems about right.

I remember when fear had a 4 or 5 disc CD version or a DVD version.

 

[Fayd]

Originally posted by: Dumac

Originally posted by: Fayd
when i bought world in conflict.

then i realized internet distribution > DVD's, so steam > all.

No, no, no, NO.

Wrong.

it's not wrong. steam > dvd's.

dude, on a new install, i just DL steam, open it, click download on all my games, and leave it for a day. when i come back, all my games are installed and fully updated. how is that not awesome?

 

[ComputerWizKid]

Originally posted by: Fayd

Originally posted by: Dumac

Originally posted by: Fayd
when i bought world in conflict.

then i realized internet distribution > DVD's, so steam > all.

No, no, no, NO.

Wrong.

it's not wrong. steam > dvd's.

dude, on a new install, i just DL steam, open it, click download on all my games, and leave it for a day. when i come back, all my games are installed and fully updated. how is that not awesome?

Not awesome if you have a internet cap. Damn Charter and there 100GB a month Cap

 

[bobsmith1492]

It hasn't, has it?

 

[SunSamurai]

Originally posted by: JujuFish

Originally posted by: SunSamurai
No. There has never always been. PS1 gave way to it around 1997.

Phantasmagoria was released in 1995 and came on seven CDs.

I said around!!!

But honestly it was the PS1 that let open the flood gates for a need imo. If you want to talk PC, then yeah. MIST was a huge one.. The Seventh Guest im not sure if that came on 1 cd or 2.

 

[sciencewhiz]

Originally posted by: Hacp

Originally posted by: Fayd
except flash media doesnt overcome the inherent feature of optical media, in that it's write-once. after that, it's read-only.

edit: i guess i should say the more logical reason, in that optical media can be written as fast as the stamping machine can get them through. it's just mass-manufactured plastic rings on a stamping machine. easy and cheap.

whereas solid state media, even if the unit cost comes down to stupid low levels, still has to be populated by the same method as the end-user is gonna access it. read: slow. thus, this ridiculously increases the marginal cost of distribution.

it's unlikely we'll outpace the need for optical media in the next 5 years. maybe next 20-30.

I'm sure that's why the Nintendo DS uses flash to store its games. Obviously, the distribution costs are too high.

You're both wrong. The DS does not use flash to store games, it uses a ROM. By definition, you can store as much or more data in a read only chip as a read write one for the same price or cheaper. For mass production, the chip fab will probably etch the movie/game/whatever directly into the silicon. This has the same effect as stamping the CDs.