Like having a harcopy?

[Davidpaul007]

Now that I've started using STEAM for economy and ease of use, this question has been nagging at me and another thread reminded me of it.

For some reason I like having a hardcopy of a game...box,cd, manual etc....it's all good. I think I have some OCD in me.

Logically STEAM makes alot of sense--no lost CD keys, nothing to "store", etc...but I don't think I could buy a "big title" via steam. I feel like I need a nice pretty box to sit on my desk to look at when I'm not playing or something. I have a similar issue with novels I've read...I really have a hard time giving them away or selling them but I just leave them on my (big) bookshelf collecting dust for years.

How do you feel about physical game materials?

 

[blurredvision]

I'm slowly converting from the state you are in. On my PC, I actually kinda prefer not to have any boxed copies these days. Takes up too much space on my desk, plus I just use Steam thus far, so when I have to reinstall my OS, I can just queue up all those game downloads overnight and they are downloaded and installed with no disc swapping and key entering on my part. Just gotta hope Steam never goes bust.

 

[AmberClad]

Originally posted by: peritusONE
I'm slowly converting from the state you are in. On my PC, I actually kinda prefer not to have any boxed copies these days. Takes up too much space on my desk, plus I just use Steam thus far, so when I have to reinstall my OS, I can just queue up all those game downloads overnight and they are downloaded and installed with no disc swapping and key entering on my part. Just gotta hope Steam never goes bust.

With the frequency that I reformat to install new hardware or OSes, plus the fact that I have cable internet, not FiOS, it'd get really annoying if I had to redownload everything from Steam each time. I used to just copy my entire Steam folder to a backup disk beforehand, but these days, I just have my Steam installation on it's own partition on my RAID array. I just need to reinstall the Steam client to the same location after I reformat, and it'll recognize the games that are in the folder.

At this point, I think my Steam folder is up to 60GB, and that's with only half my collection downloaded.

 

[ZzZGuy]

I want the ability to install games offline. I would also settle for having a .exe on a flash drive (GOG/Impulse).

I also avoid games that require online activation and/or have install/system limits. Saved me a bundle by not buying games with this that turned out to be crap (I'm noticing a trend here, steam aside).

 

[Golgatha]

Originally posted by: ZzZGuy
I want the ability to install games offline. I would also settle for having a .exe on a flash drive (GOG/Impulse).

I also avoid games that require online activation and/or have install/system limits. Saved me a bundle by not buying games with this that turned out to be crap (I'm noticing a trend here, steam aside).

Actually, I like Online activation if it's done right. By done right I mean revocable activations on launch day, so I can resell the game if I like without any hassles, and removal of the need for Online activation via an official patch once new game sales have slowed significantly (say 2-3 years after release or so).

90%+ of the time, any game which limits resell via non-revocable Online activation or is Steam only (same difference) doesn't get added to my collection until it has lost 50% or less of it's original retail value naturally.

Now, to directly address the OPs original question. Currently, I actually prefer a digital copy of games. No physical product to clutter up my desk, no wasted packaging for a fully digital product (our household is trying to be greener after all), and HDD space is plentiful and cheap (typically less than $0.10 per GB in my recent experience). I don't display my game boxes, and the only reason I keep them or the instruction manuals around is to maximize return if I decide to resell the game. A high quality PDF document will do in place of an instruction manual any day, and is probably preferable for many if you have dual displays.

 

[microAmp]

Having a physical copy allows me to sell the game on Amazon.com, so I can recoup some of my cost. Plus retail stores have a better chance of being cheaper than Steam within the 1st few weeks of release and down the road. But sometimes you will never find a game at a retail store but available through Steam, such as when I got X-Com pack.

 

[wanderer27]

For one, there's no guarantee that Steam will remain in Business, at which point all your games are gone.
I don't care how big/stable you think Steam is, big companies fail all the time (GM anyone? Or how about Banks? All they deal in is money and they're dropping like flies).

Another reason is DRM.
Steam adds DRM to games that don't normally/aren't supposed to have it.
Check out the SIMS 3 fiasco. The Box copy doesn't have SecuROM, but the downloaded version does :roll:

On top of that, where's the incentive?
Steam games cost as much and sometimes more than the Box copy.
There's going to have to be a pretty significant discount for me to have any interest in this medium, especially with the above factors added into the equation.


There are a few of my reasons off the top of my head . . . .

 

[RyanPaulShaffer]

I like actually purchasing a physical product, instead of paying my money for the permission to unlock some 1s and 0s on a server. Permission which could be revoked at any time for any reason (for example, Steam shuts down).

I also avoid any product that contains online activation DRM for the very same reasons.

Right of First Sale is also a big one for me, though less so for PC games.

 

[Golgatha]

Originally posted by: RyanPaulShaffer
Right of First Sale is also a big one for me, though less so for PC games.

I know this is the status quo, but it just boggles my mind why this is so; even for completely digital products. Being able to buy and sell IP seems like a pretty basic right. I know people often argue that infinite stock is always available for digital goods, but on a personal level isn't selling a collection of MP3 music files (and of course deleting all copies I own) the same as selling a CD? Don't we resell music and movies all the time, which are easily 1:1 copied? Why not PC games (or any other digital good for that matter) then?

 

[n7]

Let's just say Steam can go eff itself; that's my opinion.
I'll stick to buying games in stores as long as possible to avoid the steaming pile of DRM.

I was at a huge LAN (Fragapalooza) early in August.
~400 people, tons of LAN games fun.

Except because internet was a little bit overloaded & disconnected sometimes due the number of people, Steam pitched a fit for pretty much the entire first day.

It wouldn't even launch, or it would, but then games wouldn't launch, & even just to play LAN L4D, it kept breaking with random errors during the middle of a game.
And we were not even trying to play online; we just wanted to have some fun with LAN games.

Completely infuriating.

Even my very pro-Stream fanboi friend wasn't praising Steam after the stupidity we had to deal with there.

 

[mwmorph]

It's an absolutely valid argument. The box copy feels more like ownership than really, the leasing system Steam gives you (though if you read the EULA sometime, you "own" no piece of software on your PC).

Also it's the stability that come hell or high tide, you will still be able you install the game, and maybe crack it to play single player even if steam, or the dev/publisher ever go offline or stop supporting your game.

Also, if you ever look at it, really the prices from retailers usually can beat out steam pretty well. I remember Mass Effect was $19.99 at retailers and still $39.99 on steam for a while.

In the end though, it's all about your rights I guess and protecting yourself. You technically no longer "own" anything you buy. That price you pay is the right to use software for a period of time, but in reality, because of retarded lawmakers and great lobbying, the rights of consumers with any sort of digital good like software, music and movies is abysmal at best. At least with a physical medium, you can circumvent them if you really have to.

 

[Daverino]

Originally posted by: wanderer27
For one, there's no guarantee that Steam will remain in Business, at which point all your games are gone.

Well that's just a FUD covered lie. Your Steam games work fine if Steam can't load. The game is on your hard drive, not on some server. You do not need a magic key from the internet every time you want to play. If you think Steam is something else, you obviously don't use it.

Another reason is DRM.
Steam adds DRM to games that don't normally/aren't supposed to have it.
Check out the SIMS 3 fiasco. The Box copy doesn't have SecuROM, but the downloaded version does :roll:

That's beyond FUD. The Sims 3 isn't even on Steam. Steam is DRM in itself. It is a distribution platform for other software makers besides Valve. If those companies want to put DRM on their titles, it has nothing to do with Valve and you're free to vote with your wallet. But Valve does not add additional DRM beyond what the vendor includes.

On top of that, where's the incentive?
Steam games cost as much and sometimes more than the Box copy.
There's going to have to be a pretty significant discount for me to have any interest in this medium, especially with the above factors added into the equation.

Lots, and this has been beaten like a dead horse. Steam adds:
1. Multiplayer matching
2. Friends community
3. Autopatching
4. Voice-over-IP
5. Eliminates CD in drive
6. Big discounts during sales.
7. Convenience and organization
and more

It takes away your ability to resell a game. That's the big downside of Steam. If you rely on reselling, then don't use it. If you don't resell, then it's great.

 

[Gothgar]

I wish I could trade in my hard copies for old games so I dont have to hold onto the CDs anymore

 

[Golgatha]

Originally posted by: Gothgar
I wish I could trade in my hard copies for old games so I dont have to hold onto the CDs anymore

Blizzard has granted your wish at least.

 

[PingSpike]

Originally posted by: n7
Let's just say Steam can go eff itself; that's my opinion.
I'll stick to buying games in stores as long as possible to avoid the steaming pile of DRM.

I was at a huge LAN (Fragapalooza) early in August.
~400 people, tons of LAN games fun.

Except because internet was a little bit overloaded & disconnected sometimes due the number of people, Steam pitched a fit for pretty much the entire first day.

It wouldn't even launch, or it would, but then games wouldn't launch, & even just to play LAN L4D, it kept breaking with random errors during the middle of a game.
And we were not even trying to play online; we just wanted to have some fun with LAN games.

Completely infuriating.

Even my very pro-Stream fanboi friend wasn't praising Steam after the stupidity we had to deal with there.

L4D is a nightmare to play LAN. I thought I could play with the two purchased copies I have using steam offline mode at home. It doesn't fucking work, although the error messages don't come right out and say it, it because the game works that way on purpose. You've got to get on the internet to phone home to the mothership and hope it doesn't shit its pants for some reason while you're setting it up.

 

[wanderer27]

Originally posted by: Daverino

Originally posted by: wanderer27
For one, there's no guarantee that Steam will remain in Business, at which point all your games are gone.

Well that's just a FUD covered lie. Your Steam games work fine if Steam can't load. The game is on your hard drive, not on some server. You do not need a magic key from the internet every time you want to play. If you think Steam is something else, you obviously don't use it.

If Steam's gone, your HD dies/reformatted - games gone.

No FUD about it

Another reason is DRM.
Steam adds DRM to games that don't normally/aren't supposed to have it.
Check out the SIMS 3 fiasco. The Box copy doesn't have SecuROM, but the downloaded version does :roll:

That's beyond FUD. The Sims 3 isn't even on Steam. Steam is DRM in itself. It is a distribution platform for other software makers besides Valve. If those companies want to put DRM on their titles, it has nothing to do with Valve and you're free to vote with your wallet. But Valve does not add additional DRM beyond what the vendor includes.

Okay, I may be thinking of the wrong game here in relation to Steam.
This is the case for Direct2Drive at least:
http://reclaimyourgame.com/ind...icle&id=305&Itemid=118

I'm still thinking Steam does this to at least one game I've heard of but the Title eludes me at the moment.
It's pretty much irrelevant though, since you agree that Steam is essentially DRM in and of itself.

On top of that, where's the incentive?
Steam games cost as much and sometimes more than the Box copy.
There's going to have to be a pretty significant discount for me to have any interest in this medium, especially with the above factors added into the equation.

Lots, and this has been beaten like a dead horse. Steam adds:
1. Multiplayer matching
2. Friends community
3. Autopatching
4. Voice-over-IP
5. Eliminates CD in drive
6. Big discounts during sales.
7. Convenience and organization
and more

It takes away your ability to resell a game. That's the big downside of Steam. If you rely on reselling, then don't use it. If you don't resell, then it's great.

1. I don't play online.
2. I use Forums for this.
3. That's pretty much automatic with a lot of Software today - no big deal.
4. I hate Phones, so this doesn't impact me either.
5. This isn't 100% the case with Box versions, and there are work-arounds.
6. I seem to see more discounts on the Box side of things.
7. I'll split this one with you. To me it's more convenient to just stick the CD in to install vs downloading (slower), but I see how not having lots of Titles laying around could have it's benefit.

You're correct in that I don't use Steam or D2D. I've pretty much given the basic reasons why I don't care/trust either of them.

There are people that just absolutely love Steam.
That's fine, it's just not for me.

 

[EnzoLT]

i rather have a hardcopy. i like displaying it on my bookcase and plus, ill always have it. i dont have to worry about servers going down etc since i always have my hardcopy. i make backups of my games plus use no-cd's so i dont ruin my original store-bought copy.

 

[mindcycle]

I like getting a hardcopy so I can look through the manual before or during the install. Since most games on steam are the same price as a hardcopy it makes no sense to purchase it there. IMO of course. I'd rather have the reassurance that I can install the game whenever I want and not have to rely on Steam.

However I do us occasionally use Steam to purchase indie titles that aren't available through retail means.

 

[KMFJD]

My isp has a 20gb/month usage cap, so no, i'd rather have a hard copy...

/only isp in the area
//would take forver to dl anything on this shit service anyways

 

[minmaster]

steams lets you backup the game files, right? then reinstalling OS shouldn't mean redownloading.

 

[dguy6789]

It's hard to believe that anyone actually thinks that if Valve happens to be on the verge of going out of business that they will do absolutely nothing to ensure that their customers can still play the games they purchased. It's all FUD.

 

[wanderer27]

Originally posted by: dguy6789
It's hard to believe that anyone actually thinks that if Valve happens to be on the verge of going out of business that they will do absolutely nothing to ensure that their customers can still play the games they purchased. It's all FUD.

I hope for the Users' sake they would.

If they're going out of Business/file for Bankruptcy they have no real obligation to provide anything though.

You can put your faith in this if you want, but I've been in the Corporate world for some years now.
There's more graft, embezzlement, corruption, and brother in-law deals going on than you'll ever hear about in the news. Most of it is swept under the rug.

Don't even get me started on the incompetence . . . .

Go read Dilbert - there's far more truth in that Comic strip than you'll ever believe.

 

[manko]

I've seen too many companies with authentication servers just decide to turn them off or go out of business without any recourse for the purchasers of the media. It's great until they shut down or lock you out of your account because of something you aren't responsible for. You don't get locked out of boxed games. Sure, Valve is great and I do have some Steam games, but I'd rather have something that I can install indefinitely, like I can with my old games from 10-15+ years ago for some retro gaming.

 

[dguy6789]

Valve is also a lot more successful than any company before it when it comes to a Steam-like program or authentication. No other company that has just randomly shut down was anywhere near as big a player in the industry. Comparing those companies to Valve is similar to saying Microsoft might shut down because an Indie developer failed to be successful.

 

[lxskllr]

Some newer games don't give you the whole thing when you buy a hard copy. You still have to go online to download portions of the game you weren't provided. In that context, a hard copy doesn't give you much, and I'd just as soon be all digital. My real preference is for the whole game to be on the DVD and require nothing from the outside world.