Important, how many of you feel strongly AGAINST games as only downloads?

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Important, how many of you feel strongly AGAINST games as only downloads?

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Important, how many of you feel strongly AGAINST games ... - 10/17/2003 8:28:43 AM

Les_the_Sarge_9_1

Posts: 4392
Joined: 12/29/2000
Status: offline

This matter is current and important fellow gamers.

I would like some serious input on the matter.

Of the two options, buying it on a cd, or being only able to get a game if you download it, where do you stand on both choices?

Me, I have a broadband connection and frankly I can download several gigs of data just for the heck of it if it pleases me. And I can burn that data to a CD or DVD to suit my current level of amusement. Clearly I am not at any real disadvantage.

But frankly, I don't like being told a game can only be sold via download. Why? because I happen to know a lot of gamers out there DON'T have that choice. And I for one am not interested in putting my weight in favour of any choice that cuts out any sector of the market that readily.

If a game is only available as a download, you have just arbitrarily told anyone without broadband and a burner handy, sorry we don't care. That is unwise.

Downloadable should always be just an option, not the only option.

_____________________________

I LIKE that my life bothers them,
Why should I be the only one bothered by it eh.

Post #: 1

- 10/17/2003 9:28:54 AM

Spickle

Posts: 35
Joined: 10/14/2003
Status: offline

Pros of downloads:

- Universal release data. Us Europeans don't have to get shafted. It also means imports cost less and prices would hopefully level prices out. I could pay US/European prices for games.
- Would allow developers greater power(?). No idea if this is true or not, but I would imagine it would help reduce the influence of publishers, although you would still need someone to market and distribute the game online, although it would also mean that developers would stand a better chance of distributing their games on their own, if they wished to.
- Environmental friendly. Ok, you could argue I'm clutching at straws here, but it is a nice bonus.
- No scratched CD/game loss. Lose your copy? Scratch the disk? You can just download it again.

Negs:

- Obviously need a fast connection
- Lack of a proper manual. I do like having something well finished. Not a PDF fan.
- Encourages poor releases. We already have to suffer because of this policy in the industry to screw up initial releases and then just patch them up. What would happen next? Could we expect only bits of a game at a time? That's something Valve were discussing.
- Secuity issues. Would this produce new problems? It would certainly make it easier to copy the CD contents, but is there anything else.

I for one am quite happy to download the game, but, as you say, it should be an option.

(in reply to Les_the_Sarge_9_1)