Why digital distribution needs to take over.

[Eldritch Warlord]

My discs don't get scratched, and all that takes is one simple rule: the disc is either in the disc tray or its case, never anywhere else.

Here's another thought: you can loan, trade, borrow, sell, barter, etc. discs but you can't do the same for files. Sure, you can copy a file but the thing is most every digital distribution scheme I can think of ties ownership of a game to an account.

 

[tmujir955]

I totally agree that digital distribution is the future. However, the current incarnation of DD is crap and I refuse to participate in it.

1. There is no justification for DD games to cost the same as physical copies. Without the costs of manufacturing, shipping, etc., they should be cheaper. And yet, when a new game comes out, it's the same price.

2. A misunderstanding can cost you all your games. What if your STEAM account gets banned for any reason? You lose all your games, permanently. I don't want to risk that, even if it's unlikely.

3. Internet connectivity still isn't where it should be for this. Perhaps in several years it will be a viable option, right now it isn't.

4. It would kill rentals and second-hand games. This alone is enough for me to rant against DD till the end of time...

To counter:

1. I completely agree, DD games should be AT LEAST $10 off.

2.This system of banning=no more games should be improved, if not removed.

3. Yes, you are right.

4. While used games are cheap, don't they take away from the company sale's, potentially hurting that company's ability to make good games?

 

[tmujir955]

My discs don't get scratched, and all that takes is one simple rule: the disc is either in the disc tray or its case, never anywhere else.

Here's another thought: you can loan, trade, borrow, sell, barter, etc. discs but you can't do the same for files. Sure, you can copy a file but the thing is most every digital distribution scheme I can think of ties ownership of a game to an account.

My brother is constantly taking games out and leaving them everywhere, which scratches them very badly.

 

[Burst6]

I love steam, i feel so much better when i know i will never loose that game as long as i have my account. I cant really get hard copies, i either loose them, or get them scratched beyond recognition. I don't even own any disks anymore, all my xbox games come from gamefly.

 

[Jandau]

4. While used games are cheap, don't they take away from the company sale's, potentially hurting that company's ability to make good games?

Ahh, that old chestnut. Don't used car sales hurt the car manufacturers and thereby hurt their ability to make good cars? Does that mean that we should eliminate used car sales? What about second hand clothes? Second hand books? Heck, maybe we should kill off EBay in general since its existance hurts the profit margins of thousands of companies?

Technically, yes, used games reduce the profits of game publishers. However, they should learn to live with it like the rest of the world has...

 

[UberMore]

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Um, what the heck is Experienced Points?

And, to counter your statement: what if your disc is scratched?

Experience Points is an article written on this website by Shamus Young, just go to the main page and scroll down a little.
If your disc is scratched, be more careful in the future, look for a new one, rent it from somewhere or, if all of this fails, look if it can be downloaded. Digital Distribution should not be the only way of obtaining a game. I agree, it's a good idea, but it's not such a good thing to download all your games, let alone the ones that you know you'll be playing often or in the future (e.g. Modern Warefare 2, Assassin's Creed 2, Half Life 2 Episode 3 (whenever it comes out)).

 

[cyber_andyy]

The problem with having games on hard copies is pretty obvious: it gets scratched.

And, to counter your statement: what if your disc is scratched?

Extractions from various game licence agreements:

You may make one copy of the Software[sic] solely for the purposes of having a backup copy.

You may make one copy of the Software[sic] solely for the purposes of having a backup copy

(c) Make copies of the software or any part of thereof, except of back up or archival purposes.

You may make one copy of the Software[sic] solely for the purposes of having a backup copy.

If your careless enough to scratch it, back it up.

Also this:

More than 70% of people without internet access have no interest in getting broadband

And the fact that only about 22% of people have access to a PC with an internet connection.

 

[Jumplion]

Physical media will never go away, and if Digital Distribution takes over it won't be for a VERY VERY VEERRYY long time if ever.

However, I believe that Physical Media and Digital Distribution can only compliment each other. That is, most AAA titles will be on Physical Media and the smaller indie games and add ons will be distributed digitally. It'll be a sad day if Digital Distribution will ever fully take over, there are a hell of a lot of restrictions with that (DRM, Lacking good internet, credit card stolen, etc...)

 

[zombflux]

I haven't bought a hard copy for a game in years. But what everyone else is saying is true.

 

[tmujir955]

I will tell you why.

Not everyone can afford it or have a decent download speed, like me, to doe this on a regular basis.

/thread, really.

I second that /thread

Besides, it feels much better to have a physical copy in your hand when you buy a new game.

How can you second an /thread?

My brother is constantly taking games out and leaving them everywhere, which scratches them very badly.

Well yell at him not to.

OT, I think that physical copies are the best option, mainly to stop piracy and to make them less wipeable (i.e. data from your computer is lost, game goes with it).

He's autistic. I can't yell at someone who doesn't understand me.

 

[BloodSquirrel]

The problem with having games on hard copies is pretty obvious: it gets scratched. But did anyone think about the fact that digital distribution could significantly improve the quality of games? Think about it. When a hard copy of a game is put out, it is final. The company does not improve it (except for patches to get the game running well), but other than that, no changes to the actual game play are made. But with digital distribution, companies can freely update their software. For example, “Pocket God”, a game on the IPhone, is a game where you play God for a bunch of little people, and you can kill them in many ways. But the company allows people to suggest to them more ways of killing, and every update has something new added to it. (The game has had 27-ish updates).
Why not make all games like this? It seems only obvious.

Your basic premise is completely off. Companies can just as easily update a game that originally came from hard media as a direct download one.

In fact, where have you been this generation? Have you not noticed that whole DLC thing that's been going on?

 

[squid5580]

I will tell you why.

Not everyone can afford it or have a decent download speed, like me, to doe this on a regular basis.

/thread, really.

Not to mention the space required to store the games. That you wouldn't be able to rent them first. And you can't get any return on your 60 dollar investment once you are done with them. The lack of manuals so tutorial levels will be brutally long or you have you quit the game to find out what you need. Companies would need servers to distribute them. And the quality of games would drop significantly. Can anyone imagine how long it would take to download a game like MGS 4?

 

[tmujir955]

Physical media will never go away, and if Digital Distribution takes over it won't be for a VERY VERY VEERRYY long time if ever.

However, I believe that Physical Media and Digital Distribution can only compliment each other. That is, most AAA titles will be on Physical Media and the smaller indie games and add ons will be distributed digitally. It'll be a sad day if Digital Distribution will ever fully take over, there are a hell of a lot of restrictions with that (DRM, Lacking good internet, credit card stolen, etc...)

This person is wise. Listen to him.

 

[cyber_andyy]

EDIT: mis quote, I mean about the scratches.

*points to his above post*

 

[mariofan1000]

Imagine this. You have no internet. You are REALLY Really excited about this new game that is coming out.

When the game is released, you are about to explode from excitment. You dash to the store, but you can't find it. You ask the clerk about it and he says the game is only avalible online.

Get my point?

 

[Icedshot]

I will tell you why.

Not everyone can afford it or have a decent download speed, like me, to doe this on a regular basis.

/thread, really.

I second that /thread

Besides, it feels much better to have a physical copy in your hand when you buy a new game.

Exactly. Although I trust Steam and use it for downloading smaller, indie games and so on, after a bad experience with L4D (I need to get it on Xbox 360 now since my Steam activated PC version doesn't run fast enough thanks to my dodgy graphics card) I'm a bit wary of buying newer games through Steam and using digital distribution in general. Plus, what happens if I accidentally delete the game files, for example? At least with an actual CD I can just reinstall and be on my merry way...

accidentally delete the game files and you can do a reinstall.. most digital distribution companies will just let you redownload it

 

[Assassin Xaero]

What if you buy the game and find out it won't run on your computer? Or, in my case with World at War, find out that it is complete shit off Steam and only half of it works... you can't return the game with digital distribution (I know for a fact that Steam wouldn't give me my money back for that shit)...

 

[Leorex]

look your both wrong, in the future games will be STREAMED into your head.

but seriously, digital download and physical form can exist symotanisly

 

[Gunn01]

On your point of constantly upgrading the game i dont think that it would happen. They would patch it like they do now if that. After a companay make a game they for the most part move on to the next game that they are going to make they aren't going to add extra stuff and if they dd it certainly wouldn't be free.