Would it be better to switch back to cartridges?
- Thread starter shadowedge
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I wouldn't want it. Main reason being it's still more expensive than discs.
The other problem is proprietary cartridges and storage solutions. Companies love to charge an arm and a leg for it (*cough* Sony memory cards for vita *cough*).
And once digital hits, there is just no point.
The other problem is proprietary cartridges and storage solutions. Companies love to charge an arm and a leg for it (*cough* Sony memory cards for vita *cough*).
And once digital hits, there is just no point.
Every cartridge I've seen is smaller than the average game case. You don't need a bookshelf to store them, I have half my old bulky ones in a shoebox. They don't need to stay in their protective box, that's what the plastic is for. Also is blowing into a cartridge any more tedious than wiping off a dirty CD? I've never had to clean the console itself either, I had to clean my PS2 laser more often than my Sega (and you bought a new one instead of trying to fix it?). Lastly the gameboys were backwards compatible until the DS, if you don't believe me go put a gameboy game in your GBA. It works. Not to mention the DS had an adapter for GBA games.Johann610 said:
OT: I don't think it would be better since were all use to disc based gaming, but I'd take that over digital. I like to have a physical copy of my games that will work in the future.
Guys, guys, guys. You're making this way more complicated than it needs to be.
All you need is an archive file format which can be understood by your console's OS and USB ports (preferably USB 3, but USB2 would probably also work) in the console itself. Let the users download and copy the game archive files to their own flash drives and then they just have to plug them into the console's USB ports to play.
> dir
game1.dat 7.9GB
game1_save
game2.dat 2.1GB
game2_save
4 Object(s) 10.0GB
>
For anti-piracy measures, tie everything to the user's account. You can copy games as much as you like, but if your account doesn't say you've paid for it, you won't be playing until you do.
All you need is an archive file format which can be understood by your console's OS and USB ports (preferably USB 3, but USB2 would probably also work) in the console itself. Let the users download and copy the game archive files to their own flash drives and then they just have to plug them into the console's USB ports to play.
> dir
game1.dat 7.9GB
game1_save
game2.dat 2.1GB
game2_save
4 Object(s) 10.0GB
>
For anti-piracy measures, tie everything to the user's account. You can copy games as much as you like, but if your account doesn't say you've paid for it, you won't be playing until you do.
Exactly this.sammysoso said:
With the amount of whinging that goes on here about gaming prices, I don't think there's going to be a lot of support for a format that would cost more to produce and offer little gain at best. Unless you don't look after your games well, the disc format is perfectly fine.
I'd be for it. Scratched disks suck, but cartridges can handle a surprising amount of damage. I remember when I moved house once and was messing with the garden, I dug up a GBA game. I cleared all the dirt off of it and it worked good as new. If it was a disk it would have been completely ruined.
Because CDs could hold vastly more information for a fraction of the development cost. Seriously. The PS1 beat out the N64 in terms of support because the disc-drive on the Playstation allowed the developers much more room to work. Why do you think Nintendo came out with the Expansion pack, and made a Disc-Drive addon that was only ever released in Japan?SlaveNumber23 said:
As for today, I don't know if the cost/space argument would still hold up, but I know that buying a decent sized Flash Drive is a fair amount more expensive than just buying 25 Dual-Layer DVDs.
Personally, as far as PC games go I just wish physical copies would stop requiring DRM, and as far as console games go I really don't mind discs as opposed to cartridges.
Yeah, Nintendo learned a harsh lesson with the N64. Their argument at the time was that cartridges didn't have issues with loading times like CDs did. And their games cost ~$80, as opposed to $49 for PS1 games. Result: the PS1 went from new kid on the block to the #1 console in less than 2 years.shrekfan246 said:
The main reason - maybe the only reason - that cartridges are still used for handhelds is because they don't have any moving parts. No moving parts means less power used, so less time spent charging and more time spent playing.
Would we still have to blow into the cartridge to make it work?
I used to hate that tedious task when I was a kid but now... I guess I sort of miss it.
To be honest - I'd hate to go back to cartridges. I didn't like them then and I don't like them now plus if games came on cartridge no doubt I'd have to go back into those Game shops and buy extreme prices and receive bad customer service.
I used to hate that tedious task when I was a kid but now... I guess I sort of miss it.
To be honest - I'd hate to go back to cartridges. I didn't like them then and I don't like them now plus if games came on cartridge no doubt I'd have to go back into those Game shops and buy extreme prices and receive bad customer service.
If it wasn't going to jack the price even further up (damn Aussie game market) then I'd be all for it.
Disks are cheap, the packaging is expensive, I'm sure it won't take off but you could just put games onto USB drives they can hold up to 16gb these days relatively cheap to.Vault101 said:
You could just have match box size packaging that slides out the with mini usb drive with your game on.
The only advantage I see is having the cartridges be writable so updates and patches can be permanently assigned to the game meaning you don't have to update it again if you wipe your system's hard drive or if you play the game on another person's system. That, I'm afraid, is the only advantage. We currently use DVDs and Blu-Rays for the majority of our media viewing, and people do still use CDs, so a games console would probably still need a disk drive. Discs are cheaper and easier to produce. And as someone mentioned above, going cartridge would strip backwards compatibility, unless you were to have a system with a cartridge and a disc drive, making it unholy levels of expensive.
As for the packaging debate, I'm of the opinion money can still be saved there by shrinking down to something more in line with the PAL Dreamcast cases, since most companies don't even bother with a manual anymore and I'm sure they can fit any important information in a case that size. Also by looking into cheaper materials and more structurally efficient designs for these cases, cutting down on material but increasing overall strength. So I believe discs can stay pretty much for the foreseeable future.
I think that pretty much sums this all up, doesn't it? Or did I miss something?
As for the packaging debate, I'm of the opinion money can still be saved there by shrinking down to something more in line with the PAL Dreamcast cases, since most companies don't even bother with a manual anymore and I'm sure they can fit any important information in a case that size. Also by looking into cheaper materials and more structurally efficient designs for these cases, cutting down on material but increasing overall strength. So I believe discs can stay pretty much for the foreseeable future.
I think that pretty much sums this all up, doesn't it? Or did I miss something?
I notice people keep mentioning scratched disks. What on earth do you people do with your stuff? Ive only ever ended up with one disk so scratched it wouldn't work and that's because my 360 drive closed while I was taking it out. I keep mine in their cases and make sure I install them to the hard drive so that the disk is pretty much only used for copy protection. Most of my games are in as new condition. Even if you are absolutely terrible at looking after your possessions (Which reading this thread has given me a sinking feeling is a prevalent practice) most places can fix scratched disks for a few bucks a disk. Apart from that all I can say is don't use them as frisbees (Or whatever it is you are doing), they will last pretty well that way.
No, it would not make sense. But using BR/DVDs/Wii-U is also a terrible idea.shadowedge said:
Space is extremely cheap and will continue to become cheaper. In the very near future there should be no reason to have a physical CD at all. It's a waste of space, manufacturing and a step in the wrong direction. The push should be expanding internet access and having everything saved on the hard drive preferably but not necessarily on a solid state drive.