Digital Distribution Is Far Better Than A Disk

[QUOTE="Brownesque"][QUOTE="mtradr43"]not even close. heres an example. save all your games to you hd, and the next day it dies, all your games are gone and you have to re dl them all. also, you cannot sell anything back, so have to spend more money for the same amount of games.mtradr43

Reasons why Digital Disribution Wins

-Doesn't take up space

-No need for a loud disk drive

-All of your games are neatly stored

-No need for used/new games

-We can drive those nazi's Gamestop out of buisness or at least force them to change their evil nazi esque ways

However lets be fair and also count the benefits of physical storage.

-

-

-

-

Reasons why A physical game CD/Cartridge wins

-Games will become scratched and dirty over time eventually becoming good for nothing more than coasters.

-Former freinds can borrow them and never give them back!

-Stickers, plastic wrap and other useless things are awesome!

-Do you enjoy paying more for what a publisher calls a "collector's edition"? That consists of nothing more than the regular game and a wortheless art book/plastic figurine? Then physical formats are for you!

-Enjoy a increasingly large and unmangable libary of game cases that will eventuall topple and kill you!

-Can be fashioned into a shuriken for those pesky suprise ninja attacksIndigoSunrise

Win. :D

[QUOTE="Burning-Sludge"]

[QUOTE="Brownesque"] Their product is worthless. It only has value artificially. Their work is extraordinarily valuable to the average consumer. So they buy the work, not the software. What happens to Nintendo? I could be wrong about this, but maybe people will grow a backbone and a heart and actually pay for their continued work.Brownesque

Buzzzzt WRONG!!! People don't pay for work, they pay for goods and services.

[QUOTE="BioShockOwnz"]

[QUOTE="Ross_the_B0SS"]

I thought downloaded games were tied to your XBL account. Can't you recover arcade games?Ross_the_B0SS

You can only recover your downloaded games once a year, right? That's how it was when I had to get a new 360 last winter. Which is completely lame, I might add.

Wow, really? That is pretty lame.

What's even lamer is that you can't recover a physical copy at all. :(

[QUOTE="mtradr43"][QUOTE="Brownesque"] Your hard disc is a storage medium same as a CD. You can break CD's too. But you can't redownload them. You know, my suggestion (to the industry) is that they start making backup copies accessible only through Steam or what have you legal. That way I wouldn't have to roll my eyes with this tired argument comes up.Brownesque

Great, another way to be milked! Now we have to buy multiple platforms now because the one we got will break, and we loose all of the games on the ones that do break.

[QUOTE="Ross_the_B0SS"]

[QUOTE="BioShockOwnz"]

You can only recover your downloaded games once a year, right? That's how it was when I had to get a new 360 last winter. Which is completely lame, I might add.Hexagon_777

Wow, really? That is pretty lame.

What's even lamer is that you can't recover a physical copy at all. :(

[QUOTE="Brownesque"][QUOTE="Burning-Sludge"]

Buzzzzt WRONG!!! People don't pay for work, they pay for goods and services.

Shhadow_Viper

In case you're not following, your good is worth nothing inherently, it is only worth something artificially as a result of the legal implications of free distribution/copying and the existing system of distribution artificially manufacturing scarcity and artificially bloating the cost for no good reason. You're proposing that we pay the people who provide the actual service less in order to sustain the character of the system, or that we pay them nothing at all. I suggest that there is no reason to do this when we can toss the system out the window in favor of one that gives the service providers the capital they need to grow and continue to be industrious and one that gives the end-user the lowest possible cost for the good AND the service as a result. And you tell me I do not understand capitalism.

[QUOTE="Brownesque"][QUOTE="mtradr43"] if i break one game, its far less traumatic than having 60 games poof when my hd goes down, and having to spend hours upon hours redownloading them. besides, whos stupid enough to break their games?Burning-Sludge

Great, another way to be milked! Now we have to buy multiple platforms now because the one we got will break, and we loose all of the games on the ones that do break.

This is a storage medium.

This is a storage medium.

This is a storage medium.

So's this.

Got at least one of any of these? Then what the hell is the problem?

[QUOTE="Burning-Sludge"]

[QUOTE="Brownesque"] Well, if you buy an Xbox 360 sometimes it chews through your software for you. But as far as breaking your games being stupid is concerned.....who's stupid enough to break their hard disc drive? Who's stupid enough not to back up their data on multiple platforms?Brownesque

Great, another way to be milked! Now we have to buy multiple platforms now because the one we got will break, and we loose all of the games on the ones that do break.

This is a storage medium.

This is a storage medium.

This is a storage medium.

So's this.

Got at least one of any of these? Then what the hell is the problem?

That works for PCs, but not for consoles.

Reasons why Digital Disribution Wins

-Doesn't take up space

-No need for a loud disk drive

-All of your games are neatly stored

-No need for used/new games

-We can drive those nazi's Gamestop out of buisness or at least force them to change their evil nazi esque ways

However lets be fair and also count the benefits of physical storage.

-

-

-

-

Reasons why A physical game CD/Cartridge wins

-Games will become scratched and dirty over time eventually becoming good for nothing more than coasters.

-Former freinds can borrow them and never give them back!

-Stickers, plastic wrap and other useless things are awesome!

-Do you enjoy paying more for what a publisher calls a "collector's edition"? That consists of nothing more than the regular game and a wortheless art book/plastic figurine? Then physical formats are for you!

-Enjoy a increasingly large and unmangable libary of game cases that will eventuall topple and kill you!

-Can be fashioned into a shuriken for those pesky suprise ninja attacks

IndigoSunrise

I prefer solid copies of my games, but digital distribution does have advantages, one of which should be price since the game doesn't have to be shipped or go through retailers.

I prefer solid copies of my games, but digital distribution does have advantages, one of which should be price since the game doesn't have to be shipped or go through retailers.

nintendofreak_2

*cough* Actually, the Playstation 3 can take any USB storage device and it can use external hard drives. It can also take any 2.5" SATA hard drive. I'm sorry for your losses, XBox 360 owners. I'm sorry that Microsoft does not want you to experience their much-trumpeted digital distribution platform at any degree of reasonable competency. My heart goes out to you for this. Make sure you drop a note in the suggestion box, for your own good.Brownesque

I am a Wii and DS owner and don't have Fios, I have USB 720 with a 5 GB cap per month. How would 100% digital distribution work in my favor?

[QUOTE="Brownesque"]*cough* Actually, the Playstation 3 can take any USB storage device and it can use external hard drives. It can also take any 2.5" SATA hard drive. I'm sorry for your losses, XBox 360 owners. I'm sorry that Microsoft does not want you to experience their much-trumpeted digital distribution platform at any degree of reasonable competency. My heart goes out to you for this. Make sure you drop a note in the suggestion box, for your own good.Burning-Sludge

I am a Wii and DS owner and don't have Fios, I have USB 720 with a 5 GB cap per month. How would 100% digital distribution work in my favor?

Oh no, then the people who make the games will actually make money.Brownesque

What?

With standard solid copies of games, retaliers buy the games (at a cheaper cost than we see) and sell it at a profit after it's shipped. Digital Distribution should make games cost at least $10 cheaper, and the developer would still make the same amount of money (if not more) compared to solid copies.

[QUOTE="Brownesque"]Oh no, then the people who make the games will actually make money.nintendofreak_2

What?

With standard solid copies of games, retaliers buy the games (at a cheaper cost than we see) and sell it at a profit after it's shipped. Digital Distribution should make games cost at least $10 cheaper, and the developer would still make the same amount of money (if not more) compared to solid copies.

[QUOTE="Burning-Sludge"]

[QUOTE="Brownesque"]*cough* Actually, the Playstation 3 can take any USB storage device and it can use external hard drives. It can also take any 2.5" SATA hard drive. I'm sorry for your losses, XBox 360 owners. I'm sorry that Microsoft does not want you to experience their much-trumpeted digital distribution platform at any degree of reasonable competency. My heart goes out to you for this. Make sure you drop a note in the suggestion box, for your own good.Brownesque

I am a Wii and DS owner and don't have Fios, I have USB 720 with a 5 GB cap per month. How would 100% digital distribution work in my favor?

Case Closed! 100% Digital distribution as of now cannot get the games out to everyone. That means less customers and less games because of less customers.

[QUOTE="Brownesque"]Oh no, then the people who make the games will actually make money.nintendofreak_2

What?

With standard solid copies of games, retaliers buy the games (at a cheaper cost than we see) and sell it at a profit after it's shipped. Digital Distribution should make games cost at least $10 cheaper, and the developer would still make the same amount of money (if not more) compared to solid copies.

[QUOTE="Brownesque"][QUOTE="Burning-Sludge"]

I am a Wii and DS owner and don't have Fios, I have USB 720 with a 5 GB cap per month. How would 100% digital distribution work in my favor?

Burning-Sludge

Case Closed! 100% Digital distribution as of now cannot get the games out to everyone. That means less costumers and less games because of less costumers.

[QUOTE="Brownesque"][QUOTE="Burning-Sludge"]

I am a Wii and DS owner and don't have Fios, I have USB 720 with a 5 GB cap per month. How would 100% digital distribution work in my favor?

Burning-Sludge

Case Closed! 100% Digital distribution as of now cannot get the games out to everyone. That means less costumers and less games because of less costumers.

LMAO "costumers". You mean people who make costumes?

It takes up tons of space. 6 gigs for Mass Effect? No thanks.

[QUOTE="Hexagon_777"]

[QUOTE="Ross_the_B0SS"]

Wow, really? That is pretty lame.Burning-Sludge

What's even lamer is that you can't recover a physical copy at all. :(

At lest you get to have a physical copy. You don't get to keep a digital copy.

Why wouldn't I get to keep what I bought? :?

[QUOTE="Burning-Sludge"]

[QUOTE="Brownesque"] It would not. Shame be upon Nintendo?Hanass

Case Closed! 100% Digital distribution as of now cannot get the games out to everyone. That means less customers and less games because of less customers.

LMAO "costumers". You mean people who make costumes?

Fixed it. :D

In the future digital distribution will be the dominant way for sell. Miroku32

I mean, believe it or not some people don't have internet, and aren't able to get games that way, and the video game industries top audience (I assume?), kids, will have trouble understanding the system.

Other than that people who are able to do said thing will realise they are paying full price for a game you don't really own, its just a contract to the game. Its a rental.

[QUOTE="Burning-Sludge"]

[QUOTE="Hexagon_777"]

What's even lamer is that you can't recover a physical copy at all. :(Hexagon_777

At lest you get to have a physical copy. You don't get to keep a digital copy.

Why wouldn't I get to keep what I bought? :?

[QUOTE="Miroku32"]In the future digital distribution will be the dominant way for sell. falconclan

I mean, believe it or not some people don't have internet, and aren't able to get games that way, and the video game industries top audience (I assume?), kids, will have trouble understanding the system.

Other than that people who are able to do said thing will realise they are paying full price for a game you don't really own, its just a contract to the game. Its a rental.

Kids download things from the internet all the time. They download every time they go to Youtube or visit a website, every time they do an image search or, say, listen to some music someone has posted on MySpace. Kids have quite a bit of experience with downloading (otherwise known as digital distribution). Their problem may be with paying for the product, which is essentially a process identical to paying in person. The difference is, of course, it's much easier to click "Download" than it is to get in your car, drive down to the local retailer, purchase your game, then take it home in your car when you do not own a car and do not have a wallet. At any rate, as I've already said, I don't expect that regular distribution will ever stop, nor should it. Distribution via other storage media is as necessary as anything else. As a matter of fact, actually, a speaker named Eben Moglen said downloading is literally "child's play," and that the "revolution" of guaranteeing free competition to capitalist distributors was actually being carried out most efficiently by children.Brownesque

I may have kept quiet since this topic started but I must have my say here.

In your previous posts, you've said that retailers should not sell games, but you say that regular distribution (retailers) will not stop. You're contradicting yourself here and I don't recall you saing the latter from any other posts at all. You, unfortuneatly, (IMO), are not respecting others' opinions but resort to biting their heads off.

Now answer this question that most people are asking:

How do gamers download their games if they have no internet access?

I prefer a physical copy of my game (my opinion) and I hope you respect that if you value your GameSpot account.

-Can't be sold later down the road if it sucks, which is often the case.

-DRM is lame. We know when things go 100% digital, that the companies are gonna slap the cuffs on us.

-Steam has got it right, but I still buy the boxed product if it's available. Steam didn't get it right in the beginning.

-Digital Distribution shouldn't be as costly as a retail product, or even more in some cases. That's ridiculous. Steam has had some overpriced releases, but luckily, they balance it out with sales.

I'll take retail. And retail keeps more jobs, too.

BioShockOwnz

well it's also better because money doesn't have to be spent on materials to make the disc and its case.

The two mainthings that put me off were the download times and limited hard drive space

[QUOTE="BioShockOwnz"]

-Can't be sold later down the road if it sucks, which is often the case.

-DRM is lame. We know when things go 100% digital, that the companies are gonna slap the cuffs on us.

-Steam has got it right, but I still buy the boxed product if it's available. Steam didn't get it right in the beginning.

-Digital Distribution shouldn't be as costly as a retail product, or even more in some cases. That's ridiculous. Steam has had some overpriced releases, but luckily, they balance it out with sales.

I'll take retail. And retail keeps more jobs, too.

cainetao11

No. It wastes space on your HDD and mods don't work with a lot of DD copies. I refuse to get DD for PC games unless it's a multiplayer only game (TF2, etc.).

[QUOTE="Brownesque"]Kids download things from the internet all the time. They download every time they go to Youtube or visit a website, every time they do an image search or, say, listen to some music someone has posted on MySpace. Kids have quite a bit of experience with downloading (otherwise known as digital distribution). Their problem may be with paying for the product, which is essentially a process identical to paying in person. The difference is, of course, it's much easier to click "Download" than it is to get in your car, drive down to the local retailer, purchase your game, then take it home in your car when you do not own a car and do not have a wallet. At any rate, as I've already said, I don't expect that regular distribution will ever stop, nor should it. Distribution via other storage media is as necessary as anything else. As a matter of fact, actually, a speaker named Eben Moglen said downloading is literally "child's play," and that the "revolution" of guaranteeing free competition to capitalist distributors was actually being carried out most efficiently by children.Action_Player

I may have kept quiet since this topic started but I must have my say here.

In your previous posts, you've said that retailers should not sell games, but you say that regular distribution (retailers) will not stop. You're contradicting yourself here and I don't recall you saing the latter from any other posts at all. You, unfortuneatly, (IMO), are not respecting others' opinions but resort to biting their heads off.

Now answer this question that most people are asking:

How do gamers download their games if they have no internet access?

I prefer a physical copy of my game (my opinion) and I hope you respect that if you value your GameSpot account.

But, like I said, I don't care what you think about me. How about you deal with my arguments? You told me that I resort to biting people's heads off, don't respect their opinions, and that I'm a hypocrite. I could be all of those things and it wouldn't hurt the validity of my arguments. So instead of talking about ME, let's talk about my arguments.

Look at what poster JFL1 said about ME, not my opinion, on page 12 of this thread:

You're either

1: 14 years old and don't understand what you're talking about.

2: Rich and possibly born rich and don't understand what real value real money actually has for the average person in the world.

3: Are going to end up questioning why your neighbour still can live a high life even though both of you got fired at the factory.

Another guy told me this:

"The only thing I can imagine is that you must work for activision. I mean with that so strongly worded anti-consumer rant you just had."

Little old me, the 14 year old anti-consumerist working for Activision, hypocrite and aggressive goon bothering poor old little forumites just for holding an opinion. Spare me the ad hominem attacks, PLEASE.

[QUOTE="BioShockOwnz"]

-Can't be sold later down the road if it sucks, which is often the case.

-DRM is lame. We know when things go 100% digital, that the companies are gonna slap the cuffs on us.

-Steam has got it right, but I still buy the boxed product if it's available. Steam didn't get it right in the beginning.

-Digital Distribution shouldn't be as costly as a retail product, or even more in some cases. That's ridiculous. Steam has had some overpriced releases, but luckily, they balance it out with sales.

I'll take retail. And retail keeps more jobs, too.

cainetao11

I want both.

my 2 cents...

tirralirra

ahhh. so you are saying i have to buy a bigger drive because of DD... instead of not having to buy anything extra in regards to physical media

youre not helping your cause

[QUOTE="Brownesque"][QUOTE="mtradr43"]not even close. heres an example. save all your games to you hd, and the next day it dies, all your games are gone and you have to re dl them all. also, you cannot sell anything back, so have to spend more money for the same amount of games.mtradr43

[QUOTE="Miroku32"]In the future digital distribution will be the dominant way for sell. falconclan

I mean, believe it or not some people don't have internet, and aren't able to get games that way, and the video game industries top audience (I assume?), kids, will have trouble understanding the system.

Other than that people who are able to do said thing will realise they are paying full price for a game you don't really own, its just a contract to the game. Its a rental.

DD pros: Cheaper game prices (BIG) Instant access on your computer. (Minor) Games are sorted.(Minor) Less pirating. (BIG) Nothing gets lost (NO their game servers will not lose your stuff..) (BIG) Nothing gets damaged. (BIG) DD cons: Slow download speeds take a long time to download games. (Moderate) No physical format. (Minor) Cant lend to friends. (Minor) Thats all I can really think of..

As a consumer i feel that i have more control over my purchased media when it is in a physical form. Also, rare gems and classics cant always be found/or bought in "digital" form.

When DD hits, it will be like this: You pay for the amount you play, like $ 0.50 minute. In the end, everything about DD is just a nightmare for the consumer who wants rights.

[QUOTE="nintendofreak_2"]

I prefer solid copies of my games, but digital distribution does have advantages, one of which should be price since the game doesn't have to be shipped or go through retailers.

Brownesque

One of the more common pro-DD arguments I hear is the obliteration of shipping and packaging costs, which is fair enough. But how does this compare with the additional costs of servers and infrastructure companies like valve have to maintain to keep steam up and running? How much more will it cost as the popularity of DD increases?

Thoughts anyone?

[QUOTE="Action_Player"]

[QUOTE="Brownesque"]Kids download things from the internet all the time. They download every time they go to Youtube or visit a website, every time they do an image search or, say, listen to some music someone has posted on MySpace. Kids have quite a bit of experience with downloading (otherwise known as digital distribution). Their problem may be with paying for the product, which is essentially a process identical to paying in person. The difference is, of course, it's much easier to click "Download" than it is to get in your car, drive down to the local retailer, purchase your game, then take it home in your car when you do not own a car and do not have a wallet. At any rate, as I've already said, I don't expect that regular distribution will ever stop, nor should it. Distribution via other storage media is as necessary as anything else. As a matter of fact, actually, a speaker named Eben Moglen said downloading is literally "child's play," and that the "revolution" of guaranteeing free competition to capitalist distributors was actually being carried out most efficiently by children.Brownesque

I may have kept quiet since this topic started but I must have my say here.

In your previous posts, you've said that retailers should not sell games, but you say that regular distribution (retailers) will not stop. You're contradicting yourself here and I don't recall you saing the latter from any other posts at all. You, unfortuneatly, (IMO), are not respecting others' opinions but resort to biting their heads off.

Now answer this question that most people are asking:

How do gamers download their games if they have no internet access?

I prefer a physical copy of my game (my opinion) and I hope you respect that if you value your GameSpot account.

But, like I said, I don't care what you think about me. How about you deal with my arguments? You told me that I resort to biting people's heads off, don't respect their opinions, and that I'm a hypocrite. I could be all of those things and it wouldn't hurt the validity of my arguments. So instead of talking about ME, let's talk about my arguments.

Look at what poster JFL1 said about ME, not my opinion, on page 12 of this thread:

You're either

1: 14 years old and don't understand what you're talking about.

2: Rich and possibly born rich and don't understand what real value real money actually has for the average person in the world.

3: Are going to end up questioning why your neighbour still can live a high life even though both of you got fired at the factory.

Another guy told me this:

"The only thing I can imagine is that you must work for activision. I mean with that so strongly worded anti-consumer rant you just had."

Little old me, the 14 year old anti-consumerist working for Activision, hypocrite and aggressive goon bothering poor old little forumites just for holding an opinion. Spare me the ad hominem attacks, PLEASE.

Sorry, but from reading your posts; it seems like yourbitings one's heads off (again IMO).

But you haven't answered the question some have asked:

How about gamers with little or no internet access?

In order for DD to work effectively and to become the norm everyone must have a internet access point. Without it, you're ailienating gamers who would buy games. What do you suggest? Have them lug their system to an access point (say a convience store) and hook it up just to download a game that could take up to 30 minutes or more. But at the same time the system could get stolen right under your nose. Sure retailers may still stock the games, but not many of us want to own data and not brag about the size of our game collection. Having the original game cases on a shelf of the best way (I can think of at this time) to show off your gaming collection. If DD would to take off, what would keep a friend of yours (say they have a grudge against you due to a recent online game they got owned by you) from deleting the game. Let's also say that the game was a limited release and won't be out again for another month. You won't be a happy camper. How would you feel when the servers go down and you haven't had the chance to download any of the other games? Again, I wouldn't be too happy about that.

No, the only way for DD to take off is if (and only if) everyone around this planet we call Earth who have access to games has internet access.

Don't forget, it's very, very difficult reading a post to see if one is levelheaded or biting a head off.

Do me a favor and find the contradicting posts, stitch them together into a cohesive and intelligible comparison, and I'll do you the favor of ignoring this post instead of pointing you out for the strawman I figure you've just made against me here, as I don't recall saying that retailers should not sell games.

But, like I said, I don't care what you think about me. How about you deal with my arguments? You told me that I resort to biting people's heads off, don't respect their opinions, and that I'm a hypocrite. I could be all of those things and it wouldn't hurt the validity of my arguments. So instead of talking about ME, let's talk about my arguments.

Look at what poster JFL1 said about ME, not my opinion, on page 12 of this thread:

You're either

1: 14 years old and don't understand what you're talking about.

2: Rich and possibly born rich and don't understand what real value real money actually has for the average person in the world.

3: Are going to end up questioning why your neighbour still can live a high life even though both of you got fired at the factory.

Another guy told me this:

"The only thing I can imagine is that you must work for activision. I mean with that so strongly worded anti-consumer rant you just had."

Little old me, the 14 year old anti-consumerist working for Activision, hypocrite and aggressive goon bothering poor old little forumites just for holding an opinion. Spare me the ad hominem attacks, PLEASE.

Brownesque

Yeah, you clearly are a saint.

If you don't want people to offend you then don't go around offending people all over this thread like you have.

You have yet to respect one persons opinion in this thread that didn't agree with yours.

I am not going to spare any ad hominen attacks on you becasue you haven't spared any yourself in this thread. You have offended every person in this thread that you didn't agree with and basically called them idiots. Not out loud because your smarter than that. You have called people sad becasue they want to own something, you have called people criminals becasue they want to be able to sell something or buy something used, you have called out every employee at every retailer and called them useless and that they should be fired. You have basically belittled everyone that didn't agree with you.

You might not be "A little 14 year old anti-consumerist working for Activision, hypocrite and aggressive goon" but so far in this thread you have yet to prove that you're anything else. You might not have realised it yet but it does hurt your credibility to bite other peoples heads off.

You want people to respect your opinion then start to respect others.

Also you didn't answer his question.

How about gamers with little or no internet access?