Digital Distribution discussion on IGN

[Inazuma]

Does that Rockman 9 press kit include the actual game on a Famicom cartridge? I love Rockman but there is no way I can will buy Rockman 9 if it's a download.

[RadarScope1]

I suppose I should note that even the Satellaview games can be found online as ROMs. But they are incomplete due to the lack of streaming audio, hence why some are unplayable(since they required auditory clues).

Exactly. All I'm saying when referring to Sega Channel and Satellaview is that these games were digitally distributed by the biggest names in the industry and now you can't play them.

The difference, though, is that today's DD games will always be playable. The Sega Channel and Satellaview depended on a streaming service for gameplay. Now, I agree that you won't be able to buy Mega Man 9 at some point in the future, but if your Wii is still operational you should be good to go.

Another difference is there was no real user base for these things. A few thousand people in Japan, maybe. Today XBLA, Steam, PSN and the like have millions and millions of users. Fucking over such a user base will have serious consequences for the company that tries. Lots of money and consumers to be lost. That was mainly my point about 199X vs today.

If digital distribution works for you that's great. It has its positive aspects. I just think these people who think it will or should replace actual products are crazy.

I think the two should coexist, but I don't ever want digital distribution to take over 100%. I also think it's naive to think that it's not a serious threat. If people don't stand in the way of companies taking advantage of them the pay-per-item thing is going to go too far. The number of games that are download only are going to increase, and the whole concept of possession is going to disappear.

My point is that I want the choice. There are lots of games for xbox live that I would be interested in playing, but won't because I can't buy a packaged verison of it. People will say I'm missing out on games, but there's thousands of great games out there I haven't played yet, I'll never play them all, so unless I am EXTREMELY interested in a downloadable game, I'm going to buy retail games first.

I can agree with all of that.

[J T]

Another benefit of digital downloads for a PC gamer that I forgot to mention is that many games have this annoying piracy prevention thing that requires you to keep the disc in your DVD-rom drive. The game doesn't need the DVD to play, it just uses it to continue to check on you to make sure you have a legit retail copy. It also makes the game more noisy with the disc spinning and uses unnecessary resources. To me, that's incredibly annoying. I play on a laptop, and I don't feel like dragging my game-DVD collection with me wherever I go in order to be able to play the games I own. I will even pay a few bucks extra to own the game through Steam rather than buy retail simply because I hate having to use a damn disc every time I play. Steam requires I be logged into my account, but I can go on a bus or someplace without wi-fi and as long as I only put my laptop to sleep instead of doing a full shut down, it doesn't require another online check for me to play the game. It's only a problem if it's an online game at that point. I can still play offline without a disc.

[Inazuma]

Another benefit of digital downloads for a PC gamer that I forgot to mention is that many games have this annoying piracy prevention thing that requires you to keep the disc in your DVD-rom drive. The game doesn't need the DVD to play, it just uses it to continue to check on you to make sure you have a legit retail copy. It also makes the game more noisy with the disc spinning and uses unnecessary resources. To me, that's incredibly annoying. I play on a laptop, and I don't feel like dragging my game-DVD collection with me wherever I go in order to be able to play the games I own. I will even pay a few bucks extra to own the game through Steam rather than buy retail simply because I hate having to use a damn disc every time I play. Steam requires I be logged into my account, but I can go on a bus or someplace without wi-fi and as long as I only put my laptop to sleep instead of doing a full shut down, it doesn't require another online check for me to play the game. It's only a problem if it's an online game at that point. I can still play offline without a disc.

Just use a virtual drive if it bothers you that much. I think having to have online verification is more annoying personally.

[Budsmoka]

Another benefit of digital downloads for a PC gamer that I forgot to mention is that many games have this annoying piracy prevention thing that requires you to keep the disc in your DVD-rom drive. The game doesn't need the DVD to play, it just uses it to continue to check on you to make sure you have a legit retail copy. It also makes the game more noisy with the disc spinning and uses unnecessary resources. To me, that's incredibly annoying. I play on a laptop, and I don't feel like dragging my game-DVD collection with me wherever I go in order to be able to play the games I own. I will even pay a few bucks extra to own the game through Steam rather than buy retail simply because I hate having to use a damn disc every time I play. Steam requires I be logged into my account, but I can go on a bus or someplace without wi-fi and as long as I only put my laptop to sleep instead of doing a full shut down, it doesn't require another online check for me to play the game. It's only a problem if it's an online game at that point. I can still play offline without a disc.

Just use a virtual drive if it bothers you that much.

Or leave the games at home and enjoy the real word.

[Inazuma]

Or leave the games at home and enjoy the real word.

Wow, what an asshole comment. May I ask why you are on this forum if you dislike video games?

[Budsmoka]

Or leave the games at home and enjoy the real word.

Wow, what an asshole comment. May I ask why you are on this forum if you dislike video games?

I like games but I don't have to play them 24/7. Hes complaining about noisy cd drives when playing games in public its lke why do you need to have games with you when your out.

[Inazuma]

Or leave the games at home and enjoy the real word.

Wow, what an asshole comment. May I ask why you are on this forum if you dislike video games?

I like games but I don't have to play them 24/7. Hes complaining about noisy cd drives when playing games in public its lke why do you need to have games with you when your out.

If someone enjoys playing video games and they want to do it while they are out, I don't see anything wrong with that. If you are having fun and not harming anyone by it, more power to you.

[J T]

Or leave the games at home and enjoy the real word.

Wow, what an asshole comment. May I ask why you are on this forum if you dislike video games?

I like games but I don't have to play them 24/7. Hes complaining about noisy cd drives when playing games in public its lke why do you need to have games with you when your out.

You assume too much about me. I don't need games 24/7. I live a diverse and active life, but I do have a 45 minute bus ride to and from work. It's nice to flip open the laptop and play a few games to pass the time rather than cuddle up to the homeless guy that smells like pee who's shouting to a squirrel he has trapped in his pocket.

[dsheinem]

While I like some aspects of digital distribution of games, this kind of thing is really annoying:

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/08/madde ... revention/