Why most ppl still prefer to buy physical copies then electr : V - Skyrim

» Thu May 19, 2011 6:35 pm

Two minute phone call plus 15 minutes to go pick it up. 17 minutes vs. the "couple hours" to download it. Physical copy wins.
And what if the answer is no we don't have it yet? check back later :brokencomputer:

In the first place, I don't believe that's true. File transfer speed doesn't change based on the source media and dvds can play fast enough to keep up. Beyond that, what do I care anyway? What's it take to install a modern game? Twenty minutes or so? Why on Earth would I care anyway IF it only too nineteen minutes instead?
Ok if you want to believe that 10gb of installation from setup files located on an external or internal drive will take equal time then installing from DVD then its not worth my time to argue here.

Who needs to back up the dvd when you've got a physical copy?
Because installing/reinstalling from dvd's get them scratchy which can become difficult for a dvd lense to read if its not brand new. Don't even tell me that you NEVER had a problem with your dvd rom unable to read a dvd. And if you check a burned/pressed dvd has an average life of 4 years even if you have'nt used it once after burning it. Go check on some dvd related websites if u think i am lying.

I like having a physical copy. It's always there, whenever I want it, independent of some online company. And my entire game collection takes up a few shelves - and that's dating back to DOS games from the 90s.
Good for you, no arguing here. If you like it that way good for you. Me on the other hand who purchase almost 15+ major games a year prefers digital because i also own a huge collection of bluray movies so you can only have too much of physical.

I'm a grown up. I'm fully capable of taking care of discs.
Seems like its your hobby.

I consider putting the dvd in a small price to pay for actually owning a physical copy. I've never understood the crybabies who use no dvd cracks. It's not as if it's painful or anything - just push a friggin button, drop the dvd in and push the friggin button again. Done.
Ok i don't like your attitude here but not everyone like you want to play a one frigin game for the whole day. I want to divide my playtime between tf2, bc2, black ops, fallout nv, ac brotherhood on daily basis so swapping them again and again would'nt be much fun now would it be.

Buy the GOTY edition and the DLC are included.
now thats the DUMBEST thing you said yet. You mean i should wait a full year for the Goty edition to get released to play the game or buy normal edition and then buy goty again to get dlcs? Seriously, i MEAN SERIOUSLY?

I'm a grown up. I'm fully capable of opening google and typing "skyrim patch" and seeing what's new and if I need it.
[b[Ok looking at your attitudfe i am gonna answer in simillar one. Seems you have way too much time on your hand to check continuously if the update has been released. Haters there will always be haters.[/b]

I prefer physical copies because I want to have something actually in my hand in exchange for my money. I want to know that it's MINE, and will remain mine, no matter what might come of the company from which I got it.
Good if it gets you inner satisfaction

And now a question for OP - are you on Steam's payroll?
No i am not, but a counter question for you: Are you on a payrol/mission by steam competitors to mock steam because i never meant steam praise in this thread. But hey i fully know there will always be some haters.

» Thu May 19, 2011 9:59 pm

Games I don't particularly care about I'm fine having a digital copy. Steam has a nifty feature where you can put your downloaded game on a disc. However, with a game or franchise I am a huge fan of, like TES, I will go all out get the collector's edition hands-down.

As I get older I find that less and less franchises demand this of me. In fact, at this point, I'm pretty sure TES is the only one.

» Fri May 20, 2011 2:08 am

Ah... see.... I was under the impression that you wanted to know why people prefer physical copies - not that you intended to try to tell me why I'm wrong to prefer them.

I predict a lock on this thread.

» Thu May 19, 2011 6:01 pm

Listen, you keep ranting on and on about how it takes up shelf space. People want the physical copy for multipke reasons. The main reason is simply them being sentimental. Most people are like this, but not all like yourself. (OP) the last reason for why people, as myself, like the shelf space is to see a physical collection of you games grow, and to actually see your tresured games from either Bioware, Valve, or Bethesda. Also like others mentioned, they like the goodies that come with collectors edition. Also can someone please tell me why people hate steam? It's free to make an account and the variety is amazing. I'm very confused.

» Fri May 20, 2011 2:16 am

Can you answer my question please OP? You want answers, but I can't give you a definitive one without info I need.

» Thu May 19, 2011 9:12 pm

Ah... see.... I was under the impression that you wanted to know why people prefer physical copies - not that you intended to try to tell me why I'm wrong to prefer them.

I predict a lock on this thread.

No you made it personal so i responded with the similar attitude.

» Thu May 19, 2011 2:48 pm

as a Dial-up user (slow but stable) a Physical copy is just about a must & required 3rd party apps can make even that a no-sale in my case.

» Fri May 20, 2011 3:23 am

I still want to know, opinions aside, if the OP is on Steam's payroll. I sort of doubt it, since I'd at least hope that they'd pay someone with better grammar, but still....

I find the number of threads on this board pimping Steam to be suspicious. I find it hard to believe that so many people just spontaneously decide to start threads singing the praises of Steam and trying to convince people to use the service. It reeks of spam.

I've posted re steam more than once.... because of a recent bad experience with GFWL and years of happy steam use. I really don't think Valve need to pay people to say good things about steam (Steam Users Online Current: 1,718,154 Peak: 3,026,262 ), and FYI there's no reason to even make a choice between hard copy and steam, because you can activate a hard copy on steam (free), so enjoying the best of both worlds. (I did this with Halflife so I could play the then free Counter-strike without spinning my HL disc.)

» Thu May 19, 2011 8:55 pm

Ah... see.... I was under the impression that you wanted to know why people prefer physical copies - not that you intended to try to tell me why I'm wrong to prefer them.

I predict a lock on this thread.

Yea he's made it very clear he's not here fir answers. I'd go as far as saying he's cut throat advertising.

» Thu May 19, 2011 3:44 pm

I've posted re steam more than once.... because of a recent bad experience with GFWL and years of happy steam use. I really don't think Valve need to pay people to say good things about steam (Steam Users Online Current: 1,718,154 Peak: 3,026,262 ), and FYI there's no reason to even make a choice between hard copy and steam, because you can activate a hard copy on steam (free), so enjoying the best of both worlds. (I did this with Halflife so I could play the then free Counter-strike without spinning my HL disc.)

Steam is very good for the things it does well. But it's not this amazing panacea that solves all.

I especially don't like being forced to use it for a single player, offline, store-bought game (re: FO:NV). I say this as someone who's used Steam for years, and like it.

I like being able to save the downloaded patch files & update to the level I need/want (FO3, for example. One of the patches broke modding. Many of us immediately reverted to an earlier patched version. I still have a folder with patches 1.1, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, and 1.7 in it, in case I ever need one of them for something. Auto-patching from some outside-controlled source makes that a bit harder to do.)

So, yeah.... Steam's got some good things going for it. But it also has a number of strikes against it, for some users. Not all of us are on the bandwagon, drinking the Kool-aid.

» Thu May 19, 2011 11:47 pm

The only digital distribution site I use is Steam and the prices for new release games (in my geographical location) are generally more expensive than for a physical copy. So I tend to still buy physical copies.

» Thu May 19, 2011 3:24 pm

I like holding a book in my hands rather than reading a screen - though I will buy the physical copy online

I prefer to go to a physical store and try on clothes before buying - though I will search for the best deal online

I need my lover to be warm and real not a cold distant digital movie - though I will text them my feelings online

And I want my darn physical copy of Skyrim to use as I want - to have multiple versions for modding and playing, to have my friends go - oooh you've got Skyrim when they see it by my pc - and simply because physical things still matter to me in a digital world

» Thu May 19, 2011 7:13 pm

as a Dial-up user (slow but stable) a Physical copy is just about a must & required 3rd party apps can make even that a no-sale in my case.

REALLY?? man who would of thought people still used dial up?? man i'd kill myself if i still had dial up :sadvaultboy:

» Thu May 19, 2011 10:14 pm

When I buy things digitally there is a possibility of it being erased due to storm, virus, etc.
Physically owning something is a different story. There is no way it can be erased or destroyed unless I am really abusive to the disc, which I am not.
Also, I want to have the option of selling the game if I get tired of it, or even loaning it to a friend. With Steam you can't do that.
Plus I like to look at my collection and get that nostalgic feeling.

EDIT: yes I know you can backup things, but the majority of the time I forget to.

» Thu May 19, 2011 7:44 pm

I've posted re steam more than once.... because of a recent bad experience with GFWL and years of happy steam use. I really don't think Valve need to pay people to say good things about steam (Steam Users Online Current: 1,718,154 Peak: 3,026,262 ), and FYI there's no reason to even make a choice between hard copy and steam, because you can activate a hard copy on steam (free), so enjoying the best of both worlds. (I did this with Halflife so I could play the then free Counter-strike without spinning my HL disc.)

IMHO that can't be used to show how Steam is loved. with Steam being required on many games lately there can be many that loath the service but like the games that are linked

REALLY?? man who would of thought people still used dial up?? man i'd kill myself if i still had dial up :sadvaultboy:

I like living & gaming to much for that, not everyone has the option to get high-speed net access

» Thu May 19, 2011 3:23 pm

I'm initially going to buy Skyrim for PS3, so.......

» Thu May 19, 2011 9:10 pm

I don't understand why people who prefer digital download feel the need to make everyone "love" it. You have your preference, we have ours.

And seriously, its download time is much slower than going to the store, buying it, and installing it. Disks are easy to manage, and difficult to damage. Disks are safe, servers are not.

» Fri May 20, 2011 12:03 am

I like having physical copy because it does take up shelf space, I like having the box to display and I like having a map to hang up on my wall. I like digital copies of games to, gog is a great place for games, good DRM free goodness. But for new games I want a physical copy, with the paper goodies that come with it. I'll get a digital copy of older games, or Value games (like Portal 2) and perhaps one day when the internet is good enough to be able to download a game in a matter a minutes and have it installed, then phyical media is likely to start slowly disappearing, but that's at least 20 years away.

Some people also have data caps to worry about. Or slow/unstable internet. Its also faster (granted you have a game store close by) to go out buy the game, drive back and install it. Plus you can pick up food if you want.

» Thu May 19, 2011 7:20 pm

Steam is very good for the things it does well. But it's not this amazing panacea that solves all.

I especially don't like being forced to use it for a single player, offline, store-bought game (re: FO:NV). I say this as someone who's used Steam for years, and like it.

I like being able to save the downloaded patch files & update to the level I need/want (FO3, for example. One of the patches broke modding. Many of us immediately reverted to an earlier patched version. I still have a folder with patches 1.1, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, and 1.7 in it, in case I ever need one of them for something. Auto-patching from some outside-controlled source makes that a bit harder to do.)

So, yeah.... Steam's got some good things going for it. But it also has a number of strikes against it, for some users. Not all of us are on the bandwagon, drinking the Kool-aid.

Steam - select "go offline" (top left corner of main menu) - allows offline play of single player games, you remain offline until you go back and log in (even if you turn off the pc)
Library - right click the game, select properties then the update tab and you can disable automatic updates, and again if you right click on the game and select back up game files, you can back up the entire game files... do this with each update and you'll have all the versions. (granted you'd need to have bought the game before the first patch to have the complete set.)

Seems to me that in most cases peeps dislike steam simply because they choose to, not because there's any real sense to it (modders are the exception, I can fully understand why they prefer a hard copy), there's so many draw backs with hard copies compared to steam, it's like peeps rejecting music downloads cos they prefer 78's.

» Fri May 20, 2011 3:22 am

When I buy something, I like to physically own it.

This.

» Fri May 20, 2011 2:45 am

REALLY?? man who would of thought people still used dial up?? man i'd kill myself if i still had dial up :sadvaultboy:

There are many many areas of the USA and the rest of the world where dial-up is the only option for people to get internet, unless they want to pay more than 60.00 USD a month for satellite internet. Where I live in Ohio, we just within the last two years were able to get DSL, and that is only available from AT&T.

But as for the topic, I will be buying a physical copy, because that is the only way I will buy games, I would prefer to support a local store than to give all the money to some unseen company, really who knows where the money goes when you buy it online, even though the companies may be based here in the USA, that does not mean that the head of the company is

» Thu May 19, 2011 9:10 pm

Right, because nobody plays on a console these days...

» Thu May 19, 2011 10:35 pm

Obvious advertising is obvious.

» Thu May 19, 2011 5:59 pm

I will get two copies if I have to, one from steam and one the collectors edition when they announce it. I like knowing I have a copy of steam and it makes transferring games to another PC sooo much easier.

» Thu May 19, 2011 7:20 pm

There are many many areas of the USA and the rest of the world where dial-up is the only option for people to get internet, unless they want to pay more than 60.00 USD a month for satellite internet. Where I live in Ohio, we just within the last two years were able to get DSL, and that is only available from AT&T.

But as for the topic, I will be buying a physical copy, because that is the only way I will buy games, I would prefer to support a local store than to give all the money to some unseen company, really who knows where the money goes when you buy it online, even though the companies may be based here in the USA, that does not mean that the head of the company is

yeah we cant get dsl in our area so we had to get cable, not that im complaining. i just assumed pretty much everywhere int he us at least had access to cable or dsl, although i never really counted in the cost of cable it is rather expensive

Right, because nobody plays on a console these days...

well thats not what the topics about...this is turn towards pc gamers obviously so what does console gamers have anything to do with it?