Retail vs. Steam

It would be nice to be able to at least sort alphabetically, and schedule backups to ISO's or something so you could write DVD's later. Instead of having to babysit it.

The other issue is that it doesn't always back up everything. I can't remember what game it was, but it was like a 4 or 5 GB backup, then it still had to download like 4 GB of data.

 

Whichever is cheaper. For example, the EB games near my house has TF2 for $8 as opposed to the steam store which was $20 when i bought it.

 

F-16, but close!

Sorry for falling off topic.
I do have one worry with Steam. It has been working great in the offline mode, but if I read the instructions right, my games will stop working if they need to be updated or if Steam needs to be updated. I hope that doesn't happen.
Oh and I like that they bundle games. Return to Castle Wolfenstien came with Wolfenstein 3-D and Spear of Destiny. I think those two are free somewhere online anyway, but it was the thought that counted.

 

steam. no more hunting for product keys when loading after an upgrade.

 

Retail, purely because I'm on an internet connection with a monthly download limit. If I could, I'd buy through Steam.

 

Digital Format saves the earth. Because it won't produce any "PHYSICAL" rubbishes.
So, Steam is GREENER basically.

Retails are for those who want to collect the Discs.

 

It's a tricky question. On one hand you will run into a Steam game that dont support post-launch DLC or even mods made by the community, and in theory, if something happened to Steam/Valve, your content would be lost forever.


On the other hand, as others have pointed out, developers have further and further shot themselfs in the foot, by trying to stop pirates. In the process they have screwed everyone over. It started with CD-Keys, but the latest evolutions show, a negative trend. I was not considering pirating before, but I defintely am now. If they don't respect their customers, then why should the customer?

It's actually less time consuming for me to go somewhere illegally and download a crack version of GTA4, with already installed performance tweaks, in a simple torrent, than to buy it on steam, go through all their convoluted crap, with cd-keys, patches, rockstar social club, steam, windows live id, horrible performance, bla bla bla.


Having also worked with IT now for a couple of years, its totally clear to me how fragile DVDs are. Trust me - your DVDs wont last. They tear down much faster than you think.

Seeing how vulnurable they are, when your working in a big IT department full of software and such, I have lost faith in that sort of physical media. I get "it" how its not really that safe. But steam has a offline mode right?

The question is if its better that valve "owns" us. its dystopia... same thing with Itunes. if apple took itunes, down what would happen to your music?



Thing is, im considering buying a gamer laptop, that doesnt have a optical drive(more room for fans, heatsinks and powerful graphics)... so retail gaming would be crap per definition.

 

instead of a CD, you're running a 450-1000W computer for ~ 18-24hours non-stop instead. That's totally more green...

CD's DVD's and BLU's have 100% recycle rates these days anyway.

I bet you think CCFL light bulbs and hybrid cars are more green too.

updates are pause-able.

 

steam only for me.
have max 14,5 megabyte a second download on fiber at home so like steam a lot. get games faster via steam then driving to the store and installing them from disc.

we all die in global event

 

well heck, @ transfer rates faster than 100mb lan I would like steam more too! lol

14.5 Mega bit or * actual* 14.5megabyte's(116megabit)/ second? I've never seen 100+ megabit internet connection for residential use before is why I ask.

 

I prefer retail games but will purchase online if the price is right.

 

i have 120 meg down and 10 up. gets the job done

 

I like them games that have boxes which contain keys that you can activate on Steam. Like HL2 or Saint's Row 2.

Pity my Saint's Row 2 is being a huuuuuge and won't let me play the bloody game. And I can't update my GPU drivers to try to fix the problem. Plus I don't want to wipe my whole computer because I'm too damned lazy to figure out how to export my archive of Office Outlook mails to a fresh install of Windows.

Dammit!

 

It's official, I hate you.

 

Steam for sure. Hell, I've even re-purchased a couple of games that I previously owned retail versions of just to have them on my Steam account.

 

That is sickening...

 

and i have ended up repurchasing on steam retail games that i either lost the disk or the product key. i rarely buy retail anymore, and that problem has gone away.

 

well i not only hate u i want to kill u.. ! how do u get such speed? I barely get 3meg down and 800kb/s up...

 

I back up all my DVDs to disc images, and my serials/CD keys to text files. I don't even have to get the real DVDs out of the drawer I store them in.

Usually, buying the retail version from Amazon is cheaper than buying the Steam version when there isn't a sale going on.

 

IF that's sickening how about this?
i have 2 steam accounts with the same games on it.(MW2, Orange Box, BFBC2, AvP3, and more. One for my laptop and one for my desktop because I just love steam and my friends lov em too when they come over

 

Just leave, and nevar come backzies.

 

fiber to home baby. even can get 100mbit up and down but thats exspensive.
for 120 mbit down and 10 up i pay 65 euro and get voi, digital/hdtv with it in the same package.
so probably you need to get of your uk island and come live in amsterdam where internet is blazing fast and weed available on every street corner legit

 

If it helps you sleep at night, I sold the original retail copies.