Question of the Day, November 29, 2010
- Thread starter The Escapist Staff
- Start date
I dunno, its convenient and stuff, but i'd miss going to a games shop, chatting to the local nerds who work there (who are a hell of alot more understanding when it comes to returning games), digging up some underdog game for cheap in the pre-owned section and end up loving it.......
Physical copies are so much better, for me. I would rather have a tangible copy than rely on some technology to keep track of my purchases.
And no, I do not want to be on the phone with customer service when Steam suddenly crashes and loses all of its data. And yes, that is a possibility, as improbable as it is to happen.
And no, I do not want to be on the phone with customer service when Steam suddenly crashes and loses all of its data. And yes, that is a possibility, as improbable as it is to happen.
Is it just me or don't you think there should have been a choice between, "Yes, Retail must die!'' and "It's convenient, but I want a physical copy of some games"?
Ah heck no. My internet is crap, so I will not be able to get any games. Plus I like to actually own my game, not a license to the game thank you very much.
My only problem with DD is that it requires an internet connection. Not that that's a big issue these days, but the fact remains, without one you can't purchase games through DD. If it completely overtook and replaced brick and mortar stores, you would segregate anyone who does not have access. Welcome to the digital divide. Shirow has been warning us of this since Appleseed in the 80's.
I usually prefer having a physical copy, both for the increased feeling of ownership, and because it represents an actual asset you can legally sell (which purely digital copies doesn't here), but digital distribution has made importing rarer games or finding old games possible and/or much easier and cheaper (got Might and Magic 6 a few months ago through it, since my old CD wouldn't install on this OS), and it is certainly convenient, so I'm open for it when circumstances call for it.
Digital distribution is helpful and convenient, yes, but I prefer the feeling you get going to a midnight launch, waiting in line, eagerly fidgeting around for your turn, the rush you get driving home, every stop light looking over at the passenger seat at your game box. Then getting home and putting the game in the console...
...then remembering you have work the next morning so you can't play it and have to go to bed -_-.
...then remembering you have work the next morning so you can't play it and have to go to bed -_-.
Other: It is important to remember that not everyone has access to broadband internet, and I personally could not get it until last summer.
I'm not married to physical media, but my main concern with digital distribution is who controls access. If I pay for content, I want to be able to access it on my terms. If the distributor is able to block my access for any reason, guess what: I don't own it, I'm only renting it. I'm mindful of this xkcd comic [http://xkcd.com/488/] that basically said if you pirate, it's yours for life, but if you buy legally, you're at the mercy of the controlling corporation.
If it's made clear up front I'm paying for a subscription service and I don't actually own anything, that's fine for the most part. A lot of entertainment is pretty disposable, so I don't really need to have it long-term. But if that's the case, I still want the option to buy titles outright and maintain complete control over my access, if there's something I really want to own.
If it's made clear up front I'm paying for a subscription service and I don't actually own anything, that's fine for the most part. A lot of entertainment is pretty disposable, so I don't really need to have it long-term. But if that's the case, I still want the option to buy titles outright and maintain complete control over my access, if there's something I really want to own.
When I spend money, I want to have something physical to show for it. Also, as mentioned above, when the memory card or, hard drive fails you lose the digital whatever which you bought. Granted, at this point you can re-download for free for the most part but, your save data is gone for good which is especially annoying if you lose the data on a JRPG.
