Ben-DutkaWell, I figure everyone is sick of reading introductions these days, so I never bother. You know that by now. 😉
No, I do NOT want digital media
When the possibility of a PlayStation 4 without an optical disc drive popped up, I turned around in my chair and glanced over at my video game collection. My game collection consists of 40 PS1, 56 PS2, 20 PS3, 7 Xbox 360, 15 Xbox, 14 SNES, and 12 GameBoy. Yes, this does take up some space, and I fully understand the benefits of games coming to us in digital formats. But I really don't like this idea. Look, call me old-fashioned, but I think the box a game comes in is part of the whole experience. It's not just about going down to the store and watching the clerk put that shiny new game in the bag, and your brain is already imagining all the fun you're going to have…no, it goes well beyond that. Publishers put a lot of effort into box art and I, for one, appreciate a great-looking box for my game. And as a collector, I like being able to look at the collection! It's soooo not the same thing to boot up a machine and look at a bunch of files on the screen; how is that satisfying for any collector of…well, anything?
I'm all for advancement and progression, but there are some steps that need not be taken, in my humble opinion. I don't have a problem with downloadable content and even a few full titles on the Store like we have now, but to have physical media disappear entirely? Man, I'll be pissed . Perhaps the new generation of gamers won't get it, but I will always maintain that a big part of being a fan is having those boxes and the discs. Period.
Heavy Rain will rule the school
Although we've all been swamped with new games over the past couple of months, I haven't stopped thinking about Quantic Dream's Heavy Rain . Thankfully, it came back to the forefront with this past week's news that centered on the game's vital statistics . Everyone should be pretty excited by what they see there, because it's clear that this project is "spared no expense." While there are plenty of naysayers out there who say the game will be too short, too much like a movie, or not dynamic enough, all I have to say in reply is this: I expect a fantastic story, a game I'll want to play through more than once, and perhaps even a borderline revolutionary style of gameplay. I distinctly remember Indigo Prophecy , and while I had a few issues with the gameplay, the story and atmosphere were quite memorable. Basically, I'm anticipating the next step in this interesting genre, and I really don't want anything less. What with all the action games out there these days, I think I could definitely use something like Heavy Rain .
Personal gaming update
So I beat Dead Space , which was an awesome game despite a few frustrating moments towards the end. I was really tempted to go back through it – you get to start a new game with everything you acquired in your first play-through, including all upgrades – but I figure we're close enough to Christmas now…and I've got plenty of games on my list. 😉 Besides, I downloaded echochrome a few days ago, and although it effing hurts my brain, I really love the concept. I'm really not very good at it – it took me like an hour and a half to do all the A stages – but it's something I will certainly play from time to time. Well worth the $10, I think. I'm still considering Eternal Sonata , though, and it may turn out to be an impulse buy of some kind. I really did enjoy my time with it, and the market is so devoid of RPGs these days, I'm almost getting to the point where I'll take anything I can get. Of course, I really don't have the time to play and finish it, but that kind of logic rarely influences impulse buys. 😉
As for my personal romantic triangle saga, things have happened, but I think I'll wait a bit before I put it into another editorial. 😉
I'm not entirely comfortable with buying MP3s, let alone buying virtual media. It really takes away complete ownership and places control on the distribution system. I won't buy a system that forces that type of distribution model. I love having boxes, more importantly 'Collector's Edition' boxes. It creates that tagibility that somehow satisfies.
I'm with you, Ben, on the issue of all video-game content moving to digital media. I also enjoy buying a number of titles, and then admiring my collection as it grows. It is something I have always enjoyed, and I hope it is something that stays.
About Eternal Sonata. I have played through the game (you probably have as well, but if not) and I enjoyed it very much. My only complaint with it is that there is not enough variety. Once you complete a dungeon, or section in the game, there would be a few cutscenes, a boss battle, another cutscene, then another dungeon to crawl through. The entire game flowed in this way, but I was able to overlook it, due to the captivating plot, beautiful presentation, and a battle system that put a nice twist on Real-Time and Turn-Based gameplay. I recommend Eternal Sonata to almost any PS3 owner.
I reviewed it, so I spent plenty of time with ES. 🙂 Like I said, though, it's a matter of time with me.
I'll be at the final battle in a couple hours, advice: do the Mysterious Unison before beating the game for Party Level 6
datz so true we dont need dlg i hope it say the way it is
Not able to play my PS1,2, or even future PS3 games on a PS4?! *Sob* What to do with FF7 through 10 (I wasn't a fan of 11 or 12)? *Sigh* I suppose I already knew that the idea of systems with optical drives would some day arise, but did it have to be so soon? I suppose, yes, it will definitely increase the profit margin in sales for developers, but I agree, Ben; I love the feeling of waiting in the store for that game, even opening that oh so annoying shrink wrap, and popping it into the OPTICAL DRIVE for the very first time. On a side note, Eternal Sonata is a great RPG. In my opinion, a soundtrack can either help make or break a game. How can anyone hate the classical music skills of Frederic Chopin? No one, that's who.
I couldn't agree more. It would be hard to pay $60 to "download" something. Just wouldn't feel the same.
I hear what your saying. Good article.
i myself would hate to see physical games transfered to just digital media, there are quite a few downsides to that in ways that companies would probably lose a lot of money, sort of the same way people "trade" psn games.
an upside i can think of though is that there may be a pretty decent price cut on all games even new releases, think about it, companies spend a lot to make a game, and then they also spend a lot burning them to a blue ray disc, packaging it, shipping it out and such where as with media download none of that would be necessary.
am i right?
"there may be a pretty decent price cut on all games even new releases"
Not likely…and, if current examples are any indication, you won't see much by way of price cuts over time.
The age of the collector is long gone.
Heavy Rain is the new Silent Hill/Shenmue.
This game will be amazing if the LENGTH is there.
Just finished Deadspace this week, myself, too. I was pleasantly suprised. It was the epitome of a "sleeper-hit" title, despite not bringing anything particularly new to the table. I thought the anti-gravity scenes were ace, despite many reviews suggesting the contrary. Wasn't sure what they meant by those being buggy. And the story, although not having much in the way of development, had nice subtle touches. When Isaac's gf, Nicole,
…Spoiler alert….
repeated a line that a zombie had used earlier, "Make us whole, again", it definitely spooked me out, and made me think that perhaps it wasn't Kendra, herself, who betrayed the mission, but perhaps herself under the influence of the hide-mind
…/Spoiler alert end.
I don't know how IGN could've rated it lower than POP. Granted, I have only begun POP, but it only seems like a recycling of the Assassin's Creed engine, redressed in short/sweet cell-shaded broad strokes. Very nice game, don't get me wrong, as I loved Assassin's Creed, and the artistry and magical element does give POP a charming feel of it's own, but I would've been much more comfortable with at as a $40 purchase. The fighting engine seems more like it was a resurrection of the previous POP installments, and despite having the hilarious additon of throwing your girlfriend at the bad guy, it still inherits some of the annoyances (like the parry timing, or lack thereof). Also, I, too, would've like to see and hear some more effects in the environments, as they just seem too inert or quiet, even when "fertile lands" are restored. But, I'll withhold my judgement until I'm done with it. I'm probably going to have to rush through this title, which is a pity. If anything, it's worked up my appetite to play MGS4. Yeah, I know, I still haven't played it, but I was amongst the first to purchase it. I wanna get into LBP, but I just don't feel I have the time anymore to get very deep into games, and there is depth in that title like no other in terms of content. I figure I'll play through the packages stages, a couple of a famous user-generated ones, and make a couple of mine own, and call it a day. Seriously, though. I concur with Jaffe. Too many awesome games out at one time, this time of the year.
i really dont like the idea of the downloadable media either,but it would be sweet if they made it possible to buy both disc and digital or put your downloadable content on to your own disc,for intence if they gave you a 400GB (or more)blu ray(or whatever is out at the time)with your PS4.
this would save buying expencesive hard drives and it would feel much more secure.especially if the cheapened the disc prices
i copy write this idea:D:Dlol
thatas not treally a bad idea, being able to burn after we download them, sorta like we just simply burn and package them ourselves. that i would do but as good as that idea sounds i dont think the game companys would go for it but if they did id be onboard for sure.
I am in agreeance with Ben about the physical media issue. I sometimes feel like I should buy certain games just to keep them in my collection. I take pride in my collection and I love looking through it everytime I play a game. I have downloaded a few games off PSN but when I want to play a game I never think to turn on the PS and look through the list of downloaded games I have, unless I specifically have a craving for one of those games. I just recently picked up Final Fantasy VIII (I know I'm behind the times, but back when that game realeased I only really cared about sports game. I didn't even play the original MGS until a little under a year ago because my gaming consisted of sports games and the GTA series) and it just felt good to add one of the most acclaimed games in history to my collection. I do play all my games, but I can't help but feel like I am almost as much of a collector as I am a gamer, which doesn't bother me because I am proud of my collection.
Aftab, I totally know what you mean with not having enough time to play games. I wish I could buy LittleBigPlanet but I feel like a lot of the game is making your own levels and although I haven't actually tried it, I feel like it would take up a decent amount of my time for just one level, especially when you play user-created levels like the God of War one, which I think was executed as good as I could imagine, it just captured those GOW elements such as hidden treaure chests and sacraficing people to advance. Getting older and taking more responsibility has really taken a toll on the amount of time I play games anymore, too. Once school is over with, hopefully I won't have taken on more responsibility by then (like kids, although I really wouldn't mind having them, I'd just rather wait a bit longer) and I can be on my merry way beating my back-catalog of games.
Last edited by Jut420 on 12/14/2008 6:08:21 AM
I agree, Jut420. Or should I say, "Just in time, 4:20". Haha, anyways, you are right about the responsiblity thing. It's not that I have grown out of the desire, so to speak, but, as you said, the time is just not there. I haven't seen the GOW level, but i saw a few online that were absolutely brilliant.
I actually have been delaying MGS4 because I wanted to play through the other MGS's, which have taken backseat to the myriad next-gen killer apps this year, eventhough the fourth one is perhaps the best killer-app to come out in this generation (and perhaps ever).
Best of luck with the family-planning. I saw this one User-created LBP level which this British dad created for his children to play through. It was pretty cool, and I think it was pretty cool for him to see his "other creations" play through it, laughing and having a great time!
By the way Jut420, I've heard that LBP is a worthwhile purchase even without the level creator mode. But I suggest looking at some of the works done by others online in action. It just might whet your appetite.
Gents, look beyond the PS4…
It it madness, honestly, madness to believe that in 2020 or 2030 people will be bothering with physical media…
A couple of points:-
1] It is extremely probable that all your digital media will be stored on a central server array, some where on earth. Or, with storage becoming so cheap, the distinct possibility that in 10 years time – onwards, you will be storing media on your own personal terrabyte server array; you can do it now if you want…
2] It is extremely probable, that at least, minimally, the top 20 economies in the world, inclusive of the USA, Japan, most of Europe and parts of India and China will have extremely high speed internet based infrastructure permitting you to download your media (from your own personal space) in a few minutes… not to mention most of your cable and TV will probably be delivered via IP in High-Dev… to some degree you can do it now…
3] It is extremely probable that if we didn't need the extra drives in our consoles, or future consoles to be, you could shave 50-70 dollars off the price of that console… wouldn't it be nice for the PS3 to be $399 now, rather than $499… or maybe it could be $359, when you consider the weight saved… it all feeds down the line, and saves money…
4] It is extremely probable that your games will cost the same as PC title today, or cheaper, rather than double if purchased as a pure digital download…
5] It is extremely probably, that future consoles will come loaded with HDD or Flash drives that are terrabytes in size… as minimisation and compression technologies develop, your console, to start with, will have a great deal of storage to help you along…
6] It is extremely probable, that everything in the future, will be delivered to your smart cable box, smart integrated TV or console of your choice via an internet connection with most people finding it convenient…
FiNaLly, it is extremely probable that if we are all talking to each other in 20 years time, we will be talking about how quick connections are and that it took you 5 minutes to download Killzone 10 onto your home console or server array… oh, and how wonderful and convenient it was to do that…
Q!
"i aM HoMe"
Last edited by Qubex on 12/14/2008 6:36:18 AM
every single thing you said scared me. i dont want it, simple just dont want it. keep everything just the way it is.
no offense but that's a horrible and dumb idea, i would hope all of that wouldn't come to be. it just isn't a good idea at this present time, even years down the line.
Although internet usage is wide and known, i doubt it if a developer would want to risk alienating customers this way
Last edited by aaronisbla on 12/14/2008 8:14:20 PM
I also foresee all of those things happening within the next couple decades. Storage space is ridiculously cheap now, petabyte hard drives could be common 15 years down the road, we just need internet speeds to catch up.
i personnaly hate the idea of downloadable games, places like eb would practically go out of buisness, and what happens if your system crashes, ope… all your money goes in the garbage. and what about people that dont want to play online or dont have the right type of internet connection, i just think it's a really bad idea.
Personally, I think the two types of media will co-exist …to some degree, with the online delivery portion having a larger market share – eventually – over physical media deliveries!
Q!
"i aM hOMe"
I'm in favour of the download model in theory. I've occasionally considered ripping my entire DVD collection to a portable hard drive purely so they're all instantly accessible and the cases can all be stored instead of taking up space. My games collection is even larger.
As somebody who buys all their games online anyway I don't have that whole clerk-bagging excitement thing to lose. In that respect all that would change is that instead of buying online then waiting for the physical media to arrive, it would be buying online and waiting for it to download. Download speeds aside, that's not an issue.
The visual issue, having your collection presented as a pretty assortment of images rather than a list of text, is easily solved by using a visual interface. Have every game download come with a high-res image file similar to a physical cover image (only without all the extra branding) and have the interface display the games with those images, like the various media players that display album covers (or sort of like the NXE does at the moment with Arcade games). You keep the visual display, gain not having to increasingly find more space for the game boxes, gain a collection that automatically sorts itself, gain the convenience of not having to switch discs all the time, and lose the tactile experience of handling boxes.
There are far more pressing issues with downloadable games though. How often can you redownload? Can you still access the game when the service you bought it from goes offline? Can you transfer it to a new console? If you are at somebody else's house using their machine, can you just sign on to your profile and download the game, saves and all? Can you make backups? Can you give it to somebody else when you're done with it?
Content providers aren't really ready to let the downloadable model be what it should be. Combined with the lack of high-speed broadband in some countries (or even general broadband access at all) and things like download caps and throttling from ISPs, we're not really ready for a download-only console.
Imagine if physical media does become extinct. Imagine how much you could sell all those games for. People will be buy them for so much money.
I personally would prefer downloadable games onto my HDD. It's just a lot more convenient.
if we are going to down load games for the new systems im not going to buy it. Plus they have to think some people around the world dont have internet.
I can see some reasoning by downloadable games only. By cutting out the costs of producing games on disc, packaging, and shipping, game developers can increase their profits. Through this there is a possibilty of producing better quality games because of a higher budget. However, I still don't like the idea of no more physical media.
I like to have actual disc in my hand also, I like to have game manual in front of me till I learn on the controls. I like mp3 downloads for one reason, I like to buy vynil (still the best sound, period) and I'm always happy when it comes with a free mp3 copy
As for Christmas cannot wait to get Fallout 3 and Dead Space. Also the new Guns N Roses LP.
Ben finally glad you got round to finishing Dead Space, I really enjoyed it myself but had to trade it in towards my other must buys during November.
I like having the physical game in my hand too. so not sure what will happen if it goes all electronic.
i hate the idea of digital downloads. i told my friend about that idea as a possible future of video games and he told me if that happens he's done with video games. i cant say id quit that easy but those game companys would never stop hearing my pleas for disks. although i dont think it will happen, it is still possible sometime in the future.
i hope discs dont disappear, i just cant trust a HDD, my PS3 got wiped once, if i hadc all my games on that i'd be buggered, plus its just nice to have an official disc.
It's difficult to change peoples perceptions, habits and minds. Its nice to think we can rebel and stop advances in the delivery mediums of the future. We could wish things to not change all we want, the reality is somewhat different. Cost, resources, convenience… those three factors alone will change everything we know over the coming decades… we can't stop it!
We will all be at a different place in life then, we may not care that much about it anymore; or will we?
Q!
"I aM Home"
Last edited by Qubex on 12/14/2008 5:29:15 PM
i don't think its because some have a hard time changing their perceptions, habits, and minds, for the most part its because its just a horrible idea
Heylo, first post here!
I think it would be a bad move to remove the optical drive from the PS. You would effectively lose out on the consumer that is looking for a full function blu-ray player. I mean, if it weren't for the BD player, who knows how the PS3 would have fared.
Great point.
Without having archival media, I think it would be foolish to buy software in download only form! Hard drives fail, cpus fail, solid state disks fail. At least when you are in possession of a disk you can install/play on a new bit of hardware.
which is probably the number one reason why it will never happen
In my experience discs get scratched much more frequently than hard drives fail. It will also be easy to back up your playstation to an external drive.
Digital format? Bwahahahaha!! Yeah right. Nobody's forking over 60 bux for a digital format dream. No … we pay hard earned money so we can have something in our hands. All of us. Whether it's coins, stamps, comic books, cards, action figures or video games, we ALL want something tangible for our money. If you disagree, then contact me, I've got bottled air for sale.
Good stuff. I like seeing contrasting viewpoints on this physical/digital format issue; you guys make some really good points. I also like to see I'm not the only one who still enjoys looking at the actual physical existence of my game collection. 😉
And yeah, Dead Space really was great. I haven't been that pleased with a similar-type game since RE4.
When it comes to games, i could care less what I own, I love downloading games from the store simply because it's so convenient, and I can play them whenever I want without having to put a disc in. Conversely, I hate downloading music, and love collecting CDs. I think it is because I view gaming as cutting edge technology as well as entertainment, and music is more of a passion that I become personally attached to.
Edit: just had a cool idea. What if all games are downloadable, but you can buy a Blu-ray writer to put your games on a disc? This is well within the realm of possibility, there is already a company that makes or plans to make a 20 layer 500 GB Blu-ray disc.
Last edited by Joema on 12/14/2008 10:08:33 PM
as far as your love triangle goes, what if the chick did some research on your name, found out that you write for this site, and has been reading all the editorials you've been writing about the situation?
*gasp*
now that would be both bad for you AND simultaneously perfectly hilarious. *schadenfreude*
She's not that proactive. LOL But things came to a head this past weekend so I probably wouldn't even care if she did find out.
Not to pry, Ben, but what did you mean by things coming to a head?
Eh, you'll find out a little later. I don't feel like writing anything up right now, but maybe next week.
…it'll be entertaining, that's for sure. 😉
How will I fling blu-rays at xbots heads?
LOL, Just what I was thinking!!! We would have throw HD's, instead!
They should just offer both options in the future. It will be good for both the for and against crowds. They could probably make the digital version $10 cheaper. The people who don't want the packaging and booklet can save some extra dough.
Disc will last until there is CGI graphics in real time gameplay! NOT! Disc should last forever. Just imagine if you were Sony and they came up with the idea of PS4 without an optical drive etc… and your customers downloaded all of their games on their HDD, and they were corrupted over and over then what?