Is PC gaming Being Done Away With?

[RitualJman]

I don't mind steam, its true if your internet is slow for what ever reason its a pain in the a**. also if you take your computer some where that doesn't have a internet connection, mine doesn't let me play any of my steam games when my computer isn't connected to the internet. I find that my local best buy doesn't stock many titles anymore for the PC anymore. I still love to game on my computer, but i really don't like having to buy games online digitaly, although I could just copy the download and burn it to a DVD and keep it as a back up copy.

Thanks
RitualJman

 

[sygnus21]

PC gaming market is on the rise, IMO, but the gameplay quality (not the visuals as they are slowly improving on that area) is gradually becoming worse as more and more games are released with more bugs and invasive anti-cheating/piracy activation software known as DRM.

While you have a point in that we the consumers are often getting broken, unpolished games from game companies, the DRM issue is dead as far as I'm concerned. Really when was the last time you (general) had a DRM issue? I can't even remember the last time I had one and I've bought a great deal of games.

Personally I feel the only anti-DRM voices out there now are the pirates who find it increasingly harder to get "free" software. I'm not saying you're one of them I'm just making a point.

Anyway the unfinished, unpolished games that are heaped upon us is what irks me. We really have become paying beta testers.

Not true i had trouble with drm when installing gta iv and borderlands and had to go through a bunch of steps from there website to get the secure rom crap to work how it should :huh:

A game install problem does not necessarily equate to DRM. Yes Borderlands was one of those games that could have install issues, I had them, but I didn't have to go through any extraordinary steps to get the game to install, it was just a very slow install process.

But, even if that was a DRM issue, that's just one game out of the many others that never gave me problems. If I have one out of 10 games give me problems do I conclude they're all problematic? I think not.

At any rate I’m not going to get into the DRM debate as it can be a touchy subject so we’ll agree to disagree agreeably


Peace

 

[Torrentula81]

I check steam once a month because I'm lucky to find a decent RPG per month. More like 3 months to find one made properly. People torrent because were sick of getting ripped off. I expect premium gaming for 60 dollors. We get half a game rest to be released as downloadable content. We can't do it properly and release an expansion or sequal. We will sell them the game 10 dollors at a time. Nickel n diming customers is getting old. The last game I bought was skyrim. That is the last game I will buy. It did me in. How could they released that game which proved to be unplayable on everyone computers. Pan it off to nvidia and amd to solve the performance issus cause they said were done. We are beta testers.

Try to be smart by reading reviews before you buy? That's a load. Look on metacritic how many site gave Diablo 3 a 9 of 10. They sensored the forums banning people making the game appear better to the unsuspecting. We all know how badly they failed in every aspect in delivering a pleasant gaming experience. PC gaming has hit rock bottom I refuse to roll over and keep paying to be treated like garbage. I'm not part of the solution but torrenting was never the problem. So all anti piracy ppl keep feeding their wallets. At least I know better.

 

[M1GU31]

While you have a point in that we the consumers are often getting broken, unpolished games from game companies, the DRM issue is dead as far as I'm concerned. Really when was the last time you (general) had a DRM issue? I can't even remember the last time I had one and I've bought a great deal of games.

Personally I feel the only anti-DRM voices out there now are the pirates who find it increasingly harder to get "free" software. I'm not saying you're one of them I'm just making a point.

Anyway the unfinished, unpolished games that are heaped upon us is what irks me. We really have become paying beta testers.

Not true i had trouble with drm when installing gta iv and borderlands and had to go through a bunch of steps from there website to get the secure rom crap to work how it should :huh:

A game install problem does not necessarily equate to DRM. Yes Borderlands was one of those games that could have install issues, I had them, but I didn't have to go through any extraordinary steps to get the game to install, it was just a very slow install process.

But, even if that was a DRM issue, that's just one game out of the many others that never gave me problems. If I have one out of 10 games give me problems do I conclude they're all problematic? I think not.

At any rate I’m not going to get into the DRM debate as it can be a touchy subject so we’ll agree to disagree agreeably


Peace

Secure rom is a type of DRM. It should be happy i entered my key and be asking me for the key.DRM is useless against pirates anyway it does nothing,they break in on launch day and all it does is hurt the consumers .I shouldn't have to go through some bull because of drm -_-,drm should die it does nothing to prevent them and just hurts ppl who buy it. You haven't run into yet but expect it to bug you at some point i only had it bug me 2 times and games like batman only allow you to reinstall 5 times and after that you can't install it and you have a dead game.

 

[Layback Bear]

Why would anybody using a torrent expect to steal a game and demand quality at the same time. People who steal the game hurt those that buy the game. If the game cost more money then save more money and then buy the game.

 

[RitualJman]

That DRM is a big problem on the game, every single time you want to play the game you have to enter the key and let it verify the key each time. I played the game 5 times and won't play it till they fix it or i just won't play it at all. All these game company's need to start to put more quality and more time into testing the games to make them worth the $60 they want or they can lower the price to of the games.

RitualJman

 

[Richardc269]

I still like to have a hard copy of my games

This + infinity

Lets say you need to reinstall Windows or a game itself. Now lets say your internet is slow or not working at the time you are doing a reinstall, kinda screwed aren't you?
If you also have alot of games this downloading can take forever. You may have your game files backed up but I always find with downloaded game files it always downloads more files and alot of times they dont make it through install (errors) so you have to redownload the entire game again.

Having a physical copy on hand is so much better, install Windows, install games, done.

Steam, Origin and other "services" aren't that helpful.
When did PC gamers start need hand holding with installs, backups and installing patches?

Have to agree with you on that. My internet's slow and I prefer having CD's/DVD's. I don't like digital downloads. Last year I had some money and I wanted to buy BF2142, and EA Games only had it available for digital download and I said "Hell no, bye!". I bought it from Ebay for cheaper and still brand new in the box.

As for DRM, people are correct that it hurts more players than they think it does. I don't do DRM and I refuse to play games that want internet access. It just goes back on the shelf. I don't care how good it is.

Layback, you're correct to an extent. But it's not the piraters that ruin the consumers. It's the companies. They're the ones who use DRM's and CD-Checks out of fear, and no trust in the consumers. That right there says something about them. EA is more concerned about pirates than their games. Hence why they've released very buggy games in the last 6-7 years. They push their workers and over-work them (or give them a total BS timeline and they don't have enough time to make it bugless). The main reason I (mostly) boycot the newer games is because they have stupid DRM's that I won't be using, and if the company don't like it, well, too bad for them, eh? They won't be getting my money. Period.

 

[RitualJman]

If I can't find the game in store, I just buy it from www.amazon.ca good prices on most of the games cheap shipping.

 

[boogieboy]

Well lets make it short guys... We all like Digital or Retail Copy... PC Gaming will Never Die! End of Story.

 

[Richardc269]

If I can't find the game in store, I just buy it from Amazon.ca: Online shopping for Canadians - books, electronics, music, DVDs, software, video games & more good prices on most of the games cheap shipping.

Took me 7 days to get the game (I would have gotten it in 5th if the 6th day wasn't a blasted holiday).

As for the PC game industry going out? Not any time soon, but I'm honestly getting fed up with stupid "ports" (also why I don't buy certain games). I just don't like ported games. That to me is just...wrong. They usually have some type of problem with it. Such as GTA4 won't run with regular joysticks, you have to install a certain file to make a regular joystick work, otherwise the game won't recognize it and you're forced to use a stupid controller to fly helicopters (or the keyboard). That's just poor programming and a waste. Skyrim's pretty much the same thing...ported over and the game's not even done being patched, also why I won't play it. That and it makes you use Steam, so uhh...no.

They still make games for PC's, but some are just ported over.

 

[AstaLaVista]

Torrents and the like lower the quality of games. The more games or programs people steal the less money the company that make those games or programs has to keep the quality standards that everybody wants.

I totally disagree, that's what the Companies that make shoddy games want you to believe but as someone else said, we will just agree to disagree

If and when I buy a brand new car, I expect to pay for it and get out of the dealership driving said vehicle, I don't want to have to call a cab aor hail the bus with the excuse that the car is not ready because they tires are on back order or they can't find the keys or the batteries have not gotten in yet... but we will call you when its ready, in the interim, thank you very much for your money.

The difference between what a car cost and what a game cost is HUGE but the principal of the situation is the same... you are paying for a finished and working product... I don't care whether my computer is different than the others or if I am not a PC guru, I don't want or need to be jumping thru hoops in order to play the game... let alone get annoyed by it.

According to the CEO of Ubisoft, 95% of us PC gamers are Pirates... so it is ok for them to make us pay 60 bucks for a shoddy and unfinished game? How's that Legal? well, it is legal because they have paid millions of dollars to someone to pass a law that says so.

I don't do Multiplayer, I only do shooters and Campaigns... why do I have to pay the same 60 bucks for half a game? and from that half a game, half is full of cut scenes or not working?

My friend bought Ghost Recon Future Soldier, even after I told him it was a bad port (more money than brains)... to this day (almost 3 month I think) and after patch 1.4, he still can't use his mouse on some gadgets, things like the UAV/Crawler that you need on some of the missions... how is that legal?

It used to be the norm that we would get a demo before a game came out, what happened to that norm? it went away because you can only imagine what would happen if they let us test that said game? nobody would get near any of them

Anyway, like I said before, PC gaming is not dead, its just different... in a bad way

There s a game by Black Foot Studios (Ground Branch)... I rather throw money at helping them make that game than to give 5 bucks for a Ubisoft game.

 

[Zepher]

I still like to have a hard copy of my games

This + infinity

Lets say you need to reinstall Windows or a game itself. Now lets say your internet is slow or not working at the time you are doing a reinstall, kinda screwed aren't you?
If you also have alot of games this downloading can take forever. You may have your game files backed up but I always find with downloaded game files it always downloads more files and alot of times they dont make it through install (errors) so you have to redownload the entire game again.

Having a physical copy on hand is so much better, install Windows, install games, done.

Steam, Origin and other "services" aren't that helpful.
When did PC gamers start need hand holding with installs, backups and installing patches?

Have to agree with you on that. My internet's slow and I prefer having CD's/DVD's. I don't like digital downloads. Last year I had some money and I wanted to buy BF2142, and EA Games only had it available for digital download and I said "Hell no, bye!". I bought it from Ebay for cheaper and still brand new in the box.

As for DRM, people are correct that it hurts more players than they think it does. I don't do DRM and I refuse to play games that want internet access. It just goes back on the shelf. I don't care how good it is.

Layback, you're correct to an extent. But it's not the piraters that ruin the consumers. It's the companies. They're the ones who use DRM's and CD-Checks out of fear, and no trust in the consumers. That right there says something about them. EA is more concerned about pirates than their games. Hence why they've released very buggy games in the last 6-7 years. They push their workers and over-work them (or give them a total BS timeline and they don't have enough time to make it bugless). The main reason I (mostly) boycot the newer games is because they have stupid DRM's that I won't be using, and if the company don't like it, well, too bad for them, eh? They won't be getting my money. Period.

Last year BF2142 wouldn't start up without logging in via the internet even for single player. did you stop playing it because of that?

 

[Zepher]

If I can't find the game in store, I just buy it from Amazon.ca: Online shopping for Canadians - books, electronics, music, DVDs, software, video games & more good prices on most of the games cheap shipping.

Took me 7 days to get the game (I would have gotten it in 5th if the 6th day wasn't a blasted holiday).

As for the PC game industry going out? Not any time soon, but I'm honestly getting fed up with stupid "ports" (also why I don't buy certain games). I just don't like ported games. That to me is just...wrong. They usually have some type of problem with it. Such as GTA4 won't run with regular joysticks, you have to install a certain file to make a regular joystick work, otherwise the game won't recognize it and you're forced to use a stupid controller to fly helicopters (or the keyboard). That's just poor programming and a waste. Skyrim's pretty much the same thing...ported over and the game's not even done being patched, also why I won't play it. That and it makes you use Steam, so uhh...no.

They still make games for PC's, but some are just ported over.

Pretty soon you won't be buying/playing any PC games if you stick with that attitude/mindset.
I guess you will just have to go to Consoles, and you won't really have to worry about ports anymore.

the cool thing about Steam is it is transportable.
I have a copy of my Steam Folder on a USB drive. If I go somewhere where there is a decent PC with internet connection, lets say my boss' house to house sit for the weekend, I'll bring that drive, install Steam on his machine and point the install to my USB drive and now I can instantly play all of my games over there.

I use both Steam and Origin and don't mind them,

 

[theveterans]

From Astalavista:

It used to be the norm that we would get a demo before a game came out, what happened to that norm? it went away because you can only imagine what would happen if they let us test that said game? nobody would get near any of them

That reminded me of the times when I downloaded the demo version of Need for Speed: Most Wanted, and hastily bought the game after trying the demo for 10 minutes because of the fun factor. Today, you have to spend money just to try out the game. Although many gameplays can be seen on YouTube, it isn't really the same as myself doing a demo of the game.

 

[Richardc269]

If I can't find the game in store, I just buy it from Amazon.ca: Online shopping for Canadians - books, electronics, music, DVDs, software, video games & more good prices on most of the games cheap shipping.

Took me 7 days to get the game (I would have gotten it in 5th if the 6th day wasn't a blasted holiday).

As for the PC game industry going out? Not any time soon, but I'm honestly getting fed up with stupid "ports" (also why I don't buy certain games). I just don't like ported games. That to me is just...wrong. They usually have some type of problem with it. Such as GTA4 won't run with regular joysticks, you have to install a certain file to make a regular joystick work, otherwise the game won't recognize it and you're forced to use a stupid controller to fly helicopters (or the keyboard). That's just poor programming and a waste. Skyrim's pretty much the same thing...ported over and the game's not even done being patched, also why I won't play it. That and it makes you use Steam, so uhh...no.

They still make games for PC's, but some are just ported over.

Pretty soon you won't be buying/playing any PC games if you stick with that attitude/mindset.
I guess you will just have to go to Consoles, and you won't really have to worry about ports anymore.

the cool thing about Steam is it is transportable.
I have a copy of my Steam Folder on a USB drive. If I go somewhere where there is a decent PC with internet connection, lets say my boss' house to house sit for the weekend, I'll bring that drive, install Steam on his machine and point the install to my USB drive and now I can instantly play all of my games over there.

I use both Steam and Origin and don't mind them,

Exactly why I don't really do Steam. I uninstalled it 3 months ago because the only useful thing I did on it was a friend list, and I got bored playing Portal 2 relatively quickly. Was kinda boring for me, honestly. Also why I prefer games without Steam. I don't need their program to "activate" games, or to make sure it's "legal" every time I start it up.

And you're correct. If they continue to make games require internet access (or through programs), I just won't be buying it. I'll happily stick to my older games. Also why I've stopped buying EA/Blizzard games. They're a mirror of each other. D3 is their latest reason why.

Thing is...BF2142 only requires internet access, not Origin, (and if it did, I never would have bought it) I did stop playing 2142, but mainly because I've been playing the crap out of other games. I also quit because I really did like playing this one online, but since my internet's too slow, I am unable to. My friend is planning on trying to get a faster ISP than what my dad has (Slow ass DSL from Verizon that's only 125kb/s *gag*). Hence why I'm not really able to play online games. My internet's too slow, and my dad doesn't think it's worth paying $50 a month for cable internet that's x10 faster than DSL. And he's paying roughly $25 for it. *rolls my eyes*

As for pirating...it's not really as high as gaming companies want you to believe. It's probably more along the lines of being 25% or less of the total that the companies make money. How do you think Blizzard & EA are still around? Because they're making millions already, and they put more effort into anti-piracy than what their consumers want. This is why BF3 is still sitting on my shelf on the wall, opened, but not installed/played. It wants Origin, and I don't. I put up with Origin for maybe a couple hours and I said "Okie dokie, out you go!".

 

[sygnus21]

Steam....

Whether we like it or not games are going the digital download way, whether through Steam, Origin, or some other startup company, it's all going to be via digital download.

As for Steam, the VAST majority of users don't have issues, and quite a bit of us users (including me) have been with Steam since Half-Life 2 was released in 2004.

Anyway there isn't a piece of software in existence that hasn't been problematic at some point in time so we have to look at the consistency at which the software performs, and in that arena, Steam is very reliable, I might even argue more reliable than Windows, but we're looking at apple and oranges. I myself have never had and issues with Steam other then slow downloads with newly released games.

And some clarification.... Steam is a game platform, not a game itself.... meaning that Steam just manages and downloads your games. It doesn’t’ fix or break games contrary to the F.U.D (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt) posted out there.

If a game is broken, it is broken from the developer, if it needs patching; the patch is supplied to Steam by the developer and installed by Steam. This is why you need to have Steam running if you have Steam based games… patches. Steam based games will not let you patch a game outside of Steam. Blame the developers, NOT Steam! If you don’t want to let steam run to patch your broken game, then don’t complain!

Bottom line is this… Steam has NOTHING to do with poorly developed or buggy games – Ex: Skyrim! In short, a game issue does not equate to a Steam issue!

At any rate there's always going to be the nay sayers, but… if you’re going to criticize something, at least know what it is you’re criticizing, and have a valid basis for it other than FUD.

No, nothing is perfect, anything can and will break, but let's not make Seam to be the most evil and unreliable app out there, because that's simply not true.
My two cents.

Wikipedia - Steam (software)

 

[AstaLaVista]

To me, Steam (or anybody else for that matter) is like a 5 wheel the car manufacturer is making me buy to use along the already 4 tires the car has (and I am not talking a spare tire) but a 5th wheel to be use alongside the 4th wheels... I would be annoyed to have 4 tires symmetrically correct only to have 1 (the 5th one) that does not belong there but, after a while you let it happen and after a long while you kinda live with it and even like it... just like we do now with all these intrusion.

I don't mind digital downloads, I have never had any issues, but then again, I don't try to pre order or download the same minute the game is available for purchase... it is usually weeks after

I make a back up of the digital download as soon as I can and if the requirement is to install punkbuster, steam, uplay, social this or social that, well, sorry, as I stated before, I only play the Campaign and the solo missions and I couldn't care less about MP so I am not going to deal with any of those people. I bought my game, I got my key, you want proof, I will oblige but I will be damn if you are going to make me jump thru hoops... you already got my money, I already got my product, you can do whatever you want with my money, I will reciprocate and do whatever I want with my product

I have not purchased a game in a loooong time though... and truth be told, even though I am jonesing for a good tactical shooter, I have not die because I didn't buy the latest crap from Ubisoft, Activision or EA. And NO, I don't believe in the BS about we need to purchase from them or they won't make anymore games. Sorry, the market will flood with new Games as soon as Ubisoft, Activision or EA die that you won't even notice they are gone or have time to care!

 

[Richardc269]

Whether we like it or not games are going the digital download way, whether through Steam, Origin, or some other startup company, it's all going to be via digital download.

As for Steam, the VAST majority of users don't have issues, and quite a bit of us users (including me) have been with Steam since Half-Life 2 was released in 2004.

Anyway there isn't a piece of software in existence that hasn't been problematic at some point in time so we have to look at the consistency at which the software performs, and in that arena, Steam is very reliable, I might even argue more reliable than Windows, but we're looking at apple and oranges. I myself have never had and issues with Steam other then slow downloads with newly released games.

And some clarification.... Steam is a game platform, not a game itself.... meaning that Steam just manages and downloads your games. It doesn’t’ fix or break games contrary to the F.U.D (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt) posted out there.

If a game is broken, it is broken from the developer, if it needs patching; the patch is supplied to Steam by the developer and installed by Steam. This is why you need to have Steam running if you have Steam based games… patches. Steam based games will not let you patch a game outside of Steam. Blame the developers, NOT Steam! If you don’t want to let steam run to patch your broken game, then don’t complain!

Bottom line is this… Steam has NOTHING to do with poorly developed or buggy games – Ex: Skyrim! In short, a game issue does not equate to a Steam issue!

At any rate there's always going to be the nay sayers, but… if you’re going to criticize something, at least know what it is you’re criticizing, and have a valid basis for it other than FUD.

No, nothing is perfect, anything can and will break, but let's not make Seam to be the most evil and unreliable app out there, because that's simply not true.
My two cents.

Wikipedia - Steam (software)

Yes, I knew that a long time ago. I'm not blaming Steam for the game's problems. Just that Steam's required to be installed to play it/patch it. Yes, Steam is a "game manager". I, however, have no want/need to have a "game manager". 'tis why there's quite a few games that I don't buy because of that. I'm happy with all of my games that don't need it.

Edit: I also agree with Asta.

 

[sygnus21]

And that's your prerogative. I remember everyone saying how they would boycott Microsoft if they went with their activation scheme.... not only has Microsoft stuck with it, but every other major software vender has followed suit... and those same voices are still happily buying their software... Windows 7

 

[Richardc269]

And that's your prerogative. I remember everyone saying how they would boycott Microsoft if they went with their activation scheme.... not only has Microsoft stuck with it, but every other major software vender has followed suit... and those same voices are still happily buying their software... Windows 7

I hadn't heard anything about that one. The activation is annoying, I agree, but I'd rather have Windows. I know nothing about Linux. I grew up on Windows 95/98/ME/XP myself. I wasn't even 20 when XP came out! Now it's been 10 years since then, and I'm 29 now. Pretty crazy stuff.