Next Gen Im going Retro

[sj33]

I'm fully against DRM and forced online connections, but I think Vlave have done a good job of making it feel like worth the trade-off for most people. Put it this way, when Microsoft start offering recent AAA games on their service for a fiver on weekend deals, I'll take their service more seriously.

[Brad]

Valve get away with it now because they have a solid system. When EA said hey, we're gonna do something like steam my immediate thought was it won't work. It didn't work when it launched and it doesn't work now. Most people's problem with DRM is the potential problems they foresee. Currently Steam doesn't exhibit any of these worries whereas EA and Ubisoft have had the exact problems we feared.

Of course, no DRM rules.

[Kit]

Yeah, everyone was outraged about it then, because loads of people were still on 56k and the game would take hours to verify each file and then update before you could play.

It's pretty much the same thing people say today about games needing internet connections, except then it was actually a problem.

Loads of people were on 56k in 05? nonsense. The launch was a train wreck because Steam was still in it's infant stages and they didn't have the infrastructure to cope; was a Steam issue not a problem with crap connections.

It started 8 years ago with my Single use disc version of Half Life 2.

All the PCs will start melting once the PS4 games start coming out.

Goodbye superior versions of underpowered console ports.

Hello Low Resolution / Poor Framerates!

I don't recall HL 2 launching with a single use disc. You can download and install HL 2 as many times as you want. We're creeping into the age of limited installs and no second hand buys, which, would be alright on next gen consoles if the prices were cheaper - but they won't be.

Regarding PCs melting and stuff when the next gen comes around; I don't know, this time the jump in graphics for the next gen doesn't coinicide with the move to HD and I reckon most pc gamers will be quite comfortable with console ports at 1920x1200/1920x1080 for years to come.

Well naturally they should be cheaper when you can't resell them or in some cases, even lend them to a friend.

Tomb Raider is ?29.99 on Zavvi for Xbox, same price as Steam except you get an actual disc, which you can sell after finishing/use as a frisbee.

PC version is ?20 on amazon for a physical copy.

Will you be able to sell on that next gen copy for your 720/PS4? yet to be seen and a worrying lack of confirmation.

[EvilBoris]

Loads of people were on 56k in 05? nonsense. The launch was a train wreck because Steam was still in it's infant stages and they didn't have the infrastructure to cope; was a Steam issue not a problem with crap connections.

I don't recall HL 2 launching with a single use disc. You can download and install HL 2 as many times as you want. We're creeping into the age of limited installs and no second hand buys, which, would be alright on next gen consoles if the prices were cheaper - but they won't be.

You can't sell the Half Life 2 disc, because it used a single use code.
Half Life 2 came out in 2004, I worked in a game shop during it's launch and the PC owners were going mental that it took so long, I didn't get broadband myself until about the same time , it was around that time when broadband became affordable (only 15% of the population had BB in 2005).

http://www.bordersdown.net/search.php?searchid=202453

[JazzFunk]

I never knew the original release of HL2 was single use only, though I *deffo* know the PC version of The Orange Box is 'cos muggins here bought a minty copy from a charity shop for ?2.99, got home and the Steam code had been used. Buggering buggers!

I might incur the wrath of Sketcz here by saying I LOVED Bioshock, though I never played SS2. I would never say it was an innovative game, it's basically an FPS with a novel upgrade system and is pretty repetitious, but the atmosphere reminds me of Morecambe's Tussaud's in the early 80s and I'm a sucker for art deco, that's probably the main reason I love it. What's even worse is I got the steelbook version (battered, 2nd hand) and I friggin' HATE steelbooks!!!

****, they even did a steelbook for Area 51 on the PS2, I know 'cos I own it, did that game *really* merit a steelbook - what a ruddy waste of metal!

[tokyochojin]

I went retro this gen (Dreamcast is my only console) that was, until I picked up Tomb Raider for the PC this week. Still, there are the odd decent ones in modern game so a retro console plus a PC would be my recommendation.

[Sketcz]

We're creeping into the age of limited installs and no second hand buys, which, would be alright on next gen consoles if the prices were cheaper - but they won't be.

Don't be ridiculous. Nothing will ever, EVER justify not allowing second hand sales. It is every human being's universal right to be allowed to sell that which they legally own. The world wanted capitalism, now we have it. You can't just willy nilly pick and choose rules for civilians and corporations. Oh, they can sell, but we can't. What a load of greedy perpetuated bollocks.

As I've said before, Steam is an evil corroding cancer, and Valve the very definition of an unscrupulous corporation.

Sure, everyone bleats about the "steam sales". But can I sell my Steam activated copy of Metro 2033? Like hell I can. They screwed me over once, but Steam will never, EVER screw me over again. I learned my lesson, and that useless piece of **** game coaster sits on my shelf like a scar, to forever remind me of how utterly borked the whole Steam experience is.

PC gaming died when Steam came into existence. I refuse to buy any physical media with DRM, especially Steam activation.

Man, **** Steam, **** Valve, and **** Gabe Newell.


EDIT:

I might incur the wrath of Sketcz here by saying I LOVED Bioshock, though I never played SS2.

Aww, people think I'm a big meanie...

Everyone can love Bioshock. But I just feel that if you think you like Bioshock, and you play System Shock 2, you'd be like: WHOAH! Why haven't I played this before?

It's finally on GOG, for those who don't mind a digital only copy.

If I were a millionaire I would buy everyone on this forum a copy of SS2.

It's also proper scary. A survival horror set in space with strange monsters and not enough ammo. You can't even fire a gun until you've earned EXP to upgrade yourself so you can "learn" how to use one.

This thread reads like a list of the forums grumpy old men.

Maybe once you hit 40 your just start to hate everything.

I'm not even 30 yet...

[nakamura]

Actually shocked you aren't 30!

['Press Start']

Whilst I would love to get back into retro games I think the idea of it is more attractive then the reality. Like Atticus has already said I just would not get the enjoyment I used too from games gone by.

[Brad]

Pre-order BioShock Infinite and grab yourself a bargain today
PlayStation Plus members get 10% off the Season Pass and in game content including a Custom Shotgun, Custom Sniper, 3 Tonics and additional in-game money at no extra cost when you pre order BioShock Infinite from the PlayStation Store. Check out the blog for more details!

In my inbox from Sony.

There we go. It's all over. It's been fun chaps but mainstream gaming is all over for me. The businesstards have won.

[Guts]

You know you don't HAVE to pre-order or even if you do pre-order, you don't HAVE to buy the Season Pass?

[Brad]

The whole thing just sickens me. WTF happened to making the best game you could, everything finely balanced, all the content you wanted in there to tell the story that you wrote and having people enjoy it?

[Ghost]

Microsoft got into the console market. That for me is when things went downhill, they were the ones that "pioneered" online subscriptions, DLC, charging for themes and Avatar items, achievement points etc and if the rumours are true they will be the ones preventing the use of second-hand games.

[Colin]

****ing hell. If you bought a film and it stopped ten minutes before the end because you hadn't downloaded the "ending pack" you'd go berserk. Why accept it for games?

[Charlie]

I don't blame M$. I blame gamers like myself who bought gold subs, DLC and digital download games. If nobody bought that ****, it woulda gone away.