Advantages of Steam For HL2

[Kamakiri]

I posted this in another thread but I think people still have there doubts. I wish to try and bring comfort to peoples minds.

Advantages of Steam:

1) If the release date is still 30th of September, Steam will pre-cached the full HL2 as early as Monday/Tuesday of this week. So when the game comes out on the 30th you can play the full HL2 straight away just as if you brought it retail. Imagine the anticipation...

2) Gabe has mentioned you can save the full hl2 cache file. So if you want to reformat, as most often people do, you can simply burn the cache file or copy it to a HDD partition on your PC. Once the format is done and a clean install of Steam is on just copy over the cache and Steam will extract all the HL2 files again. Just like installing from a CD.

3) Steam price for HL2 will be a bit lower since there is no manufactoring costs.

Steam new patch that was released yesturday has fixed alot of problems with Steam. The patch downloaded straight away for me at a very fast speed.

Alot of people have mindsets about buying retail. They think when they install from a CD there is a physcial copy of it on the HDD and it feels better. Installing HL2 from a CD will still put the files in the Steam directory and would be in the exact same format as if you just downloaded it from Steam.

So disadvantages of Steam? Few bugs need to be ironed out yes. But the thought of having a pre-cached full HL2 waiting to be decrypted spot on the 30th is too hard for me to resist. Especially with retail outlets in Australia always getting stuff late alot of the time.

 

[XtAkm4p]

link me to proof of lower price

 

[MistaB]

Gabe said something about a benfit of buying it online... such as a price reduction. Other then that not many details have been released.

 

[Apos]

I don't think they had fully decided on exactly how they were going to price and market it at the time we last heard from them on this issue. So there is no real answer yet.

 

[Kamakiri]

They would have to do some kind of discount on Steam. I mean it would be bad if they didn't since they will be saving alot of money with not paying Viendi etc etc

 

[Woggy]

Isnt is a $US9.95 monthly subscription service? And you get to download whatever you want, including HL2, TF2, etc?

 

[Apos]

That is only one option they've discussed: you can still buy things individually though, one time price, over steam.

 

[manny_c44]

If its cheaper I might get it through steam...

 

[TheWall421]

I'm still not too sure about buying the full game off steam. Its just the heavy reliance on the internet that gets me. If get a new computer and don't have internet, that means no HL2 till I get internet :-(. That would probably never happen to me, but its just little things like that, that made me stick with getting the physical copy. On the other hand the subscription service sounds kinda cool.

 

[Kamakiri]

If you are loaded with money and can afford it why not get $9.95 suscription when HL2 first comes out. Then just get the retail later maybe...

might be a option but a bit of a waste of money...

 

[OCybrManO]

If it's not cheaper would anyone buy it via Steam?

I think they said once you have a CD-key for HL2 you can download HL2 via Steam anyway... so there would be no reason to use Steam to buy HL2 unless it was $10+ cheaper.

If it is a good deal cheaper I will indeed consider buying HL2 via Steam and burning the cache onto a DVD.

 

[Kamakiri]

my guess is $10 cheaper than retail.. Maybe $15

 

[Senate11]

well i want to see if its cheaper before i decide.

 

[MrWhite]

I don't know, I dont care much for the box, just the game -- and steam has been running very well lately, so I think I might, not caring about price

Edit -- and my girlfreind can play it when she's at home (we share a steam account, yes, she is a gamer thank god)

 

[staddydaddy]

I think people like to recieve something tangible when the buy something. It gives them a sense of ownership and material. That's one of the real reason I still want to buy retail. I like buying the box and stuff.

 

[SixxHole]

For one, something could go wrong with the file. It could be "pre cached" during the week it says, then when the day comes, it still has alot to download or really hasn't downloaded anything and then you have a helleuva long wait on your hands. Not likely, but I just don't trust steam, or not having a CD key or CD.

 

[Athlon7]

The answer my friends, is a little $10.00 insurance. Get the monthly subscription, then cancel and buy when it hits shelves. You'll be able to play SP and MP alike!

http://www.ukgamer.com/index.php4?single=942

 

[OCybrManO]

So you pay $10 for being able to play the game 2-5 days earlier than you would have been able to buy it in the store (according to the latest e-mails)?

I won't bother with the subscription.

I'll wait to choose Steam or Store until I see the pricing differences, the total bandwidth of the Steam content servers, and more information about the short delay... but I'm leaning toward Steam right now.

 

[TheOriginalEvil]

Like I've said, i made up my mind along time before this thread. long before i thought about the price reduction. steam is only logical, not only do i get it september 30th, save gas and not hassle with store employees... the price reduction makes it final.

 

[RhapSidious]

I have a feeling that the subscription option won't start for atleast a week or so after release.

If they offer only the "one time" purchase over Steam, they will make the more money, because people who don't want to wait for retail stores will definately buy it.

This will also reduce the stress on the content servers right at launch. If it costs around $40-$50, many will wait for the retail version. If they offer the $10 subscription right away, sales for the full version will drop and too many people will try right away to d/l it off of Steam.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Yatta]

I don't want to buy the Steam version. I want to have a nice physical CD + Manual and a cute gamebox which comes with a jewel case. It shall make a brilliant addition to my PC Game Shelf.

 

[Gossoon]

my attitude towards steam is: how can it make my life better? and so far i'm not dancing in daisies. for me to buy thru steam it would have to somehow give me much more than i could get through retail. something...

 

[CyberSh33p]

I want a cute gamebox too but I want the game quicker more we shall see. I might be moving then.

 

[vetebulle]

I'm probably going to buy it in a store..

There's just something special about getting home, taking the box out of those neat plastic bags, opening the box... inhaling the smell of a new game, and then read (and smell!) the manual while waiting for the install to finish.


Not to mention all the neat stuff you might get in those boxes. And the fact that a box is necessary for the holy shrine I am building next to the computer..:dork:

 

[A True Canadian]

I WILL buy it at the store, for things like a physical copy+manual+box art, etc. I also don't trust Steam at the moment. I've been getting quite a few errors lately; they've died down since the update but I fear more will return.
There's nothing worse then subscribing to Steam, downloading Half-Life 2, trying to play single-player, and then have an error pop up saying "could not connect to game" or get "Invalid Steam UserID Ticket" or something like that. That's what scares me.:|

 

[|\/|oDdiC(_)$]

either way, your gonn have too use Steam to play HL2, its jsut wether you got a) money to buy retail right now, and b) wether you got balls big enough to take a chance on Steam me, im getting the steam one first, then buy retail a week after the BEST FORM BOTH WORLDS

 

[A True Canadian]

I thought that if you purchased the retail version, you would only need Steam to play Multiplayer. Oh well, Steam isn't a bad product. I just wish that these errors I keep getting would go away.;(

 

[kurly]

so how do you pre-order, so Steam starts to preload? that sounds great, cause you could avoid the server overload on the 30th.