PC game boxes....

[csmighty1]

I know the gaming industry took a big leap when they reduced the size of game boxes to a smaller, more universal size. This was definitly a pleasent change but is it time to move on? yet again?
Personally, I would like it better if i bought my game in a DVD type case, with the instruction manual neatly tucked on the inside with all the nessary cd's on it's opposite side. This sounds like im talking about xbox, ps2, or gamecube's games cases. well, yes, that is what im saying. Should pc games come in the same cases?

 

[iamironsam]

Word, DVD cases are more durable. All my PC boxes get beat to shit. Problem is, PC games tend to be a lot more complex than a simple console game, so the instruction manuals tend to be much larger and there tends to be more material that it comes with.

 

[csmighty1]

Very true, but thay could probably make these DVD cases thicker for pc games, to accomidate the thick manuals, extra material and so forth...

 

[Axyon]

I actually love the newest type of packaging for games - the kinda 'dual-DVD' thickness boxes that have a seperate cover for the game... Max Payne 2 and GTA:VC come in them. It's really well made and feels like you're getting more value for your money, as opposed to an incredibly spacious box or a compact, crammed DVD case.

 

[iamironsam]

Originally posted by csmighty1
Very true, but thay could probably make these DVD cases thicker for pc games, to accomidate the thick manuals, extra material and so forth...

DVD cases aren't biodegradable? But then again, neither are Jewel CD cases.

I think computer games need to start comming in DVD form, then there won't be a need to have 4+ discs per game. Game manuals should be available in-game, with a smaller paper reference manual to glance at while playing.

 

[csmighty1]

Quite right Abomination! When i opened MP2 I just stared at the Casing and knew right then that they really did care about me!

 

[csmighty1]

Originally posted by iamironsam
DVD cases aren't biodegradable? But then again, neither are Jewel CD cases.


lol, no I meant the cases to be thicker as in DEPTH.

For example.... l l <-- thickness of regular DVD

l l <---thickness of Game DVD case

 

[iamironsam]

Originally posted by csmighty1

Originally posted by iamironsam
DVD cases aren't biodegradable? But then again, neither are Jewel CD cases.


lol, no I meant the cases to be thicker as in DEPTH.

For example.... l l <-- thickness of regular DVD

l l <---thickness of Game DVD case

I was just comming up with another reason they wouldn't work for PC games, not a rebutle to your answer.

 

[csmighty1]

arggg! my example didn't work! Anywho yeah sorry bout that

 

[Dedalus]

games used to come in boxes out of necessity really. you'd get something with 30 or so floppy disks and there's only one way to store 30 floppies. in a big ruddy box. then there was a manual so the box would be huge enough to house a tramp.

i like the DVD style cases PC games have. you've got the game, the manual and the box all in one carryable package. instead of removing the cd from the box, removing the manual, subsequently losing said manual and losing the box and then most probably losing the cd it came with. the new cases make it very streamlined.

ultimately i'd like to see games come on some sort of USB pen drive. just plug it in, the games there, install and play. just carry the little pen drive around with you, "hey here's my copy of Half-Life 3".

 

[dawdler]

I'm confused.
All PC games here in scandinavia are in DVD cases, very few (ie special editions) are in boxes.

So which of the options should I vote on?

 

[theGreenBunny]

I think all of europe has DVD cases for pc games. It sucks. All the manuals are uber cheap and thin pieces of crap. This is especially irritating for more complicated games like RPGs or certain RTSes, instead of a nice book you get a tiny booklet-thingy.

The dvd cases probably save shipping costs, but the money they save with that is just more profit for the publisher. On top of that, when we switched from local money to the euro, they upped the price some! How nice of them! Instead of the +-45e it should have been, just about every game costs 50 now. (1 euro is slightly more than $1.10)

Great way to discourage piracy publishers! Way to go!

[/rant]
I seem to have ranted myself into the treacherous land of off-topicness *shuts up*

 

[Varg|Hund]

Originally posted by csmighty1
Should pc games come in the same cases?

Don't they do that already? *confused*

 

[gh0st]

yeah i second the pen idea. it would actually be really cool/expensive if we actually used it though.

 

[dawdler]

Originally posted by theGreenBunny
I think all of europe has DVD cases for pc games. It sucks. All the manuals are uber cheap and thin pieces of crap. This is especially irritating for more complicated games like RPGs or certain RTSes, instead of a nice book you get a tiny booklet-thingy.

Do you really WANT such large books? The Gothic 2 manual is on 70 pages. It covers just about everything, with room to spare for a junk appendix. The KOTOR manual is also around 70 pages I beleive. A fun thing to note is that even the Baldurs Gate 2 manual (140 pages) fit in a DVD case (tight fit though, maybe need to remove 20-30 pages ). On an RTS, Conquest: Frontier Wars there are also a quite thick 70 page manual that covers everything you want know.
You wont fit the Sim City 2000 manual though. Or the Ceasar III manual (240 pages). And the Tiberian Sun manual on 220 pages. And you dont want to know whether you can fit the Janes ATF manual or not.

 

[Stiler]

Gah, i will always prefer the HUGE older boxes with big fold out flaps with lots of Artwork all over them.

One thing that really irks me about the size change, was that the cost was supposed to be passed to the consumer, however have you seen the price of games come down at all?
no.

They are saving a lot more money on boxes and things inside (IE games coming in paper sleeves, or manuals being on the Cd instead of a actual paper manual)

I just like getting the boxes, and looking all over at the cool pictures and reading the things. Then sometimes getting a cool map with it inside the box, or a nice huge manual that looked like a old book or something to fit with the game.

Now it seems that if they could they'd simply sell just he cd's in a slim jewel case and charge just as more.

I want more game boxes like the old ones, or like Falcon 4.0, oh man that was sweet.

 

[Kadayi]

I don't mind the DVD size boxes, simply because they are easier to store, and space is a premium. I do agree that the Vice City style size boxes are quite nice and compact also. I don't miss the old cardboard boxes that much, as they tend to get manked eventually, although the manuals were much larger and a tad more durable.

 

[Hazza]

I don't like the cardboard boxes, but I do like having a big manual, yup the bigger the better. Maybe games could be pakcaged the way they often package DVDs of TV series, with cases that fold out and stuff, that would be amazing, with lots of pointless extra stuff. Maybe even an extra disc with poinless extra stuff on it. I really like free stuff, I'm not sure why, but free stuff rules. Probably because it's free.

 

[Zerimski]

Re: Re: PC game boxes....

Originally posted by [CoHn]FuSeD
Don't they do that already? *confused*

That's what I was thinking.

 

[Anthraxxx]

Cardboard Boxes

+/-

+ cardboard boxes look prettier
+ holding a box just 'feel' good
+ the empty space inside the box help prevent the cd from being crushed by excessive weight
+ the boxes allow for larger game manuals (ie: star wars galaxies)
+ the boxes can be stored in a collection( if you like to collect the boxes )
- they are bigger and take up more space
- they often get crushed when you have put them away for storage
- its a hassle trying to get that sticker that holds the box shut if you don't have something to cut it with
- the regular cd jewel cases are easy to break
- the little circle of pegs inside the case that hold the cd in break way too easily, thus allowing your cd to sit loosely in the case which could cause your cd to scratch when it is sliding around

DVD case
+ take up less space
+ easier to carry around
+ more durable than a cd jewel case
+ easily stores next to your DVD's
+ some DVD cases have a locking mechanism to hold the cd still inside the case
+retail stores can fit more in shelves, thus allowing them to offer more
+ easy to open and close
- too small for a large game manual (id: star wars galaxies)
- it just doesn't 'feel' as good as holding a box
- no extra space inside that protects your cd from being crushed when it is lying flat
- I can't think of any more cause I rather like DVD cases...

 

[The Dark Elf]

I wish they would bring back the big boxes. I hate spending hundreds on an application only to have it turn up in a tiny box, I feel conned by it, when I spent a lot of money on something I want it to look the part.

Then there's the issues with manuals, I don't want a pdf that I have to alt+tab out of a game to check or run on another machine, I want to be able to look to the right and have it sat there when I need it.

HL1: GotY and BS both look good in their big boxes, HL2 will dissapear in with the DVD's when that turns up, unless they do a big fancy box or I get the collectors edition, which I hope IS a big fancy box


But.. DVD cases are bareable I guess.. so long as they don't start using those really really awful cases that are basically nothing more than a very thin piece of card with a bit of plastic stuck on the end. I've a few DVD's that have those cases and their awful and just don't seem worth more than a few cents to me.

 

[dawdler]

Originally posted by Anthraxxx
Cardboard Boxes

+/-

+ cardboard boxes look prettier
+ holding a box just 'feel' good
+ the empty space inside the box help prevent the cd from being crushed by excessive weight
+ the boxes allow for larger game manuals (ie: star wars galaxies)
+ the boxes can be stored in a collection( if you like to collect the boxes )
- they are bigger and take up more space
- they often get crushed when you have put them away for storage
- its a hassle trying to get that sticker that holds the box shut if you don't have something to cut it with
- the regular cd jewel cases are easy to break
- the little circle of pegs inside the case that hold the cd in break way too easily, thus allowing your cd to sit loosely in the case which could cause your cd to scratch when it is sliding around

+#1: Personal preference, cant be counted as a + (I think DVD cases look prettier)
+#2: Personal preference
+#3: True
+#4: False. You can CHOOSE to make a bigger DVD box (ie double, triple, whatever, thus fit a larger manual)
+#5: Hrm? You cant store DVD cases?

DVD case
+ take up less space
+ easier to carry around
+ more durable than a cd jewel case
+ easily stores next to your DVD's
+ some DVD cases have a locking mechanism to hold the cd still inside the case
+retail stores can fit more in shelves, thus allowing them to offer more
+ easy to open and close
- too small for a large game manual (id: star wars galaxies)
- it just doesn't 'feel' as good as holding a box
- no extra space inside that protects your cd from being crushed when it is lying flat
- I can't think of any more cause I rather like DVD cases...

-#1: False, see above with double cases
-#2: Personal preference
-#3: False. There are rims around the CDs and a holder to hold the CD, thus it is generally protected (example: It would be technically impossible to crush the CD in my Gothic II case I have laying here, unless you apply enough pressure to crush the plastic holder and rim).
-#4: That isnt a minus


Fun to discuss huh?

 

[LoneDeranger]

I'm pretty sure I know the reason why they don't use DVD cases in the US. People are gona think the game itself is on DVD and not buy it because they don't have a DVD drive.

 

[dfc05]

Originally posted by LoneDeranger
I'm pretty sure I know the reason why they don't use DVD cases in the US. People are gona think the game itself is on DVD and not buy it because they don't have a DVD drive.

lol, i'd hope people would be smarter than that... although sometimes you read about those people that ruin their computer because they thought the cd drive was a cupholder, haha... at first i didn't believe that but then i read about it twice in two different articles.

i like the big boxes though especially if it's got a really nice manual inside. like the age of empires manuals-- i thought it was pretty funny how they were almost putting history lessons in them. so unless they made the dvd case big enough to hold a decent manual, i'd rather have the cardboard box.

 

[Dr. Freeman]

Re: Re: PC game boxes....

Originally posted by [CoHn]FuSeD
Don't they do that already? *confused*

hmm.. i think in North America they come in small boxes and over where u are, they come in DVD cases?

well anyway i like the idea of a thicker DVD case.. more durable..hmm.. might cost more per game too though.. *shrug*

 

[Javert]

Boxes plz! It's just the....principle of the matter!

 

[Faravid]

Originally posted by theGreenBunny
I think all of europe has DVD cases for pc games.

Yes, they're all in DVD cases here, but it doesn't suck, I can fit them better + they last longer + I don't need manuals, internet/cd has manual if I really need one.

 

[Faravid]

Originally posted by LoneDeranger
I'm pretty sure I know the reason why they don't use DVD cases in the US. People are gona think the game itself is on DVD and not buy it because they don't have a DVD drive.

Most of people have a DVD drive, but yes, Stupid people could think like that, with DVD boxes Lula, Enter the Matrix etc wouldn't sell at all.

Crappy games are for idiots and have to be shipped in a box that looks like a big
___________
|PC CD-ROM|
----------------

 

[AmishSlayer]

I really like the way MP2 was packaged as well. It's way better than those huge boxes that games used to always come in...and it's better than the smaller ones too.

DVD cases would be cool with me too. The same size as any Xbox, ps2, gc case would be nice...less space it takes up the better.

 

[dawdler]

Originally posted by AmishSlayer
less space it takes up the better.

Yeah, that's a big plus. My old boxes are as wide as three dvd cases. Not to mention bigger
Its actually pretty nice to just have a bunch of games on shelf... Which is an impossibility with the good old boxes.

 

[Arno]

Originally posted by Faravid
Yes, they're all in DVD cases here, but it doesn't suck, I can fit them better + they last longer + I don't need manuals, internet/cd has manual if I really need one.

I agree with that. I now have my games collection together with my DVD collection all on one shelf and it looks rather nice.

Also, this is not something new. I bought RTCW over 2 years ago and that game was packaged in a DVD case.

 

[RoyaleWithCheese]

I really like the DVD cases. Big manuals (nice...) don't fit in, so that's bad. There's nothing like installing the game while reading this freshly printed ink-smelling manual.