Retail copies kind of suck...

x2501x

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I just got my CE from BB. I was telling myself "you don't need this...just get the normal version." But the normal box is so light and stupid...it feels like there are just cd's in paper sleeves in there and noting more. So I spent $25 extra for a dvd. You open the box and there is a cd case, a shirt, a tiny hint book and a control summary card. The hint book is perhaps the biggest disappointment...it's so small and useless...I would expect it to be free in stores as an advertisement or something. Also the boxes and stands in the sore use old screenshots! Isn't alot of this the fault of the publisher? The normal edition box is also poorly designed and the back offers almost no insight into what the game is about. The front looks cool though. I'm not mad...I'm insanely excited right now...just seeing if anyone feels the same.
 
Well, if the game is as good as its supposed to be, you will forget all that you have just mentioned...


on a similar note, i agree the package could have been better thought out =(
 
Everyone knows what Half-life 2 is about... and it's not as if Freeman knows whats goin on when he starts the game anyway...yeah the boxes do sound shit, but why would you be looking at the back of a box at screenshots, reading a cheap hintbook... when you have the game on your computer, ready to play?
 
like he said, who gives a shit about the box when you have the game, come on now.
 
well i dont think valve was really looking for a good box...they gots a budget
 
I don't know how the potentially best-selling pc game of all time doesn't deserve a better box. When I hefted it at Best Buy it felt ridiculously light. I don't see how there were even 5 discs in there, much less anything else. No manual, no cool casing for the discs. Pretty lame. This game deserves better! They should've put together a cool slipcase thingy like UT2k4 has. That was classy. And the inside flap just has a pic of a combine with a quote. That's it. The whole thing is just cheap.
Vivendi is just shooting themselves in the foot. There is no reason to not buy from Steam! Those dumbasses at VUG...
 
I really, really like the front of the normal boxes, but the rest can lick my ass and suck on my balls.
 
My guess would be that they were in such a rush to get the copies out that quality had to be compromised. It's a world-wide release, that's no small thing.

If making the boxes slightly crappier meant we'd get to play sooner then I'd say they made the right choice. But then I bought it over Steam. ;)
 
Who cares what the box is like. The HL1 box makes me puke when I look at it. I couldn't even tell you where it is in my house even thought I play HL/mods every single day. My HL2 box will lie around on my desk for a few days but then it'll disappear onto the shelf never to be touched again unless I re-install.
 
I agree that the box doesn't really matter. It's just something else to talk about. I mean the game deserves better. But anyway, does the normal version come in a cd case? Because it really does feel like paper sleeves are in there. Also, no manual of any sort? Common these days...but not with huge releases.
 
If Kerry was president you may have got the standard version on DVD like us UK people ;)
 
Alyx said:
If Kerry was president you may have got the standard version on DVD like us UK people ;)
:LOL:

In other news, this is making me wonder if I should just go with Steam after all. I mean, I was seriously unimpressed with those screenshots at the Rage 3D forums. Paper cases, with really ugly CD Labels? Utterly pathetic box design (except for the front)? The whole point of getting a box was the archival quality, the box proudly sitting there on my desk, and more importantly, a CD case that I can keep with my other games for reinstallation. Why must VUG be so *@#$-ing stupid?
 
Its so sad u people complain about the paper and box, when its the game we really want :S grow up
 
x2501x could you try registering your CE serial key on Steam and report back all the games that appear under "My Games" on Steam, please. I need this info to make my decision on wheter or not to get the CE. Thanks in advance.
 
I suppose. I was being paranoid and waiting until it was unlocked. Not that I would get in trouble or anything...I just figured I would hold on to my key for as long as possible.

And to those getting angry about the discussion: Come on...no game should come in a paper sleeve...especially this one! Games that come in those things usually come with a few courtesy scratches from being inserted.
 
I was thinking, did anyone try changing the date to past Nov. 16th and disconnecting from the internet, and see if HL2 worked?
 
I'm not complaining, I honestly don't care. But I did like the cool UT2k4 box thing :) Was hoping something like that, or just CD Cases for them, because I hate paper sleeves on my cd rack, so I'm going to have to find plastic cases for them now =\ lol, /complain /whine /bitch /piss /moan
 
IMO I like the box...I don't have it yet..but I like the old fasion way of buying games...I will probably never buy a game online.
 
I would pay through steam, because I'd rather put my money towards valve 100%, but seeing how I put down a reserve for it (and payed full price) back in June of 2003, I really have no reason to now. Just gotta walk in , take my game and leave.
 
Thing is, the CE is a joke. If I had the internet connection to, no question I would get it through steam. All you get for $80 is a single cd case, a paper control card, a 4.75x6 hint book, and a T shirt. If you haven't seen the hint book you have no idea how useless it really is. It's like a trailer for the real guide.

No, it doesn't really matter. But this is a publishing issue. Should we give all our money to the publisher for their worthless contribution? No, the game is all that really matters, so Valve should get the money. Buy through Steam if at all possible.
 
so the dvd doesnt even come with a dvd case? its only a cd case? that blows.
 
I got mine from Best Buy. Had the shirt, DVD version of the game, Prima 300+ page strat. guide and a semi-decent box.

I bought mine in Lombard, IL
 
Are you sure you got a 300+ page strat guide? Because I sure didn't. Have you opened it yet?
 
Wildhound said:
My guess would be that they were in such a rush to get the copies out that quality had to be compromised. It's a world-wide release, that's no small thing.

If making the boxes slightly crappier meant we'd get to play sooner then I'd say they made the right choice. But then I bought it over Steam. ;)

Hahahahaha! They delayed it a year and they couldn't come up with a Collector's Edition more befitting a game of this stature? Pure bush league. It should've had a nice fancy box, a decent collector's gift(a HL2 miniature - combine soldier or a headcrab zombie), an art book, and a Making Of DVD. A whole year and the best they(meaning BOTH Valve and Vivendi) could give us is a t-shirt for a 300 lb. guy. Thanks. Next time take a lesson from Blizzard on how to put together a Collector's edition game.
 
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