Why would you want a hard cd?

[Apos]

Seems some people would like to both buy games via Steam yet also somehow get a CD, box, manual, etc. I was just wondering why people who aren't going to buy the game in stores in the first place would want this. I mean, I understand the idea of having a physical copy, but that idea seems kind of outdated. If anything, your liscence is MORE permanent, because you can lose a CD: your credit history, the proof you bought the game via steam, never goes away. Even if Valve were to go out of business, they would almost certainly fulfull the contract and give you a permanent copy (i.e., they add a patch that would allow you to burn it to a CD or play without a Steam connection even without the CD.) I can also understand the appeal of a manual... but no doubt the manual will exist digitally just the same.

 

[nw909]

Pfft, like im going to lose my hl2 cd, maybe in a nightmare or shit, but Im gonna keep it in its nice tin box

 

[ApocalypseNow]

Originally posted by Apos
. Even if Valve were to go out of business, they would almost certainly fulfull the contract and give you a permanent copy

AND WHY WOULD VALVE GO OUT OF BUSINESS!?! Are you Trying to say some thing!?!?!?

 

[XtAkm4p]

hmmm i think i wanna buy mine over steam and cancel my preorder.... or maybe ill just buy the special edition and somehow get a refund on the steamed one.... is that possible? i hope. i cant wait to see wats on the spec ed dvd

 

[what]

I certainly don't want a soft CD!

 

[another-user]

id want the hard copy if anything where to happen to my system where i would be forced to re-download the game (im assuming u must download the full game to play) with the cd/dvd it would be much easier to just pop it back in the cd tray and hit install.

 

[peasoup]

Im really old school and will only buy it in a box
even if the boxed version is delayed while the steam version come out on time

 

[Peks]

its already been said that if you purchase hl2 via steam you wont get the cd...but what if you buy retail cdl, do you get the free d/l off steam? i sent this to gabe about 87 years ago with no response.

 

[Guest]

Apos: Im ordering mine via steam. Ill beat the rush and save money. I find it easier then anything eles and i will get auto updates. There wont be a need to looks for patchs via mirrors and fttp wich always sucked. Steam is the way to go.

 

[Guest]

i want a box and all the tinkits in the limited edition too

 

[nw909]

Originally posted by peasoup
Im really old school and will only buy it in a box
even if the boxed version is delayed while the steam version come out on time

amen to that.

 

[Zyphria]

Half Life 2 via Steam opening day? 2kbps bwahahaha!

 

[Slash]

Originally posted by another-user
id want the hard copy if anything where to happen to my system where i would be forced to re-download the game (im assuming u must download the full game to play) with the cd/dvd it would be much easier to just pop it back in the cd tray and hit install.

Steam, with compression and the fast content servers, is supposed to be faster than installing via a CD. So it would be "easier" and "faster" to use Steam as opposed to finding your CD and reinstalling.

 

[Doobz]

i think it's been said that if you buy the cd, you can DL the game off of steam as well, so the losing the cd argument doesn't hold up

and the idea of physically have a cd isn't outdated, it's still used by 98% of the retail games out there, therefore it's not outdated

i prefer a physical copy over a digital copy any day

 

[crabcakes66]

Originally posted by Slash
Steam, with compression and the fast content servers, is supposed to be faster than installing via a CD. So it would be "easier" and "faster" to use Steam as opposed to finding your CD and reinstalling.

your gonna tell me that downloading 2-3 gigs is gonna be faster than installing from cd's?


yeah.....sure

 

[Guest]

Why do you people want CD's so badly for. I rather just use steam. All it comes down too is 2 different ways to get it onto your PC. I dont see how haveing it on CD is any better. No offence to anyone who likes CD-ROM better.

 

[mekilla]

If I need to reinstall, I do not want to have to download it again. Just imagine if you lost your connection for a few days and had to reinstall, yikes!

 

[Guest]

Yea that is a good point. But, its a little extreme. What are the odds of that. Well in my case i have cable it rarely goes out and if it duz its for a short time. I can understand not wanting to wait for a download though. Still im going to use steam.

 

[Apos]

its already been said that if you purchase hl2 via steam you wont get the cd...but what if you buy retail cdl, do you get the free d/l off steam? i sent this to gabe about 87 years ago with no response.

Yes: you also get steam, and then create a password and account and everything.

and the idea of physically have a cd isn't outdated, it's still used by 98% of the retail games out there, therefore it's not outdated

98% of other games doesn't matter: this game can be owned entirely digitally, unlike those games, so it;s a whole new ballgame.

And if you think that you can just pop in the cd and install... you're forgetting all the huge patches and content updates they are promising. You'd have to download lots of stuff anyway.

 

[Guest]

Apos: I am ordering off steam. Are you?

 

[NiteStalker]

"Finding your CD"? I will guard my HL2 CD with my life
At least I will always know where it is...

 

[tewmten]

I collect game-boxes, that's my main reason...
That and I'm planning to get the silver-box :-P

 

[DOOManiac]

I want a CD because 10 years from now, when Steam has long since cancelled its service, I may want to play HL2 again. And don't give me any of this "nobody will play a 10 year old game" crap, cause I still play 10+ year old games all the time. In fact, usually more than new games.

 

[MrD]

I will buy the CD version, just cos I like to have a CD.

I do like the idea of running through steam though. Having the CD is one thing, but finding the bugger when you want to play is another.

 

[OCybrManO]

What if your network card is fried or your internet connection is down and you need to install it?
That is a good time to have a CD... at least you could install and play SP until you get it fixed.

I'm sure a bunch of people have 56k modems.
That is a good reason to have a CD... rather than a reinstall taking days.

Even if I don't buy a CD I will burn the copy downloaded from steam onto a few CD-Rs or a DVD-R. It is always good practice to keep backups.

 

[FAK3R]

Originally posted by DOOManiac
I want a CD because 10 years from now, when Steam has long since cancelled its service, I may want to play HL2 again. And don't give me any of this "nobody will play a 10 year old game" crap, cause I still play 10+ year old games all the time. In fact, usually more than new games.

I agree I still play Contra and Castlevania
So I think buying the cd is the way, But I would have to wait and see which one is easier. I might just go with steam, all depends on how the first few days goes for everyone..
I want to wait and see the outcome. I dont want to jump out and throw in $50 to get mediocre service from them

 

[_-_-SELAS-_-_]

Yeah Im gonna get the hardcopy, I dont really trust it the other way especially not with all the bugs in steam ( yeah i know its still beta but still...)

 

[Axyon]

Sorry, but there's nothing better than getting home with your long-awaited Half-Life 2 box, tentatively taking the plastic wrapping off, opening it, inhaling that lovely new-manual smell, carefully placing the CD in the drive and watching as your computer screen glows up with the Half-Life 2 installer. Ace.

 

[Mad_Eejit]

I agree with abom|nation it is great and even better then a few years ago now we are using space saving DVD boxes. Also the couple of times i have downloaded games of the internet (only old ones like Monkey Island that are hard to find with out buying a game you already have) i never have enjoyed the game as much as if i had bought and it does feel like actually mine. i know it sounds stupid but just how i feel.

And also i love just having a big bath and resting with a flick through the manual even though i probably will know everything in the manual. It's just not the same sitting at a computer screen reading through something, imagine if you had read 300 page books on your computer.

Also if you do have problems with your internet the CD will help a lot. And to those people saying you won't have to search for patches if you download off of Steam the retail version comes with steam so you can get the best of both worlds.

 

[marksmanHL2 :)]

i agree, the manual is gona be a must for me.

I mean HL2 is gona take an absolute age to install. I can almost guarante it so i am gona need something to do. And learning about the different monsters guns and story is gona be a nice time taker.

 

[asd]

steam sux

 

[Slash]

Originally posted by crabcakes66
your gonna tell me that downloading 2-3 gigs is gonna be faster than installing from cd's?


yeah.....sure

No, I'm not telling you anything. Valve is telling you that.

Also I think Steam and it's methods are the way of the future, but we are not ready for it yet. We have the technology to give everyone in the world unlimited bandwidth and that would definatly allow things like Steam to REALLY work, but that isn't happening any time soon (or ever) because of greedy phone companies :/ So for now, I think it is best to own a hardcopy of the games you have and use Steam just for updates and such. That's what I'm doing anyways

 

[synth]

I'll get a hard copy. The CD won't ever leave my CD drive, so I won't have to worry about losing it

 

[FAK3R]

Well seeing how it works it will most likely be compressed in one way or another and wont actually be a 2-3gb download.. I mean I download a full hl install off of steam in about 3 minutes without having any previous copies of hl installed.
So most likely they will be using some form of compression to make file transfers quicker

 

[thehunter1320]

gabe has stated before (in the VALVe only talk thread) that if you buy a hardcopy of HL2 you have the option of plugging it into steam. so if u lose the disk, you can download it through steam and patches, just like if you buy it from steam. and you'd be able to play it even if ur internet was down. but i'm guessing the steam version will be cheaper due to lack of boxing and the fact you don't have to go through retail so they pass the savings on to you. also i think multi-player will be through steam as well but i'm not sure.

 

[kelisis]

Originally posted by asd
steam sux

Wow. I can really see the highly intelligent conversations going on here.

P.S. Hardcopy beats "virtual" copy any day.

 

[Guest]

with a cs u install it all at once
with steam u download elevels when you get to them
the levels are very high poly and steam caps at 256k
loading times would go from 5 seconds to 5 minutes
with the amount of level you could end up waiting through hours of loading

all because you were too lazy to drive to the store

 

[Chicky]

if it dont come in a box with a cd valve is making a big mistake. also how are people supposed to buy off of steam if it doesnt work on everyones comp and is riddle with bugs n stuff. ive installed it 4 times and it still dont work. there better be a godamned cd

 

[Chicky]

Originally posted by synth
I'll get a hard copy. The CD won't ever leave my CD drive, so I won't have to worry about losing it

what if ur comp explodes?

 

[Dile]

Originally posted by Apos
Seems some people would like to both buy games via Steam yet also somehow get a CD, box, manual, etc. I was just wondering why people who aren't going to buy the game in stores in the first place would want this. I mean, I understand the idea of having a physical copy, but that idea seems kind of outdated. If anything, your liscence is MORE permanent, because you can lose a CD: your credit history, the proof you bought the game via steam, never goes away. Even if Valve were to go out of business, they would almost certainly fulfull the contract and give you a permanent copy (i.e., they add a patch that would allow you to burn it to a CD or play without a Steam connection even without the CD.) I can also understand the appeal of a manual... but no doubt the manual will exist digitally just the same.

Looks like you have misunderstood some info, Apos. If you buy HL2 in a store, you can create a HL2 account just like when buying it via steam. The only difference between the two are:
- Store: you get the whole bundle (box, cd, manual, and some goodies), price is higher.
- Steam: you dont get the box and everything, but its a lot cheaper. And you can stay indoors during the process

So if you buy the retail, you can create your steam account and you can d/l the game anytime, anywhere. If you lose the CD, there still is your steam account, where you can do anything just like if you purchase via steam.