The Steam discussion topic! Joy and happiness, right here, folks.

SecuROM isn't always so evil, really. It comes in multiple flavors, all the way from basic disc check, all the way up to non-revocable limited activations.
 
[quote name='CoffeeEdge']SecuROM isn't always so evil, really. It comes in multiple flavors, all the way from basic disc check, all the way up to non-revocable limited activations.[/QUOTE]

Evil is not a word I would use. Unwanted, Unnecessary and ineffective are.
 
I would love to take advantage of this deal...as I think it is very much worth it but I already have 76 games on the back burner and I need to end those before I move on to another game.
 
[quote name='helixfc3s']Is anyone doing the Bioshock 4-pack? I'm a bit reluctant to do it with strangers, but $33.75 is a better purchase than $45.[/QUOTE]

check the deals forum, there is a thread there for Bioshock 2 on steam and a bunch of people getting together for 4 packs inside it. That is where I found a group
 
[quote name='Hydro2Oxide']I'd buy CoH in a heartbeat but I bought the origianl off D2D. I imagine the expansions are worth the money but I can't really justify it.[/QUOTE]

The first one, Opposing Fronts, is definitely worth the $5 imo...I don't know about cross compatibility with steam versions vs. others--if I'm not mistaken, you log into a relic system that keeps track of what keys you have entered.

Not to mention when I bought just the 3rd one (tales of valor) from steam, and already owned the retail versions of both CoH & OF (and had installed already on my machine) it preloaded both the Original & Opposing Fronts onto steam...so you might want to double check that.

edit: corrected last sentence
 
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[quote name='VGmnk']The first one, Opposing Fronts, is definitely worth the $5 imo...I don't know about cross compatibility with steam versions vs. others--if I'm not mistaken, you log into a relic system that keeps track of what keys you have entered.

Not to mention when I bought just the 3rd one (tales of valor) it preloaded the other one...so you might want to double check that.[/QUOTE]


Yeah, it should work since you log into Relics system.

I know you can use a retail copy of CoH with the expansions from steam.
 
[quote name='Logain8955']If anyone's doing a Bioshock 4 pack, I'd be interested in jumping in.[/QUOTE]

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Sorry for posting for something organizing on Steam in the Steam thread :p

Besides, seems like all the people in the deals thread who are left are CAG Newbies, was hoping there'd be some older members still looking in here.
 
BF:BC2 is now avalible for preorder, so is the DA:O expansion. Neither have decreased prices/4 packs but BC2 has the 5 extra weapons/perks and beta access.
 
I'm too much of a BF whore to wait for a price drop. I can't wait to play it on my PC (I've already been in the PS3 beta and loved it), so the $50 is well worth it for me.
 
Mass Effect 2 is getting really good reviews. I'm excited to play it, but I'm still gonna wait for a deal. I'd kick myself if I bought it for $45 and it was $25-30 in a month as a big deal.

Also, doesn't it seem a bit like a conflict of interests to be releasing that and the Dragon Age expansion so close together? (At $40, that's about the most expensive expansion I've heard of. It better more than double the game's content, or it's kind of a rip.)
 
[quote name='Jesse_Dylan']Mass Effect 2 is getting really good reviews. I'm excited to play it, but I'm still gonna wait for a deal. I'd kick myself if I bought it for $45 and it was $25-30 in a month as a big deal.

Also, doesn't it seem a bit like a conflict of interests to be releasing that and the Dragon Age expansion so close together? (At $40, that's about the most expensive expansion I've heard of. It better more than double the game's content, or it's kind of a rip.)[/QUOTE]

You can get ME2 for $37 at Amazon when you factor in the $10 off coupon you get.
 
[quote name='Jesse_Dylan']Mass Effect 2 is getting really good reviews. I'm excited to play it, but I'm still gonna wait for a deal. I'd kick myself if I bought it for $45 and it was $25-30 in a month as a big deal.

Also, doesn't it seem a bit like a conflict of interests to be releasing that and the Dragon Age expansion so close together? (At $40, that's about the most expensive expansion I've heard of. It better more than double the game's content, or it's kind of a rip.)[/QUOTE]

You're not going to see a price drop on ME2 any time soon, especially on Steam, not as long as they have announced DLC. Retail might have some sales, but everything is up for grabs with retail.

DA:O and ME are two separate games that appeal to separate audiences. People who might like the Sci Fi genre of Mass Effect may not like the fantasy of DA:O and vice versa. Some people might like both, but it's going to be a month and half (which is plenty of time for people to beat, play, and forget about the game) between the releases that's already packed full of some highly anticipated games.

Also to note: You need DA:O on Steam if you want the X-pack on Steam. And the BFBC2 bonuses (besides the beta) are really just unlocked perks. So anyone can get them eventually by playing the game when it's released.
 
[quote name='Ryukahn']You can get ME2 for $37 at Amazon when you factor in the $10 off coupon you get.[/QUOTE]

I want it on Steamy-weamy. I regret having DA:O on disc. Maybe I'll just wait about the expansion (wasn't going to buy it anytime soon anyway) and buy the inevitable RPG OF THE MILLENNIUM!!!!! edition on Steam that includes all the DLC and the expansion.
 
Well, I want the DA:O expansion sooner rather than later (and preferably on Steam), but full price and no preorder bonus? You've got to be kidding me. I'm sure it'll get at least a minor discount soon enough.
 
That's truly my main beef with Steam. Often retail games can be had considerably cheaper via shopping around, but on Steam, they're full price unless they decide to have a deal. Not only that, but with digital distribution, no one is paying for DVD pressing, the box, manual (which is usually a non-issue since most games don't have good manuals anymore), store space, shipping, blah blah blah.

Yet we pay retail on Steam and can get it for less AT retail?

Lame. I'm hoping that's altered as digital distribution becomes the norm.

If I weren't addicted to having games at my fingertips on Steam, and if they didn't have such great sales when it suits them, I'd stick to retail.
 
[quote name='Jesse_Dylan']If I weren't addicted to having games at my fingertips on Steam, and if they didn't have such great sales when it suits them, I'd stick to retail.[/QUOTE]
Ditto.
 
[quote name='Jesse_Dylan']Yet we pay retail on Steam and can get it for less AT retail?

Lame. I'm hoping that's altered as digital distribution becomes the norm.[/QUOTE]

Agreed. I'm optimistic, though. I prefer digital distribution for music, too, and I don't see CDs cheaper than their MP3 counterparts too often these days. We'll get there with games eventually.

Steam sales are usually pretty great, but as you said, you have to wait... and wait... and wait. Still, that's what being a CAG means: you've got to be flexible, either by being patient or being flexible as to distribution method. The only time I've deliberately paid more for a Steam version over boxed was for The Witcher. I consider that a bit of a special case, though; skipping all that patching and downloading was worth a couple extra bucks.
 
Plus The Witcher is just plain awesome. :D

I've got more than enough games to keep me busy all year. Sometimes I get a little antsy if it's a game I'm really excited about, but that's less and less often these days. I'm a crank who was happiest on his SNES and 80286 with 4MB memory and 20MB hard drive.
 
[quote name='Jesse_Dylan']Plus The Witcher is just plain awesome. :D[/QUOTE]

Seriously. :D

After my massive spending binge during the Steam sale, I'm pretty much set for the year. DA:O is a special case, though; it's as if the developers plugged directly into my brain and built their game around what I want most in this life. I'm big on being patient and waiting for price drops, but when a game is designed so obviously for you, it's time to surrender and open up your wallet.
 
You mean the original DA:O or the Expansion? Or both?

I'm baffled by the $39.99 pricetag. I paid less for DA:O itself (and did indeed enjoy it minus the rather obnoxious combat).
 
[quote name='Jesse_Dylan']You mean the original DA:O or the Expansion? Or both?

I'm baffled by the $39.99 pricetag. I paid less for DA:O itself (and did indeed enjoy it minus the rather obnoxious combat).[/QUOTE]

Both, I guess. I mean, I bought the original fairly soon after release-- much earlier than I generally buy games, anyway-- and, since I love it and want more of the same, plan to buy the expansion even quicker.

$40 is pretty outrageous, but as I understand it, it's a metric ton of new story/gameplay. I'll gripe, but I'll pay it. (Or ~$35, anyway. Like I said, I'm sure there'll be a sale.)
 
Yeah, there had better be a lot of new stuff... They pumped it out pretty quick, too. That kind of stuff always makes me nervous. :)

You like what you like, though. I do like it a lot, and if I liked it enough, I'd go for it, too!
 
[quote name='Jesse_Dylan']Yeah, there had better be a lot of new stuff... They pumped it out pretty quick, too. That kind of stuff always makes me nervous. :)

You like what you like, though. I do like it a lot, and if I liked it enough, I'd go for it, too![/QUOTE]

Yeah, there's no accounting for taste. :D
 
The combat on normal makes me want to punch myself in the crotch (at least as a thief), but on easy it's just... too easy. :(

I miss the days of turn-based combat.
 
[quote name='Jesse_Dylan']I miss the days of turn-based combat.[/QUOTE]

Sigh. Me too. But see, this just proves how completely bonkers I am about DA:O. I hear the criticism, I nod and say, "yes, of course, you're right," but then I boot up the game and I just do not care. Heh.
 
[quote name='Jesse_Dylan']Actually, I assumed I was in the minority when it came to disliking the combat.[/QUOTE]

Maybe, but you're definitely not alone. The combat's worse on the consoles, though, so that generates the most noise. I don't actually think it's more broken than any other game with party-based, real-time combat, but it's still annoying. Thus the longing for turn-based combat. I choose to play on easy and just get on with it.
 
[quote name='Jesse_Dylan']Yet we pay retail on Steam and can get it for less AT retail?

Lame. I'm hoping that's altered as digital distribution becomes the norm.[/QUOTE]

lollllllll

Ah, that made me laugh.
 
[quote name='Jesse_Dylan']I want it on Steamy-weamy. I regret having DA:O on disc. Maybe I'll just wait about the expansion (wasn't going to buy it anytime soon anyway) and buy the inevitable RPG OF THE MILLENNIUM!!!!! edition on Steam that includes all the DLC and the expansion.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I wish my copy of DAO was on steam, but I figure there will be a GOTY version with the expansion and DLC so I'll just wait and buy it then.
 
I'm glad Indigo Prophecy was as cheap as it was during the holiday sale because the last half of it is solid crap. Tank controls make me want to punch babies.
 
[quote name='Jesse_Dylan']Yet we pay retail on Steam and can get it for less AT retail?

Lame. I'm hoping that's altered as digital distribution becomes the norm.[/QUOTE]

The reason for this is because brick & mortar retailers don't want publishers significantly underselling them digitally, drawing away business, and can threaten to not carry products unless prices for digital distribution are kept on a similar level. It's the same reason music costs roughly the same on iTunes, and on CD.
 
[quote name='CoffeeEdge']The reason for this is because brick & mortar retailers don't want publishers significantly underselling them digitally, drawing away business, and can threaten to not carry products unless prices for digital distribution are kept on a similar level. It's the same reason music costs roughly the same on iTunes, and on CD.[/QUOTE]

Has this been documented somewhere? I'm interested in reading more about it. It looks like CD prices have actually been going up while the cost of digital music has largely remained flat. Amazon is the beacon of hope regarding digital music distribution: there are over 800 albums right now priced at 5 bucks, and there's a daily deal that has an album priced below 3 bucks. Bestsellers are 7.99, which is 2 bucks cheaper than iTunes, and let's not forget that the MP3s are high quality and DRM-free.
 
[quote name='CoffeeEdge']Pfft, FLAC says "hi."[/QUOTE]

Nitpicker. High quality MP3s. At some point, lossless compression algorithms coupled with much cheaper storage will make MP3s a thing of the past, but for now, they work just fine.
 
[quote name='CoffeeEdge']Pfft, FLAC says "hi."[/QUOTE]

Eh, I've done blind testing with decently high quality sound systems, and to be honest, I can't tell the difference in quality for anything better than MP3 at 256kbps. So I think calling Amazon's MP3 offerings "high quality" is fair enough, at least for those of us with average ears and consumer level sound systems.

Me, I'll take MP3 over FLAC for ease of use and storage. Er, much like I prefer Steam over disc distribution. *looks guilty, drags thread back on topic*
 
[quote name='CoffeeEdge']The reason for this is because brick & mortar retailers don't want publishers significantly underselling them digitally, drawing away business, and can threaten to not carry products unless prices for digital distribution are kept on a similar level. It's the same reason music costs roughly the same on iTunes, and on CD.[/QUOTE]
That does make sense, but I also think it is more of a lets put it at retail price so we can make more money. Since they don't need to worry about shipping the game and such there has to be some extra money involved somewhere in the process.

Also with CD's and music downloads, on the zune marketplace a lot of albums are 800 MS points (which I think is $10) and I seen the same albums for $15-$17 at FYE. The difference is though with CD's you get the best quality of music while with a game disc, you just get a disc to save some hours of downloading.
 
I think (from purely anecdotal evidence, admittedly) that the price advantage of MP3s is bigger for more obscure music. The latest hit album might be $8 at Walmart, but the weird local group's back catalog will run you $15 at Amazon or a specialist shop. With a lower volume sold, overhead costs are higher, per CD, and that gets reflected in the retail price.

Plus, if the Amazon/iTunes pricing model isn't doing it for you, there are a number of (arguably cheaper) alternatives. Napster, Amie Street, eMusic-- it just depends on what you're looking for and how you want to listen to it. So yes, I still think the music industry is an encouraging model for digital distribution of games. I just hope that Steam et al. have learned some lessons from the music industry's many anti-consumer PR disasters.
 
[quote name='dfg']I'm glad Indigo Prophecy was as cheap as it was during the holiday sale because the last half of it is solid crap. Tank controls make me want to punch babies.[/QUOTE]

I really want to get in to this game because the concept is really cool but I feel, how would I say, an extreme amount of 'pressure' when I play. I often get this in games with multiple endings and choices. I always feel like I'm doing something wrong. The only games I don't feel this are Bethesda games for some reason.

And wait a minute, there's a tank...?
 
Does anyone else have the problem of having a hard time turning down the Steam midweek/weekend deals when they are a great deal even though you have like 60 game backlog on your Steam account already?
 
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