Games on Demand

[Will]

Yahoo are now offering games on demand. It's an interesting idea, and for a lot of modern games, will save you a fair bit of cash (Max Payne, anyone?). The flip side is that companies are wanting you to move to software rental in a more permenant way, so you buy a licence to run the code, rather than a copy of the game to run at your leisure, and this is the first step.

Hmnnn, I'm undecided. What do you lot think?

 

[Wij]

I'm undecided.


Nah, not really, I like a disc in a box that I OWN and I can do what I like with it when I like.

*shove disk up arse*

 

[caLLous]

What would they use, some time-limited protection or something? And would it be the entire game or just a reduced part of it for an easier download?

I, like Wij, like to have the disc in front of me, to do with as I please (not the same as Wij though ).

*Notes: You only need to download the inital cache once per game.
*AOL users pre-cache may be larger.

Har har.

 

[Shocko]

I'd be against this. I do like to actually own the game, and be able to install/uninstall at my leisure, play it 2years later, or let a friend borrow it.

/Edit:

We have detected you are using unix, Games on Demand only works under Windows 9x/ME/2000/XP

Maybe there'd be a few games i'm interested in, but nm, taking part in this would encourage them for licenced gaming, so the temptation's not there

 

[~YuckFou~]

Interesting, if not new, idea.
Isn't there already a service similar to this? Now whats it called? hmmm ka... no thats not it

I like to have the box too, and the instruction book, and all the other crap you find in there. There is pleasure to be had in unwrapping the box, reading the stuff etc.

The other benefit is when you bore of the game you go to ebay and sell it.

 

[FatBusinessman]

Originally posted by Wij
*shove disk up arse*

Bad Wij! No pie for you!

 

[doh_boy]

Aren't M$ after doing something similar with the "next Version of windows"?

 

[GDW]

BT Openworld I think has or was meant to have games on demand a year ago i think....never checked, because the likes of Direct connect Kazza etc etc have also had games on demand for quite some time now and they are much cheaper....apparently

 

[Daffeh]

hmm only 3 days


i like to take my games with games, so 3 days wouldnt be enough, but i probably wouldnt like the game enough to then go buy it anyway

 

[Louster]

Originally posted by Wij
I'm undecided.


Nah, not really, I like a disc in a box that I OWN and I can do what I like with it when I like.

*shove disk up arse*

What about all these nuts EULAs that're coming out now, though? You don't have full ownership of any game anymore it seems. Even buying a CD is just "renting the software indefinitely" or something.

 

[Shocko]

Nah, i don't think a clause like that could have any legal weight. Games have had things in the instructions, saying you can't sell it, rent it out or lend it, for years and years, yet the law permits you to do all three, i think.

 

[old.Jas]

Originally posted by doh_boy
Aren't M$ after doing something similar with the "next Version of windows"?

Yeah - changing software into 'services' that you subscribe to. They are doing it with office already.

Broadband can only bring more of this type of selling.

Valve are doing well developing 'Steam' a broadband game delivery tool. Counter-Strike Condition Zero will be available on this, as well as a traditional boxed version.

 

[MYstIC G]

Originally posted by Itcheh
Yahoo are now offering games on demand. It's an interesting idea, and for a lot of modern games, will save you a fair bit of cash (Max Payne, anyone?). The flip side is that companies are wanting you to move to software rental in a more permenant way, so you buy a licence to run the code, rather than a copy of the game to run at your leisure, and this is the first step.

Hmnnn, I'm undecided. What do you lot think?

crap, renting is a shite concept, i like to own my own stuff

 

[nath]

BT Openworld did a trial of this shite early on. It was quite lame. I tried a free 30min trial of the new alone in the dark and it was utter pants.

Well, actually the streaming was ok but the game was shiteness.

It'll be way too expensive for my liking. I dont wanna pay 3 quid for a weeks worth of play because i'll probably play it once/twice in that time.

Might be a good deal if I was a lifeless geek and did nothing but play games all day long. Alas, those days are behind me

 

[GDW]

^^ ahhh so there is life after geekness then

 

[Sar]

It'd be good for demoing a game, then if you liked it you could go on then to buy it. It'd probably cut down on some warezing, but as a replacement for retailing games I'd give it a huge thumbs down.

I'm still playing through BG2 on and off since I bought it about 2/3 years ago - that sort of scenario would cost way too much via this scheme.

I prefer owning the game outright, and to have the discs and manuals etc. But then again 99% of people will, because humans prefer to touch things to "have" them properly.

The only bit of software I own outright which wasn't installed from a disc, and downloaded instead, is ACDSee, an image catalogue application.

Oh well, gotta go, College is over for the night

 

[nath]

Digiguide for me, cos it roxors and a fiver a year is not a lot.