PC gaming's future

[Smooth*{MEOW}*]

Just something for discussion.  I've been noticing some trends in the world of PC gaming.  Some good, alot bad.

It now seems standard to charge 50 bucks for a new game.  Then if it sells well, it stays that price for a month, if it doesn't sell, the price drops.  It used to be that if a game was popular, the price would drop after about 2 weeks or so.

More and more games are being released on DVD, which I think is a good thing.  However I still run into some games with 5 CD's, and generally a large chunk of the last disk includes the latest version of Directx.  Why include this and deal with the production cost of an extra CD?  If you're a gamer, chances are you have the correct version of it anyway.  At a time when a DVD-ROM can be picked up for 20-30 bucks, I can't see why games are still being released on CD.

What happened to jewel cases?  Now we get these little paper sleeves.  If the cost of producing and shipping one of those double plastic cases that holds 4 or 6 CD's is too much, see the above solution.

The days of the 100+ page manuals are gone.  Now you get a black and white photo-copied, 20 page waste of paper.  And that's if you're lucky and the developer/producer didn't get cheap and put it all on a PDF.

Single player replay value is gone, in everything except RPG's and flight sims.  Many developers are coming out with multiplayer only titles, which are still good, but can only be played when there's someone to compete with.

Longevity.  Older titles used to take at least a week to beat.  I recently played through both FEAR and Quake 4 in a 48 hr period.  Obviously not playing all 48 hours, lol.  I enjoyed both, especially FEAR, but they went too fast and I doubt I'll pick them up again for lack of replay value.

Download only titles.  This is probably the stupidest and smartest idea in PC gaming.  Smart because people buy in to it.  Stupid because you don't physically own anything other than a recipt.

Pay for play.  I just don't get why people go for this.  I remember when it started, earlier this decade I think.  Initially people bought into it just to see what the hype was all about.  If you have to pay just to play it, it must be good right?  That gave developers the indication that people were willing, and more pay for play titles came out.  Personally I will not pay to own a game, then pay to use it.

[VooDoo]

I don't have DVD player in my gaming machine, so I buy on CD-ROM. If they ever stop putting them out, then I'll be forced to go buy one.

Manufacturers put the latest version of DirectX on their discs because they will make a few pennies from a sponsor for every disc sold. Internet commerce is made in hits, and search engine status. Weird.

Also, I think that manuals in PDF is much better than hard copy. I always end up losing (or messing up) my hard copies, and would much prefer to print out my own, or parts of, whenever needed.

[Kat*{MEOW}*]

It's all tied to developement cost.  As gamers demand more realism and better graphics the cost to develop the product increases.  Now throw in the fact that PC gaming is a shrinking market, and you can see the need to cut costs. 

Oh, your curious about that shrinking market comment?  I think quite a few gaming sales now go to the console market.  While the raw numbers of PC gamers may not have declined, as a precentage of electronic games sold, consoles have the lions share.

Direct X is included so that the publisher ensures everyone has the right DX on their system.  Imagine all the nasty furom posts when people neglected to DL the newest DX for their new game and it doesn't run!  Remember, many PC gamers are ot real computer litterate.  They buy, or have mommy or daddy buy, the latest Dell or Alien, or Falcon gaming rig.   Their computer knowledge extends to turning on the comp and installing the game.

Yes $50-60 a game is the new standard.  But heck everything has gone up.  Gas used to be .28 a gallon also.  Can't get it for that anymore.

Game downloading is the next way VooDoo.  The day is coming were the only CD/DVD you have of the game will be the one you burn.  It's cheaper for the publisher, and he doesn't have to share profit with a distribution network.  For example the race sim rFactor.  Rather than find a publisher to sell it in stores, the developers have made it available via download only.  The game sells for $39 dollars rather than the $50-60 it would from a publisher.   Also, and most important to me as a gamer, the developers have retained total control of their work.  There is no large corporate entity preassuring them to change something or get the product out before it's ready.  No publisher telling them to forget about a patch, they need to be working on the next product, not fixing the old one.   As a gamer, I'll take that approach.

VooDoo, get a DVD player/burner.  Thier cheap now a days.

[VooDoo]

Arrgh. More hardware to install. That means gotta get a new power supply. Oh, and I should get those new cables to clean up the power routing. Might as well add another fan while the case is open. That should only cost about...

[Kat*{MEOW}*]

Geeeeesh, making mountains again my brother.  Just replace the damn CD burner with a DVD burner.  I can't see that requiring a PS upgrade.  DVD burners also read CD's so your not losing anything.  The other stuff you mention is all BS and excuses.

Man your worse than my wife.  ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) 

[Raidien{MEOW}]

DVD/CD Burner: $38 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827106992)
450W PS: $38 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817182019)
Fans: ~$2 ea. (http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.asp?Submit=ENE&N=2010110062+1294418552&Subcategory=62&description=&srchInDesc=&minPrice=&maxPrice=)

Total: < $100

That's alot of dimp for under $100... well worth it. (PS even has those sleeved cables for better air flow, granted a new PS or additional fans are needed) Now that the shoppings been done for you, shouldn't be too hard :P

[NighEve*{MEOW}*]

I tried a couple of cheaper DVDs ... I now have a Panosonic and a Sony on two machines. ..both about $70US. Well worth the extra money, they do it all DVD RW and CD RW, plus minus etc.

[Raidien{MEOW}]

I've got a Rosewill DVD +/- RW on my main machine and an LG DVD +/- RW on my server... both were < $40... haven't had any issues with either...

[NighEve*{MEOW}*]

I've got a Rosewill DVD +/- RW on my main machine and an LG DVD +/- RW on my server... both were < $40... haven't had any issues with either...

You are a lucky one.

[VooDoo]

I don't own a CD-Burner. Don't know how to use em. I also don't own an iPod, MP3 player, or PSP. My system has a basic CD-ROM player. I guess I could get a DVD-ROM player, that way I could read CDs and DVDs, and also watch Serenity on high-def video graphics.

[Kat*{MEOW}*]

So VooDoo, how do you back up data incase a hard drive fails? 

Anyway the point is a DVD player will also play CD's.  So given you only have a CD rom drive, just replace it, no new PS, no new cables.  Piece a cake, a can o corn, a walk in the park.   

[VooDoo]

Ah, I don't back up this puter. All my important documents are on the other computer. This one has just games and optimizing software installed.

[NighEve*{MEOW}*]

Wow voo.. that's l33t. Not a bad idea

[Kat*{MEOW}*]

Aaaaaaahhhh, so the guy who's b***hen about buying a DVD has TWO (2) computers!   

Sounds like a cheap harddrive and an external enclousure with a USB hookup would be in your future.

[WildCard]

Longevity.  Older titles used to take at least a week to beat.  I recently played through both FEAR and Quake 4 in a 48 hr period.  Obviously not playing all 48 hours, lol.  I enjoyed both, especially FEAR, but they went too fast and I doubt I'll pick them up again for lack of replay value.

Did you ever stop to think that maybe, just maybe you are getting better.  You have been gaming for how may years now?  I would hope that you are getting better.     you get'm killer.  No really go back and play a game that you thought was hard some time ago and see how hard you think it is now.  I'm sure it won't be that hard for you anymore.

The games are marketed to the masses and the masses don't spend a large chunk of their time gaming.  It's all about numbers, try to keep your customer base happy while also trying to bring in new customers.  But if I make the game hard enough for the hard core gamers the newbies won't be able to play.  What do I do as a developer???

I believe Kat to be right on the money about cost.  We as gamers demand more realism and attention to detail and the newbies stand frozen in awe, but it all cost's.  It takes more time and money for the developers.

Take flight Sims for instance.  The learning curve goes from hard to holly crap how am I going to learn all that???  We all have differing degrees of interest.  That's what keeps this warped world of ours turning.  

I also agree with VooDoo about the PDF manuals but at the same time would like a hard copy also.  Take a guess at what Staples or KinKos wants to print out the Falcon 4 Allied Force manual?  It's only around $300.oo bones to use round numbers.  Yes I went from  :o  to    and   and then I decided to    and I felt  <smiletongue>  which kinda made it all better for the moment.  So there you have it, my two cents which don't amount to a hill of beans but there it is anyway.  I'm a DOT!!!