Trying to decide whether I should hold out for a midweek sale, or just give in and grab Arcanum off GOG.
Personally I always prefer to go with GOG when the opportunity is there. DRM free is definitely the way to go, plus they like to provide extras like soundtracks and stuff.
That and from what I understand older GOG games tend to do better on new systems than Steam games do, one of their key points is tweaking games so that they'll run on modern OS's.
Really? I thought Steam did a great job with the X-com series and Dosbox. Took me zero effort to get it started on Windows 7 64-bit. Just installed and played.
I'm the same (Windows 7 64-bit) and frequently encouter problems when running dosbox games - or at least, the colours seem to be fairly consistently messed up without tweaking. And notoriously with some games (such as King's Quest 7) they flat-out refuse to run on newer systems.
But that's not really the point - compatibility and such on Steam is entirely determined by the devs/publishers. They can go in and add HD resolutions, widescreen, quicksaves and a new multiplayer framework (like Rebellion with AvP classic), or just dump the existing files from 10 years ago on the server without testing (like Red Faction II). On GoG, it's the GoG staff themselves who fiddle around with stuff, and they place a much larger emphasis on testing on a wide variety of setups. The tradeoff is that everything is handled centrally, it takes longer to rerelease a game, and the individual game price can be slightly higher.
Everything else being equal, I'd go for GoG every time, but the massive sales and bundling means that Steam can sometimes be drastically cheaper.
Thanks for all the good information. My position has been that I want to use Steam for everything because it's got the biggest market share and the best prices, because I don't want to keep track of a half dozen providers and accounts. I didn't realize GOG was so differentiated in its positioning, enough so that they warrant the effort of keeping track of separately with Steam.
Ideally I'd like to see Steam and GOG work together, but I guess I'll suck it up and give GOG a bookmark and check them out occasionally.
Usually GOG will have better prices than Steam for their games.
And just to round everything off: yes, I think that the notion of having to have multiple account/clients running simultaneously is a major drawback, which is why I've never bought anything from other services except when they're DRM-free (e.g. directly from the developer) or to add the serial to Steam.
Here's the thing, though: you'll never have to interact with your GoG.com account except to download a new game you just bought. Once you've done that, you've got a single installer file that can be burnt to disc, backed up on a hard-drive or whatever - you'll only ever have to redownload if you lose that file. To me, this means that DRM-free games can sit quite happily alongside their Steam counterparts.
Bioptic on
0
mrt144King of the NumbernamesRegistered Userregular
That's a loaded question( I have a huge risk appetite)! Also, I don't want to waste potential predictive powers on things like that. Powerball and Megamillions drawing is tonight and tomorrow!
So, I'm having trouble with Medieval II, the launcher starts, but when I click play or settings, nothing happens, it just loads forever, and if I click again it has the whole not responding thing.
I've had no trouble running Empire or Rome, and I do have Kingdoms installed, so any ideas would be appreciated.
Awesome, I was just thinking recently that we ought to get a Worms 2 game on going, that game was ridiculously fun with a bunch of friends. I think I've even got my old custom sound sets somewhere.
Although I've got the store bought version of Worms World Party. I can't remember, is that still compatible to play with Armageddon or what?
Here's the thing, though: you'll never have to interact with your GoG.com account except to download a new game you just bought. Once you've done that, you've got a single installer file that can be burnt to disc, backed up on a hard-drive or whatever - you'll only ever have to redownload if you lose that file.
See, that's actually my one dislike about GOG. I want a client. Different strokes, I guess.
Here's the thing, though: you'll never have to interact with your GoG.com account except to download a new game you just bought. Once you've done that, you've got a single installer file that can be burnt to disc, backed up on a hard-drive or whatever - you'll only ever have to redownload if you lose that file.
See, that's actually my one dislike about GOG. I want a client. Different strokes, I guess.
I want ONE client. I'm glad GOG doesn't have one. Screw tracking friends and clients over multiple providers.
So I downloaded the Empire: Total War demo but am greeted with a frozen start up screen. Does anyone else have this problem too? I'm running Windows 7, i7, a 260GTX and a dual monitor set up if it helps.
Trying to decide whether I should hold out for a midweek sale, or just give in and grab Arcanum off GOG.
Personally I always prefer to go with GOG when the opportunity is there. DRM free is definitely the way to go, plus they like to provide extras like soundtracks and stuff.
That and from what I understand older GOG games tend to do better on new systems than Steam games do, one of their key points is tweaking games so that they'll run on modern OS's.
Really? I thought Steam did a great job with the X-com series and Dosbox. Took me zero effort to get it started on Windows 7 64-bit. Just installed and played.
I'm the same (Windows 7 64-bit) and frequently encouter problems when running dosbox games - or at least, the colours seem to be fairly consistently messed up without tweaking. And notoriously with some games (such as King's Quest 7) they flat-out refuse to run on newer systems.
But that's not really the point - compatibility and such on Steam is entirely determined by the devs/publishers. They can go in and add HD resolutions, widescreen, quicksaves and a new multiplayer framework (like Rebellion with AvP classic), or just dump the existing files from 10 years ago on the server without testing (like Red Faction II). On GoG, it's the GoG staff themselves who fiddle around with stuff, and they place a much larger emphasis on testing on a wide variety of setups. The tradeoff is that everything is handled centrally, it takes longer to rerelease a game, and the individual game price can be slightly higher.
Everything else being equal, I'd go for GoG every time, but the massive sales and bundling means that Steam can sometimes be drastically cheaper.
I know GOG says they tweak games, but what exactly have they actually done to a game so far, other than slap DOSBox on old DOS games just like steam does too.
I got the Apache VS whatever chopper sim and it doesn't work on my pc at all.
And I regret buying anything on GG or GOG, because now I need to log in on 2 different sites everytime there's a big sale. I really love having the steam client, it's so easy to know what I already have, and it's really easy to install any game.
I really love having the steam client, it's so easy to know what I already have, and it's really easy to install any game.
I honestly can't remember the last game I bought that wasn't on Steam. Pretty much everything recent that I'm interested in has come out on it, which is just fine; the convenience is awesome.
So I downloaded the Empire: Total War demo but am greeted with a frozen start up screen. Does anyone else have this problem too? I'm running Windows 7, i7, a 260GTX and a dual monitor set up if it helps.
How is your dual monitor setup... uhhh set up?
I've got my primary monitor running off of an 8400GS, and my secondary monitor running off of the Intel integrated video, and I'm using Ultramon. I've noticed that some games have issues displaying unless I disable my secondary monitor (right click Ultramon's taskbar icon and select "Disable Secondary") while I play it.
Kinda sucks, but it works. I don't know if you're in a similar situation/configuration as I am or not, but if you are, give it a shot.
edit: Also, I love the Steam Client. Having the "game bank" mentality of being able to download and install whichever game I like from my list, having the friends functionality, and having the store all bundled in is awesome.
At the same time, I really respect GOG and I think what they are doing is awesome, and it kind of makes me sad that I never give them any money.
Steam needs to get off their high horse (or I missed interpreting the winds of the industry and everyone ELSE needs to get off their high horses) and allow more games to be registered on their client using your CD codes.
I've got a number of physical games that are on Steam and I'd LOVE to just register them and toss the damn box, but Steam won't let me.
Steam needs to get off their high horse (or I missed interpreting the winds of the industry and everyone ELSE needs to get off their high horses) and allow more games to be registered on their client using your CD codes.
I've got a number of physical games that are on Steam and I'd LOVE to just register them and toss the damn box, but Steam won't let me.
I don't believe you have any idea at all about how those things work. In any way. Seriously.
Steam needs to get off their high horse (or I missed interpreting the winds of the industry and everyone ELSE needs to get off their high horses) and allow more games to be registered on their client using your CD codes.
I've got a number of physical games that are on Steam and I'd LOVE to just register them and toss the damn box, but Steam won't let me.
I don't believe you have any idea at all about how those things work. In any way. Seriously.
Seriously. The long and the short of it is that Steam's paying for the bandwidth every time you download from them, and make use of their massive infrastructure. Why should Valve pay for you to download those games when you never actually bought them off of Steam? The very few non-Valve games that have been allowed to work in this fashion have arrived at that place through very specific negotiations with Valve, and sometimes simply Valve's own goodwill.
Steam isn't a subscription service, you don't pay a monthly fee. Everything is paid for by the games they sell, that is the very nature of the service they provide. You buy on Steam, you can re-download wherever and whenever you want. You can't expect them to provide this functionality for games that they didn't sell, that doesn't make any sense.
Steam doesn't make money off of the games sold in stores, unless the game is tied to Steam itself and the publisher / developer has worked out a deal with them on that front (Dawn of War 2 for example, where the game is linked to Steam even if it's store-bought. Relic made a deal with Steam to make use of their infrastructure).
Steam needs to get off their high horse (or I missed interpreting the winds of the industry and everyone ELSE needs to get off their high horses) and allow more games to be registered on their client using your CD codes.
I've got a number of physical games that are on Steam and I'd LOVE to just register them and toss the damn box, but Steam won't let me.
I don't believe you have any idea at all about how those things work. In any way. Seriously.
Seriously. The long and the short of it is that Steam's paying for the bandwidth every time you download from them, and make use of their massive infrastructure. Why should Valve pay for you to download those games when you never actually bought them off of Steam? The very few non-Valve games that have been allowed to work in this fashion have arrived at that place through very specific negotiations with Valve, and sometimes simply Valve's own goodwill.
Steam isn't a subscription service, you don't pay a monthly fee. Everything is paid for by the games they sell, that is the very nature of the service they provide. You buy on Steam, you can re-download wherever and whenever you want. You can't expect them to provide this functionality for games that they didn't sell, that doesn't make any sense.
What, you expect me to believe that Steam doesn't have direct control of the entire gaming industry?
What, you expect me to believe that Steam doesn't have direct control of the entire gaming industry?
Maybe when Valve releases their own Steam based console, and coincide it with the release Orange Box 2. Which contains Half-Life 3 (and HL2 and Episodes), Portal 2, and Counter-Strike 2. Then yeah, they'll probably own everything.
I know GOG says they tweak games, but what exactly have they actually done to a game so far, other than slap DOSBox on old DOS games just like steam does too.
I got the Apache VS whatever chopper sim and it doesn't work on my pc at all.
And I regret buying anything on GG or GOG, because now I need to log in on 2 different sites everytime there's a big sale. I really love having the steam client, it's so easy to know what I already have, and it's really easy to install any game.
I spent hours trying to make Riven work on my wife's XP tablet before giving it up as a lost cause.
The GoG installer version of Riven just installed and ran, first go.
If they had a cult, I'd be getting fitted for my hooded robe and practicing my chanting.
Now we just need Crusader (No Remorse and No Regret), TIE Fighter/X-Wing and a few other gems (Mechwarrior 2!) and my old school gaming needs will be met.
Also Final Fantasy 4 and 6, if they have the time.
Forar on
First they came for the Muslims, and we said NOT TODAY, MOTHERFUCKER!
Now we just need Crusader (No Remorse and No Regret), TIE Fighter/X-Wing and a few other gems (Mechwarrior 2!) and my old school gaming needs will be met.
Also Final Fantasy 4 and 6, if they have the time.
Gabe Newell: Okay, promised the intern after loosing the bet that for 1 day, pay 5 dollars and register your physical game with steam (stupid Saints with their onside kick). Lets see how this goes.
8:00am $
GN: Not bad
8:30am $$
GN: Meh, not too bad. Whoops gotta go to yoga and listen to pitches and generally be the boss
3:30pm
GN: so lets see what my drunken bet has won me.
GN:Holy shit! The fat has flown from my body in shock!
Yeah, there is a great big box of games in my storage room that would get the steam treatment if it was offered. It would basically be the penultimate DLC for games that came out years ago.
Yeah, paying Valve $5 and being able to register a game on Steam would be such a tremendous licensing and acquisitionary clusterfuck man I don't even know where to fucking begin.
Gabe Newell: Okay, promised the intern after loosing the bet that for 1 day, pay 5 dollars and register your physical game with steam (stupid Saints with their onside kick). Lets see how this goes.
8:00am $
GN: Not bad
8:30am $$
GN: Meh, not too bad. Whoops gotta go to yoga and listen to pitches and generally be the boss
3:30pm
GN: so lets see what my drunken bet has won me.
GN:Holy shit! The fat has flown from my body in shock!
Yeah, there is a great big box of games in my storage room that would get the steam treatment if it was offered. It would basically be the penultimate DLC for games that came out years ago.
For crying out loud guys, this isn't complicated to understand.
In order for your scenario to take place, Valve would have to go to every publisher and request that every game they ever released be allowed to be registered on Steam, which they'd almost certainly refuse. Getting past that monumental hurdle in itself, then contracts would need to be worked out, likely some form of monetary exchanges with the publishers as well for having access to those catalogues. All the games would need to be tweaked to be able make use of Steam as well (I'm not talking about mechanics like Steam cloud, even simply altering the executables so that they require access through Steam and can't be used without it).
Company refusals for any number of a hundred different reasons. Companies that run their own stores and want to keep profits exclusive to themselves. Companies that already have exlcusivity deals with other organisations and retail. Concerns about the reaction of other marketplaces. Differing contract deals with each organisation concerned. Piracy concerns. Monetary issues and distribution to rights holders and creative artists involved. IP and copyright spread across dozens of different organisations and companies. The summary undercutting and outright replacing of brick and mortar retail and the incredibly MASSIVE repercussions those are likely to carry.
It. Is. NOT. THAT. FREAKING. SIMPLE.
EDIT: Or essentially what SmokeStacks said in other words.
subedii on
0
mrt144King of the NumbernamesRegistered Userregular
edited February 2010
Cant you just get something that mimics a CD/DVD drive on your computer, create an ISO image of the CD and go from there?
Posts
And just to round everything off: yes, I think that the notion of having to have multiple account/clients running simultaneously is a major drawback, which is why I've never bought anything from other services except when they're DRM-free (e.g. directly from the developer) or to add the serial to Steam.
Here's the thing, though: you'll never have to interact with your GoG.com account except to download a new game you just bought. Once you've done that, you've got a single installer file that can be burnt to disc, backed up on a hard-drive or whatever - you'll only ever have to redownload if you lose that file. To me, this means that DRM-free games can sit quite happily alongside their Steam counterparts.
Holy shit you control the future
http://www.bluesnews.com/s/107245/worms-2-armageddon-coming-to-steam
NO FUCKING WAY! I beat that by an hour.
Listen up
What stocks should I buy
That's a loaded question( I have a huge risk appetite)! Also, I don't want to waste potential predictive powers on things like that. Powerball and Megamillions drawing is tonight and tomorrow!
1,7,9,2,5
Lottery ticket
Go go go
I've had no trouble running Empire or Rome, and I do have Kingdoms installed, so any ideas would be appreciated.
Although I've got the store bought version of Worms World Party. I can't remember, is that still compatible to play with Armageddon or what?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkDolOm2UlY
That is some spooky shit.
Steam profile.
Getting started with BATTLETECH: Part 1 / Part 2
What the fuuuck.
Now do System Shock!
Twitter 3DS: 0860 - 3257 - 2516
See, that's actually my one dislike about GOG. I want a client. Different strokes, I guess.
buy one of every stock
somethings goin up
I want ONE client. I'm glad GOG doesn't have one. Screw tracking friends and clients over multiple providers.
Agreed. Worms: Armageddon was no slouch though:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6D4Yr3ebNoQ
I know GOG says they tweak games, but what exactly have they actually done to a game so far, other than slap DOSBox on old DOS games just like steam does too.
I got the Apache VS whatever chopper sim and it doesn't work on my pc at all.
And I regret buying anything on GG or GOG, because now I need to log in on 2 different sites everytime there's a big sale. I really love having the steam client, it's so easy to know what I already have, and it's really easy to install any game.
I honestly can't remember the last game I bought that wasn't on Steam. Pretty much everything recent that I'm interested in has come out on it, which is just fine; the convenience is awesome.
How is your dual monitor setup... uhhh set up?
I've got my primary monitor running off of an 8400GS, and my secondary monitor running off of the Intel integrated video, and I'm using Ultramon. I've noticed that some games have issues displaying unless I disable my secondary monitor (right click Ultramon's taskbar icon and select "Disable Secondary") while I play it.
Kinda sucks, but it works. I don't know if you're in a similar situation/configuration as I am or not, but if you are, give it a shot.
edit: Also, I love the Steam Client. Having the "game bank" mentality of being able to download and install whichever game I like from my list, having the friends functionality, and having the store all bundled in is awesome.
At the same time, I really respect GOG and I think what they are doing is awesome, and it kind of makes me sad that I never give them any money.
I've got a number of physical games that are on Steam and I'd LOVE to just register them and toss the damn box, but Steam won't let me.
I don't believe you have any idea at all about how those things work. In any way. Seriously.
Seriously. The long and the short of it is that Steam's paying for the bandwidth every time you download from them, and make use of their massive infrastructure. Why should Valve pay for you to download those games when you never actually bought them off of Steam? The very few non-Valve games that have been allowed to work in this fashion have arrived at that place through very specific negotiations with Valve, and sometimes simply Valve's own goodwill.
Steam isn't a subscription service, you don't pay a monthly fee. Everything is paid for by the games they sell, that is the very nature of the service they provide. You buy on Steam, you can re-download wherever and whenever you want. You can't expect them to provide this functionality for games that they didn't sell, that doesn't make any sense.
Steam doesn't make money off of the games sold in stores, unless the game is tied to Steam itself and the publisher / developer has worked out a deal with them on that front (Dawn of War 2 for example, where the game is linked to Steam even if it's store-bought. Relic made a deal with Steam to make use of their infrastructure).
What, you expect me to believe that Steam doesn't have direct control of the entire gaming industry?
Maybe when Valve releases their own Steam based console, and coincide it with the release Orange Box 2. Which contains Half-Life 3 (and HL2 and Episodes), Portal 2, and Counter-Strike 2. Then yeah, they'll probably own everything.
I spent hours trying to make Riven work on my wife's XP tablet before giving it up as a lost cause.
The GoG installer version of Riven just installed and ran, first go.
If they had a cult, I'd be getting fitted for my hooded robe and practicing my chanting.
Now we just need Crusader (No Remorse and No Regret), TIE Fighter/X-Wing and a few other gems (Mechwarrior 2!) and my old school gaming needs will be met.
Also Final Fantasy 4 and 6, if they have the time.
The heck?
God if they took Mechwarrior 2 and Rebellion'd the multiplayer like AvP (letting us use Steam for multi), that would be an instant purchase for me.
8:00am $
GN: Not bad
8:30am $$
GN: Meh, not too bad. Whoops gotta go to yoga and listen to pitches and generally be the boss
3:30pm
GN: so lets see what my drunken bet has won me.
GN:Holy shit! The fat has flown from my body in shock!
Yeah, there is a great big box of games in my storage room that would get the steam treatment if it was offered. It would basically be the penultimate DLC for games that came out years ago.
http://www.fallout3nexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=16534
If they did that for Heavy Gear 2, I'd probably have to quit my job, or secretly game at my job and probably get fired.
For crying out loud guys, this isn't complicated to understand.
In order for your scenario to take place, Valve would have to go to every publisher and request that every game they ever released be allowed to be registered on Steam, which they'd almost certainly refuse. Getting past that monumental hurdle in itself, then contracts would need to be worked out, likely some form of monetary exchanges with the publishers as well for having access to those catalogues. All the games would need to be tweaked to be able make use of Steam as well (I'm not talking about mechanics like Steam cloud, even simply altering the executables so that they require access through Steam and can't be used without it).
Company refusals for any number of a hundred different reasons. Companies that run their own stores and want to keep profits exclusive to themselves. Companies that already have exlcusivity deals with other organisations and retail. Concerns about the reaction of other marketplaces. Differing contract deals with each organisation concerned. Piracy concerns. Monetary issues and distribution to rights holders and creative artists involved. IP and copyright spread across dozens of different organisations and companies. The summary undercutting and outright replacing of brick and mortar retail and the incredibly MASSIVE repercussions those are likely to carry.
It. Is. NOT. THAT. FREAKING. SIMPLE.
EDIT: Or essentially what SmokeStacks said in other words.