PCs and DVD: when's it gonna be standard?

[YoshiM]

The post about the PC game Corridor 7 along with a recent perusing of a magazine rack got me to wondering: how come DVD hasn't become the standard for computer software? My first (and last) time I played Corridor 7 was when it was included on a demo disk with the then fledgling PC Gamer magazine. Not long afterwards PC Gamer packaged their first CD-ROM demo disc with about 10 to 15 demos on it. CD games barely used up the 650 MB that was available. Last night I looked at the latest issue of PC Gamer and there are only two demos on it. Both were between 250 to 300 MB in size.

Software is getting bigger and bigger. New computers are practically pre-packaged with some cheapo DVD drives. Hell, DVD drives are about $35 and burners are now less than $100. But I can maybe count the PC games that are on DVD that I know of on one hand. What's holding the industry back?

[dethink]

But I can maybe count the PC games that are on DVD that I know of on one hand. What's holding the industry back?

PC owners. LOL

look at it this way, if the mac were a viable gaming platform, and the only way to store a game was on a terrabyte holographic cube that can only be read by a special slot that holds the cube, apple would say "screw you guys!" and have the publisher put it on there anyways, then integrate the cube drive into the top end G5, with it appearing on the rest of the line at the next keynote, then into the rest of the machines in a year...until then, you're stuck having to buy an expensive external firewire cube drive.*














*p.s. - i am a mac user. LOL

PC devs will keep putting stuff on CD's until there is absolutely no way to fit the software on there, and 100% of PC's have been shipping with DVD drives for at least a decade. it's a bit more friendly to consumers than ADAPT OR DIE!!

[Ed Oscuro]

That's quite intriguing, but if the storage device is a cube, how're they going to stack copies of PC gaming magazines?

[SegaAges]

there are some pc games out there that require 3 or 4 cds for 1 game when it could all be done with 1 dvd. i thought that sims 2 was going to be out on dvd, or am i wrong? am i pretty sure that they will release it on dvd even if it is also release on cd. i could be wrong, but i am pretty sure

[davidbrit2]

there are some pc games out there that require 3 or 4 cds for 1 game when it could all be done with 1 dvd. i thought that sims 2 was going to be out on dvd, or am i wrong? am i pretty sure that they will release it on dvd even if it is also release on cd. i could be wrong, but i am pretty sure

I think I saw a DVD version on the shelf at Target the other day.

[dethink]

That's quite intriguing, but if the storage device is a cube, how're they going to stack copies of PC gaming magazines?

why would they put mac holo-cubes in PC gaming mags? :p ;)

then again, we all thought they were crazy in '98 when they started making everything USB and did away with serial/PS2 ports...

[davidbrit2]

That's quite intriguing, but if the storage device is a cube, how're they going to stack copies of PC gaming magazines?

why would they put mac holo-cubes in PC gaming mags? :p ;)

then again, we all thought they were crazy in '98 when they started making everything USB and did away with serial/PS2 ports...

Yeah, and remember the shock and awe caused by the iMac with no floppy drive? Now the reaction is usually "Floppy drive? Who the fuck still uses that?" ;-)

[SegaAges]

dude, holo cubes sound cool. what do they look like?

[Duncan]

there are some pc games out there that require 3 or 4 cds for 1 game when it could all be done with 1 dvd. i thought that sims 2 was going to be out on dvd, or am i wrong? am i pretty sure that they will release it on dvd even if it is also release on cd. i could be wrong, but i am pretty sure

I think I saw a DVD version on the shelf at Target the other day.

You did...but there's a CD version, too. We're selling both.

And at the same price, oddly enough. (I don't think the DVD version comes with anything extra-special, but I could be wrong.)

Doesn't matter, because my crap-ass old PC most likely won't run it anyway. How dare it be five years old! (HP Pavilion 8700 with AMD Athlon 733Mhz, 128M RAM if you're interested in that kind of stuff.)

[dethink]

Yeah, and remember the shock and awe caused by the iMac with no floppy drive? Now the reaction is usually "Floppy drive? Who the fuck still uses that?" ;-)

i run an art department...we seriously have to withold chuckles when the only way someone can get art to us is a 3.5" floppy via mail...

[SoulBlazer]

Yeah, I don't understand why DVD games for PC did'nt become standard either. :hmm: When I got my new system in 98 I INSISTED on a DVD drive for some of the DVD games coming out and was convienced that it was the wave of the future. x_x

I can count on both hands the number of DVD games that have been released since now and then.

Perhaps its cause they are'nt really needed with PC games as opposed to console games, or the PC gaming market is smaller and there is'nt enough push or profit margin to do them?

[Iron Draggon]

Well I dunno, but I wish that they'd hurry the hell up. Far Cry comes on 6 CD's for crying out loud, and that's just ridiculous. Why put it on that many CD's when it would all fit on one DVD? It's just insanity. Every new computer system out there comes standard with a DVD ROM now. And you can get one as an upgrade for only $20 too. So why am I playing Rallisport Challenge on 3 CD's on the PC, while XBOX owners are playing it on one DVD? It just doesn't make any sense. PC Gamer recently published a letter about this very same topic. Some guy was wanting to know the exact same thing, and the staff basically said the exact same thing that I just said. Developers, wake the hell up. PC gamers are tired of having to keep up with a whole box full of CD's just to play the exact same game that XBOX & PS2 owners are playing on only one DVD. There's no reason not to do it, but being cheap. And yet the games are not retailing for cheap, so we should get what we pay for. For example: Box copy, $20, disk in paper sleeve. Jewel case copy, $10, disk in jewel case with front and back inserts. What's up with that?

[Duncan]

For example: Box copy, $20, disk in paper sleeve. Jewel case copy, $10, disk in jewel case with front and back inserts. What's up with that?

Paper sleeves are weak. If PSX games had all come in paper sleeves, then I'd understand. Plastic is more expensive, sure, but it's not that expensive.

Where the hell is the PC game industry's head at? If they really wanted to compete with "regular" consoles, they'd have finalized a set of maximum system requirements by now as well. For instance: all PC games made from 2005 on must be able to run on a CD system running Windows 2000 with a 900Mhz processor and 128MB of RAM. Then do the same for Mac and Linux systems. Makes the whole thing easier.

Instead, I've gotta read a tiny little set of text at the bottom of each individual box to find out exactly which games my rapidly aging PC will no longer play. Lack of standards is exactly the reason I don't buy many PC games anymore -- it's too hard to keep up. Whereas when I buy a PS2, Cube or Xbox game, it's guaranteed to work.

[YoshiM]

But I can maybe count the PC games that are on DVD that I know of on one hand. What's holding the industry back?

PC owners. LOL

look at it this way, if the mac were a viable gaming platform, and the only way to store a game was on a terrabyte holographic cube that can only be read by a special slot that holds the cube, apple would say "screw you guys!" and have the publisher put it on there anyways, then integrate the cube drive into the top end G5, with it appearing on the rest of the line at the next keynote, then into the rest of the machines in a year...until then, you're stuck having to buy an expensive external firewire cube drive.*














*p.s. - i am a mac user. LOL

PC devs will keep putting stuff on CD's until there is absolutely no way to fit the software on there, and 100% of PC's have been shipping with DVD drives for at least a decade. it's a bit more friendly to consumers than ADAPT OR DIE!!

But will it "just work" like Apple says it would, or would one have to buy OS 10.7 Tabby followed by 10.7.1 Calico? :P

[whoisKeel]

that's the beauty of pc gaming, there is no standardization...developers can pretty much do whatever they want. heck, just be happy all the boxes are the same size now :)

as far as the dvd/cd thing goes, most new games that are multi-disk come out as either cd or dvd versions. i wouldn't get my hopes up for 'demo' disks, as they want the largest user base possible.

[fahrvergnugen]

Transition is starting to happen now. Far Cry was on DVD in the UK, and UT2K4 DVD edition has sold well. Someone just had to break the ice.

[YoshiM]

Transition is starting to happen now. Far Cry was on DVD in the UK, and UT2K4 DVD edition has sold well. Someone just had to break the ice.

I've also noticed two game magazines having DVDs with the software. I believe Computer Gaming World has the entire first Baldur's Gate game on its DVD and another magazine (whose title I can't think of) has Tribes 1 & 2 along with a bunch of demos.

Maybe the revolution is coming about....

[ddockery]

PC Games are geting there. First the box shrinking, which while it was pushed by retailers was a must. The old huge ones were frwaking ridiculous. I REALLY don't understand why the slow move to DVD though... One DVD can't be more expensive than 6 CDs, and it sure as hell installs faster on DVD too. As for standards, that's an absurd idea... that would require some regulatory body basically deciding what can/can't be published... do you really want another Sony/Nintendo (MS doesn't seem to reject much) telling publishers they can't make the games they want to sell? I sure don't! It takes almost no time to look up a game online and see what specs you need to run a game at decent speed. The min. specs on the boxes are BS and we all know it.

[rbudrick]

PC devs will keep putting stuff on CD's until there is absolutely no way to fit the software on there, and 100% of PC's have been shipping with DVD drives for at least a decade. it's a bit more friendly to consumers than ADAPT OR DIE!!

That pretty much sums it up right there....I don't know if it would be 10 years tho....if 100% of systems were being sold with DVD drives, then I think They'd wait probably 5 years.

-Rob

[fahrvergnugen]

Nonsense. the PC gaming industry plays "ADAPT OR DIE" all the time. In 12 months' time that shiny new Geforce4 MX you got last Christmas won't be able to play a single new game on the marketplace.