2KGreg n' friends: Help me (us?) make a good preorder decision

[PieceOfMind]

It's likely (maybe even confirmed as far as I can tell) that all patching will be done through steam. Firaxis/2K have even said it's one of the big advantages of moving to steamworks - they only need to patch one version of the game.

How the game will patch should probably not be a factor in deciding where to buy the game from. The main thing is if you want to download the game or not (and hence decide between a disc vs. download purchase of the game).

 

[501st Legion]

Get the Direct2Drive version since they are offering more apparently.

 

[PieceOfMind]

The D2D offer is not available to all countries though. Australia, for one, misses out. Apparently this is a condition made by the publisher - not D2D.

 

[Mercade]

I had been thinking of cancelling my amazon preorder and going with either D2D or Steam, but then I thought about having to wait for 8 GB to download and decided I'd rather have a physical disk. Extra civs is nice, but it'll take me a while to play all the ones that come in the box, and I can always buy extra content later.

That's the installed size. Since a single standard DVD holds no more than 4.7 GB, your download shouldn't be more than that, either. Saves nearly half, but still quite a heavy download, of course.

 

[TuRfYMaN]

That's the installed size. Since a single standard DVD holds no more than 4.7 GB...

Not to be an ass, but a dual-layer disc can hold 2x that amount, rounding the total data capacity out to about 9.4GB. There's no reason they couldn't be shipping physical discs as dual-layer pressed discs.

Edit: Wow, 2 years of membership to Civ Fanatics and my first post starts with "Not to be an ass..." Go me.

 

[Tylerryan79]

Welcome Turfyman.... two years without a post..... this topic must reeeeaaaallllyyy peek your interest

 

[TuRfYMaN]

Welcome Turfyman.... two years without a post..... this topic must reeeeaaaallllyyy peek your interest

In all honesty, yes! I'm super excited about Civ V and like others, I imagine, I'm trying to determine what preorder deal gets me the most out of my money. Thanks for the welcome!

 

[Mercade]

Not to be an ass, but a dual-layer disc can hold 2x that amount, rounding the total data capacity out to about 9.4GB. There's no reason they couldn't be shipping physical discs as dual-layer pressed discs.

Edit: Wow, 2 years of membership to Civ Fanatics and my first post starts with "Not to be an ass..." Go me.

In all honesty, yes! I'm super excited about Civ V and like others, I imagine, I'm trying to determine what preorder deal gets me the most out of my money. Thanks for the welcome!

Actually a dual layer DVD holds 8.54 GB and a dual-side DVD holds 9.4 GB, but let's not split hairs about that. However, the game specs list "DVD-ROM" drive. I don't have the detailed statistics, but it's not a stretch to assume that a very significant portion of DVD players would not be able to play dual-layer DVD's. Moreover, the game's installation size often exceeds the media size due to expansion onto a hard drive, so I'll stick with my assumption it's a single layer DVD with 4.7 GB max.

Having said that, Welcome to CivFanatics after all this lurking.

If you're looking to evaluate the preorder deals, please also feel free to check out the "configurations" link in my signature and the list with preorder sites so you can work out your personal value/money choice.

 

[PieceOfMind]

I'm no expert on this, but I've never seen a game install with a size on disk of any more than 101 or 102 percent of the actual size. For a roughly 8GB game to be shipped on a 4.7GB disc, that's a pretty impressive compression ratio.

I'm expecting it to be a dual-layer DVD or 2 single layer DVDs, but my opinion here is only speculation.

Mercade, I was under the impression that dual-layer DVD readers are by far the norm now but I am less certain after your post.

 

[Davor]

That's the installed size. Since a single standard DVD holds no more than 4.7 GB, your download shouldn't be more than that, either. Saves nearly half, but still quite a heavy download, of course.

Or they put them on 2 disks.

 

[Mercade]

I'm no expert on this, but I've never seen a game install with a size on disk of any more than 101 or 102 percent of the actual size. For a roughly 8GB game to be shipped on a 4.7GB disc, that's a pretty impressive compression ratio.

I'm expecting it to be a dual-layer DVD or 2 single layer DVDs, but my opinion here is only speculation.

Mercade, I was under the impression that dual-layer DVD readers are by far the norm now but I am less certain after your post.

We're getting terribly off topic here, but my BFME2 uses just 3.8 GB of space on the DVD and the game installs to 6.9 GB on the hard drive. But anyway. This all started because someone said he didn't fancy an 8 GB download and whether it's 8 GB, 6 GB or 4.7 GB, it's a hell of a download if you don't get the DVD.

 

[Davor]

Yup if I get the game, I will get it at the store, so I don't have to download it from the net. I just pray to god nothing happens to this DVD so if I ever have to reinstall it, I just do it from the DVD. But it's nice as a back up if you loose the DVD, you can redownload it from the net.

 

[TK42I]

This thread reminds me of the ultimate DLC debacle, the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion horse armor. I guess the equivilent in terms of Civ would be if they sold civ specific worker unit sprites for $3.

 

[ZXTT]

Actually a dual layer DVD holds 8.54 GB and a dual-side DVD holds 9.4 GB, but let's not split hairs about that. However, the game specs list "DVD-ROM" drive. I don't have the detailed statistics, but it's not a stretch to assume that a very significant portion of DVD players would not be able to play dual-layer DVD's. Moreover, the game's installation size often exceeds the media size due to expansion onto a hard drive, so I'll stick with my assumption it's a single layer DVD with 4.7 GB max.

I believe DVD-ROM has always required dual-layer support from players. Many movies are on dual-layer discs, and these can be played in all players. The recordable DL formats have been added over the years.

 

[ZimbuTheMonkey]

bump (really need this answered, sorry guys)

 

[neev]

@OP : Well I can only tell you what I did myself : I went for the Deluxe offer on D2D.
The probability of knowing what are the 2 civs included in the forthcoming DLC before the 21st of september is quite low... Perhaps 2K Greg could enlighten us ?

You'd be wise (unlike me) to wait a bit before pre-ordering, just in case a better offer comes

 

[BirraImperial]

That's the installed size. Since a single standard DVD holds no more than 4.7 GB, your download shouldn't be more than that, either. Saves nearly half, but still quite a heavy download, of course.

Well I recently bought Starcraft II from Blizzard's site, and the download was around 6.99GB. So I believe a Civ V download would be around that size.
I'll be buying the game from Steam, buying it from a retail store here would take a long time to get and would cost twice as much.

 

[happyturtle]

You'd be wise (unlike me) to wait a bit before pre-ordering, just in case a better offer comes

I can't speak for other retailers, but Amazon UK lets you cancel pre-orders at any time, and doesn't take the money until the game ships.

 

[ZimbuTheMonkey]

I'm not interested in anything other than Steam or Direct2Drive because of the Babylon offer, so all comes down to how lame or how awesome the Mesopotamia map pack is.

 

[Tylerryan79]

My guess is lame, or should I say lamer than civ 3, 2 civs and scenario pack.