cd or d/ling?

[Zhahz]

I'm going to best buy to buy the game. I'm old school. I've never d/l a game before. But I like having a cd so I can put on my other computers.

if your d/l ing the game, why?

1. You can DL it to multiples most of the time, you don't need a DVD.

2. Digital retailers aren't going anywhere - it's like having an eternal backup. You don't need a DVD.

3. Digital retailers have fast downloads. How often do you actually install/reinstall? If you screw your PC up that much or but completely new PCs that often then...yeah.

4. Civ 5 has Steam activation which means no DVD in the drive period, but for a lot of mixed media distributions you can still get stuck with sucky disc in the drive, or worse, garbage like Suck-u-rom or worse DRM. You're on the internet now so you can do online activation, which is painless and hassle free.

4b. Civ 5 has Steam activation which means any limitations on multiple installs are going to get you regardless of how you buy it (pretty sure you can install on multiple though, but don't quote me).

5. Most digital downloads either put a full installer on your PC or have some kind of mechanism for you to archive or make a backup (ie, you can make your own DVD if you just gotta have one).

6. I like to shop from the comfort of my comfy chair at my PC. I know what I want and a few clicks later I have it. Worst case, I DL it overnight (I'll do this sometimes when I spontaneously decide to buy large, older titles - if I've waited 6 months to finally pull the trigger, waiting for the download is no big deal). For critical purchases like MUST HAVE CIV 5 THE MOMENT IT'S AVAILABLE you can preorder and often even preload. I have Civ 5 sitting on my PC awaiting decrypting and activation. I'll be playing Civ 5 moments after 7am PST without ever leaving my house. That is sexy.

7. Some digital sources (Stardock for example, who have Impulse, something similar to Steam, with their games, and games they publish) will sell both as a bundle - you pay a little extra to get the DVD/box/manual (if there is one) shipped but you can DL the digital version (and preload most of the time) to play immediately while it's being shipped - you get the best of both worlds.

I'm pretty old school too but I buy digital downloads whenever possible. Manuals are pitiful most of the time - hell, Firaxis couldn't even put out an up-to-date PDF manual and they aren't printing manuals. Most good games present info you need in-game, have tutorials, etc. Some manuals just tell you this. There's no good reason to have a DVD that can get lost, damaged, or just wastes space on a shelf.

Some folks just can't handle change and forgo the convenience and suprerior experience of digital purchase. IMO there is no reason to buy games any way other than digitial these days.

 

[aksarben]

download. I already have it on both my computers waiting for the activation, plus no chance to lose the CD or damage it during a move, like I did 2 times with IV

 

[.Shane.]

It may well be that when you buy the CD (or DVD) that all it does is provide an unlock to steam anyway.

 

[Venereus]

Also, when you live in the third world like I do, waiting for boxed versions at the stores is just ********.

 

[sosueme]

because I have a decent internet connection and because there are enough damned CDs floating around my house already....I don't need another one to keep track of. Besides, less crap for the landfill this way.

 

[lietkynes]

I prefer downloading

 

[Drago Askani]

I've been preloaded for days. heh.

 

[Selous]

It may well be that when you buy the CD (or DVD) that all it does is provide an unlock to steam anyway.

the DVDs have all the data on them and the game is installed from the disk, this "unlocks" your ciV on your steam account

you can then put this on multiple computers but u can only be running 1 copy of steam at a time ... and best thing of all is we all have a copy of ciV for as long as steam is alive

 

[Taliseian]

Steam Deluxe version.

No need to go to the store to get it.

Don't need to worry bout DVDs.

Manual is already available in PDF format so I can read it or print it as I need to.

Since the game is Steam based anyway, there wasn't an overriding reason to get a hard copy - don't need the figurines since I stopped playing army men with the plastic green figures years ago....in fact, I think I stopped right about the time Civ I came out........


T

 

[jagdtigerciv]

CD, i've never bought anything from the internet before and the idea makes me uncomfortable.

Simply put, i'm old fashioned and haven't learned how one would even go about buying anything over the internet.

 

[Lancor]

Simply put, i'm old fashioned and haven't learned how one would even go about buying anything over the internet.

It's like... you pay for something and... you get something for your money.

 

[Banderas]

I buy on Steam since I own a PC and a Mac and will hopefully be able to play it on both systems without having to buy it again once Civ V is released for OSX.

 

[mjs0]

I bought two digital copies.
I preloaded on my machine and then copied the encrypted image across the LAN to my wife's PC.
Ready to play in less than 45 minutes.
Oh and for good measure once the files are decrypted I will be backing them up to my home server so they are easy to restore.
I have only bought a few games this way in the past (I don't play as many games as I used to), but it really is easier for me.

 

[StargazingDog]

The only reason I would buy the physical copy at this time would be for the printed manual. However, it seems this time around, the manual is so riddled with errors that it is virtually useless. Usually, the only thing you have to worry about are updates and changes to the game.

So this time, I would download instead of buy retail.

 

[jeffreyac]

I was pushing for a physical copy myself, planning on hitting the stores on release day, primarily because I wanted a hardcopy of the manual (and whatever else might be in there - tech trees, etc).

Then I read that there was no physical copy of the manual - the manual in boxed versions was still a digital copy, on the disc with the game.

So I figured, forget that, and bought through steam...

 

[Lord Tirian]

DVD version here... because I'm sucker for shiny stuff - meaning Collector's Edition (I mean it has miniatures! a cool box! artbook!), can't get that digital (otherwise, I might have gone through Steam, I have an Steam account anyway). Also, I've gotten more than my money's worth out of the Civ series, splurging a bit on the CE to tell Firaxis that ones appreciates all the effort is worth it to me.

Cheers, LT.

 

[Guardian_PL]

D2D digital deluxe download (for first DLC free )

I've tried several download stores in the past (like GamersGate or Steam), and NEVER had any trouble. It's convenient and hassle free.

For the same reason I no longer have 1000+ cd/dvd with movies/music cluttering my house anymore - finding anything was always troublesome (despite detailed and laborious describing all of them), and more often then not older cd's were worn out and couldn't be copied. Right now I've got an external HDD for my archive, rest of needed stuff I have on various sites, for music I use Skype ^^

Seriously, it's 21st century, time for change

 

[muxec]

Can anyone give a good reason to get DVD instead of download? The price of boxed version is the same and digital version does not collect dust on your shelf. The only good reason that I can see is not having a credit card thus being forced to pay in cash...

 

[sosueme]

Seriously, it's 21st century, time for change

Bah, humbug. The fact that it won't be available on 5.25" floppy disks is a slap in the face. I can't believe that the soundtrack isn't available on 8-track either.

 

[Guardian_PL]

Bah, humbug. The fact that it won't be available on 5.25" floppy disks is a slap in the face. I can't believe that the soundtrack isn't available on 8-track either.

Yeah, I still have my tapes with C64 games somewhere around... Such a great technology, now all discontinued...