Poll Time Ladies And Gents...

IdenIden Join Date: 2002-10-16 Member: 1513Members
<div class="IPBDescription">Honestly now...</div> I've had a "disagreement" about wether or not it's time for games to start coming out on DVD format. Not all games, but the next gen ones that are multiple CDs and are still leaving out higher res textures and what not.

To make a long story short, I'm using the Minimum specs of Unreal 2: The Awakening as a measuring stick.
Processor: Pentium III or AMD Athlon 733MHz or higher, 256 MB RAM, 98/2000/Me/XP, DirectX version 8.1 (included) or higher, 32 MB NVIDIA GeForce 2 MX or better, Windows compatible sound card, 8X Speed CD-ROM Drive, 3.0 GB Free Hard Disk Space.

Basically what I need to know is:

If you meet the minimum specs of Unreal 2: Do you have a DVD player in your computer or not?

Comments

  • ComproxComprox *chortle* Canada Join Date: 2002-01-23 Member: 7Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, NS1 Playtester, NS2 Developer, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver, Subnautica Developer, Subnautica Playtester, Pistachionauts
    I easily meet those specs, and no, I don't yet. I am sure I will buy one withing a year or two, but, even the huge games fit on a few CD's, so there really is no need to pay $250 for what my CD Rom can do.
  • NarfwakNarfwak Join Date: 2002-11-02 Member: 5258Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, NS1 Playtester, Playtest Lead, Forum Moderators, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Supporter, Reinforced - Silver, Reinforced - Gold, Reinforced - Diamond, Reinforced - Shadow, Subnautica PT Lead, NS2 Community Developer
    <!--QuoteBegin--Comprox+Mar 16 2003, 06:37 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Comprox @ Mar 16 2003, 06:37 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I easily meet those specs, and no, I don't yet. I am sure I will buy one withing a year or two, but, even the huge games fit on a few CD's, so there really is no need to pay $250 for what my CD Rom can do. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    I agree. In addition to this, many simply won't buy DVD drives because they don't want to or don't need to (some people still use TVs, believe it or not); making games DVD only or "DVD enhanced" could shut potencial consumers out of the market. This would be very bad and hurt sales, and in turn hurt the industry.
  • Big_Game_HunterBig_Game_Hunter Join Date: 2002-12-11 Member: 10539Members, Constellation
    edited March 2003
    I meet the minimum specs, but have no DVD drive as I am reserving that purchase until I build my new computer. No sense in buying it now when it will be even cheaper/better when I really need it.

    <!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I agree.  In addition to this, many simply won't buy DVD drives because they don't want to or don't need to (some people still use TVs, believe it or not); making games DVD only or "DVD enhanced" could shut potencial consumers out of the market.  This would be very bad and hurt sales, and in turn hurt the industry.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    I'm guessing it will go down the same as the transition from floppy drives to CD-ROM drives. DVD's will be phased in gradually and CDs phased out. DVD's are already pretty much standard in pre built computers

    When was the last time anyone used their floppy drive? I haven't touched mine since boot floppies were removed from XP (and 2000?).

    <!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->$250 for what my CD Rom can do<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    250? You can get a good DVD drive for under $40. On the other hand, DVD burners are about 250 or more, not to mention the expensive blanks, 2-4 dollars a piece compared to like 10 cents a piece for cheap CD-Rs. You could burn 20+ cds for every DVD; bulkiness aside, CDs remain the cheapest and most efficient storage medium.
  • SpceM0nkeySpceM0nkey Join Date: 2003-01-19 Member: 12480Members
    My family have three computers (two desktops and a laptop) all three have a dvd. When i help friends pick their computers, i always suggest a dvd player.

    When my tv broke, my gf and i used to sit on the bed and watch dvd's on my monitor.

    A really good dvd player only costs $40-90 its like buying a decent mouse.

    Bring on the dvd games.
  • MedHeadMedHead Join Date: 2002-12-19 Member: 11115Members, Constellation
    I too have a DVD player. I meet the system requirements. 4/5 computers in our home have DVD players.
  • ThansalThansal The New Scum Join Date: 2002-08-22 Member: 1215Members, Constellation
    Though yes, many people do have DVDs, there is no POINT in switching to them yet.

    EVERY ONE has a CD drive (though I still have my floppy drive, and use it for reinstalls and such)
    not every one has a DVD drive, for instance some people would rather have a CD burner then a DVD drive and after buying the rest of their killer rig they don't have the $$ for either a combo drive or a second drive.

    there is no real point is what I am trying to say, what ever can be done with a DVD can be done with a few CDs.
    And unless I am compleatly mistaken PS2 uses DVDs AND there are a few games that still have multiple discs (simply b/c they don't use the DVD to the full cpacity)

    oh well, I see no point to switching. And trust me, when the time is right (IE they will make a large profit with it) the game companies will switch to DVDs
  • mojojojomojojojo Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 2017Members
    I think DVDs are quite a bit more expensive to press than CDs, simply because they are newer technology. So 3cds might be cheaper to press than a DVD (I don't know this for a fact).

    Anyway, can you imagine what game developers would do with the space on a DVD? Remember when CDs first came out? Imagine 45minute "cutscenes" as the games developers live out there movie director dreams.
  • AngelusAngelus Join Date: 2002-12-14 Member: 10810Members, Constellation
    I have 4 pcs in my house - 3 desktop, 1 laptop, all but one desktop have DVD drives. Guess whos the desktop without one is <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo--> All 4 of my pcs easily meet the U2:TA specs aswell.

    A decent dvd drive here in the uk cost about 50 quid from where i can get one.
  • ThansalThansal The New Scum Join Date: 2002-08-22 Member: 1215Members, Constellation
    yes, All of my comps as of late have had DVD drives, but that is b/c I don't own a DVD player (thus ussing one of my 2 comps to watch anime ;D)

    however, if you want to see what game devs can do with DVDs, go look at PS2, it isn't anything all that great.
  • NumbersNotFoundNumbersNotFound Join Date: 2002-11-07 Member: 7556Members
    edited March 2003
    I have a DVD drive, AND meet the specs to Unreal2.

    I think that if people don't have one in their computer yet, they should. It's 40 bucks, skip the next game purchase and invest in one. They rule.

    I'd REALLY love to see games come on DVD. It's so annoying to flip through 4 cds to install DiabloII and the Xpack... i would love to have it all on one DVD.

    I recently got printshop, it was 7 cds. They had a offer to get it on one DVD for 10 bucks. Just like the switch from 5.25" floppy to 3.5 inch.

    I heard somewhere that Eidos or Ion Storm is making all new releases on DVD only... not sure if it's true or not. (it seems only Eidos Germany is, for copy protection reasons)
  • IdenIden Join Date: 2002-10-16 Member: 1513Members
    As for "there isn't much of a difference between games on DVDs see PS2 and etc" you're looking at the wrong system.

    Halo for the Xbox comes with 700 mbs of sounds and music. That doesn't count all the models, textures, coding and what not.

    Think about that, just 700 mbs of sounds alone. You're really opening up a door for game developers for put in as much content as they want.

    As for "costing more to press". C'mon, the Video game Console industry BLOWS AWAY the PC industry in sales and profits. I really don't think it's hurting them.

    It also makes "Warezing" a little more difficult with larger file sizes, like being able to add giant blank spaces to the images so even if they do make an image and send it onto Kazaa you'd get such huge file sizes it'd be impossible to really download without a T1.

    Of course FMV videos could be a whole lot sexier and more of them: especially from Blizzard. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->

    And yeah, a DVD player costs LESS than some of the new games that are out.

    As for "not everyone has a DVD player", not everyone a CD rom when they started switching either.

    Right now I'm just asking gamers and etc if they have DVD players, because it's more likely only 'gamers' are going to buy Unreal 2, not Mom and Pa who still use the PC as a neat email system.
  • ComproxComprox *chortle* Canada Join Date: 2002-01-23 Member: 7Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, NS1 Playtester, NS2 Developer, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver, Subnautica Developer, Subnautica Playtester, Pistachionauts
    Yah, not everyone had a CD Rom when they began to switch over. But a substantial portion did. I don't think we have reached substantial yet on DVD Drives, but I bet within 2 years, games will be coming out on soley DVD.

    As for a DVD costing me a lot, $250 I had mentioned. Not everyone lives in the US you know, a *good* drive costs that much, in Canadian money! <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • CForresterCForrester P0rk(h0p Join Date: 2002-10-05 Member: 1439Members, Constellation
    <!--QuoteBegin--Comprox+Mar 16 2003, 01:03 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Comprox @ Mar 16 2003, 01:03 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Yah, not everyone had a CD Rom when they began to switch over. But a substantial portion did. I don't think we have reached substantial yet on DVD Drives, but I bet within 2 years, games will be coming out on soley DVD.

    As for a DVD costing me a lot, $250 I had mentioned. Not everyone lives in the US you know, a *good* drive costs that much, in Canadian money! <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    I'm Canadian, I got my DVD-Rom drive for $55. All you need is a cheap one, they work fine.
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