Why on Earth does every major publisher need their own digital distribution client? I'm tired of installing things I don't really have a use for just to play a game.
Why on Earth does every major publisher need their own digital distribution client?
Because if they're selling the product digitally, they keep more money when it's sold directly through them rather than giving Valve a cut. It's one thing when you're talking physical distribution and a producer is taking advantage of a retailer's distribution chain to get their product out there but, digitally, Ubisoft is no further from me than EA or Valve or whoever else.
TirithRR wrote:
I haven't noticed Uplay's service doing as many sales as Steam or even Origin.
They don't really that I've noticed. Although I think I bought Ghost Recon: Future Soldier for $10 from them on a sale. And they had a $1 sale where I got From Dust and Driver: San Francisco.
Why on Earth does every major publisher need their own digital distribution client?
Because if they're selling the product digitally, they keep more money when it's sold directly through them rather than giving Valve a cut. It's one thing when you're talking physical distribution and a producer is taking advantage of a retailer's distribution chain to get their product out there but, digitally, Ubisoft is no further from me than EA or Valve or whoever else.
They also have to spend the money on creating and maintaining it. Servers cost money to setup, and they keep costing money to run. Obviously, I don't have access to the exact numbers, but setting up their own service is cutting into their profits to. The only difference is that they're not giving the money to the competition. Since Ubisoft is willing to work with Valve anyway, I don't see the need for Uplay.
They also have to spend the money on creating and maintaining it.
I'll let their accountants worry about that. Regardless, it's not exactly a mystery why they'd want their own client and storefront.
Anyway, I like Uplay just fine. Works fine for me, doesn't cause me any problems and has the nifty feature of accumulating Upoints by playing the games which you can then spend on extras (wallpapers, DLC, etc).
If every game publisher has their own service for their own games, then there is no reason for them to sell to third party vendors to make all these sales we enjoy. Of course, so far my Origin catalog is Dragon Age Origins and II that I got from an Amazon sale, I think. And I'm pretty sure I got Kingdoms of Amalur from Amazon as well. So as of yet, it hasn't really happened... but it'd be like a monopoly on digital distribution.
Given that Ubi and EA games are widely available via other retailers, that doesn't seem to be a big worry right now. The only real schism has been EA and Valve and that's mainly over DLC rights.
FC3:BD would be a lot more amusing if it wasn't two friggin' hours of tutorial. I swear, Far Cry 3 didn't put me through this much crap to be able to freely move around.
FC3:BD would be a lot more amusing if it wasn't two friggin' hours of tutorial. I swear, Far Cry 3 didn't put me through this much crap to be able to freely move around.
"We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary." — James D. Nicoll
FC3:BD would be a lot more amusing if it wasn't two friggin' hours of tutorial. I swear, Far Cry 3 didn't put me through this much crap to be able to freely move around.
O.o From what I heard the tutorials take 5 mins, the full game only take 4-6 hours to beat. Least this is from reviews.
O.o From what I heard the tutorials take 5 mins, the full game only take 4-6 hours to beat. Least this is from reviews.
Depends on how you define "tutorial", I suppose. A few hours in (some of it idle) and it's still "Now we're going to use a vending machine..."
If that's the "joke", it's a tedious one since it detracts from the awesomeness of shooting cyborgs and neon lit blood dragons.
Rule #1 of ironic game design: Making reference to the tedious thing that you're asking the character to do does not make the thing not tedious to do.
I gather the Duke Nukem reboot suffered greatly from this. Crate pushing or valve puzzles, or something to that effect (not sure - I didn't play it because duh).
Just for the record, the actual "game" parts of the game are fun. It's just that the constant speed bumps detract from the flow of it and make it less entertaining. More shooting, less forced hand-holding sections on how to do a side mission.
"We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary." — James D. Nicoll
Anyone interested in buying into a Torchlight II four-pack? Cost per game would be $4.10
I don't need it myself (already own it) but thought I'd make the offer.
If you get three and need a fourth, let me know.
____________________________
People don't like to be meddled with. We tell them what to do, what to think, don't run, don't walk. We're in their homes and in their heads and we haven't the right. We're meddlesome. ~River Tam
Anyone interested in buying into a Torchlight II four-pack? Cost per game would be $4.10
I don't need it myself (already own it) but thought I'd make the offer.
If you get three and need a fourth, let me know.
Ahh, the old prom question routine. I just pulled that one off again last week.
____________________________
"the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country." Hermann Goering, April 1946.
If you missed GMG's Tomb Raider sale last week, this weekend is Steam's. 50% off, so it's the same 24.99, but you don't get the coupon deal that GMG has all the time.
Oh, awesome. FC3:BD being out means /r/gaming will be spammed with all the item descriptions for the next few weeks, just like it was when FC3 was released. Yes, yes I know. Unsub from /r/gaming and sub to /r/games.
Are there that many item descriptions? The potential ******* seems a lot smaller than in FC3 and I don't think there's any crafting (haven't seen hint of it yet anyway and animals don't drop materials).
"We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary." — James D. Nicoll