Would You Like a Return to a Type of Cartridge?

[Keatah]

Don't forget the attacks on gamers by the games companies and the games media. There's been a thing with the latest WW2 game where it's billed as historically accurate and of course, completely is NOT accurate in any sense. If you complain about it, they will block you and call you names. The freaks have taken over important parts of the industry. Get ready for a Muslim tanny differently-abled Batman!

 

This fits right in with the digital download stuff. Remember, the customer is always wrong and an ist of some sort!

 

Some personalities are too strong for my tastes. Freaks controlling the industry, overpowering moderators, rampaging kids in chatrooms, noise on youtube, message board toadies.. It's all below me and I'll be quite happy to do my own thing my own way.

Edited June 25, 2018 by Keatah

[Osgeld]

 

Don't forget the attacks on gamers by the games companies and the games media. There's been a thing with the latest WW2 game where it's billed as historically accurate and of course, completely is NOT accurate in any sense. If you complain about it, they will block you and call you names. The freaks have taken over important parts of the industry. Get ready for a Muslim tanny differently-abled Batman!

 

This fits right in with the digital download stuff. Remember, the customer is always wrong and an ist of some sort!

 

[MrMaddog]

Look, do you want to carry a crapload of Game Boy carts around like you did as a kid or have all your mobile games stored on a single handheld device you can afford as an adult?

 

This whole "childhood" thing with gamers is getting really stupid, what worked back then isn't even practical today. There's a reason why technology moves on even when hipsters don't...

Edited June 25, 2018 by MrMaddog

[Keatah]

Look, do you want to carry a crapload of Game Boy carts around like you did as a kid or have all your mobile games stored on a single handheld device you can afford as an adult?

 

This whole "childhood" thing with gamers is getting really stupid, what worked back then isn't even practical today. There's a reason why technology moves on even when hipsters don't...

 

Excellent statement. I'm beginning to understand the implications of that even though I've always supported modern storage solutions.

 

My take about carts and stuff is all about aesthetics, storage density, and practicality. My entire "childhood" collection fits on a tiny fraction of a microSD card. I would rather haul that around with me than a big baggie full of cartridges.

[keepdreamin]

Absolutely not to wanting a return to carts. Modern games are many gigabytes in size, a modern cartridge would probably have to utilize something like NAND. I wouldn't say modern flash memory would be as long term reliable as the simple chips found in something like NES carts.

Edited June 25, 2018 by keepdreamin

[80s_Atari_Guy]

The only worry I have with all this digital-only gaming is that, in the future our younger generation won't have any way of playing them, unless ALL DRM is allowed to be stripped from the digital files.

As servers close down, and current gen hardware becomes obsolete, we won't have many/any way of playing these games in the future, so no "retro" for our younger generation. Whether that bothers them, is not known as most of my mate's kids always want the next big thing, and quickly forget about previous gen hardware like PS3 and Xbox 360.

 

I do miss buying physical media for my PC. My last bought physical media was GTA V on 6 DVDs, and I prefer it because I can always install it, not matter how long it takes, no matter if I have internet, and I can play it anytime - obviously as long as I have at least verified my serial number. The glossy box is gorgeous, and everything that comes with it. Saying that, I do have well over 220 digital Steam games on my gaming PC, and (as in this month's summer sells) it's far more convenient to sit here, buy games, download games then play them.

 

I also miss the great artwork, often from famous fantasy/sci-fi graphic artists, that graced the boxes of older games, especially Amiga big box games. I have 50 boxed Colecovision games, 63 Atari 2600 games, and 38 boxed Intellivision games and love them all. I love those Atari 2600 box art, we will never get this again.

Edited June 25, 2018 by 80s_Atari_Guy

[Tanooki]

Look, do you want to carry a crapload of Game Boy carts around like you did as a kid or have all your mobile games stored on a single handheld device you can afford as an adult?

 

This whole "childhood" thing with gamers is getting really stupid, what worked back then isn't even practical today. There's a reason why technology moves on even when hipsters don't...

Actually yes, yes I would. I'd rather have a handful of games so I have to choose what to enjoy and commit to it. But even if that weren't the only option, would it be so bad using an original handheld along with an everdrive with a few 1000 choices thrown on it? Surely an adult can handle using a Game Boy of their choosing along with a solitary flash kit + loaded up memory card in it.

 

That isn't going to be an annoying waste of space. You'd being too black and white and dismissive of things, especially for a site like this.

 

 

Oh and 80s Atari Guy -- I did that a couple months back. i bought a still sealed up game from around 1990 (Silverball 2 Plus! from epic megagames) and cracked that sucker open and installed it using a USB floppy drive and dosbox. That was very rewarding to me. And your'e right the box art of then is just a lost cause now. The big boxes though were a bit ridiculous at times being a waste of space, but some of them really did load it out with all sorts of useful goodies which did justify the space giving more work for nice art on the box. That wasn't the only one I picked up either, but that was the sealed one.

[Osgeld]

well big boxes did serve a reason back when they came with novel's and whatnot to follow along with the games you were playing to flesh out the universe since you couldn't fit it all on a hand full of disks

 

I remember one game I bought that had 3 flippies and 2 cassette tapes along with a full magazine all that you needed to actually advance in the game (it was a crime / pi game) big box made sense

[christo930]

Wow. If you see attempts at fantasy, creativity and inclusion as "attacks," maybe a look in the mirror is in order. I think I know the game you're talking about (female commando with a bionic arm, right?) and don't recall anyone claiming it was "historically accurate." Might want to pen some nasty letters to the EA about Star Wars, too. There aren't sounds in space and faster than lightspeed travel is likely to be physically impossible. Next thing you know, they'll be putting girls in those movies, too.

 

Perhaps the cartridge version of that WW2 game will be more your speed when it comes out.

OK... You're one of THEM. Gotcha.

 

ETA... The woman thing is only a small part of it. There are lots of other mistakes in the game. But the worst part about this particular example is that if you complain about ANY aspect of the game, they ban you.

It's not just one game. This bullshit has infested gaming among other hobbies (which I'm not actually into) like Comics and movies (and Sci-Fi, which I am into).

 

These freaks of nature insist everything be done exactly to THEIR liking and any disagreement is not just disagreement, but some kind of ism or ist.

Has anyone seen the absolute dumpster fire with GDQ? Hopefully they will get a ball pit!

 

 

Some personalities are too strong for my tastes. Freaks controlling the industry, overpowering moderators, rampaging kids in chatrooms, noise on youtube, message board toadies.. It's all below me and I'll be quite happy to do my own thing my own way.

 

If only other people could adopt that live and let live attitude.`

Edited June 26, 2018 by christo930

[christo930]

Look, do you want to carry a crapload of Game Boy carts around like you did as a kid or have all your mobile games stored on a single handheld device you can afford as an adult?

 

This whole "childhood" thing with gamers is getting really stupid, what worked back then isn't even practical today. There's a reason why technology moves on even when hipsters don't...

I am about as far as a hipster as one can possibly get. I have nothing but contempt for most of them.

It's not about nostalgia and it's not about "old," it's about owning the shit I pay for, which is why I also mentioned books. Do you think people just want books to relive their childhood are showoff how pathetic they are (like Hipsters)? The last handheld I bought was in 2006 (a GP2X), which, ironically enough doesn't have a single commercial release that was released on a physical media. But there were only a couple of games that were actually sold. It was mostly a free scene. I still use it to this day and love it!

[christo930]

 

Some personalities are too strong for my tastes. Freaks controlling the industry, overpowering moderators, rampaging kids in chatrooms, noise on youtube, message board toadies.. It's all below me and I'll be quite happy to do my own thing my own way.

 

If only other people could adopt that live and let live attitude.

Edited June 26, 2018 by christo930

[spacecadet]

These freaks of nature insist everything be done exactly to THEIR liking

 

You mean the freaks of nature who are making the game? Because it kinda sounds like you want it done to your liking, and you're not the one making the game.

[Skippy B. Coyote]

I like cartridges. They're fun to hold and look at and they preserve games so that they aren't lost and gone forever when the online servers for whatever system the game is on go down in a decade or so. Knowing that none of today's digital-only releases will still be around 10 or 15 years from now is enough to convince me to rarely buy digital-only games, and never spend more than $15 on one when I do.

 

Physical media is the way to go whenever possible, if for no other reason than preservation.

[Video]

I love carts, and for me, they never went away (Love handheld too, so there you go) it's nothing about being old or a "hipster"(whateverthefuck your definition of that is) it's about owning stuff, and not being tied to some network to use it.

 

Due to internet requirements the Xbox one is literally a brick to me, luckily I can play 360 stuff on it, but I got some weird mystery console called a 360 that can play the same games on too, sooo...c

 

It's always fun when the kids are over too, they typically seem fascinated by the carts, and rather perplexed that I can download a game instantly on whatever console I'm currently using.

 

I'm sure discs can get bigger, we've gone from infrared, to ultraviolet lasers, but eventually well but a limit where the light, sensor, or tolerance can't allow any more, and carts will return anyways, though I see that as more a 20-50 years down the road thing.

 

 

As much as game/software companies want it, digital will never be 100% until universal great internet can be had, and I don't see that happening, at least in my lifetime.

[negative1]

As much as game/software companies want it, digital will never be 100% until universal great internet can be had, and I don't see that happening, at least in my lifetime.

 

There are franchises, and tons of indie studios, who have ONLY released games digitally on the xbox 360, and xbox one only, so you've already seen it.

 

So yeah, maybe not every single company out there. But i'm trying hard to think of some non retro games that aren't available digitally. Can't really name

any, as digital has been the main option for quite some time. The physical release is just a holdover for those that want real physical items, deluxe packages,

and other niche items.

 

later

-1

Edited June 26, 2018 by negative1

[80s_Atari_Guy]

 

So yeah, maybe not every single company out there. But i'm trying hard to think of some non retro games that aren't available digitally. Can't really name

any, as digital has been the main option for quite some time. The physical release is just a holdover for those that want real physical items, deluxe packages,

and other niche items.

 

But Retro was talking about Internet, and Internet speeds, and monthly allowances. You can still buy big-budget titles on Blu-Ray discs because they are still wanted by many, NOT because they still want a physical item, but because they don't have the Internet speeds, or monthly allowance to download, say, Forza 7. Not only do you need the Internet speeds, monthly allowances, but you also need the disk space.

This is why, big-budget titles like the Forza titles, Gran Turismo, Horizon Zero Dawn, etc.. these will always be available in physical form. There is will never be a digital-only release, of a massive-gigabyte major release, across the world. It won't happen this gen, and I doubt it will happen next-gen unless some Countries have MAJOR overhauls of their Internet. Heck, I know people still on 2Mbit ADSL. Even my own Fibre 32Mb, is slow compared to most Country's internet speeds.

Edited June 26, 2018 by 80s_Atari_Guy

[Keatah]

90% or more of my gaming is on PC. And I make sure every single thing I get (software wise) is totally 100% operable without an internet connection. If there is any DLC I try to get that straight away too.

 

Anything that might not work in the future, due to servers, or DRM or whatever I tend to avoid.

[Keatah]

I like cartridges. They're fun to hold and look at and they preserve games so that they aren't lost and gone forever when the online servers for whatever system the game is on go down in a decade or so. Knowing that none of today's digital-only releases will still be around 10 or 15 years from now is enough to convince me to rarely buy digital-only games, and never spend more than $15 on one when I do.

 

Physical media is the way to go whenever possible, if for no other reason than preservation.

 

CFFA, SD, micoSD, and USB HDD/SSD are the new cartridges for me. And the USB stuff is just the size of a VCS cartridge. In fact, I consider the aforementioned storage options to be cartridges for the PC!

 

I will never ever purchase something that downloads to its target platform but doesn't allow a backup/installer "version" to be saved. My last major game purchase was about 1 1/2 - 2 years ago, and it is a 56GB title.

[Flojomojo]

CFFA, SD, micoSD, and USB HDD/SSD are the new cartridges for me. And the USB stuff is just the size of a VCS cartridge. In fact, I consider the aforementioned storage options to be cartridges for the PC!

 

I will never ever purchase something that downloads to its target platform but doesn't allow a backup/installer "version" to be saved. My last major game purchase was about 1 1/2 - 2 years ago, and it is a 56GB title.

 

The cloud is my cartridge

 

We're all just renting space from the great hosting provider that is the universe

[Tanooki]

I feel that which is why on closed console and handheld formats I rarely ever spend over $10 and $20 would be a very rare max cap. Most my gaming off Nintendo is via GoG and as Steam connects stuff I carry over too. Steam Im fine with as its not stuck on an os of a generation either line GoG too. I still use games from the 80s and 90s so I cant get on board paying 30-60 for vapor on the pc (android and iOS) and mobile too

[christo930]

 

You mean the freaks of nature who are making the game? Because it kinda sounds like you want it done to your liking, and you're not the one making the game.

 

These people are almost never involved in actually making the game. They tend to be diversity employees/contractors and other useless costs. They ruin EVERYTHING they touch. Most of all, they absolutely HATE the core customer base and they make no secret of it.

 

 

 

There are franchises, and tons of indie studios, who have ONLY released games digitally on the xbox 360, and xbox one only, so you've already seen it.

 

So yeah, maybe not every single company out there. But i'm trying hard to think of some non retro games that aren't available digitally. Can't really name

any, as digital has been the main option for quite some time. The physical release is just a holdover for those that want real physical items, deluxe packages,

and other niche items.

 

later

-1

 

I'm willing to make exceptions for smaller developers who aren't trying to rape their customers and might not even be able to deliver a game AT ALL, without the option of download only. I do think it they manage to make a big hit, they aught to release it on physical media though. There are certainly upsides to digital content and this would be a clear case of that potential upside.

[Tanooki]

That up side has happened. Look what has been going on since Duck Tales Remastered went from fluff to physical, and greatly so the stuff you're seeing now with the Nintendo Switch from Nicalis, LRG, Fangamer and more of which also support the PC and PS4/PS3 as well. Lots of games that never would have seen something in your hand that can be had that way.

[Video]

Yes, that was a reference to internet, not games, however, in both cases it was a generalization.

 

I always get a kick out of peoples "solution" to bad internet of "just get better internet" LOL, yeah. I NEVER could have thought of that on my own. It must be nice to live that sheltered life, but in the real world, there isn't always such a solution. Type in my address, and there is likely half a dozen (or so) good/great options. Go to actually BUY one of those, and suddenly those options dwindle to zero. Can't get this, we're to far from the cable services. Can't get that, we're to far from the phone services. Until a few years ago we had awesome wireless internet, but when it came to renew it, we could no longer get it, we no longer qualify. (We got annexed, so we now legally live in town, and thus can no longer get the high speed unlimited rural internet we had just a few years ago) so we're stuck with crummy slower internet with a low gig cap. That's not just here either, nor is it a case of 'out in the boonies' either. I've lived a half dozen different places, and even when your in range of several great service options, often your limited in what you can get due to the micro monopolies that are often in place.I

 

I think the lack of a successful download only console is pretty telling. (Though several have tried)

So yeah, some backwoods indie developer may have a chance with digital only, but it's likely tied to a console, or several, that still take physical media.

 

Actually, the Xbox one comes close, there are discs, sure, but the games are still downloaded. Technically making it a download only console, and probably a good chunk of why it's currently in third place. I certainly wouldn't have bought mine had I known that in advance, because, internet.

[christo930]

Yes, that was a reference to internet, not games, however, in both cases it was a generalization.

 

I always get a kick out of peoples "solution" to bad internet of "just get better internet" LOL, yeah. I NEVER could have thought of that on my own. It must be nice to live that sheltered life, but in the real world, there isn't always such a solution. Type in my address, and there is likely half a dozen (or so) good/great options. Go to actually BUY one of those, and suddenly those options dwindle to zero. Can't get this, we're to far from the cable services. Can't get that, we're to far from the phone services. Until a few years ago we had awesome wireless internet, but when it came to renew it, we could no longer get it, we no longer qualify. (We got annexed, so we now legally live in town, and thus can no longer get the high speed unlimited rural internet we had just a few years ago) so we're stuck with crummy slower internet with a low gig cap. That's not just here either, nor is it a case of 'out in the boonies' either. I've lived a half dozen different places, and even when your in range of several great service options, often your limited in what you can get due to the micro monopolies that are often in place.I

 

I think the lack of a successful download only console is pretty telling. (Though several have tried)

So yeah, some backwoods indie developer may have a chance with digital only, but it's likely tied to a console, or several, that still take physical media.

 

Actually, the Xbox one comes close, there are discs, sure, but the games are still downloaded. Technically making it a download only console, and probably a good chunk of why it's currently in third place. I certainly wouldn't have bought mine had I known that in advance, because, internet.

 

The local ISPs got destroyed around the turn of the century. I had 3 different ISPs before high-speed internet came into my area around the Y2K and they had great service and pretty good prices. They were locally owned, reliable etc. But they were locked out of the DSL market by the phone companies. Initially there were 3 choices (all bad), now it's 2. Price has doubled, service is non-existent and they don't even give me a damn email address!

 

I definitely get where you're coming from. I live in a major city with a mile or 2 of the central office and there no longer even an option for DSL. For some stupid reason that was never explained to me, my perfectly good phone service that never, ever went down had to be "upgraded" to fiber optics (or else I am not allowed to have a phone) and now it has to be plugged into the wall for the phone to work! Now, every time I have power loss, I have to power the terminal box in the basement with 15 D cell batteries that only lasts about 10 hours (standby, not even talking)! And I have to go turn it on when the power goes down and turn if off again when the power comes back on.

[DJ Clae]

I fully expect current gen consoles to be hacked in the future, and download-only games to be readily available. Those of us who paid for the games at one point can download with a clear enough conscience.