Refining PC gaming categories

[insektmute]

I've gotten way more into Steam, GOG, and other digital sources for PC gaming over the past year, but I'm seeing some things that I'm wondering if there's any consensus on.

Uplay, Origin, and Steam are really the main digital delivery platforms, with GOG being considered distinct for being explicitly DRM-free and heaping on unique extras, and everything else is basically a generic download of the exe with serial or other forms of protection. Is there any consideration for maybe splitting off Uplay, Origin, and GOG-based games into their own categories instead of just dumping it all under digital downloads?

For instance, it'd be great to see PC games look like:

PC >
  PC - Digital Download
  PC - GOG
  PC - Origin
  PC - Steam
  PC - Uplay

Thoughts?

[htimreimer]

this is good idea also we should add pc/mac for those pesky hybrid disks

[scott]

That could work well.

[tripredacus]

I don't think digital games should be on here at all. Might as well put a demos, abandonware, roms and warez sections too.

[turf]

I don't think digital games should be on here at all. Might as well put a demos, abandonware, roms and warez sections too.

By that logic, you can't include XBLA, VC, or PSN games either. 
In my opinion, digital games belong if people want to add them to their collection.  If you don't want to, don't include them in your collection.  Don't limit the database.

[scott]

When we first started Digital games weren't really accounted for. But members requested the ability to add them to their collections. Plus you have collectors like Foxhack, who mainly collect digital downloads of games. So they have their place, just like NES, PS1 and the like.

[insektmute]

I don't think digital games should be on here at all. Might as well put a demos, abandonware, roms and warez sections too.

Not to mention, you have a number of games in your collection - including Half-Lif 2 - that use systems like Steam, which are basically digital-only with an empty box if they've been installed at all. Officially released products that cost money are hardly in the same camp as demos and warez.

[foxhack]

I've gotten way more into Steam, GOG, and other digital sources for PC gaming over the past year, but I'm seeing some things that I'm wondering if there's any consensus on.

Uplay, Origin, and Steam are really the main digital delivery platforms, with GOG being considered distinct for being explicitly DRM-free and heaping on unique extras, and everything else is basically a generic download of the exe with serial or other forms of protection. Is there any consideration for maybe splitting off Uplay, Origin, and GOG-based games into their own categories instead of just dumping it all under digital downloads?

For instance, it'd be great to see PC games look like:

PC >
  PC - Digital Download
  PC - GOG
  PC - Origin
  PC - Steam
  PC - Uplay

Thoughts?

I was the one that came up with most of the current rules we use for digital games. The reason that Steam has its own subcategory is the fact that it has 2417 games available in my region as of just now. (There are regional variants and region exclusive games.) And this number doesn't include the games that have been pulled from the store over the years. Steam has more games available than many console systems and so I asked that those games be assigned a specific category.

Uplay and Origin sell lots of games but the amount of games that can only be bought (or that require a site account) there is still pretty low for both. Wikipedia lists 16 games that require Origin, and 50-ish that use or require Uplay to run (but Uplay is also used on consoles.) Both are basically used as copy protection / antipiracy and distribution services, similarly to Games for Windows Live, and many of the games they sell are also available at other digital retailers. So I decided to keep things simple and add generic digital entries for games that are on multiple sites.

I originally added GOG games with (GOG.com) in their title because the games included retailer specific bonuses that aren't available almost anywhere else. Now, there should be over 600 games available there... I think that this means I should ask for a new platform for them, heh.

I wish there was a better way to handle DLC content for digital games. As of now I just ask people to -not- add specific items...

I don't think digital games should be on here at all. Might as well put a demos, abandonware, roms and warez sections too.

Have I ever told you about my utter hatred of glorified bootlegs - er, reproduction carts? You know, the kind where people gut perfectly working carts and swap out their data chips for EEPROMs that will stop working in a number of years and are basically illegally manufactured and distributed games which happen to be owned by companies that still exist. Or game translations. Which we game hackers do not want people to sell.

[insektmute]

I was the one that came up with most of the current rules we use for digital games. The reason that Steam has its own subcategory is the fact that it has 2417 games available in my region as of just now. (There are regional variants and region exclusive games.) And this number doesn't include the games that have been pulled from the store over the years. Steam has more games available than many console systems and so I asked that those games be assigned a specific category.

Uplay and Origin sell lots of games but the amount of games that can only be bought (or that require a site account) there is still pretty low for both. Wikipedia lists 16 games that require Origin, and 50-ish that use or require Uplay to run (but Uplay is also used on consoles.) Both are basically used as copy protection / antipiracy and distribution services, similarly to Games for Windows Live, and many of the games they sell are also available at other digital retailers. So I decided to keep things simple and add generic digital entries for games that are on multiple sites.

I originally added GOG games with (GOG.com) in their title because the games included retailer specific bonuses that aren't available almost anywhere else. Now, there should be over 600 games available there... I think that this means I should ask for a new platform for them, heh.

I wish there was a better way to handle DLC content for digital games. As of now I just ask people to -not- add specific items...

Yeah, no question Steam needs its own dealio. Uplay and Origin are getting a little tougher to peg down though, as most PC games released by Ubi and EA are tacking them on as a requirement, and have expanded their stores quite a bit. Even though the number of exclusives is relatively low, pretty much any game released by them over the last few years is available via one or the other.

I think of them as being more like PSN/XBLA than as straight up copy protection though, so to my mind, they're distinct in their own right, whereas say, console games using Uplay would still be listed as games released for those platforms.

GOG would be a great start, though. I've gotten a pretty nice collection of releases from there, even of stuff I have on disc, simply for the ease of running them under Win 7 in comparison to trying to make the retail discs work. System Shock 2 and Fallout 2 woot!

DLC is the other thing I've been wondering about. I've seen a LOT of Steam DLC in the database lately, and was wondering if that should be in there or not... it's too bad we don't have the ability to add DLC listings within each game entry, allowing people to just tick a checkbox next to each one they have, which would keep that stuff from muddying up the main listings.

[tripredacus]

I don't think digital games should be on here at all. Might as well put a demos, abandonware, roms and warez sections too.

Not to mention, you have a number of games in your collection - including Half-Lif 2 - that use systems like Steam, which are basically digital-only with an empty box if they've been installed at all. Officially released products that cost money are hardly in the same camp as demos and warez.

I do also have games that I purchased from Steam but I don't add them to my collection here, just the physical ones like Half Life 2. My implication of comparing them to demos and warez has nothing to do with whether or not the item was purchased or not. It is just data that you downloaded from somewhere when you come down to it.

I guess it comes down to using the site for what you want. People can add digital copies if they like, but its worthless to me and I won't use it.

[scott]

it's too bad we don't have the ability to add DLC listings within each game entry, allowing people to just tick a checkbox next to each one they have, which would keep that stuff from muddying up the main listings.

This is what I would like to see. Rather than have a bunch of DLC listings in the database. Since there really is no reason to have them separate from the game anyway. Plus then you can just look at the game's page and see what DLC is available and easily compare it with what you own.

[burningdoom]

Like has already been said, if you don't like digital stuff being in your collection, then don't add it. But they're still video games. I don't see why everyone else should not be able to add them to their collection just because of a couple people's personal views.

I mean, I spent money on the games, I play them, they exist. Just because it's not on a disc, floppy, or cartridge doesn't make it any less of a video game.

And "muddying up the listings" is a pretty poor reason not to add it, that's why there's a search function.

[foxhack]

Like has already been said, if you don't like digital stuff being in your collection, then don't add it. But they're still video games. I don't see why everyone else should not be able to add them to their collection just because of a couple people's personal views.

I mean, I spent money on the games, I play them, they exist. Just because it's not on a disc, floppy, or cartridge doesn't make it any less of a video game.

And "muddying up the listings" is a pretty poor reason not to add it, that's why there's a search function.

I see his point about "muddying up the listings" though. They currently clutter up the search because we can't search by platforms at the moment, so everything gets thrown into the search results.

Oh, by the way, we do have demos in the database! Carts and discs.

[tripredacus]

Oh, by the way, we do have demos in the database! Carts and discs.

True, but I remember a time you could download demos from sites like Gamespy before they decided to kill the Planet sites.

[insektmute]

Now that takes me back. I used to snag demos off sites like Happy Puppy religiously when I was younger, often just to make sure my crappy PC at the time could even run it. These days... not quite so much of a concern