Direct2Drive - the way digital content should be

[Malak]

I like D2D, but this is very much a "If you don't do things the way I want you to, I'm going to take my ball and go home" scenario. Whether D2D likes it or not, Steam has a great MP infrastructure in place, and I wish more games like Borderlands took advantage of it. I have never had any interest in MW2, and still don't but if I did, the Steam integration would be a plus for me, not a minus.

That MP infrastructure you love so much has been in place for more than a decade. The only thing Steam added was the requirement that it is running to play any of your games.

 

[Ackmed]

Nice, very nice. I am in 100% agreement with them.

http://www.direct2drive.com/8687/product/Buy-Call-of-Duty:-Modern-Warfare-2-Download

Hmm, install steam which I like, or buy from D2D that limits the amount of times I can install the game I bought. Yeah, tough choice.

Way to only look at it one way.

Yes, D2D has an interest in not supporting Steam because they are competitors, but my main point was that I like D2D because you buy the game, download, and install. Once the game is validated, you don't need to log into another app to play you games. One of the big advantages of digital distribution is the fact that you don't have to pop a disk on every time you want to play your game. IMO, Steam has just replaced that nuisance with having to run Steam and looking at their ads every time you want to play a game.

More misconceptions and false truths.

You dont need to log into steam every time. You can either have it auto start when Windows starts, or keep it in offline mode. You dont need to look at steam ads every time you want to play a game. Again, run it in offline mode, or keep it on the games tab. When in the games tab, you dont go to the store front page, and adds do not pop up every time you want to play a game.

Not to mention Securerom.

 

[tviceman]

That MP infrastructure you love so much has been in place for more than a decade. The only thing Steam added was the requirement that it is running to play any of your games.

Matchmaking, chat, friends, stats, achievements? I'm sure I missed a few features that the multiplayer structure of steam draws from... what MP structure was in place in 1999 that offers everything that steam offers now?

 

[Fox5]

Matchmaking, chat, friends, stats, achievements? I'm sure I missed a few features that the multiplayer structure of steam draws from... what MP structure was in place in 1999 that offers everything that steam offers now?

Gamespy was pretty good, though it didn't have automatic match making, in-game chat was only supported in a few games along with friends lists, and didn't have stats or achievements. Still, gamespy was world's better than most other services of its time, it was gamespy's (who owns d2d) game to lose, and they did, to steam.

BTW, D2D are hypocrites, they carry Street Fighter 4 which requires Games for Windows Live, and dawn of war 2 which carries GFWL and Steam.
They also carry GTA4, which has a dozen games of their own.

They're just doing the same thing gamestop did, getting pissy that a game requires you to install a game store.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

Sorry I love Steam. Makes everything super convenient since every game is bound to my account. Downloading at 30 MB/s =) MW2 in 3 min

 

[Fox5]

Sorry I love Steam. Makes everything super convenient since every game is bound to my account. Downloading at 30 MB/s =) MW2 in 3 min

It's annoying if your account gets banned for whatever reason. Or if you have two computers you use frequently, I have an HTPC and a desktop and it's annoying to have to log in on the HTPC. (I usually just keep it in offline mode) Steam cloud might be a big benefit for me, except it only works for Valve games afaik, and those are so unabashedly built for mouse and keyboard that I wouldn't want to play them on my HTPC.

 

[nitromullet]

Hmm, install steam which I like, or buy from D2D that limits the amount of times I can install the game I bought. Yeah, tough choice.
More misconceptions and false truths.

You dont need to log into steam every time. You can either have it auto start when Windows starts, or keep it in offline mode. You dont need to look at steam ads every time you want to play a game. Again, run it in offline mode, or keep it on the games tab. When in the games tab, you dont go to the store front page, and adds do not pop up every time you want to play a game.

Not to mention Securerom.

I'm not sure about you, but EVERY TIME I play a Steam game, the Steam application launches and I get that "what's new" ad window pop up.

 

[cmdrdredd]

I like steam generally. I only browsed this thread briefly but I didn't see it mentioned that Steam updates your games for you without you needing to go find the patches. Especially problematic with Direct2Drive games you need a special version of the patch that is not usually available at the same time as the retail patch. Steam will automatically apply updates to your titles.

 

[Fox5]

I'm not sure about you, but EVERY TIME I play a Steam game, the Steam application launches and I get that "what's new" ad window pop up.

I kind of like it since I'm big on steam sales.

But you can turn that off in the options, it's not mandatory.

 

[Malak]

I kind of like it since I'm big on steam sales.

But you can turn that off in the options, it's not mandatory.

Logging into Steam is mandatory. THAT is the problem. No other service requires this. Now, if you frequently use the in-game chat with your friend's list, this is all good. But you could do this before Steam. You can still do this without Steam. But if there's anything wrong with Steam, you can't play your games. This doesn't happen with any other service.

 

[Krakn3Dfx]

That MP infrastructure you love so much has been in place for more than a decade. The only thing Steam added was the requirement that it is running to play any of your games.

I've never had a problem with Steam running while I'm playing a game, it lets me know what friends are playing, and, in the case of games like MW2, L4D, TF2, it allows me to invite those people into my games.

And Steam hasn't been around for 10 years, it's only been around since late 2003. Whether or not you personally enjoy the product, it can and often does add a lot of functionality to games from a multiplayer and social standpoint.

At the end of the day, it was Activision's choice to use Steam as the delivery and management vehicle for MW2. Good or bad, it's kind of the way it is if you want to legally play that game on the PC.

 

[Malak]

I've never had a problem with Steam running while I'm playing a game, it lets me know what friends are playing, and, in the case of games like MW2, L4D, TF2, it allows me to invite those people into my games.

And Steam hasn't been around for 10 years, it's only been around since late 2003. Whether or not you personally enjoy the product, it can and often does add a lot of functionality to games from a multiplayer and social standpoint.

You misunderstood me. There are other programs that have been doing friends lists, in-game chat, and all that business since before Steam. I was chatting it up with friends and inviting people to games long before Steam came out.

 

[Zensal]

I've only bought 2 things on D2D.

1) Planetside. Downloaded a free 10 MB install file and just used a CD Key.

2) X2. I've had so many problems with this game, I cannot even tell you. The original game is bugged to the point that I cannot finish it and no patches will work with the D2D version.

I have 15 different Steam games and 14 of them auto patch. Universe at War accepts patches through GFWL or direct patching.

So I'm gonna keep using Steam for their awesome sales, large catalog and hassle-free experience.

 

[AbAbber2k]

good, hopefully a nice fight between the digital distro peeps will help restore some of the consumer rights that have been thoroughly walked over by them.

lol this little boycott won't change anything

MW2 is setting sales records despite D2D refusing to selling it.

 

[lupi]

lol this little boycott won't change anything

MW2 is setting sales records despite D2D refusing to selling it.

until we see a breakdown between pc/console total $ means nothing.

 

[dguy6789]

It's been said before, but this is ridiculous. They carry GTA 4(which requires at least THREE third party programs to be installed besides the game) but then hypocritically don't carry MW2 because it needs 3rd party software. That is insane.

 

[Malak]

It's been said before, but this is ridiculous. They carry GTA 4(which requires at least THREE third party programs to be installed besides the game) but then hypocritically don't carry MW2 because it needs 3rd party software. That is insane.

People can't change their business practices? They made a stand here.

 

[Gunslinger08]

I like Steam. Never had any issues with it. It auto-patches my games. They run sales all the time. I can backup the steam directory between OS installs and not have to reinstall all my games.

 

[eggrolls]

People can't change their business practices? They made a stand here.

Doing something different for MW2 doesn't mean they're changing their business practices.

 

[jlee]

Hmm, install steam which I like, or buy from D2D that limits the amount of times I can install the game I bought. Yeah, tough choice.

Can you find anyone who has run into this problem and wasn't taken care of by D2D?

Considering their website gives directions on what to do if something goes wrong, I'm pretty sure you can't.

 

[NoSoup4You]

Steam rules. I was against it from the start but the ease of use, continuous sales, and 4.0MB/s download speeds are way to good to ignore.

I've never used D2D but I was THIS close to picking up NWN2 and Drakensang on that $5 sale. I regret not jumping on those...

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

This is awesome, I thought. I make no secrets about my hatred of Steam, so out of support for this move by D2D I decided I'd finally go and make an account and support them. To try the service out I looked for shooters on special, found Far Cry 2 for USD$20 and make the purchase. I get half way through the purchase and I'm told that it's not available in my country.

Well, fuck you D2D, Steam may be an insidious, evil, unreliable piece of shit, but at least I can fucking use it (when it's working).

 

[BladeVenom]

ImpulseDriven and GOG.com is how it should be done.

 

[zerocool84]

D2D is such hypocrites. If they truly believed the "no 3rd part software" garbage, they wouldn't sell anything with SecuROM or the other one everybody hates (not StarForce).

Not only that, but they sell other Steam games, too.

this x100000000000000000

 

[zerocool84]

This is awesome, I thought. I make no secrets about my hatred of Steam, so out of support for this move by D2D I decided I'd finally go and make an account and support them. To try the service out I looked for shooters on special, found Far Cry 2 for USD$20 and make the purchase. I get half way through the purchase and I'm told that it's not available in my country.

Well, fuck you D2D, Steam may be an insidious, evil, unreliable piece of shit, but at least I can fucking use it (when it's working).

Like said before, they sell other games that need Steam and use Securom and other types. They are full of it.