Industry wide standard?

[Stevevai9]

Should it be mandatory for video game developers to start making all of their games come in DVD form and not in CD form anymore? It's not common for a computer to come with a DVD drive these days and for christmas all but 1 game I got came with 4+ CDs. COD2 having the most at 6 CDs. Should it become a standard across the entire industry?

[tigstah]

some games come in both. i know battlefield 2 did.
i think it should be a standard. 1 dvd to install a game vs 4-6 cd's.

[Force Flow]

Yes, they should be more widely available, but no, they should not get rid of CD sets entirely.

[colecifer]

What happened to games coming on floppy disks? I liked the games when you need 1-3 floppies to install them and that was it.

[blue60007]

Yes, they should be more widely available, but no, they should not get rid of CD sets entirely.

Ditto, while most people are jumping on the DVD bandwagon, there's still people with decent gaming machines that lack a DVD-ROM.

[Hi Ho]

I would love it if they eliminated games on CD. It's really getting rediculous. Games come on 6+ discs when they could come on one DVD.

DVD drives are widespread and cheap enough to make the transition painless.

Really, who actually prefers switching through 6+ discs when installing and having a big bulky case taking up two slots in their CD rack?

Floppies were replaced with CD rather quickly. Why not have DVD's do the same?

[RJ]

Most games are already on DVD. Mulitple CDs are a joke nowadays, they should and do disappear.
Every computer that can handle these games, has a DVD-ROM drive, so there is no point in using CDs anymore.

I know that Far Cry and HL2 come on DVD, for example. Team17 even re-released Worms 3D (2 CDs) on DVD.
So it's happening actually. There are few games with 4 CDs out there (at least from what I see in stores when I quickly look over them). Like M$ Flight Simulator 2004. It comes on 4 CDs. But if they bundle it with a laptop or something, it'll come on DVD. Dunno why they don't sell the DVD version alone.

RJ

[tigstah]

i've been trying to find the dvd version of farcry....cannot locate a copy anywhere.
cd versions dont have to be eliminated yet, at least have a dvd version available.

[Stuey]

DVD versions of some games are incredibly diffciult to find sometimes. Atari's Act of War was released ONLY on DVD.

With FEAR, the DVD edition had "extras" which may or may not be a trend. As far as I can tell, it was just a gimick to allow them to charge extra for the DVD "special" edition.

DVD-rom drives are ridiculousl cheap. There are even burners which are are cheaper than most newly released games. There is no reason why a gamer cannot afford a DVD drive if they can afford more than one game. I mean, even my 4.5 year old laptop has a DVD drive.

[bigandy]

I think that enough people have DVD drives to make it more than realistic to put games on DVD. But, I still don't think that the games should be only on DVD. There are still some who want (kind of hard to believe, but I bet there are) or can only use CDs.

[Hi Ho]

I bet there were some who only wanted to use floppies. Does that mean that everyone else has to search for hard to find DVD versions of games? Why let the minority rule? As technology advances people need to adapt. There is no reason at all to have games on both DVD and CD. It costs more to stamp 6 CD's than it does one DVD.

[Nuclear Krusader]

Yes, DVD only. If a gamer has enough money to buy HL 2 selling for 50 bucks, he DOES have the money to invest in a DVD player which is actually cheaper than the game. I see no reason to keep technology from advancing just because of some weenies complaining. Get in the game or get out of the way (get an xbox).

[bigandy]

I bet there were some who only wanted to use floppies. Does that mean that everyone else has to search for hard to find DVD versions of games? Why let the minority rule? As technology advances people need to adapt. There is no reason at all to have games on both DVD and CD. It costs more to stamp 6 CD's than it does one DVD.

I'm not saying the DVD versions should be hard to find. Rather, the companies should not just suddenly switch to DVD only. I'm talking about a phasing out of sorts. Start producing more and more DVDs and less and less CDs until eventually there are no more CD versions out there.

[Force Flow]

I'm not saying the DVD versions should be hard to find. Rather, the companies should not just suddenly switch to DVD only. I'm talking about a phasing out of sorts. Start producing more and more DVDs and less and less CDs until eventually there are no more CD versions out there.
Exactly. You can't switch cold-turkey.

Right now, the standard is to have a CD-RW drives in a computer. Within the next year or two, the standard will move over to DVD.

You can consider something a standard when you find it as a basic option in a prebuilt machine

[RJ]

DVD-ROM drives are standard. Every pre-built machine (at least 99,9%) has one. And that has been for years already. Most pre-built PCs and laptops even have a DVD burner .. that is becoming the new standard already, rather than only a DVD-ROM. CD-RW. . .that time is over.

Sure I can only speak for Germany, but I don't believe it's different in the US. .. they've always been ahead.

RJ

[bigandy]

I do agree that DVD drives are pretty much a standard in newer machines. And I agree that we should have just about every game coming out in DVD form and have that DVD easy to find. But again, that shouldn't mean bye-bye CD version just yet either.

[Hi Ho]

DVD's said bye bye to VHS faster than any technology transition in history. I don't hear anyone complaining about that.

The transition has been happening slowly, very slowly. I think it's time to dump CD's.

[Nuclear Krusader]

Just when it's gonna be "just yet"? Hasn't it been "just yet" for a long while now?

Away with CDs!

[blue60007]

Yeah, I agree it's probably about time, but like FF said, you can't just kill CDs with one swift kick. I'm thinking it's about time games come mostly in DVD form, and the CDs be more rare.

[Hi Ho]

Actually, now that I think about it, why do we need CD's or DVD's at all? I bought Half Life 2, along with all the games that Valve has made, through Steam. Everything is downloaded, there are no discs at all. It works wonderfully.

[blue60007]

Eventually, yes, I believe that some day all media will be distributed mainly over the internet. Several games are like this now...such as Valve, FEAR, and the new BF2 expansion have all been released for purchase and download (probably more). Of course, just like the transition between floppies, CDs, and DVDs, this won't become mainstream until most people get on the highspeed internet bandwagon.

[Nuclear Krusader]

Actually, now that I think about it, why do we need CD's or DVD's at all? I bought Half Life 2, along with all the games that Valve has made, through Steam. Everything is downloaded, there are no discs at all. It works wonderfully.
Till your HDD goes kaput. Then you have to download again. If it's cookie-based, you'll have to BUY again.

[blue60007]

Till your HDD goes kaput. Then you have to download again. If it's cookie-based, you'll have to BUY again.

That's why there's a login based on their servers. ;) You can go and install Steam on any computer and download your game and play.

[Hi Ho]

It took me about the same time to download/install as it would have to install from several CD's. I have a Steam account and I can log in on any computer and install and play the game.

[RJ]

Actually, now that I think about it, why do we need CD's or DVD's at all? I bought Half Life 2, along with all the games that Valve has made, through Steam. Everything is downloaded, there are no discs at all. It works wonderfully.

I wouldn't like that. It'll give the manufacturers much more control. They could require an internet connection to play (and if it's a downloaded version, the internet connection is present for sure), or even decide how much you play. If they don't support the game anymore, they could prevent it from running.
And after downloading I'd have to burn it on CD or DVD for storage. Besides, it looks cooler to have a nice original CD or DVD with manual than just a burned one.

RJ

[Nuclear Krusader]

Exactly, RJ. See my posts in the Steampowered thread to know what I think of Steam. Give me my tangible media any day of the week, or I won't buy your product, is that simple.

Developers: get the Hades out of MY computer!

[Stuey]

I totally agree. I also like game media for the same reasons I still buy books and magazines: I like to have something tangible when I spend money. I want my colorful game manual and the plethora of advertisements that come with my disk!!

[RazorDX]

NO! Don't get rid of CDs! Or at least wait until I buy a DVD-Rom.

[RJ]

NO! Don't get rid of CDs! Or at least wait until I buy a DVD-Rom.

No. They should get rid of CDs (well, I mean the multiple CDs for a game), thus making you buy a DVD-ROM.

I mean. . what other reason would you ever have to buy a DVD-ROM ? You wouldn't do it if you can still get the games on CD, right ? So, to wait for you to get a DVD-ROM would mean to wait forever, as you would only get one if the games are on DVD instead of CD, right ?
And someone with a rig like yours does have the $30 for a DVD-ROM. It's not even $30 more, it's only the difference from CD-ROM drive to DVD-ROM drive, as you gotta have bought some sort of optical drive unless you have spare ones laying around that you could use.

Switchovers must be made. Yes, it means that some people are forced to buy new equipment. It has been done in the past, it will always be like that, so it should finally be done with CD/DVD as well.

I'm not even saying to get rid of CDs completely. If something fits on CD, there is no need for a DVD.
I would tolerate 2 CDs (probably coz I'm used to it. . though was happy to see Worms 3D on DVD. . it was only 2 CDs before), but still, they should disappear, too. I remember the first games on CD. Flight Simulator 5.1, for example, was 20 MB on CD. That CD was only 3% filled with data, the rest empty. Dune II also came on CD: 15 MB. And now they're making 4 CDs and more instead of using DVD ? I don't understand that.
3 CDs and more is too much. It should only come on DVD. At least not only on CD.

DVD-ROM drives do read CDs as well, so there is no problem using both. And they are standard in the US as well. I remember the last time that I was in the states, in 2003. We bought a new HP pavilion for my uncle, it had a DVD-ROM drive in it. Also we bought a DVD-ROM to upgrade my cousin's PC with one (she had an older HP Pavilion, with only a CD-RW).
There were a few PCs without DVD-ROM, but many had them. If it was the minority I'd have noticed it.

RJ

[Jaggannath]

Yes... get with the program, buy a DVD-ROM. They're widespread enough now that they don't cost a lot ($60 Australian for a good one), and it's wasteful of resources and drives game prices up, as they have to produce two different versions of the game

[Trent Steel]

wow, lots of interest in this area.
How about this solution, make it available in both DVD and CD and charge a slight premium on the CD version as it costs more to produce.
When a developer sees that the cd version is almost to the point of not selling, discontinue selling it on cd.

[Stuey]

I am skeptical as to whether or not it is cheaper to produce a DVD over several CDs. I mean, they have the technology in place to mass produce CDs and probably have to have the DVDs produced at a different facility.

I'm not going to pretend to understand the exact reality or costs behind the production and distribution of DVDs vs. CDs, but I imagine that until there is an OBVIOUS (via sales figures) widespread preference for DVDs, the format won't dominate.

[Hi Ho]

A DVD costs the same to produce as a CD. They are made the same way. When you must produce 6 CD's, rather than one DVD, that multiplies production costs by 6.

[Stuey]

A DVD costs the same to produce as a CD. They are made the same way. When you must produce 6 CD's, rather than one DVD, that multiplies production costs by 6.
Hmm I really didn't think that was the case.

[Hi Ho]

The only difference between DVD's and CD's is the fact that DVD's have two thinner substrates and the data is more densly packed. A more focused laser beam is required to read DVD's. The laser has nothing to do with producing DVD's though.

All Xbox and most, if not all, PS2 games are on DVD's. There's no reason to hold PC games back.

[tomster2300]

Keep the cd! I'm too cheap to buy a dvd drive for my pc! :). Seriously though, I can argue both ways on this. Like mentioned earlier, movie DVDs have all but completely replaced VHS tapes, so why shouldn't it be the same for the computer? I think one reason might be because the nuts and bolts of computers are still so foreign to the average pc user that they do not understand (or care about) the advantages to using DVD over CD. Why switch to something when the other works just as well? The only reason the floppy died is because manufacturers stopped putting them in their machines. The only reason DVD movies became mainstream was because the movie industry stopped producing VHS. I don't believe the gaming industry will find it profitable to switch to DVD until it can be sure that it has an extremely large consumer base to sell their products to. Why switch to DVD when a large part of your consumers still own and utilize cd drives?

EDIT: Question 1 - do you think they'll make a full switch to DVD before the new blu-ray (and other) technology is released to the public? Perhaps there will be a push to integrate that into the market and not push the current DVD format as much? I'm not sure how much sense that would make since the new blu-ray tech. will probably be extremely expensive compared to the ever dropping prices of current DVD drives and burners. Or, would it be more hurtful to discontinue producing CDs, make the full switch to DVD, and then unveil the new technology after everyone has spent the money to upgrade? If they could mass market the new technology at a low price then you might never see everything completely go over to the current DVD format. I'm supposing blu-ray drives will be compatible with current DVD disks, correct?

[weremonkey]

All Xbox and most, if not all, PS2 games are on DVD's. There's no reason to hold PC games back.

I agree, although they shouldn't stop production of games on CD's right away, just phase them out over the period of a year or two.

[David M]

Offer games on DVD for a few bucks less than on CD. This will encourage people to buy DVD read players. Phase out games on CD within a year so as to quit wasting resources.

[Spearball]

Well guys this is what i have to say....

Cds should not totally be taken out. A lot of thing still depend on cd because they dont need high capacity like on dvds.
For games...CDS should be history. Unrealy tournament is 6 cds its damn stupid! I cant find the dvd version anywhere.

I just got a dvd drive for about 35 $ CAD. Its not that expensive and it works just fine.

So.... time to get a DVD -ROM as soon as possible!!!!!!!!! DVDS will start to take over games!!!!

[MakeYourslf2012]

Yeah, I agree with the "Away with CD's!" philosophy. DVD-ROM drives are getting pretty cheap, I've seen some for 25-30 USD, which is pretty cheap.

EA games are starting to release alot of their games in both versons, you can either buy the 3 CDS or 1 DVD. LOTR: Battle for Middle Earth is the earliest game i've seen on DVD