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"I miss the cardboard box...!"

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Mon 18/06/01 at 23:54
Regular
Posts: 787
I know the new DVD style packaging for PC games is cheaper and gives a more uniform appearance, but i`m increasingly finding that i miss the bigger cardboard boxes, most if not all contained huge manuals, sometimes demo`s and often a booklet on up & coming releases. It made them look worth buying and that you got more for your £30.

Plus my games collection is starting to look a bit lop-sided with DVD cases at one end of the shelf and larger boxes at the other end.

Also, if DVD boxes are cheaper to produce, how come the cost of games has not reflected this????
Who`s making a little bit extra money from all this, i wonder?

Any comments...?
Wed 04/07/01 at 11:30
Regular
"Eric The Half A Bee"
Posts: 5,347
BORGDRONE wrote:

Or does this signal that games
> buyers are not happy with the DVD cases content whilst still being
> asked to pay the same cost as before?

I suspect its just part of the change over... EA especially seem to be pushing the DVD style cases... I suspect at the moment it depends on the distributor?

Not being a big EA fan... since they have many times released titles (namely Ultima9 and Black and White)... and they also seem to be using the Cardboard box - DVD case shift to raise the price of their games (though not really RRP, shops seem to haved raised the price of EA titles from 26.99 each to 30.99 or 31.99)...

But I do think, in the long run that a DVD style case for PC titles will be better...

I always remeber being chuffed to find CD cases inside Boxed games, since it ment I could pick up a standard CD holder for games storage?
Tue 03/07/01 at 23:42
"The pen is mightier"
Posts: 258
I sold it!!!!!

Still, this is a situation i`m happy to say will soon be reverted. My friend is going to part with his Amiga and give it to me.

Just as well, because i cannot find a PC copy of INTERNATIONAL 3D TENNIS by Palace/Senisible software anywhere, but i do still have my Amiga copy.

It might have looked a bit weird, but the gameplay was great and allowed you to concentrate more on type of shot while the computer moved your player.

Why this system has never been used again since is beyond me!!!
Tue 03/07/01 at 17:55
Regular
"Too Orangy For Crow"
Posts: 15,844
Don't you play on your Amiga anymore then, Borgdrone? I still play on mine.
Tue 03/07/01 at 17:46
"The pen is mightier"
Posts: 258
Its fair to say the DVD case will be here to stay - i guess i am being a bit nostalgic with the boxes.

But we do also seem to be stuck in a "Never-Never land" at this time, because not all companies are using this new format. Diablo 2 expansion just appeared on shelves and at the same time, so did Half-life Blueshift, both in CARD BOXES, yet a week or so earlier i purchased Startopia in its gleaming new DVD case...

This sends a confusing message to us punters, either these companies are for the change or staying with the old format.

Or does this signal that games buyers are not happy with the DVD cases content whilst still being asked to pay the same cost as before?

I`m sure there are for and against arguments for all the above mentioned, just as i`m sure that despite everything i still prefer the card boxes, but times are changing.

After all, i also still miss my Amiga!!!
Mon 02/07/01 at 10:13
Regular
"Eric The Half A Bee"
Posts: 5,347
BORGDRONE wrote:
Yes, i am still
> "talkig" about the boxes and not its contents!!!!

OK... just making sure :)

Don`t
> get me started on this, because this is another point which i think
> makes a fair argument against these cases. This is the fact that we
> are STILL getting cd disks even though we have DVD cases - why are
> we not getting DVD-ROM disks????

This wasnt where I was trying to go... But I do agree...

I understand lot of companies take the view that since most people still have CD-ROM drives... and DVD drives can run CD diskettes, that its more likey to make a decent profit if you sell on CD...

This didnt happen with the introduction of CD-ROMS, since the medium change from diskette is CD was much more dramatic... and was a much larger ste for the company to make...

The problem is that companies arnt producing DVD disks until they know they are 'safe' to do so, which, althoughshouldt be too long now... probasbly eill take a little longer than expected...

Equally, whe companies do release on DVD its generally just the same program as would be released on CD, (with a possible release of a game & add on pack release even later than that)

and that unlike early CD releases having added features (like talkieds on adventure games), DVD titles give the uder nothing that the CD user doest also get?


You say they are all
> "excatly" - sorry, exactly the same once installed, but
> wouldn`t a DVD-ROM disk have the potential to store more information
> (game demo`s, patches or maybe even extra`s like on DVD films but
> showing game art, storyboarding or the design team`s video diary)
> that would justify using the DVD case and disks.

No, now, I'm talking about the boxes here, not CD Vs. DVD... In that a game that comes in a giant box, once installed, is excatly the same as a game that comes in a DVD style case.

Although, I thik your right... DVD games releases containing 'Extras' wouldnt be such a bad idea... and something games companies seem to have so far missed out on?
Sun 01/07/01 at 21:21
"The pen is mightier"
Posts: 258
Armitage Shanks wrote:
> BORGDRONE wrote:
As a film medium they are fine - but as a game
> medium
> they are not ideal.

Still talkig about the boxes...
> and not DVD themselves here huh?

What is the difference between
> having a game come in a small box or a bigger box?

Once the game
> is installed... its excatly the same...



Yes, i am still "talkig" about the boxes and not its contents!!!!

Don`t get me started on this, because this is another point which i think makes a fair argument against these cases. This is the fact that we are STILL getting cd disks even though we have DVD cases - why are we not getting DVD-ROM disks????

You say they are all "excatly" - sorry, exactly the same once installed, but wouldn`t a DVD-ROM disk have the potential to store more information (game demo`s, patches or maybe even extra`s like on DVD films but showing game art, storyboarding or the design team`s video diary) that would justify using the DVD case and disks.

It may mean a price increase, but at least your getting your value for money, not some mass produced cd disk in a DVD case containing one game!!.
Sun 01/07/01 at 12:43
Regular
"Eric The Half A Bee"
Posts: 5,347
BORGDRONE wrote:
As a film medium they are fine - but as a game medium
> they are not ideal.

Still talkig about the boxes... and not DVD themselves here huh?

What is the difference between having a game come in a small box or a bigger box?

Once the game is installed... its excatly the same...
Fri 29/06/01 at 16:44
"The pen is mightier"
Posts: 258
I purchased it myself to stack card boxes on!! It was never intended to put DVD cases on.

As it happens, it will hold vertically 30 card boxes, five to a row. The shelving is open ended but this was not a problem because the card boxes normally stayed put. It was designed in such a way as to fill a gap along my wall and to be functional as well - i just didn`t see the DVD case would be a problem until i tried stacking them. To put all of my remaining card boxes on this shelf along with my new DVD cases leaves some left over depending which ones i consentrate on stacking first. The surface coating does not grip well on the plastic DVD cases even when laid flat (one empty case nearly fell into my fishtank two days ago!) so stacking that way was not an option.

I do have a DVD film stacking system which i got from Argos and this sits near the Surround Sound TV. My games and films are supposed to be separate!!!

As a film medium they are fine - but as a game medium they are not ideal.
Thu 28/06/01 at 20:30
Regular
"Eric The Half A Bee"
Posts: 5,347
BORGDRONE wrote:
Trouble is i got it to
> put films in (i`ve got about 50) and its already full because my DVD
> games cases are on it as well!.

why not just buy another? ... :)


Lay them flat i hear you say? sure, okay - but they are
> the wrong length as well, either overhanging the shelf at both ends
> and falling off again!

If the DVD cases dont fit on the shelf... then Boxes certainly wont... DVD cases are shorter and thinner than boxes... laid on their side, about the same length as two boxes on their end?

Thats a tiny shelf you have there man :)
Thu 28/06/01 at 12:49
"The pen is mightier"
Posts: 258
I got a nice pinewood DVD storage stack for up to 60 cases for £29.99 at a little shop in Ely...

Trouble is i got it to put films in (i`ve got about 50) and its already full because my DVD games cases are on it as well!. I would put them on my games shelf but they keep falling over.

The card boxes had flatter bottoms and were steadier on the shelf. So thats another point against DVD boxes due the the fact they also require a new form of storage.

Lay them flat i hear you say? sure, okay - but they are the wrong length as well, either overhanging the shelf at both ends and falling off again!

Sorry - these cases have got to go...

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