[Kamikaze]

http://www.steampowered.com/index.php?area=news&id=109357175699147600

Valve is distributing a "preload" version of Half Life 2 through Steam so users can download it and unlock the encryption when they purchase the game on release.

It may be that the preload thing only contains libraries, media files and lacks some things Valve is still developing (say, the executable and maps), because Valve seems to still be in development. They can't release the full thing as a preload until they're done, and if they're done they can just release the thing for purchase.

Here is what is supposed to be a torrent of the preload file: http://www.filerush.com/torrents/Half-Life%202%20Preload%20Cache.torrent

How long do you suppose this will last before it is cracked to death? They better have stuck some serious encryption on.

[Petrarch of the VBB]

I can't see the point in getting it through Steam anyway.
Why spend 36 hours downloading it (wasting bandwidth that could be use for, I dunno, pr0n) when you spend 1 hour nipping into town to buy it the traditional way?

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by Petrarch of the VBB
I can't see the point in getting it through Steam anyway.
Why spend 36 hours downloading it (wasting bandwidth that could be use for, I dunno, pr0n) when you spend 1 hour nipping into town to buy it the traditional way?

Ever travelled on Scotrail?

Personally, I'd rather have a boxed copy anyways..... cos it comes with a nice box to, well, keep it in.

[Knight Templar]

Bleh, for all their worth, Valve don't seem to be the brightest of companies.

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by Knight Templar
Bleh, for all their worth, Valve don't seem to be the brightest of companies.

Actually, the idea of publishing their own content is genius - it cuts out a load of cost overhead and gives them control of their revenue stream.

  The problem is that Steam itself is notorious for being buggy, and that people are more reluctant to pay for non 'existent' stuff like software.  At least if they go to the shops, they have a box, CD, etc.

 But DL buying-ing, well, anything has a problem - what if your PC breaks?  How do you prove ownership?  Can you back it up?  If so, what about copy protection (i.e. anti-piracy)?  Etc.

I'd say there is defo a future for this sort of thing - people are becoming 24-hours online more and more of the time, with faster connections - but it may be too early justnow (hence why HL2 is being published in the shops) to take off.

[Petrarch of the VBB]

Originally posted by aldo_14
Personally, I'd rather have a boxed copy anyways..... cos it comes with a nice box to, well, keep it in.

Well that also. Plus if you get the fancy edition you get a metal tin or something, and a shirt.

[aldo_14]

I think I'd be a wee bit embarrassed to pay extra for a t-shirt..... I mean, you're giving them money to walk around wearing something that advertises their product?!

Plus IMO you'd look a bit of a tit walking around wearing a computer games t-shirt.

[vyper]

[q]Ever travelled on Scotrail?[/q]

Cars are > j00.

NCP Car Park opposite the UGC Cinema, nip in for 30 minutes, charge across through John Lewis to Game in Buch. Galleries, buy HL2 after killing several smaller customers who were in the way, charge back to car avoiding FirstBus drivers, get in car, relax.

[Xelion]

Their distribution method sucks . No wonder my hdd gets filled up so quickly, I need a different piece of software for each site I download from.

[Petrarch of the VBB]

Originally posted by aldo_14
I think I'd be a wee bit embarrassed to pay extra for a t-shirt..... I mean, you're giving them money to walk around wearing something that advertises their product?!

Plus IMO you'd look a bit of a tit walking around wearing a computer games t-shirt.

But you could flog it to some other tit for twice the price.

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by vyper
[q]Ever travelled on Scotrail?[/q]

Cars are > j00.

NCP Car Park opposite the UGC Cinema, nip in for 30 minutes, charge across through John Lewis to Game in Buch. Galleries, buy HL2 after killing several smaller customers who were in the way, charge back to car avoiding FirstBus drivers, get in car, relax.

That would imply me a) being able to drive b) having an avialable and legal car and c) not going to the pub.

'sides which, you have to pay for parking and petrol.  Unless you park it the Pitz, but that's yonks away

EDIT: I should put out that I don't use Scotrail by choice... I'd rather have open-bowel surgery in the woods performed upon me by a mad drunken hermit with a pointy stick.

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by Petrarch of the VBB


But you could flog it to some other tit for twice the price.

Yeah, but you can make more money with some special printer transfer paper, an iron and a 10-pack of cheap white t-shirts from ASDA*.

 It'd be a genuine limited edition, too - there's only so many you can crank out before your arms would get sore.


* *hack* *spit*

[pyro-manic]

That is a rather splendid idea...