9 replies to this topic

[naadofett]

I'm still debating on how I want to handle new game purchases. I've got the 32gb deluxe with 25 gigs of space left, but I realize that with the games I'd like to get in the near future and down the road, that just won't be enough. So, I can get the physical discs like I've always done. I tend to like to collect the games and have them on the shelf. I still have all my Gamecube games on the shelf for that matter just in case I get the urge to pop one in.

A couple nice things about the downloads come to mind:

1. All the games are sitting right there on the U and/or external hard drive. I'm not concerned with taking games to a friend's house to play or use on a second console at home or something.

2. Quick access to any game without having to get up and pop in a disc.

3. Not having to physically use the disc drive and listen to it spin up all the time. No, that's not a deal-breaker and completely annoying, but it would be a nice touch for me.

4. eShop discount points.

5. Download games when you feel like it.


But then there are the concerns:

1. Have to get over the "collector" aspect of my mindset that likes to see games sitting on a shelf even if I don't use them regularly.

2. Can't sell a game at a later date, but then again, being a collector I tend to not sell them at all anyway.

3. Have to hook up an external hard drive, but this doesn't bother me too much overall.

4. What if the external hard drive and/or Wii U console itself take a dump. Is there some way you'd be able to re-download the games again without being charged for it?

5. How do the digital downloads of full retail games work? You obviously download them from the eShop, but then do they show up as a new "channel" on your Wii U menu interface? I'd rather not spend $60 to experiment and find out. I'm sure others here could explain how this looks/works.

[xile6]

I have not downloaded a game on the wii u so idk ,but i am betting it would be a pain. I have a ps3 also and i have downloaded a game which i got for free it was a 4gb download. Old game so wasnt that big compare to the new ones.

But i have downloaded on the wii and it just comes up and another channel.
Im a hard copy guy anyways. Just like it better, Gives me a better feel or owning the game.

And right now if you buy a game via download it will be tied into the system id and your nintnedo id. So if the wii u takes a dump you gotta call up Big N and get it worked out so that they can fix all that. But more or less your have to redownload everything.

[HaoSenVastForest]

Downloading things on the Wii just made it show up as a channel and same with the 3DS so it shouldnt be that bad.

[UnholyVision]

But then there are the concerns:

1. Have to get over the "collector" aspect of my mindset that likes to see games sitting on a shelf even if I don't use them regularly.

4. What if the external hard drive and/or Wii U console itself take a dump. Is there some way you'd be able to re-download the games again without being charged for it? How do the digital downloads of full retail games work? You obviously download them from the eShop, but then do they show up as a new "channel" on your Wii U menu interface? I'd rather not spend $60
to experiment and find out. I'm sure others here could explain how this looks/works.

- Any digital collection on any platform will be visible in some way or another. Even if it is say something like GamersGate with a web based shelf.
- Nintendo is trying to make video games into music or possibly movies & to be honest that just does not work. You can download, activate a license, and/or account on any other console at the users end. (While PC is even easier in ways) Yet Nintendo decided to live in some stupid reality of the past or idea to nickle & dime every last penny out of the consumer base. Because as mentioned above the games get locked to your console as previous handhelds & systems have been for a while now. To even get things like this off a handheld device (as far as I can tell based off what I have read) you need two working systems at once, a transfer cable, and time. The real kicker is the devices could be dead & as far as calling Nintendo, well that could be a painful or helpful experience. Basically, a yeah or nay to possibly get or not get your games back (Nintendo is weird on this subject). As much as this pains me to say as I am pretty pro digital on everything (50/50 or 100% in most cases), you are better off waiting until Nintendo changes this policy before buying into Nintendo's DD service. That is to say, if they ever change it...... Best thing to do would be to vote with your wallet and buy nothing digital (DLC & DD exclusive games included). Better to lose nothing or be troubled if Nintendo did some kind of change of shop in the process. (Hopefully this will never happen again, like it did for the 3DS switching over shops).

[SoldMyWiiUAndLeftTheForums]

I hate downloads, new games all the way lol

[Gamejunkie]

- Any digital collection on any platform will be visible in some way or another. Even if it is say something like GamersGate with a web based shelf.
- Nintendo is trying to make video games into music or possibly movies & to be honest that just does not work. You can download, activate a license, and/or account on any other console at the users end. (While PC is even easier in ways) Yet Nintendo decided to live in some stupid reality of the past or idea to nickle & dime every last penny out of the consumer base. Because as mentioned above the games get locked to your console as previous handhelds & systems have been for a while now. To even get things like this off a handheld device (as far as I can tell based off what I have read) you need two working systems at once, a transfer cable, and time. The real kicker is the devices could be dead & as far as calling Nintendo, well that could be a painful or helpful experience. Basically, a yeah or nay to possibly get or not get your games back (Nintendo is weird on this subject). As much as this pains me to say as I am pretty pro digital on everything (50/50 or 100% in most cases), you are better off waiting until Nintendo changes this policy before buying into Nintendo's DD service. That is to say, if they ever change it...... Best thing to do would be to vote with your wallet and buy nothing digital (DLC & DD exclusive games included). Better to lose nothing or be troubled if Nintendo did some kind of change of shop in the process. (Hopefully this will never happen again, like it did for the 3DS switching over shops).

I would pretty much go with all this although I may be inclined to make an exception for DLC and digital only games. That said I'm not one who downloads paid DLC on any of my consoles except maybe the Vita. Then again Sony allow you to easily transfer content on a new system as long as you use the same PSN ID. This is where Nintendo systems are a pain in the back side because of their stupid policy that content and the Nintendo ID are locked to that one particular system. In this respect they could learn something from Sony and Microsoft. I tend to but all my retail games as physical copies anyway and only download digital only games on my consoles.

[UnholyVision]

I would pretty much go with all this although I may be inclined to make an exception for DLC and digital only games.

That said I'm not one who downloads paid DLC on any of my consoles except maybe the Vita. Then again Sony allow you to easily transfer content on a new system as long as you use the same PSN ID. This is where Nintendo systems are a pain in the back side because of their stupid policy that content and the Nintendo ID are locked to that one particular system. In this respect they could learn something from Sony and Microsoft.

- I tend to but all my retail games as physical copies anyway and only download digital only games on my consoles.

Buying into it through any means is still buying into it. They may not get as big of a profit, but your still giving them money so they will continue on with the nonsense. I have never bought anything through the Nintendo DD service due to these policies & I will continue not to due to said policy. I am proud to say this too as I have had a Wii go bad on me. (It started getting all clunky to the point it sometimes failed to read discs and even would not display an output on screen. Real lovely to turn your console on and off twenty times to hope it displays an image the next boot up). Sure I may miss out on a possible Wii only DD exclusive, but better to miss out while saving my cash than missing out due to a console failing.

Of course they can, I have been saying this for ages now. It always seems Nintendo never learns where it truly counts. As far as the Sony products go, you have an activation to X amount of consoles, but your still able to deactivate from the old device or a computer via a website if the device is messed up. Simple as slicing bread, sure it may take a minute of your time, but at least your not restricted from downloading or backing up your data. Hell, the PS3 has a bloody backup HDD option & the Vita has a backup system as well to just copy it back onto the next one. The PSP/Vita even lets you hook the thing up to your PC/PS3 to make backups of games, saves, or what ever. Yet Nintendo can not even offer something like that with any of their handheld devices...... Nope to bad buy our transfer cable or whatever software backup methods to a possible SD. I hope your not using that said device because those backups are brilliant they swipe the whole thing clean. (roll eyes) Yep, Nintendo could learn a lot from just about any DD service out there Impulse, GameFly, GamersGate, Steam, GreenManGaming, GoG, PSN/SEN, or Live Marketplace & that is only naming a few........

(Bold Text) What is retail games these days? Really no such thing anymore. Specially on most platforms as they are arising to the new coming era. You have both retail and digital version of a good portion of a lot of these games on consoles. PC just about every one, but consoles are like 30-60% (100% on Vita & two others) depending on the platform. You might as well call it commercial games and indie in reality. Because most all of these cheaper little games that are digital only are usually made by some small developer. If not then they are just a means of making an extra quick buck (as they are not putting a lot of resources into it) to not even be really advertised outside the internet in most cases. Have you seen many ads on TV or anything for say Shank (EA)? Personally I haven't, but I have seen say Disciple or Mass Effect quiet a few times on there. Anyway, not trying to make a big deal about this, only saying that the market has sort of changed & games are not really retail based only like they use to be.

Edited by UnholyVision, 25 November 2012 - 04:51 AM.

[Gamejunkie]

Buying into it through any means is still buying into it. They may not get as big of a profit, but your still giving them money so they will continue on with the nonsense. I have never bought anything through the Nintendo DD service due to these policies & I will continue not to due to said policy. I am proud to say this too as I have had a Wii go bad on me. (It started getting all clunky to the point it sometimes failed to read discs and even would not display an output on screen. Real lovely to turn your console on and off twenty times to hope it displays an image the next boot up). Sure I may miss out on a possible Wii only DD exclusive, but better to miss out while saving my cash than missing out due to a console failing.
Of course they can, I have been saying this for ages now. It always seems Nintendo never learns where it truly counts. As far as the Sony products go, you have an activation to X amount of consoles, but your still able to deactivate from the old device or a computer via a website if the device is messed up. Simple as slicing bread, sure it may take a minute of your time, but at least your not restricted from downloading or backing up your data. Hell, the PS3 has a bloody backup HDD option & the Vita has a backup system as well to just copy it back onto the next one. The PSP/Vita even lets you hook the thing up to your PC/PS3 to make backups of games, saves, or what ever. Yet Nintendo can not even offer something like that with any of their handheld devices...... Nope to bad buy our transfer cable or whatever software backup methods to a possible SD. I hope your not using that said device because those backups are brilliant they swipe the whole thing clean. (roll eyes) Yep, Nintendo could learn a lot from just about any DD service out there Impulse, GameFly, GamersGate, Steam, GreenManGaming, GoG, PSN/SEN, or Live Marketplace & that is only naming a few........
(Bold Text) What is retail games these days? Really no such thing anymore. Specially on most platforms as they are arising to the new coming era. You have both retail and digital version of a good portion of a lot of these games on consoles. PC just about every one, but consoles are like 30-60% (100% on Vita & two others) depending on the platform. You might as well call it commercial games and indie in reality. Because most all of these cheaper little games that are digital only are usually made by some small developer. If not then they are just a means of making an extra quick buck (as they are not putting a lot of resources into it) to not even be really advertised outside the internet in most cases. Have you seen many ads on TV or anything for say Shank (EA)? Personally I haven't, but I have seen say Disciple or Mass Effect quiet a few times on there. Anyway, not trying to make a big deal about this, only saying that the market has sort of changed & games are not really retail based only like they use to be.

To be honest I've never bought anything online for a Nintendo system be it the Wii, DSi or 3DS. The only content I've downloaded is free stuff mainly because I can't stand Nintendo's archaic online digital content system. As for transferring data I can't do that anyway as my Wii is an American import and my Wii U will be a local UK one. As for the Wii U I haven't made a decision other then I won't be downloading any games which are also available as physical disc based copies. I'm not planning at this point downloading any of the smaller digital only games but I may change my mind if something comes along that's really compelling. I don't really see Nintendo changing anything regardless of what we as consumers do as they're pretty stubborn in their ways. We shall see.

[UnholyVision]

@Gamejunkie: Ah, got to love region locks, must be wonderful at that to import games, be it that sometimes that can get costly. That aside, Rome was not built in a day so of course it would not happen over night to make Nintendo change. However, if they lose a good enough bit of money than their gaining (Hosting wise takes power, expensive ISP bills, et cetera. No I am not saying something silly like they would go out of business from this. Only that it cost money to have file clusters or any type of sever) they will attempt to do something. Be it lower prices to some degree to increase sales, change policies, or stop the DD all together. For example, OnLive use to be streaming of games only & it made little profit. They changed this to have downloads as well as streaming to see a increase in sales. Personally, I say if your not doing DD right, do not do it at all.

[Gamejunkie]

@Gamejunkie: Ah, got to love region locks, must be wonderful at that to import games, be it that sometimes that can get costly. That aside, Rome was not built in a day so of course it would not happen over night to make Nintendo change. However, if they lose a good enough bit of money than their gaining (Hosting wise takes power, expensive ISP bills, et cetera. No I am not saying something silly like they would go out of business from this. Only that it cost money to have file clusters or any type of sever) they will attempt to do something. Be it lower prices to some degree to increase sales, change policies, or stop the DD all together. For example, OnLive use to be streaming of games only & it made little profit. They changed this to have downloads as well as streaming to see a increase in sales. Personally, I say if your not doing DD right, do not do it at all.

Yes region locking is a pain in the back side. Back when the Wii launched I decided to get an American model as at that time importing games was actually cheaper due to the exchange rate. Also Nintendo had a habit of releasing some games in the US a long time before they released them in the UK and EU. The cost difference has now become marginal due to the exchange rate and less games are being delayed here with several Wii games actually being released here first. On top of that importing games is neither practical nor satisfactory as you often have to wait several days after launch to recieve them plus you can't trade the consoles or games in here as they're imports. My PS3 is a US launch 60GB model but as its region free and multi voltage it's not really a problem. I use to own a US Xbox but after going through two with the red rings issue my third one is a UK model. I probably going to stick with UK models from now on even if they cost more and come out later. My Wii will probably be relegated down in the family room with the smaller TV being replaced in my AV/games set up and bigger TV in my room with the Wii U.