Adaptive Game Bundles: Sapphire Select

by Derek Wilson on 6/8/2005 5:33 AM EST
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  • stmok - Monday, June 13, 2005 - link

    I tend to agree that this seems more like a pointless exercise in being different.

    Everytime I purchase a video card, I delibrately pick a brand that does NOT have a software game bundle. (Brands like PixelView)

    All I need is the video card and the accessories/cables (TV-OUT, etc)...I don't use the included drivers on CD anyway.

    Better yet, just sell me the card and accessories. Companies save money, and we don't need to pay for crap that we don't want in the first place.
  • bigboxes - Thursday, June 9, 2005 - link

    #17

    Bullseye! Who needs to purchase a video card based on what software is bundled with it? Just give me the cheapest price and let me choose the games on my own. You will pay something extra for that "free" game.
  • stnicralisk - Thursday, June 9, 2005 - link

    This is a nice technology. I hope they use it for more than games. I want to choose what kind of other video related software I recieve too. I dont need ANOTHER copy of WinDVD give me something else instead.
  • Avalon - Wednesday, June 8, 2005 - link

    It would be great if you could opt to activate none of your free games to receive a small rebate towards the price you paid for your video card. That way those of us that don't care for any bundled games can get what they want, cheaper.
  • aka1nas - Wednesday, June 8, 2005 - link

    The biggest issue that I have with this system is that you can't use standard updates or mods. You have to hope that the developers will continue to support this version of their game seperately.
  • gbohn - Wednesday, June 8, 2005 - link

    #11 said "#9 You can simply backup your game, is that so hard?"

    Well,

    A) Not everyone creates backups, and

    B) It's not clear what needs to be backed up. Some 'activation' systems hide the thing that needs to be backed up on a 'secret' part of the drive that a normal backup won't get to.

    Some 'activation' systems (say Windows) marry the software to your hardware. So, for all we know, a restore to a new system might not even work...

    Such are the possible joys of 'Digital Rights Management'.

    (Imagine if all your software was like that. Imagine the fun of having every piece of software you have needing to be re-activated (possibly needing to speak to someone in person for each) when you upgrade your system.)
  • yacoub - Wednesday, June 8, 2005 - link

    As long as there's an option to have NO bundle and get the hardware cheaper, I don't care what they do. I rarely want any software with a video card purchase. I'm generally buying a videocard because I already HAVE something that isn't running well on my current videocard.
  • flatblastard - Wednesday, June 8, 2005 - link

    I'm gonna have to agree with #8 on this one: "Worthless", is exactly how I would describe this. What I mean is that vid cards don't need to come bundled with "free" games and let's face it, their not "free", but rather the price is included in the purchase of the card. These companies would be doing us a greater service by including only what we need and nothing more. Of course, too much competition is what brings about these bundles and k00l product packaging.
    "Hey, look at our product. It's better than the competiton, just look at all the free games we give you!"
  • pzkfwg - Wednesday, June 8, 2005 - link

    First thing I thought when reading the article was as #9 and #10: what about intalling, uninstalling, reinstalling, etc.
    #11: If you have a new system, backup/image is not a solution, you need to reinstall.
  • Xenoterranos - Wednesday, June 8, 2005 - link

    I's say this is a step in the right direction. Imagine a subscription based system that let you play any of the games you wanted, provided it was on a one game per month basis or something. I'd say this is as close to renting PC video games as we're ever going to get. - Hey my first post - long time listener, first time caller!
  • smn198 - Wednesday, June 8, 2005 - link

    #13 No. I think you have install what is on the disk. You only connect to the internet to activate it.
  • nitromullet - Wednesday, June 8, 2005 - link

    I agree with the concerns about being able to re-install the game after a HD crash, any more info on this?

    Also, how long does the code you get with your video card last? For example, if I buy a new video card this year but I already own all the games available to me, can I wait a year until they come out with some that I want?
  • Houdani - Wednesday, June 8, 2005 - link

    Aye, as #5 asked ... did you try playing after "buying?" Where there any clunky or slow interface nuisances when trying to play an unlocked game? Also, did the receipt include an activation code so you could re-install the game at your leisure?
  • Menoob - Wednesday, June 8, 2005 - link

    #9 You can simply backup your game, is that so hard?
  • segagenesis - Wednesday, June 8, 2005 - link

    What worries me more about these online based game delivery systems is longevity rather than other concerns. If these companies ever go out of business for whatever reason or by what #4 said your stuck. Look at Circuit City and DiVX.

    I still have a decent collection of old (10+ year old) PC games and I seriously doubt when Half-Life 2 is 10 years old I will be able to play it without having to break (crack) into it.
  • gbohn - Wednesday, June 8, 2005 - link

    Errr.. and what happens when you recover from a hard drive crash (with a new drive) or upgrade to a new system?

    Do you need to ask "Mother may I", to be able to play the game you purchased on the new drive or system?
  • blwest - Wednesday, June 8, 2005 - link

    Worthless.
  • cHodAXUK - Wednesday, June 8, 2005 - link

    It is a very nice idea, it would definately make me pick Sapphire over another amnufacturer who wasn't offering a worthwhile or flexible bundle.
  • JuanT - Wednesday, June 8, 2005 - link

    This is intriguing, is there any news on when this'll be available? I'm grabbing an X800 XL and I wouldn't mind getting Tribes Vengeance instead of Prince of Persia.

    From the sound of it though, it could be a while.

    As much as I like Steam, I wouldn't want it used for all my games.
  • Araemo - Wednesday, June 8, 2005 - link

    No CD required, are you guys sure? Did you try playing a purchased game without the DVD in the drive?

    While it would be nice to have one disk that worked for multiple games, I haven't played tribes:Vengeance since I got back from my last lan party, mostly because I'm too lazy to dig into that pile of CDs to play it! I miss the games that either A: don't require a CD to be in the drive, or B: Worked fine with an imagedrive(Though I haven't tried that with T:V yet.)
  • xsilver - Wednesday, June 8, 2005 - link

    #2 explained why its evil -- I thought it was obvious ----
    also the fact that people can have their accounts deleted and hence be under the total control of steam --- definitley not the "customer is always right"
  • Jeff7181 - Wednesday, June 8, 2005 - link

    I like Steam... I've never had a problem with it. Not sure why other people have so much trouble.

    I like GameSpy too... although I wish it was a bit cleaner... it just seems sloppy to me. I like how simple and compact the Steam interface is.
  • Menoob - Wednesday, June 8, 2005 - link

    Sounds good to me. I wouldn't want it to be anything like Steam. There shouldn't a be a need to verify your game everytime you want to play it especially when the game has nothing to do with online gaming.
  • xsilver - Wednesday, June 8, 2005 - link

    the easiest way to thwart hackers would be to implement a steam type system which would phone home every so often; making it hard to break as it is constant verification (in return, the games can be updtated via this console too) -- but then that would be evil..... :P


    I like the idea though, as then it will allow people who purchase video cards being able to expect at least 1 good game, as you will be the one to choose it

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