Not sure what better use there is for hard drive space other than storing files and programs, especially considering the cost per gig has been well under 10 cents for quite some time now. Steam is nice because it's currently the most console-like experience on the PC. You buy a game, download it, and play it. If it's a game you're preordering, it will preload and unlock when it is officially "released" so you can play it instantly without issue. As far as the 'thousands of files and folders' thing, this isn't how Steam works at all. Most games are stores in one large .gcf file, and are usually accompanied by a second folder that stores things like any customizations or config files so they can be easily backed up. The whole system works great, especially because these files are completely portable as long as your account is entitled to play the games in question. I can install Steam and grab the TF2 .gfc file off a friend's computer and as long as when I log in my account has TF2 I don't have to download anything... Something which is impossible in all other forms of PC gaming with installers that puke files and registry entries everywhere. Besides, all the file management in Steam is completely obscured from the user. There's no reason most people would ever need to delve inside of their Steam folder, much like there's usually no reason why anyone would need to dig around in the actual files that make up iTunes or iPhoto libraries when each program does such a great job of managing that for them. Steam making one large .gfc file for most games is nice, but has absolutely no impact on the user at all since everything is handled via the Steam UI. I have a hard time empathizing with the need for physical media. I gave up on obsessing over walls of DVD's and video games by the second time I had to box them all up to move. Since the advent of things like Steam, iTunes, and other content delivery services all I need to worry about is data on a few hard drives or the password to my Steam account instead of thousands of boxes, cases, cdkeys, and other serial numbers. I guess having a wall full of video games could somehow add to your nerd street cred, I'd just rather use that space for something else especially given the much easier and better alternatives that already exist. As far as not being able to resell digital purchases, I don't really care about that either. Most Steam games are well under $10-20 especially if you wait for a sale, and I have a very hard time getting wound up over recuperating a $20 loss if I don't like something. PC games have been close to impossible to resell for quite a while anyway with cdkeys that are required for unique account generation or other things that consume the key. Console titles are going the same way, especially with either day one DLC or pack-in consumable DLC codes that lessen the second hand experience.
I hate having physical media. I have a boatload of console games lying around in my room and it's only going to pile up unless I sell them. I'd rather have them all stored through the cloud to conserve space and more importantly, in case my house burned down in a fire or something
Physical media is definitely safer but there's no real point in worrying about online servers being hacked (unless the person is very naive about how to use the web). If you're going to worry about that, then there's a ton of other things to worry about too like dying on a plane or a car crash during a blizzard. The worrying never stops if you think like that.
I have about 350 DVD's all of which I have thrown out the DVD case to and placed them inside of the CD Sleeve books. For some reason I tried this with my PC media and it always seems I'm either missing a CD key or the disc has one small enough scratch that the installer won't work... Steam is a godsend for someone like me who can't seem to keep media protected, plus it just makes it so much easier to have your games on your PC, without actually having to install them if you chose to do so. As for the resale thing, I didn't think there was ever a big "Trade-in" value with PC games, especially all of the online ones as almost all of them connect your account tied to your physical CD key. Doesn't work out too well....
I also like the convenience of how the game just downloads/installs and then I'm instantly playing the games on Steam. I don't have to deal with swapping discs or downloading patches which can be a pain sometimes because I'm lazy I also like not having to deal with retailers to buy the game. I don't have to call, wait a few minutes and see if the game is in stock (which they aren't allowed to hold anyways) and then drive to the store to pick it up. Or going to a store only to see the game sold out. This probably isn't as big of an issue these days because you can either order online and get the game shipped or checking to see if the title is in stock for most stores online but Steam is just so much faster. It's the same exact reason on why I love Netflix Streaming so much; instant gratification.
Shortened not out of disrespect, but because the quote is massive ...I probably should add that having a terrible internet connection (and living in a country ranked 12th in terms of general internet speed) does little to help the shift to digital delivery. If I wanted to install World of Warcraft right now, it'd take me over 24 hours to finish downloading all the expansions and patches (actually, that's how long it took a year ago... it'd be longer now), and when you're waiting that long just to start playing a game it leaves a bit of a bitter taste in the mouth. I quickly turn back to my 5-second setup, disc-into-console alternative. Edit: Oh, also! There's an awesome website for us UK citizens that generally delivers games (via good old-fashioned snail mail) a day or two before release date... sure, Steam automatically downloading pre-ordered games is nice, but it's still 48 hours later than I'm used to
Yeah, I think I saw it for $7, but only because it's about a year and a half old and it's sequel is out, not because of steam.
It wasn't in it's original box, so I'm guessing used, but I just got two games used from there, Arkham Asylum for me, Lego Star Wars for my little brother. Both work fine. And just checking, we're talking about the first Assassin's Creed, right?
Yeah, it's a good game. No where close to Game of the Year material, but it's the first actual decent Batman game released. The predator modes are cool as hell, though.
Imagine spending upwards of $150 on your wall of video games and then having your dog knock it all down and crack the discs. I think the likelihood of this hypothetical occurrence is about equal to that of yours.
