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Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2007 10:31 pm
by Leisher
I just got The Orange Box for Christmas and was doing the install when I got a splash screen telling me that I already own a few of the games in The Orange Box, specifically Half-Life 2 and HL2:Episode One.
Because of that, it offered me the opportunity to give my extra games to someone. Pretty cool on Valve's part.
Thus, I have HL2 and HL2: Episode One to offer anyone of you for free. Be aware that both games are FPSs and that I'm sure Steam will be required.
So if you're interested, please IM me.
Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 12:17 am
by WSGrundy
If you don't have someone in mind to give it too, you should hold a contest.
I suggest picking a number 1-10.
Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 12:24 am
by Malcolm
I suggest a melee to the death or a balloon race around the world.
Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 12:31 am
by GORDON
Give it to any forum member who will show us a picture of them doing.........................
Edited By GORDON on 1198474315
Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 1:09 am
by Vince
GORDON wrote:Give it to any forum member who will show us a picture of them doing.........................
If you know the right site, I've already uploaded that one.
Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 2:01 am
by Leisher
If you don't have someone in mind to give it too, you should hold a contest.
Interesting idea...I was thinking of talking to Gordon about another "Pop Culture Contest". These could be one of the prizes. (I've got some DVDs I no longer need as well...)
Let me discuss with my co-party host.
Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 11:16 am
by GORDON
Doesn't google just render most trivia contest moot?
Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 11:23 am
by TheCatt
I think the people here can be trusted.
Except Paul.
Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 12:26 pm
by Leisher
Yes, Paul is not to be trusted.
As for Google...don't you remember how we did the last one? We asked questions that were difficult to google. (I'll IM you an example.)
Still, do we want to give this particular gift away in a contest that some random could enter? I'd prefer to give it to someone I know.
Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 12:41 pm
by Cakedaddy
That's cool? How nice of Steam to let us do what we want with the software we buy. What would REALLY be fucking cool is if you could get their latest games without having to rebuy their games that have already been around for years and those that want to play Portal and TF2 would already own. To me, that would be really fucking cool.
Not trying to bash you, Leisher. I'm bashing Steam/Valve for being fuckers about bundling their new stuff with stuff everyone already owns. Greedy fucking bastards.
Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 3:19 pm
by Leisher
That's cool? How nice of Steam to let us do what we want with the software we buy. What would REALLY be fucking cool is if you could get their latest games without having to rebuy their games that have already been around for years and those that want to play Portal and TF2 would already own. To me, that would be really fucking cool.
Not trying to bash you, Leisher. I'm bashing Steam/Valve for being fuckers about bundling their new stuff with stuff everyone already owns. Greedy fucking bastards.
Not trying to bash you Cake, but that's pretty dumb. Actually, it's REALLY fucking dumb.
Buy hey, it's Christmas so I'll just leave this here while I go to dinner and maybe you'll see where the gaping hole is in your logic and retract your statement.
If not, I'll point it out when I return.
Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 4:50 pm
by Cakedaddy
Ok, explain to me how rebuying games you already own so that you can give them away so you can play the couple new ones is cool.
Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 5:27 pm
by Leisher
Well, first and foremost, I'll point out that every company bundles games like this, but since you're so biased against Valve I'll defend them here in a different way. (It should be pointed out that the "holy" Blizzard does this shit all the time with no criticism.)
And keeping with that fact, I've yet to encounter another company that allows you to take specific games out of your bundle and share them.
Ok, so let's say that another company had released Portal, TFC2, and HL2:Ep2, what do you think the odds are that they'd all come in a single packaged priced as one game? Slim and fucking none. No company tries to give value to it's consumers like Valve does and that's not even debatable.
Now take into account that these games ARE available as stand alone products, but purchasing them like that would actually cost you more than The Orange Box.
So greedy ass Valve, instead of reaping the profits from individual sales, bundles them all into a lower cost package. What motherfuckers, huh?
And before you play the angle of "well they bundled them all because they thought they'd make more off of a bundle of games instead of individual games", let me ask you that even if that were true, why stick two other full releases into the box?
Then, on top of all that, they made it easy to transfer the games to friends without shipping or gas costs.
5 full releases (not to mention all the free mods they make available on Steam) for $50? Those evil, greedy bastards! They should've just let me pay for 3 instead of throwing in two more for free.
The president of Valve leaves his email addy in the first commentary track of Portal asking for consumer feedback. Maybe I should write these evil fuckers some hate mail on your behalf?
I'll add that the next Valve game should be set in space represented with the same 2 art textures and we should pay $15 monthly to watch our avatar study for days on end. Now that's value!!!
Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go to the store and buy some chips, but if it says " 20% more" on the bag, I'll open it up and throw that 20% on the floor in your honor.
Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 5:53 pm
by Cakedaddy
This is pointless. . . but here it goes:
I haven't bought anything from Blizzard since Diablo 2. So, can't comment on their bundling practices.
Why doesn't Valve have a value pack that doesn't include the games their fans already own?
Steam is expensive as hell. So, over pricing stuff then including them for 'free' is not a value in my opinion.
Not sure why Eve showed up here. If you hate Eve, fine. Let it go.
Your chip analogy misses the mark. Buy a bag of chips, and be happy with those chips. Then, they come out with another flavor. In order for you to have the new flavor, you have to rebuy the original flavor again. But hey, at least their free? Well, ya, when the new flavor of chips are over priced to begin with. Or something.
If you think TF2 and Portal are worth $50, then I'm glad you're happy. I don't think they are. But then I'm so retarded that I thought Eve was fun. So, go figure.
Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2007 12:14 am
by Leisher
I haven't bought anything from Blizzard since Diablo 2. So, can't comment on their bundling practices.
Just used them as an example since they're typically the most respected game company.
Why doesn't Valve have a value pack that doesn't include the games their fans already own?
Is there such a thing for ANY company? I mean is it possible? Even Blizzard's Starcraft bundle or EA's C&C bundles still had the original game that "everyone" already owned. Ditto for the Duke Nukem 3D bundles, Doom bundles, etc., etc., etc.
Steam is expensive as hell. So, over pricing stuff then including them for 'free' is not a value in my opinion.
No, it's not. Compare it to stuff you might find on ebay and yes it is, but so is every other form of distribution. Compare it to other outlets and they're usually the same price. I've seen some items for more and some for less. We've covered all this is previous threads though.
Not sure why Eve showed up here. If you hate Eve, fine. Let it go.
I was making a point about "value" by bringing up that you were a very strong proponent of paying a monthly fee for a game that was essentially designed to keep you continuously playing and paying. It not being fun or containing much content was a cheap shot. I retract it from the debate at hand.
I do, however, stand by my point about value, which I'll address momentarily.
Your chip analogy misses the mark. Buy a bag of chips, and be happy with those chips. Then, they come out with another flavor. In order for you to have the new flavor, you have to rebuy the original flavor again. But hey, at least their free? Well, ya, when the new flavor of chips are over priced to begin with. Or something.
Actually, it hits the mark in two ways:
1. The two additional games were freebies. Valve did not need to put them in there. (I really think that's a major point you're overlooking. They could've just sold the three new games for $50.) Ditto for the "20% more". Yes, they're the same type of marketing tactic, although Valve really doesn't push the addition of those two games in the box as much as chip makers push the additional 20%. Still, to "throw away" the additions and call the company greedy for adding the freebies, doesn't make any sense.
2. Don't chip makers bundle multiple flavors together? (Yes.) Does everyone like BBQ, Sour Cream and Chives, Salt and Vinegar, etc? No, yet there they all are in one package. So why is Valve evil and greedy for bundling their three new games together and throwing in two additional games?
If you think TF2 and Portal are worth $50, then I'm glad you're happy. I don't think they are. But then I'm so retarded that I thought Eve was fun. So, go figure.
Actually, it's TF2, Portal, and HL2:Ep2. Three new releases, not two.
As for their worth, let's just use typical market pricing to see the truth.
TFC2 - An online multiplater shooter ala Counter-Strike ($20) or Enemy Territory: Quake Wars ($50). Truth be told, the Collector's Edition of ET:QW is $60 and has FAR less content than The Orange Box, so in cost comparison, my point is made here in these two similar products.
HL2:EP2 - HL2:Ep1 retailed for...$30(?), but for this, let's just go with $20.
Portal - Let's go with another $20. Budget priced.
That's $60 to $90 for those three games alone based on similar product pricing. Now throw HL2 ($30-50) and HL2:Ep1 ($20) into the bundle.
Going back to my point about value, that's a full release of the highest rated game ever (Half-Life 2), two episodes (call them expansion packs), another FPS (Portal), an online FPS that is very popular, and countless free mods (both single player and multiplayer) available via Steam or the web. All for $50.
So taking all that into account and the fact that EVERY OTHER COMPANY bundles their software in the exact same way. Well, not the "exact same way", no other has ever bundled their new releases like this or made it so easy to give your "extra" copies away.
Anyway, I just don't follow your logic in calling Valve "Greedy fucking bastards" for The Orange Box. Hell, ignore the rest of this post and just tell me why Valve's bundle "more greedy" than any other publisher's? Why are you ok with every other company bundling their software, but not Valve?
Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2007 1:03 am
by Cakedaddy
Sorry that is my perception. But it is. When I look at the whole Valve, Steam, Half Life thing, I see the Orange Box as them trying to fuck me. It's all part of a larger story. I'm told constantly that Steam is my friend. Steam is on my side. But it never feels like it. I feel like I'm Satan and Steam is Sadam Hussein. I'm comforted with bullshit words and then fucked in the ass later.
Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2007 10:03 am
by Vince
Leisher wrote:Actually, it's TF2, Portal, and HL2:Ep2. Three new releases, not two.
To throw my 2 cents in: I don't have the game and I've never played ANY of the HL titles.
I knew reading somewhere that there were 5 or 6 games in the package, but ALL the ad materials only cover the three new titles/sequels. The company isn't pushing the sale on "five games", they're pushing the sale on the 3 new ones. Those are the ones they seem to be trying to sell with the combo.
Now that I know what the scoop is, it seems like they're actually trying not to treat the consumer as idiots. I respect and appreciate that.
Just thought I'd chime in. Don't have a dog in this hunt.
Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2007 10:38 am
by GORDON
Vince wrote:Don't have a dog in this hunt.
I miss The South.
Edited By GORDON on 1198597126
Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 3:05 am
by TPRJones
If the price is reasonable for just the new games, then it's cool that they threw in the extra old ones just in case.
If the price is high for just the new games, then it's crappy that they make you buy all of them at once when you probably already own the old ones.
Depends entirely on price perception, IMO.