Microsoft Press Conference: Stream & Discussion

[Professor S]

Natal sounds great, if it works, and with stuff like motion detection thats a big if.

As for Steam... F&%K STEAM. If I lose my internet connection I can't play my goddamn game!

[KillerGremlin]

Originally Posted by Professor S

Natal sounds great, if it works, and with stuff like motion detection thats a big if.

As for Steam... F&%K STEAM. If I lose my internet connection I can't play my goddamn game!

There's an offline mode so as long as you have it installed you can play any single player game offline....

I often buy hard copies because they are cheaper and then register them on STEAM so I can install them from wherever. The way I see it, STEAM can be the best of both worlds. And with deals like the Orange Box for 9.99...hard to dispute.

Don't see how any other online content system would be different or improved from STEAM. In fact I know STEAM is better than xbox360 because buying PC hard drive real estate doesn't cost ass raping amounts like the marked up 360 hard drives. (You can buy your own 120gig hard drive and format it for the 360 though).

[Professor S]

Hmmm, perhaps it's my own technological illiteracy. I tried to play Empire: TW offline one time and it wouldn't let me. I just don't like the idea of having to answer to someone every time I want to play a game, regardless if there is some setting that allows it.

[KillerGremlin]

Originally Posted by Professor S

Hmmm, perhaps it's my own technological illiteracy. I tried to play Empire: TW offline one time and it wouldn't let me. I just don't like the idea of having to answer to someone every time I want to play a game, regardless if there is some setting that allows it.

Hmmm...that's strange. I'm not denying your claim, it is possible that the game needs some form of online verification. =/

One major drawback to online content distribution is what happens if the online company fades away. People who bought DRM-encrypted MP3s from Walmart had to recode all their MP3s when Walmart changed stores. This is one major drawback with DRM/online distribution. What happens if Valve goes under? Or decides they don't want to fund the servers distributing a 10-year old game. It does indeed suck that you have to answer to someone if you want to play your game.

I've always been a huge fan of physical media. Having a physical copy means A) you physically own it and no one can tell you otherwise or take that away from you, B) you can resell it.

I know with games like Half-Life STEAM lets you play in offline mode. However it might lock you out if game is not updated. This was one complaint people had with Half-Life 2.

You basically do need an active Internet connection to update or play a lot of the games, and a broadband one at that. So I think physical media trumps online media for sure.

But I'd check on the web anyway, just in case. Seems odd that STEAM would lock you out of your single player game like that. That is what the offline mode is supposed to resolve.

Online distribution has its pros and cons. =/

[Jonbo298]

Originally Posted by Professor S

Natal sounds great, if it works, and with stuff like motion detection thats a big if.

Tech as "advanced" as what MS had shown off is definitely in its infancy. There's alot of room to grow with what MS had shown off instead of just a PSeye or the current Live camera, this has potential.

There will be flaws for sure. Hey You Pikachu! was one of the first console games (off top of head) to really try a hand at voice activation and it was severely limited but now we have games that you can talk words without needing to enunciate it or "train" it. Even that has room to go to hold real conversations but this seems to at least advance further to holding real conversations and not spouting 1-5 words and hoping it works.

[TheSlyMoogle]

Yeah this is getting into sci fi shit, where I wake up in the morning and my computer makes my coffee and helps me get dressed. Well not really, but it's starting to get there haha.

[Professor S]

Hello Dave... would you like to play a game?