IL-2 Sturmovik: Cliffs of Dover Anounnced with 128 player multiplayer

[Briton]

I need more information about it.

Yeah...one of the issues I have with steam is the it's 'the only one for me' idea. Ultimately that is bad for gamers IMO.

What I like about Impulse is that it's just a delivery system. They don't have special versions of games and you aren't forced to run it to access your software. You can run their front end if you wish and they show available/provide updates etc. (not sure if they do auto updating but I don't want that anyway).

I also like the fact that they have stated what will happen to your software if they ever went off the scene. Problem is they are not given the rights to enough software. Bit of a chicken and egg situation.

Whatever...if people treat Steam like some kind of religion (not suggesting you are one of the you are one of the extremist fanbois) a competitor is never going to arise. Surely another monopoly is not good for anybody?

 

[Briton]

It is badly managed as a company (Stardock) and they are VERY short sighted with laughable distribution contracts

Explain what's laughable about their distribution contracts.

I can't comment on Stardock's management except to say I've had no problems with them. Why are they badly managed?

and offers nowhere near the amount of usefull features set which Steam does. What has Stardock to help home computing gaming? Cloud saves, cross platform store PC/MAC?

I'm underwhelmed TBH but don't confuse me with a Fanbois...I'm not saying Impulse is perfect. They should improve their features. I'm sure they could if they could get more distribution rights.

GOO is a great idea but Stardock come across as envious they did not come up with Steam (In its current form) first.

Explain why Stardock come across as being envious of Steam?

 

[ChrisJSY]

Most of the time when I see people's reasons for disliking steam, immediately after they are shot down with remedies or simple, "open your eyes there's an option for that".

I would welcome some decent criticism.
I totally hear modders/costs though, some can be valid but the majority I have read, just baseless wingebags.

 

[Gimpymoo]

Explain what's laughable about their distribution contracts.

I meant that many of the game in the store are not purchasable in my region, BFBC2 is one of many:

http://www.impulsedriven.com/bfbc2

As you said though in your previous post, it is a chicken/egg thing but they cannot gaine market share if I cannot purchase a game from them which I can purchase from Steam.

I can't comment on Stardock's management except to say I've had no problems with them. Why are they badly managed?

Valve, I would imagine, have a very well managed marketing department. For example, I dont think Steamworks titles appear in their lap, I would imagine they have to pitch their wares to the publishers.

If Stardock was better managed, surely they would have better distribution contracts, more exclusives thus making themselves more competitive and gaining more market share?

They are in a unique situation where they could sell third party applications but for some reason choose not to. I would love to be able to purchase applications such as Nero for example on Impulse, would make installing much much simpler and make product key management easier too. Again though, management dictate.

Explain why Stardock come across as being envious of Steam?

They have taken more than a few swipes at Steam in the past just because they are a competitor. I just dont see why else they would do that when they should be focusing on making their own platform better.

The above is not "fanbois" just my personal views. I wanted to like Impulse but got very frustrated when it was clear I was unable to purchase most of the game I wanted.

 

[Gimpymoo]

I deal with users every day of the week who use Arma 2 which is a highly moddable game, who constantly have issues.

I have had ARMA 2 on Steam since launch and honesly can say have never had a problem modding it.

Bohemia have been rather good with making retail/digital distribution versions as "neutral" as possible.

 

[Dj_Jestar]

"renting" implies a subscription.

 

[Dj_Jestar]

To all those who wish to troll about me not buying the game, no I don't bitch about DRM due to me wanting to install it on many PCs.

Steam has MANY problems with games that are moddable for the most part, why do I know this? Because I deal with users every day of the week who use Arma 2 which is a highly moddable game, who constantly have issues.

I like to mod my games... Steam generally prevents people doing this to some extent, often making it harder to do so for people who are not clued up. I don't want the game crying about some integrity of my files because the OH SO COOL drm wishes me to have version X instead of Y when I play with colleagues.

This being a prime example - http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/3229889/Update_03_08_2011.html#Post3229889

So yes... that is why I don't wish to purchase the game anymore, I for one will be waiting for a few more niche games from smaller developers to come out later this year.

I play ARMA2 regularly, and save a few of the usual version mis-matches have no problems with mods. I bet the "problems" they are having are just the usual case of not having the right mods installed, and nothing to do with steam at all. AddonSync and SixUpdater both work just as wonderfully with the steam version.

 

[Gimpymoo]

Steam generally prevents people doing this to some extent, often making it harder to do so for people who are not clued up. I don't want the game crying about some integrity of my files because the OH SO COOL drm wishes me to have version X instead of Y when I play with colleagues

I disagree.

CoD is using Steamworks, EVERYONE will be using the same version, modding will not be a problem.

 

[Gimpymoo]

Back on topic.. (kind of)

I have read a few comments that lead me to believe the Saitek X52 has a high failure rate of one thing or another.

Is there anything remotely similiar for around a similiar price?

 

[Dj_Jestar]

My X52 is 7 years old (purchased early 2004). Not one problem with it.

 

[Dano]

Only issue I have with my X52Pro is the 'Safe' light sometimes turns off instead of red when I flick the cover up.

 

[KnightStalker]

My 52 normal and pro are still working, the normal is the same age as jesters, my pro is nearly 2 years old, both have had a very hard life, IL-2 most nights and full weekend use, only reason i got the pro was because i could lol.

 

[lurkio]

Not thought of it that way - lol

We (as a forum) I think have mostly accepted digital distribution as gamers with its benefits and restrictions

Glad you took a poll on this one , sadly I must have missed it

For those thinking of buying an x52 or x52 pro , the pro really is not worth the extra money
I have both sticks

 

[SteveOBHave]

I managed to pick up a Logitech Freedom 2.4 wireless joystick off eBay - I find it brilliant, also means I can sit on my sofa and play games - makes for a nice sim experience. I'm just figuring out how to get my TrackIR working from there

Pre-Ordered the game - I'm really looking forward to it since I found Wings of Prey to be somewhat of a let down.

 

[lurkio]

I managed to pick up a Logitech Freedom 2.4 wireless joystick off eBay - I find it brilliant, also means I can sit on my sofa and play games - makes for a nice sim experience. I'm just figuring out how to get my TrackIR working from there

Pre-Ordered the game - I'm really looking forward to it since I found Wings of Prey to be somewhat of a let down.

Trackir
Get a decent length usb extension cable for the trackir
Mount the trackir behind where u sit at head height
If using the hat turn it around backwards and invert all the axis in trackir software, job done
If you are using the trackir clip I dont know how to mount it backwards

 

[Dj_Jestar]

Trackir
Get a decent length usb extension cable for the trackir
Mount the trackir behind where u sit at head height
If using the hat turn it around backwards and invert all the axis in trackir software, job done
If you are using the trackir clip I dont know how to mount it backwards

On the "other side" of your headphones, surely?

 

[Ravenger]

Most of the time when I see people's reasons for disliking steam, immediately after they are shot down with remedies or simple, "open your eyes there's an option for that".

I would welcome some decent criticism.

As much as I love Steam - I have over 100 games on it - my biggest criticism is Valve's ability to disable your account on a whim. They tend to be very trigger happy, and any payment problems will disable the entire account rather than the individual game which caused the problem.

There have been a few high profile examples of accounts being disabled with thousands of £$ of games in them. One recently for a gamer that was posting about selling his account (which is against Steam's terms of service). He was banned for planning to sell his account, not for actually selling it, though the account has since been re-enabled.

Still it's not just Steam that can do this - any of these modern DRM systems that tie games to an account have the ability to prevent you getting access to your games at the press of a button, with no warranty or undertaking that you will ever get your games back. I've no doubt that consumer law will catch up with the situation at some point, because the pendulum has swung too far from the consumer.

As someone else put it on Rock Paper Shotgun, we're buying games which the publishers want to treat as a licensed service, but they provide no promises or warranty and reserve the right to supply nothing, so what exactly does our money buy if we don't own the games and the service can be terminated without compensation?

 

[SteveOBHave]

Trackir
Get a decent length usb extension cable for the trackir
Mount the trackir behind where u sit at head height
If using the hat turn it around backwards and invert all the axis in trackir software, job done
If you are using the trackir clip I dont know how to mount it backwards

On the "other side" of your headphones, surely?

I'm actually making my own wireless Track Clip to take care of that aspect and I was thinking that I could just mount the TrackIR somewhere infront of me on the coffee table... Just bought some IR LEDs, wires and a AAA battery holder and I'll cannibalise an old headset to hold it all I think. The reversing idea is pretty clever tho - it could be an option.

 

[KnightStalker]

I'm actually making my own wireless Track Clip to take care of that aspect and I was thinking that I could just mount the TrackIR somewhere infront of me on the coffee table... Just bought some IR LEDs, wires and a AAA battery holder and I'll cannibalise an old headset to hold it all I think. The reversing idea is pretty clever tho - it could be an option.

Let me know how you get on with this please, im very interested in cobbling something like this together for my trackir.

 

[Gimpymoo]

Glad you took a poll on this one , sadly I must have missed it

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18251132

Obviously, only a small sample and specific to Steam but even if a poll was created, judging by the number of "Steam Deal" threads, many do use digital distribution and are happy to so.

No need to be soo picky, anyone reading the forum regularly would come to the same conclusion I would think.