Whiterabbit-uk
Games Guru
Tomb Raider Anniversary is available this weekend only for around $6 from Steam, which is annoying because I only bought it last week for three times as much money. The only consolation is that I do have a hard copy of the game and not just a cyber copy. :)
You will need to install the Steam client and set up an account which is free before you can buy the game. Well worth it if you like third-person adventures. Check out the YouTube videos below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrR6RwCAnMo
Whiterabbit-uk
Games Guru
I bought last weekends deal which included four excellent games (though I already had Farcry, it was worth iot just for Dark Messiah Might & Magic and the IL2 - Sturmovik 1946 flight sim. My daughter loved the final game in the quartet, called Beyond Good and Evil. Oddly all but Dark Messiah are now available from Good Old Games as well, retailing at around $5.99 to $9.99 each. I nearly bought the Prince of Persia game last week, but I can get a hard copy for the same price that they were offering it on Steam. I think they are able to offer these amazing deals because generally the price of most of their games are actually inflated somewhat. For example bioshock retails at around $20 via steam wheras I can buy a hard copy for $14, Mount & Blade is selling at around $42 wheras I can get it via fileplanets direct to drive for $29.99 though I actually only paid $19.99 when they had it on special offer several weeks ago. Still, the offers they make are superb and to be honest I've not seen any better deals anywhere aelse. My only gripe is that I'd much prefer to have a hard copy as it feels like a really own the game then, wheras with these downloadable games it's just a file. Then again I suppose the hard copy is just a bunch of files as well, lol.
midori
Member
I know what you mean about the hard copy... so nice to hold it in your hand. But I really don't mind the downloads anymore for those games you'll play once or twice and then the playability is gone... think of allll those disc boxes you'd have piled up. You'd need an entire revolving room! Lol. But I do like them for the big space hog games so you can take the game off your hard drive until you want to play it again. That was a big problem on my older computer, but this one is filling up fast enough. Where do you get your good deals on hard copies? We have a couple of shops that I keep an eye open for package deals and the like (i.e. Nancy Drew series), but when I got into the Myst series and Myst-like games I found quite a few good deals on Dreamcatcher. Ah, and I can hear my Tomb Raider is just about finished downloading! Off to explore it. :)
Whiterabbit-uk
Games Guru
Same here midori; I did buy one of the earlier Tomb Raider games last year because it was only a few pounds, but when I started to play it, I thought the graphics were too old and blocky so couldn't get into it; I know graphics shouldn't be the important thing when considering the playability of a game, but when it comes to such games I do think once you've seen the splendour and richness of the latest games, it's hard to go back to playing a lot of the older games. I do love graphic rich games, especially now that I’m virtually housebound, though when it comes to arcade games, the graqphics tend not to be as important. With respect to the latest games, There’s nothing like zooming around Paradise City on a motorcycle, or in a car around Liberty City (GTA IV), or Barcelona (Wheelman) The environments are so expansive and look almost real. Anyway, I gave the earlier Tomb Raider game away as it seemed criminal not to pass it on to someone that wanted to play the game. That's why I sometimes offer some of my older games here on these forums. (I have about 20 older games some of which were the kids such as several Scooby Do games, that I'm passing on to the local charity shop when I get the oppertunity. The Tomb Raider Anniversary version is basically the original game release, but it's been revamped with much better graphics. I've only completed the first stage as yet though because I ended up buying around 20 games last week and am trying to play a little of each instead of concentrating on one. It was a mistake buying so many in one go, but I tend to be impulsive that way; especially when most of them were being offered at knock down prices. :) I'm a sucker for a bargain, lol.
As for where I buy my games; most of my 'hard copy' games are bought from http://www.Game.co.uk. I usually buy the bundles as there's a generous amount knocked off. Unfortunately there's a postage charge if you're buying outside of the UK which unless you're buying quite a few games takes away the benefits of the reduced prices. There are other places such as Amazon where you can get similarly priced games, but Game usually gets the games to me within a day or at the most 2 days from ordering. For example, if I order before 12 noon during the weekdays, I usually get the games the following morning, whereas I've waited over a week when I buy from Amazon.
I agree with regards to those games you only play a few times. Virtually all of my arcade games collection are digital downloads. There's only a few that I have on disc (a couple of brick busters and pinball games) and then only because I picked them up for virtually nothing. The only arcade game that's on disc that I've ever actually bought for more than a few dollars was Linerider 2: Unbound but only because it isn't available as a digital download yet; or wasn't last month when I bought it. Generally the larger games such as Crysis, Unreal Tournament etc are too large to be practical for digital downloading. I've had to reinstall Windows on two of my computers a few times recently which has meant I've had to reinstall all my Steam games as by default it seems to be tied in with the windows installation. It takes two days for me to re download all the larger games such as Unreal Tournament 3, Half Life 2, Empire: Total War, Saints Row and several others, whereas with hard Copies it only takes a few hours to install the lot. The only advantage of having them as Steam downloads is they arte usually updated to the latest versions.
midori
Member
Ah! Sucker for a bargain? Me also. Have me standing in a shop with a couple of great package deals, and I'll desperately try to tell myself I don't need both of them, while the other part of me says "here's your chance! it'll be gone!" So guess who wins, lol. Which is another reason I've quit frequenting these particular shops. Must be awful being on dial-up (although I was for a long while also) so can empathize with the download time. My computer would usually cut off in the middle of such a download... sounds like yours are more reliable. And yes, Steam is great because of the update security. Thanks for the extra game info. :)
And Txnnok... hope you enjoy it... I'm just getting ready to check it out.
Whiterabbit-uk
Games Guru
Hi Midori,
I'm not on dial up. My connection is supposed to be a 10Mc connection, but the fastest download speeds I get are around 1.2Mbs. The steam downloads seem to vary depending upon the time of day. I've been re-downloading one game for over 12 hours called Maelstrom: The Battle for Earth Begins, yet Dark Sector which is a larger download only took about 20 minutes. I've been re-downloading Empire Total War for four hours and that's only 45% done. It seems really variable, but the best times for me to download are when I should be in bed, lol. I'm almmost finished re-downloading everything again after two days, with only Farcry, Team Fortress 2 and Beyond Good and Evil to install (and maybe the multiplayer part of Dark Messiah, but I usually leave all the multiplayer parts apart from Team Fortress 2. :0
I'm off to bed, with the hope that the rest will be completed when I get up.
Good night. :)
Whiterabbit-uk
Games Guru
Hi midori, I went to bed too late to have a decent sleep. The kids are on Easter vacation now and are getting up earlier so that they can have a little extra time on the computers. We've limited them to 2 hours a day, but are a little easy going and let them have extra time if they get up before we do (so as to give us a little extra time in bed, lol), but they usually do wake us, as Cal did this morning because he had a problem getting online on one of the computers and needed my help. That was about 2 hours after I'd finally gone to sleep this morning. They have to earn any more time by doing homework. For every hour of homework we give them an hour on the computer; but they are not allowed to spend it during the main part of the day, especially at the moment as we seem to be getting some gorgeous weather. :)
I'll always buy hard copy over downloadable content if I can, but increasingly it seems like games are becoming online only. Well, with PC games. I've noticed a disturbing trend with respect to the number of game releases for PC. Also most shops that sell games usually only have a few PC games, whereas X-Box, Nintendo Play Station etc have lots of titles.
I suppose it doesn't help that a decent graphics card (let alone a computer) costs more than the cost of two X-Box 360's at the moment - my last graphics card cost me over $500, you can buy an X-Box here in the UK for $180. I've been loath to go the route of the console simply because I don't want to have too many different game formats; though we did buy a Wii around Christmas 2007, but that's an exception as it's a great family console. I was tempted to buy the X-Box recently just for one game called Battlefield Bad Company, but sense erred on the right side, lol.
I know you aren’t into shooters, but I've been into the battlefield franchise since it was first released several years ago. The last Battlefield game has not been ported over to the PC and the next Battlefield title called Battlefield 1943 is multiplayer only. I have only ever bought one multiplayer only game called Lord of the Rings, However, I became fed up of online play due to all the hackers and idiots that wouldn't play the game properly; for example one game I used to play called Men of Valor had a certain section of the community who used to do what is called 'spawn raping', where they would happily hang around where the opponents spawn areas were and shoot you as soon as you spawned. It gave them an advantage as when you first spawn you're momentarily disorientated which the spawn rapers used to use to their advantage. It spoiled the game despite it being a fantastic game to play occasionally when these guys were absent. The benefit to the spawn rapers with these types of games are the ability to get unlockable weapons and promotions which give other advantages. So the more people they shoot the more points they earn to win these extras. Many online servers do have admin’s that try to stop such behavior, but it's still rife in many gaming communities. I just stopped playing online because of it.
midori
Member
Doesn't sound enjoyable, when everyone's just out to get you before you can move. I've never tried an online game... just don't think I'd survive long enough to get the hang of it. Would rather play against a computer, which doesn't have that human sense of ruthless voracity. Lol.
Good rules for your kiddies, there... I didn't have to worry much about my daughter abusing computer time. And by the time she got one of her own, she needed it for homework. So soon your homework versus computer trade-off won't work, dad... ;) and of course in college, it's an absolute must. Those kids can't function without one. But funny, she never got into games. Only the creative stuff. But then my first interest in the computer was doing graphics. In fact, I'm the only gamer in the house, and they think I'm a nut case! Ha! I tell my hubby at least I'm exercising my brain and interacting, instead of sitting like a blob in front of the TV. *&:-D
Whiterabbit-uk
Games Guru
I used to use my computer more fro graphics work than games, although as long as I've had a computer I've played games. Prior to the accident I spent more time with photoshops than games, but now that I don't go out taking photographs I don't use photoshops much. I keep meaning to reinstall it and get back into it as I used to touch up old photos and slides for friends as well as dabble in the more arty side of photoshops. I've forgotten virtually everything I know about it now though as it's been nearly four years since I regularily turned photoshops on (every day).
I sometimes have an hankering to get back to it, but the analgesic effects of playing games is still an overriding factor for me. I'm amazed how good a pain releiver it is playing games; and it is for this reason I suppose I know a lot about games now. They should prescribe games on the NHS in the UK as in my opinion, it's far more effective than the morphine I take, though only while I'm actually playing the games. I wonder whether any endorphins(related to morphine) are released during game play; or whether it's just distraction therapy? When I do my hydrotherapy, theres a short period after the excercise where i'm quite elated and the pain appears to diminish quite a lot, but when finishing games I don't get the same reduction in pain .
During term time the kids already get a couple of hours of homework and thats at primary level (emily is now 8 and Callum 10) I don't remember doing so much homework until I was preparing for my 'O' levels. :) (16 year olds now take GCSE's then go onto A level GCE's; when I was at school, we took O levels at 16 then A levels at 18. I'm not 100% sure what the equivalent in the US is???
Regards
Stephen
midori
Member
Gee, I'll have to look up the grade equivalents, because nothing you said was familiar. In the U.S., it's usually pre-school at age 4 (if you wish; not required), then kindergarten at age 5 (which starts the requirement schooling); then grades 1 through 6 are considered elementary or primary grades (age 6 through 12); secondary school is grades 7 and 8 (ages 13, 14); and high school is grades 9 through 12 (ages 15 through 18). Of course ages may differ slightly depending on when birthdays fall; i.e., my daughter graduated high school while she was still 17. Then college thereafter.
I used to do a lot of work in Photoshop also, with graphics illustration and the like. If I opened it now, I'd be at square one! I loved it as a job (as well as other graphics programs), but really have no big interest to get back to it. I'll take the games. And I bet they do release endorphins! or the distraction created is enough to hlep you rise above pain, because I do play when I'm in pain, so the relief is short-lived, though enjoyable. But I'm sure the hydrotherapy releases a great amount. Kind of like a "runner's high," if you've heard of that. Some actually become addicted to exercise because of that endorphin rush. I can't run very far, so I've never had the pleasure. *&;-D
Chronopie
Member
On the topic of re-installs; try creating backup disks of steam games, hard copy (usu. DVD). saves so much time, and if you're on a data cap, a lifesaver. worked for CS: source.
I use a laptop and a desktop, just dl once, create backup, use that for my other machine.
Whiterabbit-uk
Games Guru
Thanks Chronopie; I never thought of that lol.
I used to do a lot of cross country whenn I was younger, thugh never at a higher level. I did run one race with Steve Ovett back on the late 70's, but I wont tell you where I came in the field (just below half way out of around 250 runners). I wasn't dedicated enough to do the training every day, but I do remember the rush I got after finishing a race. I stopped running after breaking my ankle in a motorcycle accident in the mid 80's and then took up cycling, which also gae a rush after a good 40 miles cycle. (I used to cycle that distance to work and back home every day, right up to my accident in Sept 05, now I can hardly lift my legs lol.
okay, I'm off to compare todays giveawy with my Acronis software. I can only use Acronis on one computer because of licence limitations, (thugh I did get a free version before Xmas that I've never installed. Still, there seems to be good reports on todays peogram.
regards
WR
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