hulot wrote:

Well the issue here isn't that there's a mandatory install to improve game experience. The issue here is that there is something mandatory that does little to nothing to improve game experience. See the difference ;) And there's a reason why I'm not playing PC games but rather console games. You can't justify having to upgrade your harddrive. And if you want to upgrade drives, won't you need another harddrive to back up onto while you switch them?

maybe its true in the case of DMC4.. but i guess time will tell if this also applies to most other games.

I just think that as video game consoles have evolved... so should the "Average" gamer's view of the cost + function = worth... does that make sense? lol...

What I mean is.. as each new console was released, they were always trying to push the evelope of current technology.. the pricing of the system was always in line of what the "Average" gamer was able to realistically obtain.. when we were young, they knew parents would be the number 1 source.. so they marketed accordingly. .. Now.. the average gamer is 30 yrs old. (or so ive read) so.. the average gamer is now working, maybe career oriented.. and may have somewhat of a disposible income... hence the higher launch pricing for the current gen of consoles... now with the record pricing of the ps3, and 360s.. the manufacters (sony & microsoft... Forget the Wii) know that most people have accepted this truth and can further push add-ons or upgrades, because people will infact, buy them.

.. so I just see "Requiring HD, or free HD space for that matter" as another "turbographix cd drive" or "sega's 32x" (even tho they were both crap, and failed) .. they are still just trying to push it further with current technology..... Because they know people will do it.

It will be intresting to see how far microsoft will take the dvd format in this current generation.. I think they, more than Sony will need to start making "HD required" games...some developers have already started running into problems with the limitations of DVD storage... so whats next?... HD DVD games?..now theres a next gen "32x" if I ever heard of one. LOL.... hell maybe they will come out with a blu-ray drive add-on when/if HD DVD dies. .. intresting to see if people will back that up.. Im sure microsoft knows this, and will see no other way to stay competitive in the near future than to force HD requirement....

Honestly I think that the release in timing of diffrent models /w HD and diffrent HD sizes was planned by each company.. planting seeds of HD acceptance lol...."heres a 20gb....ok now we have a 120.. youll need a 120 soon".. or sony's "heres a 60gb.... oh wait our system is too expensive.. heres a 40gb model for the brokeass... now...you need an 80gb... no wait.. a 160gb... " etc etc...

LOL i duno if im making sense.. makes sense in my head. :p

Anyways apparently  when you upgrade the only thing you lose is your game saves.. You can hook up the other hd via usb if you have an external hd case.. but as far as transfering save games.. i duno if its possible..i guess you have to redownload anything youve bought and downloaded as well.

Of course I would love to see games that start taking advantage of the HDD but the issue right now isn't whether or not we're expected to upgrade but whether or not they realize that if more companies go with a 3-5 gb mandatory install, that the drive will fill up eventually to the point where one would have to delete a game's files in order to play another game (of course, just like on the PC). And you'll have to be honest here, did you go out to buy a console or a PC? Less features than a PC but with all the headaches of one?

I have a large collection of PS2 games but if each were to have an installation, even 80gb would have a hard time fitting them in there plus whatever else one would usually put on the drive (music, videos, etc). If an install shows no significant improvement in gameplay, why have it forced on you? And it's not about being salaried or what have, cost to worth always remains the same; just because one person is willing to spend more than he has to doesn't make the more frugal person a Luddite or miser.

Like you said, cost + function = worth. A mandatory install that show little function (multiply that by how ever many future titles that follow in this path) + the cost of upgrading drives every single time it gets filled up with these installs = not worth it.

And I believe that the 360 will not outlast the PS3. Not only was it released earlier but the technology just isn't there to futureproof it. Microsoft's fetishistic obsession with proprietary components and DRM is almost ludicrous now. It seems like an almost cart-based era business model and we all know what happened when the big N chose carts over discs. I think it's great that the drive is interchangeable in the PS3 and any generic cheap drive'll do. Like I've said in previous posts, in hardware, PS3 has already outstripped and flogged the 360, though if you count backwards compat fiends like myself, PS3 also has the best library on the market (60gb that is).

lol suddenly our random discussion board is on a huge debate right now.

In other news, Snow's interwebz r n troubles.

PS2 did it. I think PS3 is following the same route. Both slow to start but are gonna be around for a long time.

Sorry to hear about your Lost Planet guys!!

Have you tried behind the fridge???

That's where I always look when I loose something :D