What a shame, updated version is only a download

[Rozee]

Monkey Island has been one of my favourite all time games over the years.

I was so excited to read that Monkey Island had been updated but so disappointed that I can only download it via Steam or Xbox. I will not use Steam under any circumstances.

Still I have the original versions of when I first played the game (originally on the Amiga and later when I upgraded to a PC after the Amiga's demise). I have played the game many times over the years although not so recently.

It would have been a thrill to have played Monkey Island as a talkie! I often thought over the years, (when I got my nostalgic moments and fired up my old PC to play Monkey Island 1/2 and 3) how great it would have been to have heard Guybrush and others talk in those early versions and been able to play it on my new computer without any problems.

So much is changing in the world of games. I don't understand why such an old "updated" game couldn't have been offered as a CD to buy worldwide online or a download to our PC so we didn't have to go through Steam. I realise that time and effort has been put in making an update and problems of "piracy" is high priority for game developers and distributors these days. But we are talking here about a game that is nearly 20 years old. I realise that applications such as Steam take a lot of pain out of selling games and probably save money in making CD's and distribution costs. I can see the sense of that from a marketing point of view and making some money, but I personally do not enjoy using a download application such as Steam and will not buy. I realise that soon my gaming days will come to an end with so many new games now only been offered only as downloads.

I would have loved to have played an updated version of Monkey Island but guess I shall have to pass on it this time around. So my excitement has turned to sadness.

Now where are my originals for a nostalgic play, lol! At least I still have them too play so not all is lost.

[Sir Pantalones]

Originally Posted by Rozee

I will not use Steam under any circumstances.

Any traumatizing relations to the word "steam"?

Fartphobia?

NoIcan'tbemoreoriginalthanthis...

[Rozee]

Originally Posted by Sir Pantalones

Any traumatizing relations to the word "steam"?

Fartphobia?

NoIcan'tbemoreoriginalthanthis...

Let's just say I get "steamed" when having to download or update stuff from that site! lol!

[Sir Pantalones]

That was a good one. : D

[a3HeadedMonkey]

There are ways around Steam.

I know somebody who wanted MI:SE, did not want to go through Steam & also did not want to steal it. In the end they registered with Steam, bought the game & then, happy in the knowledge that they had paid for it, downloaded a torrent of it.

Ofc, the legality (if not the morality) of this is questionable so I wouldn't advise you to do this.

[SHODANFreeman]

You do know MI:SE is available on Direct2Drive as well, yes?

If you have an iPhone or iPod Touch you can even get it on the App Store.

[Frogacuda]

If it came out at retail it'd have to be much more expensive. Downloadable distribution allows for a much more diverse market and broader range of price points. The retail business is really in trouble right now because the average $60 console game only nets the publisher like $20 after all the costs.

[Rozee]

I realise that downloads are a better way to make money for publishers but there's something special about owning a disk in a box!

Perhaps a disk with all the Monkey Island games on it or other updated Lucas Arts games. I own quite a lot of original Lucas Arts games, apart from the Star Wars games, and if they were updated and bundled together wouldn't they command a higher price? I would buy them at the price of a new game but then again perhaps I'm in the minority, insane? lol.

I often think that there are some games that are just classics and deserve to dusted off, resurrected and updated. It seems such a waste to have such good games left gathering dust. Those youngsters just don't know what they are missing out on! lol!

Can a price be put on updated nostalgia?

[eskimo]

Well, my solution to the nostalgia what not perfect, but it worked.

I downloaded the game through Steam and burned it to CD, then burned a lightscribe label onto the CD.

I know it's not the same, but at the moment, it's the best option available.

[Irishmile]

♫The times they are-a-changin♫.... I miss buying giant boxes with a game inside too... But I will not let digital progress get in the way of me enjoying Monkey Island.

[SurplusGamer]

You're right, there's something nice about having a box with the game in, but the advantages of digital distribution now are so massive that there's no going back. The only thing I can recommend is to get over your steamophobia

[WinterSnowblind]

The game isn't particularly long and even with updated graphics is still an old game, they wouldn't be able to charge a full retail price for it, and even then, it's not exactly a mainstream game, it has its fans of course, but sales would always be limited.

Releasing it as a CD game just doesn't make sense.

And it's almost 2010, do you really need to have a CD you're going to install to your hard drive and never look at again? I do understand the appeal of having something physical, but for such a small game, it's just never going to happen.

[der_ketzer]

Originally Posted by eskimo

I downloaded the game through Steam and burned it to CD, then burned a lightscribe label onto the CD.

On a DVD. The game is a little too big for a CD.

[Frogacuda]

Originally Posted by Rozee

I realise that downloads are a better way to make money for publishers but there's something special about owning a disk in a box!

There is, but they're not going to invest in an unviable business model so you can feel special. If that was their only option, the game simply wouldn't exist at all.

[punkmario]

wow, just grow a pair and use steam, its not like its gonna instal a load of hate directly into your harddrive and devour all your spare hard drive space....oh wait, but anyway, even if it does need to update once in a while, its not a huge problem just get a download, theres not gonna be a boxed retail, your missing out on a great remake for such a petty reason!

[Pirateguybrush]

Steam is fantastic. I've been using it for a long time now - cheaper games (in many cases), rapid delivery - yes, it's helpful for developers to combat piracy - but here's the kicker. The worst anti-piracy DRM comes on retail games nowdays. Except in special circumstances, the Steam DRM is all that's on Steam games.

Now let me tell you why Steam DRM is actually good.

Steam DRM actually benefits the customer. I have about 30+ games on my Steam account. I can go anywhere, and download and play my games on any PC good enough to run them. It frees me from having to care for CDs/DVDs, I don't need to worry about serial numbers, and my games are in my account forever. Valve have promised an anti-Steam patch/solution if they ever go out of business - so I don't even need to worry about that. When I'm in-game, I can press Shift+Tab to see what games my friends are playing, join in (for supported games), and chat to them. No more alt-tabbing, which never works well.

Yes, having boxed games is nice. However, Steam isn't all that bad.

Stay the hell away from the EA store - but otherwise most downloadable options are pretty good. It saddens me that Telltale use Securom, however their implementation of it is so very quiet and trouble-free (for most of us) that it's overlookable.

[Chris1]

Originally Posted by Pirateguybrush

It saddens me that Telltale use Securom, however their implementation of it is so very quiet and trouble-free (for most of us) that it's overlookable.

I remember few people actually praised Telltale when they switched to it, not realising that it was Securom they had switched to.

From what Telltale have said on the site, it's not just Securom which is the problem, it's how it's set up. And Telltale seem to be quite good at setting it up so that it doesn't break anything.

That said, I still prefer Steam if I get the choice.

[Woodsyblue]

It's only a ten dollar game, it's not like you are risking a huge amount. It's really up to you. If you really refuse to use Steam or any other digital distribution method then you can't get the game. It's as simple as that. Case closed. It's your choice to make. I guess it depends on how much you want it...

[thatdude98]

Originally Posted by Rozee

Monkey Island has been one of my favourite all time games over the years.

I was so excited to read that Monkey Island had been updated but so disappointed that I can only download it via Steam or Xbox. I will not use Steam under any circumstances.

Still I have the original versions of when I first played the game (originally on the Amiga and later when I upgraded to a PC after the Amiga's demise). I have played the game many times over the years although not so recently.

It would have been a thrill to have played Monkey Island as a talkie! I often thought over the years, (when I got my nostalgic moments and fired up my old PC to play Monkey Island 1/2 and 3) how great it would have been to have heard Guybrush and others talk in those early versions and been able to play it on my new computer without any problems.

So much is changing in the world of games. I don't understand why such an old "updated" game couldn't have been offered as a CD to buy worldwide online or a download to our PC so we didn't have to go through Steam. I realise that time and effort has been put in making an update and problems of "piracy" is high priority for game developers and distributors these days. But we are talking here about a game that is nearly 20 years old. I realise that applications such as Steam take a lot of pain out of selling games and probably save money in making CD's and distribution costs. I can see the sense of that from a marketing point of view and making some money, but I personally do not enjoy using a download application such as Steam and will not buy. I realise that soon my gaming days will come to an end with so many new games now only been offered only as downloads.

I would have loved to have played an updated version of Monkey Island but guess I shall have to pass on it this time around. So my excitement has turned to sadness.

Now where are my originals for a nostalgic play, lol! At least I still have them too play so not all is lost.

I agree.

[guitarsareboring]

I don't have any objection to buying games digitally when they're no more than about £15 but the big-name new releases like Street Fighter IV and Arkham Asylum are £30 and this is too much considering there are no manufacturing costs involved in those purchases. Until digital games become dramatically cheaper than their physical counterparts it's discs all the way for me.