PC DVD-only
 

DVDs are vastly superior to CDs for any purpose, and yet only two Lucasarts PC games are available on DVD: Battlefront II and Empire at War. Both previous Kotor games each had four CDs and no DVD version, and I'm just guessing that Kotor III will be on even more CDs. I for one believe that there should be no CD version of any computer game anymore, and they should all be on DVD. How would you feel about the PC version of Kotor III being DVD-only?

Both. Althoug my computer can handle DVDs, some can't.

I'd stick to one or the other, for simplicity. No preference as to which, really. If the recent LucasArts games are DVDs, it's likely that K3 will be DVD as well.

True, but DVD-only is a win-win situation. Those with DVD drives can now play games without disc switching, and those without now have a good reason to bring their computers up to date.

I don't think some consumers would quite see it that way. ;)

You have a good point, though. Sooner or later CDs are going to be obsolete: they have to switch sometime. Better to do it while the technology is still emerging.

Both, for the sole puropse of some people don't have CD/DVD drives.

Well by the time they get around to making Kotor 3 I'll have gotten a newer computer, possibly dual DVD/RW with Lightscribe. So I'll go with DVD only, besides KOTOR 3 will probebly only be on Vista so with some games going to DVD the reasonable person will have a DVD rom drive.

Personally I'm hoping for the day when flash memory becomes cheap enough to become the universal format or Blu-ray

Some of us hang on to our computers for awhile, so I'd like the option of buying it in either medium.

I don't know what the additional costs would be to make both DVD and CD media for the next KotOR. I'm not opposed to having the game released on both types of media but I definitely want to buy it on DVD because I just don't like having all those CD-ROM's lying around. Using them only for installation purposes seems really inefficient to me (excepting disc 1 of course since it's the play disc).

I don't really care, but DVD and CD would be the way to go IMO. That way everone can use them. But it might change depending on when (or if:eek: ) KOTOR 3 come out.

But if it is produced for 64 bit processor and you need to buy a new computer you might as well get a DVD ROM drive

^^^
If KotOR 3 is produced before the end of 2007 it won't be restricted to a 64-bit CPU only. There are simply too many 32-bit processors out there and it wouldn't make sense for any game publisher to do that if they wanted their game to be profitable as they would be limiting their game distribution to a comparatively small market segment.

I don't really care, we'll see what happens when it happens. :)

It's not a big deal for me. I still remember the times when games came out on more than 10 floppy disks - *that* was annoying.
How we feel about it, doesn't matter anyway. Game companies know very well, how the computers of their peer group are equipped and if they think that enough of the possible K3-buyers got DVD-drives, they will publish K3 on DVD...

DvD's are far more superior.
I just hate it when i need to change cd's all the time. With just one DvD, it will run far more smoother.

Most of the PC's have DvD drivers at this time. I would prefer DvD, although they should make a Rom version too. Otherwise, they could loose some gamers.

It doesn't matter to me as long as I will be able to play. But I would go for DVD. No CD switching.

Yeah, like me. My XP has been upgraded to a 1 gig from a 256mb, then you still have virtual memory...;)

But it doesn't have a DVD drive, and everywhere I look is too expensive to have one added. Prices range from $210 USD to $450 USD. I'm NOT doing it.

What are you talking about? You can get a DVD drive for like $50!

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....sortfilter.jsp

:eyeraise: What there's no option for 51/2" diskettes? j/k

I don't mind CDs but it's starting to be obsolete for games. New computers all sell with a DVD drives. I paid $52 Canadian dollars for a very good pioneer DVD drive. It took less than five minutes to install and it runs like a charm :D

It took less than 30 seconds with google to find drives for less than 30 USDs. Just out of curiosity: Can someone tell me a good price research site for the US? From what I found it seems that prices for computer parts are somewhat higher in the USA than in Germany and I find that quite hard to believe...

You could try http://newegg.com/ seems to be suggested a lot by folks I know in the USA.

The computer I play the Kotor games on came with a DVD drive, but I actually found a DVD drive a Wal-Mart for only $30, which is about half of what Kotor III will likely cost, which is a sign that they're not expensive anymore.

Yes, but you have to see that you're talking about the US (or Canada, or any other northern countries), and computer accesories are much cheper there. In Brasil, for example, you can't get a decent dvd drive for less than $250 of our money, which is quite a bit. I know most of LA fan's base is in northern countries, but I wouldn't be surprised that their overall sales went down 15% if they made it on DVDs only.

I would like to see something similar to what they did for E@W, make a CD version and a slightly more expensive colectors edition on DVD.

I disagree. If they do make it for both formats, I think that they should have the CD and DVD versions equally priced and equally distributed, or the DVD version more available, or the CD version non-existant.

Well, mabie you're right, but you have to consider that companise DO spend more money when they make DVD games as oposed to CD games (another reason why there are less computer games on DVDs), that's where I'm comming from on the price increasse.

i think only dvd, becuase i got the collectors edition of BFMEII and it came on DVD and it was alot easier to install becuase i didn't need to put in all the discs. and it will make it harder to copy. plus, almost all pc's that u can buy now have dvd roms.

I 'm sure people complained when they had to move from 5 1/4 in. floppy to 3.5 in.

Same for that very reason. Some people may not have the DVD function on their computers. My old laptop didn't have it and I need to reprogram it so I can put an attachment on for my brother.

My point exactly.

PriceWatch.com

You can get a 16X DVD drive as low as $19 US. ;)

I won't be able to get it in punchcards?!?!

Ok, my world view has been re-established... ;)
Prices are almost the same, maybe a tiny bit lower in germany, but shipping costs are way lower in the US, probably because credit cards are uncommon around here...

Back to topic: I hardly consider "both" a real possibility, but they're free to make the decision dvd vs. cd for every language on its own. Even with a nonlinear quantized file format with variable data rate the voice files will likely take up up to 500MB for each language so an international version is out of question - sadly, because most german synchronizations of games and movies really suck. I know already that I'll have to pay my Kotor3 in pounds...

But like anything you need minimum system requirements. If you don't have it, time for an upgrade. Like you said, your laptop is old. You can't expect developers to support older and older hardware.

How so? It is less expensive to produce one DVD instead of 4+ CDs for each game...

It is less expensive to do 1 DVD. However, if only half the people have a DVD drive and the game is only done on DVD, you lose sales for those who only have a CD drive. If the great majority of the purchasers have DVDs, then I think they could safely make it in only that medium. However, if a significant portion of the purchasers don't have a DVD drive, then they're going to have to weigh the trade-offs on expense of CDs vs. loss of revenue by not selling CDs. The field's moving to DVD, but not all of us dinosaurs have made it there yet (well, OK, I have, but my dad hasn't yet ;) ).

I voted DVD only. I saw a lot of people say both media, and I can see your logic but I do have some remarks:

#1. I took the hardware survey of Steam network and in it's results it said that of around 2 000 000 people questioned 90% has a DVD rom

#2. Computers without a dvd are mostly older systems, and it could be questioned if those same computers have the neccesary power to run a KotOR 3? Off course we don't know the sys specs yet, but i doubt it would run fluently on b.e. an old P3 500 mhz.

#3. DVD has already replaced VHS as the prime medium for movies, games have been slow to catch up. But recently things have started to pick up speed. I know the last 5 games I played were all on DVD rom. I think regular cd roms are becoming rapidly outdated as the prime medium for games, also because games keep getting bigger and bigger memory requirements.

Besides having 4 cd's in a unsuited DVD sized box is just awkward.

It's true that imported electronic products tend to be quite expensive in South America but $250 is a bit much (unless you mean R$250 and not the equivalent in USD) .

I don't know the stores in Brasil and I don't know how much you can pay but I just found that one by making a short google search (it's the one I have and I'm pretty happy with it) at about $100 US: http://www.pontobr.com.br/_model2/pr...50&emp=pontobr . There is cheaper too: http://central.bondfaro.com/vbop_sk1...-cd-e-dvd.html

Until they can be sure that most of the people who wanna buy KOTOR 3 have DVD players then its safer for all concerned if they make it on both mediums. Sure it might cost a little more but if it makes their customers happy and keep comin back to buy games then what the heck.

Aww but I wanted K3 on my C64! I bet it would run totally smoothly aswell. :king1:

My answer has been and always will be. DVD only. Most places that supply new comps only seem to supply DVD drives in them nowadays anyway and seeing they are so cheap if you just pick one up yourself and install it its going to cost you next to nothing.

You want to game then you need the right tools to game. DVD drives are right now becoming one of the right tools.

I would think that LA would want to keep their sales up. The goal of a corporation is to increase their profits. Basic economics folks. I don't think they would opt for an exclusive audience only because they would end up losing potential profits and that's like a no no in economics.

Both. That way, nobody complains.