Latest Poll Results - Game Packaging

That sounds like a completely inconclusive poll result to me. No clear answer other than that there is no clear answer. I was firmly in the 'don't care' category.

 

If I tried to fit 81 massive cardboard boxes on my shelf, I would fail. I'd have to use a jumble of jewel cases, in which case it's hard to tell which game is which, since they're too thin to read the names from a distance. Also, I lose manuals. I've lost my Starcraft, BG, BG:TotSC, BG2, Age of Empires, Age of Empires 2 + Conquerers, Diablo and Diablo 2 manuals, which wouldn't have happened if I could store them on the inside of the case. Also, jewel cases crack too easily.

I love DVD cases!

 

I prefer the DVD cases for the simple practical reason of storage, as for manuals I'm of the dive straight into the game and it's when all else fails I RTFM; so I prefer manuals to be in pdf format.

 

The only disadvantage to the DVD boxes is the size of the manuals. I can clearly remember some ancient manuals that were way too thick to fit into a DVD case. Pdf-manuals are not that handy because of the difficulty to consult them while gaming, since some games really have difficult when alt-tabbing. But, these disadvantages don't outweight the storing advantage. The cardboxes I have on the attic, because they can raise the price if I ever decide to sell some games (which I'll probably never do), while the discs and manuals are stored in two different places (manuals don't fit easily in cd-box storage stuff). As such I muchly prefer the all-in-one approach of dvd cases. On top of that, they break less easily than the ancient hardplastic cd boxes.

I'd actually like to hear the motivation of people for voting for the big boxes.

 

I loved the big boxes, and was rather disappointed any time I opened them up to only find a disc. It's like unwrapping a present you bought yourself and still don't know what you'll find inside (double present if someone else bought it for you). With the big boxes you never knew what you might find inside.

Starcraft, for example, was a BIG present. Normal sized box, but inside you found a disc, a manual, a building hierarchy thingy, and even some Blizzard stationery! Add to that how incredibly sweet Starcraft still is as a game, and it was one of the best I ever got.

 

The big boxes held far more significance than a DVD case can. The DVD cases just feel like lifeless storage... one is much the same as the next. It's the difference between sending a letter in crayon on a torn bit of scrap paper, or in caligraphy on a scented wax-sealed scroll of papyrus. If the only thing you're buying the game in the box for is the game, you may as well download it (by online distribution or warez.)

With the 7th Guest, the box was in the shape of a huge, leather-bound book with yellowed pages, with a hollowed out middle where the CD jewel-case sat in a fancy illustrated frame. There was even a page or two at the beginning with a little poetic backstory and some more concept art. The best introduction FMV in the world couldn't have put you in the right frame of mind for that game's story as well as opening that slightly terrifying book did.

While I'm unfortunately too young to have bought any of them myself, the INFOCOM games were legendary for including feelies. If you take a look here, you'll see the ridiculous levels of effort they put into their boxes. Hitchiker's Guide came with an authentic piece of fluff and working Peril Sensitive Sunglasses, and Wishbringer came with a beautifully scrawled envelope (not to be opened until a certain point in the game... cryptic riddles and so on) and a glow-in-the-dark Wishbringer stone. Maps and lavish instruction books were standard.

The games themselves are now widely available. But you miss out on a hell of a lot.

EDIT: A question this topic has made me think of - did the original Torment box come with anything interesting?

[ November 17, 2005, 19:43: Message edited by: Arifirh ]

 

My thought would be that the only reason that games ever came in the bog boxes was because in the olden days, that was how big a game actually was (when they came on massive cartridges that plugged into the back of your Commodore or Vic 20). Of course, back then, you didn't need a big manual because, well, the games weren't exactly that complicated (push fire, shoot the aliens before they shoot you).

Now, I throw away the big box as soon as I get it, and have absolutely no use for a cloth map or figurine. Actually, I probably throw away the plastic disc cases to and stick the actual discs in my CD wallet so I guess you could say I don't care for either of the two packaging options. All I want is the disc.

 

Torment had a spiffy poster, and on its back there was a little info on various places in Sigil, as related by a tout, in plane-speak and everything. It was pretty nice. That was the UK version, I got the US version which didn't include such. (You could get either version where I'm from.)

I voted for "can't decide", but now that I think of it, the prices have indeed stayed the same and the packages have nothing extra anymore. As much as I don't *need* the extras, not getting any does seem like a rip off. I do like it when the packaging has been put a bit of effort in it.

 

Bah. The last thing I need is a giant computer game poster. I'm just going to throw that away as well so what's the point. All the people who want a poster can go buy one themselves.

 

Well, actually, if you think the games are overpriced then you shouldn't buy them. Supply and demand. If you are all buying the games then the sellers are certainly pricing them correctly.

Actually, I do agree that games are very overpriced, which is why I only ever buy them second hand. But I still don't care about getting anything for my money other than the program code required to make my computer run the game so I can play it.

 

I voted small. The big box is fine if it has a purpose but I've opened so many (not just games) that had much of nothing. I usually buy 2nd hand or discounted so I'm not paying top price. I have keep all the bonus disks, maps, figurines etc that where in the old games. But I don't have many of those.

 

Um, well, actually, the only source of income the publishers get is from sales of their products, unless I’m very much mistaken. If I was in charge of a business, I would charge the highest price I could at which people still kept buying my product. If people stopped buying, I would be forced to lower the price until I found the price that people are willing to pay.

 

Well, I agree that I like it when there is stuff with the game, and in that case, for me it might be in a big box. The point is, mostly there is nothing in there extra than what you would get with a DVD case, and as such I lose either valuable storing space for nothing, or I need to pay to get rid of the carton box (which takes up space in special sacks for carton and paper that cost more than regular waste disposal sacks). Now, I agree, those carton boxes are more pleasing to the eye. On the other hand, even if they are introduced, I never want to return to the era of those stupid cd boxes. To them I say "Good riddance!".

Hmmm, writing this I realise it's not so much the boxes that bother me, as well the fact they were used to store those cd boxes and contained way too much air.