Would You Rather ... In Your Mind's Eye Edition

by Xav de Matos { Apr 2nd 2008 at 7:55PM }

In our continuing effort to bring you fresh and interesting content, X3F presents Would You Rather ... a weekly feature that asks you the hard questions. The point? If you had to choose one or the other, which would you go for?

This week's WUR was a user submitted question that really made us think, especially coming back from our local gaming store. At 1,200 MS points a pop, the Xbox Originals platform seems like a steep entry into the "classic" prev-gen titles. While many of the games can be found for a lot less than their digital counterpart, some of the recent additions are going to a premium price if they can be found. What we hear from the community is that the pricing structure of the XBO program is out of wack for the most part.

This week we want you to forget about the price in the equation and consider the content only. How important is physical media to you in the wake of the increasingly digital age? Do you prefer to stack your games to line your room like a protective castle wall, or are you fed up with hard copies of the game and wish you could get everything digitally? Let's pretend we're made of money this week, if only for a moment, and ask yourself when it comes to those Xbox Originals...

Feel free to share the reasons for your vote in the comments. We'll share the results of the poll during the next edition of Would You Rather ... which hits X3F every Wednesday.

Last weeks WUR results can be find after the jump ... click here to download those results!

Last week's WUR was a tight one but 53.7% of our readers decided that they'd rather participate in a beta or at least try a games multiplayer experience rather than the standard single-player. It looks like this online thing is kinda working out for Microsoft after all. Well, them and the 10 million people who subscribe to Xbox Live that is.

Tags: bargains, downloadable-content, wur, xbox-live-marketplace, xbox-originals

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

DaveC @ Apr 2nd 2008 8:03PM

I'm all for downloading games, but it takes too freaking long. When we get faster connections it'll be more manageable, therefore more accessible and ultimately more enjoyable.

DaveC @ Apr 2nd 2008 8:03PM

On a side note, I just noticed the reply button is back

Xav de Matos @ Apr 2nd 2008 8:11PM

Yes it is! Thank the Wizards of Internet Land!

DaveC @ Apr 2nd 2008 8:28PM

I take it I'm LTTP?

Xav de Matos @ Apr 2nd 2008 8:33PM

Oh no not at all. I'm just really glad we got that function back! I'm sure a lot of our readers are!

DaveC @ Apr 2nd 2008 8:46PM

In which case, thank the internets! The reply button is back!

ASPLM @ Apr 2nd 2008 8:21PM

Digital download is the way to go. I hate having to swap out discs to switch games. I hate having to go to the grimy store and get hassled for pre-orders for games. I would love a Terabyte drive full of all my current gen stuff so I never have to leave my couch.

mattclarkie @ Apr 3rd 2008 4:12AM

Well then you are in luck. MS just announced a rugged 360 with a terabyte HDD. Plus it is portable.

If you have got this far without realising it is a joke you need help.

dylan @ Apr 2nd 2008 8:24PM

I'd be all for downloading if the prices were as cheap as I can find used copies...

Leathersoup @ Apr 2nd 2008 8:27PM

The price for the originals is too high. They take up too much room on the hard drive which is extremely expensive considering how much MS is charging for the f'n things.
I'd rather just see if I can find the games in a bargain bin at my local EB. If I can't it's not like I'm missing a lot. They're old games and the only one I'd really like to try is Psychonauts and I can get it on Steam for dirt cheap. Why does MS feel the need to charge double the price of what the cost of the same game is on Steam?

DiscoGhost @ Apr 3rd 2008 7:50AM

I think alot of you missed the part of the question that said, "disreguarding moneys". I'd prefer digital, i dont like switching discs.

Leathersoup @ Apr 3rd 2008 9:39AM

Disregarding money I'm sure a lot of people would be doing something other than videogaming.

BadMrK @ Apr 3rd 2008 3:32PM

Psychonauts on Steam is $20 bucks. On XBL its 1200 points, which is 15 bucks. So I think you're a bit confused.

Sam @ Apr 2nd 2008 8:27PM

original Halo is $20+ at gamestop but 3 bucks on amazon. They said its 'corporate pricing'. Um..ok.

Mike @ Apr 2nd 2008 8:28PM

I'd be all for downloading if the hard drives were as cheap as regular hard drives.

DBoyFlex @ Apr 3rd 2008 9:51AM

I agree. If hard drives were cheaper and we could all afford huge xbox harddrives, then I may go that route, if money is not an option. However, it is. Also, with the DRM thing up in the air, I have had a heck of a time keeping my other DLC working, I would certainly not want to be limited to playing the originals on my own account having to be signed in to xbox live and thats it. As soon as MS fixes those three (HD Price, game price, DRM), I might be inclined to buy an original though the marketplace.

ArmiMaan @ Apr 2nd 2008 8:43PM

I'd rather have them digital. Sure, it takes a long time to download your average Xbox original title, but I'd much rather have a one-time wait of an hour or two than have to deal with an unwieldy collection of DVD cases. Plus, it's much easier to switch between games when they're all on the hard drive.

greenrider19 @ Apr 2nd 2008 8:50PM

eh, i have to disagree with that one, as personally, for instance, the heroic map pack took me nearly six hours to download. I blame DSL and a populated area. My friend with Comcast spent nine minutes. So, for the hassle, I'll drive myself to the store.

mattclarkie @ Apr 3rd 2008 4:14AM

It took me a little over 1 minute. And I would still prefer physical media.

Zach S @ Apr 2nd 2008 8:45PM

Well, I have three reasons why I'd rather own the physical game:

1. Downloads are wack. They take forever and then if something happens and a file gets erased, you have to either wait to download it again, or in some cases, even pony up the cash a second time! Plus...

2. You don't get things like the instruction manual or the crisp scent of newly pressed plastic that you get from buying a physical copy.

3. A lot of Xbox games can be got physically, used and new, for cheaper than the download price.

Overall, I'd just rather own a physical copy of anything, rather than a digital one.

LoyalistRevolt @ Apr 2nd 2008 8:51PM

First off the prices are insane for this stuff they are like 25 bucks when the games themselves can be picked up for 5$ at gamestop. Microsoft is to into the business of selling us crap and it needs to stop!

HazyCloud @ Apr 3rd 2008 9:50AM

1200 MS Points = $15 USD

Shadowfire56 @ Apr 2nd 2008 9:05PM

I would get it digital for one major reason: Discs can be scratched and become useless, with digital even if the hard drive fails, everything can be re-downloaded.
I hate how half of my old X-box games have been scratched and have become unusable.

Zach S @ Apr 3rd 2008 12:48AM

yeah, but for people who actually TAKE CARE of their discs, this isn't a problem. All of my original xbox discs look just as good as the day I got them because I put them right back in their case when they're not in use.

Adam @ Apr 2nd 2008 9:08PM

I fail to see why they cost so much, these games have had their time to make money and now they are old, so why not release them at really cheap prices.

Tsssk, I guess not many more people would buy them at low prices or something :/

Kev @ Apr 2nd 2008 9:12PM

I'm right on the fence about this. I like having the downloaded games immediately available, and I really notice the disc swapping becoming an issue with the Live Arcade disc (I know I'd play Pac Mac CE and Luxor 2 more often if I didn't have to take out Rock Band/CoD4 to do it).

On the other hand, I went hunting specifically for a disc copy of Psychonauts. I'd played it through already on the PS2, but after getting the 360 I knew I'd want an original Xbox copy, just to have it. I'd considered downloading it, but I for me there are so few games I'd want to hold on to that I knew I'd want a physical copy. Something tangible, something where guests could peruse my game cabinet ("oh, I heard this was good, can I borrow it?"); it does depend on the game, I suppose, but if it's the *right* game (and a dl'd version didn't include any additional content), then I think I'd always opt for a disc.

PeterF @ Apr 2nd 2008 9:48PM

I would buy the original for 2 reasons
1. not enough storage
2. DRM

AoE @ Apr 2nd 2008 10:19PM

there's DRM on the original xbox game disks too. Granted, it's been broken. But still, if DRM prevents you from making download purchases... well, I've got bad news about all those game disks you buy.

PeterF @ Apr 2nd 2008 10:21PM

DRM problems such as when your xbox breaks and they take a year to fix your licenses

Brian Arnold @ Apr 2nd 2008 9:55PM

Do people not read the articles before talking here? It seems like most people are complaining about cost.

I agree, yes, they're too pricey. However, we're not talking about price here, we're talking about game distribution, digital downloading versus physical media.

Personally, I much prefer digital distribution. I can download the game fairly quickly, as my connection is speedy and stable. I can play the games without having to swap discs (and I'd copy my current discs to the drive if I could, having Rock Band without the media would make me giddy). I can delete it if I need to (since the Xbox Live DRM means that I have rights to re-download the games whenever I want, as long as they're on the service, it's not like a movie rental) without fear of losing access to the content.

I can't resell it, but that's probably my only gripe, and it's not that big of a deal, especially since we're not talking about money here.

I can see physical media being more convenient for some people, especially if your connection isn't zippy, but otherwise, I don't see an immense benefit to physical media over digital downloads.

Eric @ Apr 2nd 2008 10:10PM

I'd actually like to see consoles implement something in the vain of iTunes' Coverflow where you can sort through your games and see all the art (the packaging, the manual, the disc) on screen. If space continues to become less of an issue it might even be interesting if we could download newer games and if they let us download them alongside a physical copy of the game.

I don't know about you but I've ALWAYS dreamed of having one of those multi-disc-changers but for games so I'd never have to worry about scratching the disc or having to get up to play a different game. This would be a sort of solution and might even make me play certain titles more than I already do.

When I think about having that visual method of sorting digital titles I think of a program called Delicious Library which actually lets you digitally catalog games. I'd love to see this on the Xbox. http://www.delicious-monster.com/

AoE @ Apr 2nd 2008 10:24PM

If our HDD options were a bit more open (the one thing I envy of ps3 owners: the ability to install any drive they choose) I would be all for downloading. As it is though it doesn't take much to fill a drive; so while I'd like to say I prefer downloads, at this point I must vote for collecting discs.

horngreen @ Apr 2nd 2008 10:30PM

I would rather have them digitally as collecting "old" games seems pointless. Too much junk around for me. Not many thinks look sadder than a wall full of Wal Mart particle board and unmatching bookcases stuffed with hundreds of games. That said (to piss of nerds) I'm not about to pay what they are asking for digital Xbox originals. Not to mention the required $180 larger hard drive. I'm lucky if I can keep the 20 gig to around 5-8gig on any given day. Drop in an overpriced original and I'll be screwed. So nice try MS but you didn't think it through well enough. MS gets alot of stuff right but they never have the confidence to do it ALL right from the git go.

SuiXide @ Apr 2nd 2008 10:33PM

Kinda hard to lose a downloaded game. Or accidentally scratch it. If the data gets corrupted, just redownload. Believe me, in ten years when you want to find a physical copy of Psychonauts for less than 50 bucks, well...

I can understand that, as of now, there's no real incentive for most people to download the Xbox originals. For me, though, I'd rather download some of these games rather than go hunting for them. Call me lazy, sure, but I'll be damned if it isn't convenient.

ZEBRA NINER @ Apr 2nd 2008 10:38PM

I was on the lookout for WYR today, glad to see it's up.

I don't know what it is, OCD maybe, but I like having the discs. I'm sure in 10 years you won't be able to buy a disc, but for now the disc and case is where it's at for me.

Swamp Donkey @ Apr 2nd 2008 10:39PM

I'd rather buy a hard copy for the simple reason that I can sell it when I'm finished with it. Also when my 2nd 360 shits the bed (it actually briefly red ringed last night), I won't be screwed when I'm at home away from broadband. I can't play all the arcade games I downloaded on my first 360 already.
But really, why would I want to play these old games in the first place? The good ones I already played and I already have a stack of awesome next gen games to play that I haven't got the time to finish. Screw xbox originals.

Swamp Donkey @ Apr 2nd 2008 10:46PM

If money were no object though, I do prefer digital. It's easier and I don't have to listen to the jet engine disc drive spinning on the 360.

ccc @ Apr 2nd 2008 10:43PM

Sorry no achievements so either way I could care less.

Maxx the Slash @ Apr 2nd 2008 11:17PM

It all depends. On one hand, it's kinda convenient to not have to switch discs constantly to play some games when we could just get to them through a menu right away. Also, discs scratch, but digital downloads don't.

On the other hand, some XBO games can be gotten cheaper by buying the original discs. There are tons of games that probably wont be added to the XBO service. Like Marvel VS. Capcom, or Capcom VS. SNK 2. They don't plan on releasing any of those games over XBO probably because of liscencing issues. We'd have to rely on the original discs. And the faint hope that they'll make them Backwards-Compatable (common, where the **** is Capcom VS. SNK 2/s backwards compatability!?)

Dragod @ Apr 2nd 2008 11:41PM

If larger, cheaper Hard Drives were available, Digital would be the best thing, hands down. Having a collection of, say, 20 games on a Hard drive? Much easier than lugging around a CD case. I would love to be able to just say "Wanna Play Halo 2?", and it's right there. No worrying about scratches and such. That'd be my dream... Halo 1, 2, and 3 all on my Hard Drive with Live Enabled. *drools*

larrydoomhammer @ Apr 3rd 2008 12:38AM

So what happens if your xbox breaks and you get it swapped out? That's right, there goes your game unless you're online 24/7.

A lot of people should know about the problem that's going on with arcade downloads. Only being able to play the trial version offline....

Bennyishere @ Apr 3rd 2008 12:59AM

If I COULD, I would buy it in stores, but none of the stores I can find (that I don't have to make hotel arrangements to get to) have any old Xbox games.

TurboJezus @ Apr 3rd 2008 2:29AM

It's probably been said, but I buy hard copies of games because I get the game, it doesn't waste valuable hard drive space, I get the joy of reading a manual, and it's probably a lot cheaper than the straight price of $15. Not to mention Xbox Live will only put out what it wants to put out, while if you buy hard copies you can get anything you want. The only reason to complain is the fact that some Xbox titles still aren't backwards compatible. Seriously, why can I STILL not play Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance...get on the ball Microsoft...

Pete Bones @ Apr 3rd 2008 2:48AM

While the disc games are undoubtedly cheaper, I had a fairly bad experience with them. I bought Fable for £7 from a local game shop, only to find it was seriously jerky and choppy, which was a shame considering how much I liked this game first time round. I decided to try the Xbox originals one, and low and behold, full frame rate. So at least the digital ones have this to say about them: You know they will certainly work at full speed, and will have have been tested alot more thoroughly.

mattclarkie @ Apr 3rd 2008 4:25AM

I'd check the disc, probably scratched or faulty.

MS admit they are just a ripped disc image, and aren't guaranteed to be perfect, if the physical copy has an issue, the digital copy will to as they are sold as is.

Most of the downloads have a message such as "distortion at some points" or "Sound maybe lost for brief periods". I really don't know how MS can actually sell them at a premium and then say it won't be as good as playing the original on the Xbox.

mattclarkie @ Apr 3rd 2008 4:22AM

I generally always take my discs out of the console before I turn it off, and opening a case, disc tray, and walking 2ft doesn't really affect me, in fact if I didn't have to put the disc in I wouldn't get any exercise.

I generally use the loading time to pop to the bog, or just plug in my mic and turn-up the volume on the TV.

People forget that especially once an HDD gets lots of large files it also becomes slow, although not as slow as DVD-ROM, and as many games now have un-skippable splash screens, Crackdown anybody, a digital version wouldn't be any faster to load.