Best place to download games (legally)

Hey guys, i want to purchase some RPG's (via download) and i would like to know some of the best places. I already have Steam, because i play HL2, but, i am wondering if there is something better. Any alternatives to Steam? Thanks.

DarNoor said:

Hey guys, i want to purchase some RPG's (via download) and i would like to know some of the best places. I already have Steam, because i play HL2, but, i am wondering if there is something better. Any alternatives to Steam? Thanks.

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Not better, just different games. Try Impulse and Gamersgate

GOG, of course.

I know about GOG. But, i am looking for newer games. One of my worries is, what happens if a uninstall a game. Do i have to pay for it again? Or can i just go to the site and download without paying again?

DarNoor said:

I know about GOG. But, i am looking for newer games. One of my worries is, what happens if a uninstall a game. Do i have to pay for it again? Or can i just go to the site and download without paying again?

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Most services work like Steam, i.e. the games you own are tied to your account. So if you log in with your personal data then you can usually download, install and uninstall any of your games as often as you like. If it would be any different then I don't think that the company offering the "service" would still be in business .

If I were you I'd worry more about the um... "patchability" of downloaded games. Often times you can't just install the retail patch but need to wait for a special version of the patch to be released by the dev or the service provider. These patches are sometimes severely delayed compared to the retail patches which can be a real PITA depending on how much you like a game and in how dire need of a patch the game is.
Same goes for (free) DLC/add-ons/updates/expansions sometimes. You will always need to pay attention that what you are downloading or buying from any place other than your provider's site is compatible with your version of the game.
And not sure if you care about mods but once more the same also goes for mods. A lot of mods do work with downloaded games but sometimes the mods will only work with the retail version of a game.
Regarding all of the above, I have no idea which service is the most patch-/update-/mod-friendly one. Maybe someone else can provide the answer to that.

Personally (being from Germany) I only use GOG on a (more or less) regular basis. Steam sucks for someone like me who prefers original, uncut English versions. Steam has built-in IP detection so if you log into Steam from Germany you mostly get German-only, censored and overpriced games.
Only other services I have used is EA's downloader for some Battlefield booster pack(s), SOE's (Sony's) service for some Star Wars Galaxies expanions and Blizzard's store for digital downloads of Diablo 2. All of those worked like a charm.

Some current games can be bought as downloads from their developers or publishers. I bought Eschalon that way, as well as Depths of Peril. Both experiences were trouble free, even though I usually prefer a hard copy of a game. I've also bought and downloaded games from Amazon. Like Steam(which I really didn't like and got rid of), Amazon makes you install their software, but it's fairly quick and simple and also easy to uninstall later. I have no idea about patches, etc, but the actual games and downloading worked fine. (You have to tell them not to send you e-mails all the time for their 'special offers', though.)

AFA uninstalling the game and reinstalling it, usually you get a registration key. I'm pretty sure as long as you have that, you can download the game again, but someone else may know more about that as I haven't had to do it yet.

I like:
- Steam
- GoG (of course!)
- GamersGate
- Impulse
- Direct2Drive

I deal with:
- Aspyr's GameAgent
- GameTreeOnline
- Popcap Digital
- Digital River
- EA Store
... others I can't think of now ...

Gamersgate let you download games how many times you want, they are swift to answer your questions and easy to deal with when your having trouble.

I also use steam. Have to many games on there, but i will never pre-order anygame from steam. Or buy anymore "big" releases... (Its to slow when the servers is being hammered, which i intelligently understand why, but i don't like! )

+ for gamersgate is that you do not need any program installed on your computer.
- (For almost all DL places) i hate when digital download is forced to adhere to regions. I do not understand it and i will never ever understand it. Fight piracy, release the game : everywhere.

(My rant for today)

Moriendor said:

Personally (being from Germany) I only use GOG on a (more or less) regular basis. Steam sucks for someone like me who prefers original, uncut English versions. Steam has built-in IP detection so if you log into Steam from Germany you mostly get German-only, censored and overpriced games.

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Not quite, it actually depends where you originally got your account from, not where you currently are. E.g. I made my current steam account during my stay in the U.S., and it transfered just fine to europe. So I get access to all the original english versions, although the prices are displayed in euro (not swiss franks, though), and of course my billing address is my current one. So if you have a chance to create an account that way, or have it created for you, Steam is also a neat way to get the original games.

Thanks for the replies. I never thought about the patching issues. I just assumed that any patch would work wether it is for a boxed version or download. Aren't they the same games? Thanks again for all the advice.

So far I've had no problems with Impulse and GOG both are excellent services.
I've found Steam to be very slow, and prefer not to use it.
I've noticed that Gamersgate has some RPGs that I want and can't source locally, I'll try them next.

Shaf

Dunno about the rest but i am gamersgate's customer for like 2 years, bought +10 games and they all sit with their keys in my account available for download any time.
So far i have d/l "Europa Universalis 3" like 20 times because i suck on moding .

As far as i know gamersgate is European based (Sweden) so you won't get censored games .

DarNoor said:

Thanks for the replies. I never thought about the patching issues. I just assumed that any patch would work wether it is for a boxed version or download. Aren't they the same games? Thanks again for all the advice.

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They aren't quite the same because some DL services like Steam use a special form of encryption on the game files. In Steam's case it was recently revealed that they have only one guy doing all the patch conversions from retail to Steam. One recent patch (I don't remember for which game) was delayed only because this guy was on vacation. Weird huh? You'd think Valve would have a whole team for the patching stuff or at least a backup dude but nope, it's a one man show .

GhanBuriGhan said:

Not quite, it actually depends where you originally got your account from, not where you currently are. E.g. I made my current steam account during my stay in the U.S., and it transfered just fine to europe. So I get access to all the original english versions, although the prices are displayed in euro (not swiss franks, though), and of course my billing address is my current one. So if you have a chance to create an account that way, or have it created for you, Steam is also a neat way to get the original games.

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While that is more retarded of Valve than even I would have thought possible, I thank thee kindly for the interesting info .

If some of you are into adventure games - you know the tedious puzzlesolving while you scratching your cheek thinking out how to solve this boring puzzle -
you can go to the adventureshop. They often have games that aren't available in boxes at retail stores just yet.

http://eu-adventureshop.gamesplanet.com/?affiliate=AG

If you're in the US or Australia this link might not work. Go here instead.

http://adventuregamers.com/

And please scroll down a bit to where it says

bestsellers at adventureshop

They have many great adventure games...

I've had some problems with Direct2Drive games, like when Jade Empire refused to start and the company wouldn't give me a refund. Also, games of this type usually can't be patched like a normal game. Thus I recommend to start venturing out to the local game shop or cast aside your morals and become a pirate.

We frown SEVERELY on Piracy at the Watch!!

Corwin said:

We frown SEVERELY on Piracy at the Watch!!

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As well we should. Just remember, the more people that pirate, the less developers will make the games you like.