Okay - this one isn't for fighting, nor discussing which platform is "better". This is to talk about a serious psychological effect that determines whether people will buy a game or not. And don't just say - "well, the people that fall for it are idiots" - even if that is right, still the vast, vast majority do fall for it. So what am I talking about?

Couple of months ago I wanted to buy an indie game online. I, of course, was faced with two options - GoG or Steam. The former offered me the lack of DRM, free goodies and a bit of my money back, thanks to fair-price policy. But still, somehow, the purchase on Steam "felt" better. Not wanting to fall for any tricks nor biases, I've researched the topic.

It's the permanency of the things you buy, that drive people into buying more games on Steam. It's the same force that makes them say "oh, I've bought this game on sale and haven't even launched since" and it's, in fact, the same force that makes people catch all Pokemon, even though they will only use a couple of them. These are added into your account and your account feels permanent, it feels yours, like something you can display and be proud of. Sadly moreso, than just downloading the files onto your PC and having them there.

And of course Valve realizes this, that's why you have levels, cards, profile backgrounds and all of that - even though to almost everyone these feature feel useless, they're still tricked into believing their account is something more than just a DRM system for their games. That's why they want to keep filling it in, and the more they fill it in, the more "valuable" it becomes in their eyes, so they want to keep doing it.

And the guys over at GoG also know how this works, and I can almost guarantee you, that this very psychological system is one of the reasons GoG Galaxy will be a thing. A constant reminder that you have a GoG account, that it's something more than just a collection of files. I don't think that's a bad thing, I want to feel connected to my purchases, even if it's just mind-trickery, it makes me feel good. I'm just wondering how far will it be pushed.

Collectibles? Emoticons? Profile pimping? Probably too much for a start and will piss of a lot of people.
But an application that can keep all exe files - yes, all - and launch them quickly? A fast communicator with tons of customization options? Something you want to keep running all the time in your tray as a useful thing and therefore get connected with GoG repeatedly? That's a very important goal. What can we expect?

What can I say. These "profile" things (cards, achievements gaming time counter,, xp, leveling, whatever) are exactly what REPELS me from steam and gamersgate.

So, how gog's galaxy thing will make my purchases feel better ? Through its ability to be turned off.

You lost me there. If it's right (and it is) then that is exactly what needs to be said. Pretty much sums up my thoughts too.

I don't know what you're talking about.

The only reason I play games is because subconsciously I want to fuck my mother.

You're scaring me tinyE.

he's just getting warmed up

WTF, I'm the only one here who ever studied Freud? The Oedipus complex? Jim Morrison? :P

I am left unsure if you want to know why people choose to use Steam or why Steam introduced the cards and other collectables?

If you are looking towards why people use Steam then you have an entire ocean of reasons to choose, probably half as many answers as there are users.
Some will use it because their friends do and want to play with them. Some buy the cheap games during sales. Some began there and want their entire collection of games somewhere convenient, which Steam offers. Some enjoy the ease with which you can play games from Steam and others still be be hooked because it is their safe space online, and many more answers to choose.

Why Steam chose to introduce trading cards. My thoughts are they wanted to keep people invested in their company and coming back for more. The cards give people a game inside a game so to speak as they can acquire cards from buying new games and playing games. Those people who want all of the cards can also just go out and buy them (or take them from a friends account).
So the Steam cards are more your "psychological system" to keep people invested in your company and it also gives a free (for the company) reward to their users just for having the games with them.


As to GamingOnGalaxy, who knows.
As GOG appear to want to position themselves for a competitive head on with Steam, they will probably want to introduce many of the aspects that appear to draw people into Steams community, and one thing that keeps people is the thought of just one more.
It is what makes us gamble and for those who become addicted it can be a sentence to serve you master. For that kick then GOG would need something in the service that would keep people popping back to see an increase (a little like those who become obsessed by the numbers by their names) or slight change in something they perceive is in their favour.

LOL great post ;)

What? Nude codes for every game on GOG isn't enough?

I think you're too quickly putting personal considerations and feelings onto others. Part of the reason I spend money on gog.com (including on shit I already own elsewhere from time to time. yeah. I'm slowly putting a stop to that) over Steam is that the opposite is true me. I feel a purchase of something here to be more whole and substantive than elsewhere.

Steam is larger. Steam is the first thing people hear about. Valve isn't evil (yet). Valve has a culture built around them. There is trust in Valve. There is faith, an expectation of capability that may not exist for gog.com for many people (I don't really care. Once I buy something on gog.com, if gog.com were to ever die, I'd download whatever I paid for from whereever I could).

Finally, the biggest reason is convenience. People like having the minutiae taken care of. Installation, patching, and other administrative concerns. When they boot up the client, there are all their games, laid and organized for them, and you need only to press a button to play it. Imagine that your shelf on gog.com could function like Steam. Click it, and then click a game on it, and boom, it plays. You'd log in to your shelf more often. It's mainly convenience. Valve has done a lot of work and built a fine thing and that's why it helps them.

I will say it again

It has been suggested that crime decline because Technology is keeping people inside, not out committing crimes

So if you see another person trolling on the Internet, raging, flamewar etc you should be happy because there may be one less crime commited. Keep all the hate on the Internet so there is less hate out in the real world.

tinyE, tell your mother to return my calls please.

None of that Steam stuff makes me "feel better" about gaming. What does make me feel good? When I get a good deal on a great game.

Steam purchases feel "better" and "permanent"? Whaaat? Huh? Permanent? Am I missing something? When that company goes out of business most of the games you had bought there will be gone for good. All your money for something that you no longer have. This permanent thing and Steam doesn't really sound good. It's like saying hot ice or wet fire.

In the States there is a dramatic drop in crime every week during Monday Night Football.
This is true, and yes I know how much the rest of the world adores American Football, but at least it cuts back on the lawlessness. :D

And my 'mother' comment was not a troll or a rage, it was an educated witticism. :D