Epic Games acquires Megascans maker Quixel

[Disturbedguy]

Snip.

You realise you posted in an open discussion, right?

TTask didn't "pick apart" your comment, he addressed everything you brought up, individually and in such a way that nothing could be missed or misconstrued.

Personally I don't see a problem, were all those moaning about Epic trying to become a monopoly, complaining when Valve / Stream tried doing the same?

[Ttaskmaster]

Dude, chill out! You don't need to pick apart every comment!

Apologies - As mentioned, you made so many good points for discussion, I gave each one its own dedicated address for my undivided attention.

But OK, ignoring everything and whacking up one massive wall of text....


I don't hate Steam at all. Most of my games are on there (GoG seems on a mission to change that, lately) and I make considerable use of it, both on the PC and with the phone app.

Ultimately, though, people who want to play games will buy them from and on whichever distribution/platform offers the best features and prices.
I too also own a load of games I've not yet gotten around to, but I still appreciate the offer and even though I've not even downloaded the LEGO ones, I'll still accept it.
Many people I know do not have these games, so even if it doesn't directly benefit you at times, that doesn't mean it's some kind of offense...
Speaking of Humble, I haven't even bothered looking at their website in over a year, as the stuff they were offering was not of any interest or use to me. That again doesn't demean their efforts. I have a GMG account and a wishlist, and they even tell me I'm a VIP customer, but I have not once purchased anything from their website, because I've found it cheaper elsewhere.

Now, I'm sure Epic will indeed do what they can to impress you. However, that is going to take time and they are still getting started. Their main mission seems to be securing exclusives to deny Steam enough custom that they are forced to pay devs more in order to secure games. The problem is that Steam has presented itself as the one-stop shop for most games and as the one and only bestest ever launcher/chatroom/community/single source for all the things you could ever possibly want in the entire universe and Beverly Hills... and THAT is where their monopoly really comes in. Yeah, sure, buy the game from whatever site you like... but you'll want the Steam code so you can have everything all in one place, right?

[Scryder]

@Ttaskmaster: OK fine, it just seemed like a different approach to to what I'm used to! And just because I don't post her much since I joined does not mean I don't read everything posted on Hexus forums (I do ).

The impression I got from several posts of yours, in this and other threads, is that your current agenda is hate on Valve and praise Epic. Whether you mean to or not, that's the appearance I'm getting. Apologies if I misunderstood. And like I said, I felt that IMO that praise for Epic is unwarranted and undeserved.

The problem I have with the way Epic are doing things is that forcing me to buy a game on their platform by yanking it off Steam (Outer Wilds for example). If anyone tries to force me to do something, my natural inclination is to resist.

I totally agree that the free games are worth it for new gamers. And I totally get that, and support more people playing on the PC. But that's just a marketing gimmick, that's all it is as I've said a couple of times now.
I'm not too much of a fan of Humble Bundle recently either, since IGN's owners bought them out. But I still get stuff from them. I managed to complete my Crusader Kings 2 DLC's on one of the bundles (getting them individually was not financially viable IMO). And just the other day, got the 40K audiobooks, as I read some of the novels in the past but don't have the time now to read much. BUT do sit in front of a PC for work, so playing them as background noise will get me to "read" some more of the novels (and re-read some).
I resisted GMG for ages, but once in a while, I'll see a game that I want that's at a reasonably price (and occasionally they have discount codes). I also got VIP, but don't think that really means anything. Another gimmick.

Steam now is the giant on PC gaming. However they did not start like that, I registered my original Half Life 2 box set on the bare-bones Steam... then totally forgot about that account and re-joined in 2009. They built up over time and IMO earned the love AND hate they get from gamers. I'm by no means saying Steam is perfect. But it is the place that has 666 of the games I own on PC (didn't realise that's how many I own currenlly ). Epic needs to earn my respect, like Valve/GOG (and CD Projekt Red)/MS (to an extent)/PS/Origin (but not EA!). And NOT shove things down my throat.

No, I don't care where my games are, they're pretty spread out on various shops. But I will tell you a story about the Stardock store. I bought Sins, Gal Civ 2, Sword of the Stars and a few other non-Stardock games there. Then a few years later, they went bust (think Gamestop bought what remained). I completely lost access to all those games I bought in that store. Stuff I paid real money on. Reason I bring this up is, how many of these stores will go out like that and stuff we pay our hard earned money for, we cannot access anymore? As I said, I don't mind more completion, it's good for the consumer. But their whole approach is wrong and it's frankly annoying me.

So my favourite youtuber passed away a year and a half ago. Even though I didn't know him personally, I felt like he was like a good friend, as I went through the ups and downs of his life. Since then I've looked for an alternative, but no one compares. However, here's a few opinions I agree regarding Epic:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lK5esdwga7k - This pretty much sums up my feeling on Epic and how they operate

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvgCt5nbb0s - Different source I'm seeing for the first time today. It's about a dev putting their foot firmly in their mouth

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97R5kSNZlck - Why I think Epic's claim is BS

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xozr9X3v8es - Epic putting their foot in their mouth

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ext5g6E-g8 - *sigh*

The above are only a few examples of why I'm not a fan of Epic and their current strategy. And as I've said before, all these companies are large corporations. At the end of the day that's what they all care about.


@Disturbedguy: I do know how a forum works, thanks. I have been a member of another forum with thousands of valid posts. And, yes he was.

[Ttaskmaster]

@Ttaskmaster: OK fine, it just seemed like a different approach to to what I'm used to!

I do these things as if we were having a conversation face to face, in real time... mainly to illustrate where I'd stop you (without interrupting, preferably) and address the point you'd just raised.

And just because I don't post her much since I joined does not mean I don't read everything posted on Hexus forums (I do ).

If you'd been reading my posts, you'd know I am a big fan of Steam, Epic and GoG, tolerant of Origin and Uplay, and have varying awareness and experiences of other platforms.

Epic have done me no wrong, so I have no cause to hate them. There are very minor quibbles, but I can sort them out myself and they're far lesser issues than anything Steam or Origin have thrown at me.

But that's just a marketing gimmick, that's all it is as I've said a couple of times now.

It's one that's proven to work, though...
You may recall from one of my earlier posts that I've never played the most awesome amazeballz legendary computer game series that is HALO... because it's a console exclusive. It's massively successful. Lots of people are dressing up like Master Chief. I guy I know even made a foray into creating his own full feature-length fan film of it, and I even got a guided tour around the fully working replica of the Warthog he got built... But again, never* played it because it's always been a console exclusive. Not even a time-limited exclusive like Epic's stuff is, either, but 18-odd years of exclusive.

I also got VIP, but don't think that really means anything. Another gimmick.

GMG VIPs do get substantial discounts and exclusive offers. It's more of a tactic than a gimmick, and one that has proven very popular as they're now tightening up restrictions on who qualifies for it.

Epic needs to earn my respect, like Valve/GOG (and CD Projekt Red)/MS (to an extent)/PS/Origin (but not EA!). And NOT shove things down my throat.

Time change. It's a different world these days. If they don't plaster their stuff all over the place and force certain things on you, they will sink and be forgotten. This is the world of instant gratification, to the point where buying something is the pinnacle of the experience. By the time it's been delivered, installed, configged and activated, people are already bored of it and looking for the next best thing. Steam can dominate and dictate because they have control - It's going to take a lot to wrest that away and compete.

I completely lost access to all those games I bought in that store. Stuff I paid real money on.

Yep, and places like Steam have also been known to pull games, seemingly out of the blue. The only way you'll avoid something like that is with the likes of GoG.

As I said, I don't mind more completion, it's good for the consumer. But their whole approach is wrong and it's frankly annoying me.

Others have already tried the nicer approaches and failed. Even things like the in-game chats, it's often easier and less resource-intensive to just use the Steam one. Simply being cheaper is not going to work against a deeply entrenched Steam.

Can't see videos at work and don't have time to watch them all, but also not really interested in a bunch of talking heads ranting about stuff I know I'll disagree with anyway. I do enough of that for a living.