interview: advertisements coming to cs

[Merritt]

I am sure XFire will find a way to block it and then get sued, once again, by a leading world corporation. Thanks XFire!



Aside to that comment, the in-game ads should be alright, unless they start getting in my way of killing someone (lol)! Once that starts, I will send a complaint. See if they changed anything, if not, I will send a confirmation complaint. If nothing again, Wal-Mart has an entire rack of video games i can play.

[Zips]

mousiehamster wrote..

Um, I dunno how it's done in the US but here in HK and the UK, we have something called "CECO". It stands for Control of Exemption Clauses Ordinance. It basically invalidates contracts that exempt negligence, breach of terms (contained in the contract itself!) and also applies a "reasonableness" test to exemption clauses, using certain guidelines. Clauses such as "in the case of a dispute, valve retains the right to make the final judgment" for instance, wouldn't hold up in court. Then there's also a vast amount of case law governing the whole contractual interaction between consumer and producers. That, and the fact that the EULA is only presented after purchasing the game pretty much voids the legal significance of all the terms. Of course, this is UK law. I'm not sure how it's done in America, but i would envisage though that if I was to sue, seeing that i purchased the game from HK, seeing that my game is an "asia-pacific edition", all lawsuits should fall under local jursidiction.



Valve is getting away with this because nobody has bothered sueing. Understandable, considering the audience of computer/console games in general are teenagers. They don't have the resources, legal knowledge or time - that, and the cost of the video game itself isn't any substantial. But I do think that the audience of computer games is maturing, and it certainly seems that the way games are marketed nowadays, in addition to the hefty hardware requirements, is supportive of an economically dependent target audience. I guess it'll only be a matter of time before the sueing really starts.



As for how i feel regarding the matter, I think valve's actions are immoral and put the consumer at a decidedly large disadvantage. There is no reason to implement ads on pre-existing games. The case of 2142 was bad enough: the ad revenue didn't do anything to make 2142 cheaper, have extra features etc. Basically, the ads are implemented at our detriment. I can already see the direction the game industry will go, and that is a convergence of their behavior.

The Steam Subscriber Agreement is seen before you can even continue with the installation of the Steam service, so yes... it is a viable legal tool against your argument.

[lacus_f]

I personally want to know how the guys at CSN feel about this. Are you all as ticked off as most of us are? If not, why not? Who can honestly say it is fair of Valve to do this. And I mean fair as in your basic kindness fair, not legal jargon fair. This company has shown nothing but money grubbing tactics since I've been forced to come into contact with them. Ala~ Steam.



lacus-

[[+Duracell-]]

Edited by [user="72256"] @ [time="1165794793"]

I don't care. As long as the ads are tasteful, non-distracting and fit the game environment, it's fine with me. If they're in the form of a billboard or pop machine, then so be it. Wouldn't be any different than any movie or TV show we watch, so what's so wrong about it in games?



Like BF2142...the ads aren't distracting, although they are there. It's not like it's sprayed at your spawn saying "BUY INTEL"



I realize that they're changing the game. But what game mechanics are being affected? Any new weapons? Bug fixes? No? Thought so.



Yes, this may not benefit us at all, but this will benefit Valve in the end, and help fund them supporting and developing numerous games. Valve is a business, first and foremost. They HAVE to make money somehow. Game sales might be enough, but sometimes, extra revenue might be needed to make a push or take in more people.



Besides, it'll give us something to look for or see.

[WooFerPPK]

I have not played many games with in game ads in them because i generally avoid them. But the ones i played, Splinter cell chaos theory and the fear expansion the ads are clearly there. The red Dell XPS computers don't fit the fear environment and that huge AXE neon sign i went past in chaos theory wasn't really hard to notice.



My point is no mater how hard they try to "fit" these ads into the game they are going to be a distraction.



Also i can guarantee valve makes enough money with out ads. They seemed to be doing well since started so i don't see whats wrong. (how about you release hl2 ep2 already and make your dam money?)



If valve REALLY wants ads that fucking badly, don't put it in game, put them in steam. Add them to the steam store, or when i click a game when its loading or while im loading a server put an ad there. Like when they used to tell you what content server you were on. Also if the ad fits with the environment and is not contrasting with anything else whatsoever and is not noticeable in any way shape and form, and will not change every week im fine with that. Like a coca-cola can on the floor on a red carpet in a red room would be great.



I don't mind if they show you ads for a few minutes, like TV or Radio. But if i have to see nvidia every time i check my score, or Intel every time i die at the bottom or Intel and Nvida on every fucking thing while im playing the game, i will stop playing CS and any other game that supports in game ads made by them. And i wont buy any new valve games until they stop in game ads. This goes for any other company that does this as well.



Valve is the only gaming company that i have bought every game they have made. They are going to lose a customer if they do this. And i actually hope they lose many customers and start losing money. Also Valve should understand that in todays world its not exactly hard to obtain an illegal copy of anything.



If there are ads, it should be free otherwise there should not be any ads.

[Thortok2000]

Valve wouldn't need this revenue from ads if they could get their games to sell better.



Also, I like the question which is like "How does this benefit the customer?" "Well, it benefits us (Valve) so therefore it benefits the customer." Totally dodged the question there.

[mousiehamster]

Zips wrote..

The Steam Subscriber Agreement is seen before you can even continue with the installation of the Steam service, so yes... it is a viable legal tool against your argument.

I'm talking about people who buy the game via retail stores. You can't refund the game after purchasing it. And like i said, that's not the sole argument i put forth: there is legislation that regulates contractual terms between producer and consumer, many in favour of the latter, for obvious reasons.

[ghsty9fdsa]

they will not be non-distracting, if they were then why bother with them. some way or the other we will be forced to see them thats so fucking gay. like they dont have enough money

[emanresu]

They should just advertise this:

[Cobra_UK]

Edited by [user="321848"] @ [time="1165836142"]

Wake up people! When these games were released there was no mention that IGA is in the game. I just checked and nothing of this was mentioned in the terms and conditions. The fact that they are now introducing it may be against the law. EA had to, by law, supply a document wit hthe BF2142 game to ensure that the consumer was informed that such IGA was included. This was to ensure EA would not get taken to court by consumers. Point is if a Developer/Publisher wants to include IGA, fair enough, but they have to ensure the customer is informed when he/she is buying the game. Contact your solicitors people!



If, they have found a way around it so they can not be taken to court regarding the introduction of IGA, then Valve has just joined EA on the list of Developers/Publishers that I will never buy a game from. I should have known that as soon as EA started working with Valve it would end up like this. Pathetic. I may continue playing CSS, but only if there is a mod removing IGA, and I would only play that mod. In either case, if they go ahead with IGA, CSS was the last game I bought from Valve.



Fuck Valve and Electronic Arts!

[FlyingMongoose]

As stated before many a times: The EULA covers just about anything valve wants to do in their games. Read it sometime.

[mouth]

Also as atated many times, EULAs are bullshit. UCC 2-302? Nah, nevermind. Unless, of course, you're Zips and subscribe to the Valve notion that repeating something over and over is, on it's own, enough to make something true.



HAHA! HL2 has carefully crafted character interaction! EULAs are legal documents!



Because yeah, we just totally set up contract law to essentially be "Yeah, totally write whatever you want and just claim someone agreed to it, it'll be legal".

[ghsty9fdsa]

emanresu wrote..

They should just advertise this:



image

hahahahaha

[Zips]

mouth wrote..

Also as atated many times, EULAs are bullshit. UCC 2-302? Nah, nevermind. Unless, of course, you're Zips and subscribe to the Valve notion that repeating something over and over is, on it's own, enough to make something true.



HAHA! HL2 has carefully crafted character interaction! EULAs are legal documents!



Because yeah, we just totally set up contract law to essentially be "Yeah, totally write whatever you want and just claim someone agreed to it, it'll be legal".

Consider your "I AGREE" click to be a digital signature... Something that is, by law, a legally bound agreement between yourself and the other party. In this case, the other party is Valve. :) But hey, enjoy trying to fight a losing battle against an EULA.

[emanresu]

I dunno, did anyone notice this in the interview?



See red underlined text...



http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v24/s...ntitled-2.jpg



Irony!