h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Why on earth (amongst other places) do computer games come in such ridiculously sized packaging?

I understand the 'perceived value' argument, but a Playstation game invariably costs more and is packaged far more sensibly.

I've bought games that come in a huge fancy box, and when you open them, there is a CD case containing the game AND INSTRUCTIONS, and nothing else.

W H Y ? ? ? ?
Maybe it has something to do with physics.

I thoroughly agree! I recently borrowed Populous from a friend. She gave me the CD in its case. When I asked if there was an instruction book she said no, just the CD. I've seen the packaging for Populous, and it's more than big enough for a CD *AND* an instruction manual of some kind. The original price of Populous was around £35 - £40 (now down to £20) All that money for a CD, a CD case and a lot of cardboard!

Yep. Those huge boxes suck. And besides the fact that they're not environmentally sound (think about it...), they take a bloody lot of space. How about getting neat little boxes that are practical?

Boxes are big, fancy and colourful just because they attract buyers.

'Boxes are big, fancy and colourful just because they attract buyers'

You mean, NOT because people like collecting big, fancy, colourful boxes? Damn! I'll need to clear out the warehouse. It took me years to build up my collection.

I was sure it would be a moneyspinner one day.

Hi,

Large Boxes started years ago when the Amiga was "the king of all home computers"... Where games would come on 4 or so fresh smelling disks, with a layer underneith containing recycled cardboard (in a nice box) with a large manual, lots of "Specials" (advertising cards).. Demo disks, MORE advertising/warranty material.

Besides, big boxes rule, the smaller the box, the less appealing the game is.

Like, you buy a flight simulator, it opens up and its got 50 maps in it, so your playing the game for ever, the game has that much depth. Then you play a crap game Tiberian Sun, little manual, not much to the game and you finish the game feeling empty.

Damn, I'm all upset now.

JB

'Besides, big boxes rule, the smaller the box, the less appealing the game is.'


Actually, the smaller the box is, the harder it is to see between all of those big boxes.

"Large Boxes started years ago when the Amiga was "the king of all home computers"... "

LOL. There speaks someone who was never appalled by the prospect of paying a whole £9.95 for "Knight Lore" - TWICE the price, almost, of its predecessors from Ultimate - and who was a bit baffled by the size of the box, given that it contained only the same cassette tape all games came on in those days.

All of this conversation seems a bit quaint now that most people I know don't even leave the house to buy games. Either they're clicking "buy" and getting some sort of media (usually DVD or Bluray) delivered (so the idea of the box attracting them in the shop is moot), or more likely no physical media move around in the universe at all, and they just download the thing in its entirety.

I was just reading down here and I was about to say something about 'Ultimate - Play the Game'

Earliest HUGE box video game I can recall was Valhalla - that might even have been for the ZX81

I can't remember ever buying a game for the ZX81 - the anti-copy security was non-existent in those days. I wrote a few, though, and sent the listings to magazines for all to enjoy (so I don't feel too bad about it)

I wonder if I typed in one of your games

Valhalla was probably speccy I suspect - but it was definitely around before Underwurld/Knightlore/Sabrewulf et al. And it was in a really huge box as I recall but that may have been because I was little

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valhalla_(video_game)

I do vaguely remember Valhalla. The fact that when you died you appeared in another place and simply walked back again sticks in my memory.

And, yes, clearly a Spectrum game, although I'm sure there were similar available for the ZX81.

Can't have been too far off the transition time for us. I think we used to call our spectrum a ZX82 for a laugh for a while so only a year or so in...

I don't think I (or rather my father) ever actually bought Valhalla - I just dreamed of owning it because it was clearly excellent and amazing and of dream value because...

... well it had such a big box

Thinking about it - oh how the memories are flooding back - I think seeing this sort of thing in the shops were part of the badgering that persuaded my Dad to upgrade us to the Spectrum...

I still have my Spectrum, both the Spectrum+ and +2 as well as a Sinclair QL. I wonder if they still work...?

Ah yes - those good old magazines where you spent half an hour typing:
10 something or other
20 something else
only to then go back and find the inevitable spelling mistake. Of course with the Spectrum you couldn't type, you had to use the symbol shift and spend ages trying to find the letter that the word you were after was located on. Usually 'J'.

<BB<