Ezquimacore
Banned
Yes, I remember the Ninja Gaiden demo for the og xbox, I played that shit for months.
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Do you miss video game Demo discs?
- Thread starter Prof. Tivor Tontomo
- Start date
sunnysideup
Banned
Most definitely. The ease of use was great.
Downloading and Installing games is a fucking pain in the ass.
With these disc you would just put in the disc, and try the demos, and when you where done trying out all of the 6 games 10 minutes later you would just remove the disc. And be done.
These days it would take two hours for those 10 minutes of gameplay.
Downloading and Installing games is a fucking pain in the ass.
With these disc you would just put in the disc, and try the demos, and when you where done trying out all of the 6 games 10 minutes later you would just remove the disc. And be done.
These days it would take two hours for those 10 minutes of gameplay.
Knightime_X
Member
Demos were the best way to get me to try a game.
ResurrectedContrarian
Suffers with mild autism
I miss the weird compilation cds you could find, like the classic Games for Windows 95 disc. It had a hub-world space station you could explore and use to jump into something like 20 different demos.
CrustyBritches
Gold Member
I can't remember the exact year('97/'98?), but when I bought my PSX it came with a demo disc loaded with awesome games. Metal Gear Solid was on there and I played that shit over and over until I could afford to buy it. I couldn't even afford a game at first, I just wanted the system and planned on borrowing from my buddies.
^Great selection of games on this disc.
^Great selection of games on this disc.
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eyesabitdull
Banned
I miss game demos in general, don't mind it not being physical - just more of it these days would be nice.
But, to be honest, the real spiritual successor to this is Gamepass for the Xbox as you're allowed to try any game you want and continue to play, or shelve it completely, at your own whim.
Hell, shit cost as much as a yearly magazine subscription.
And no, lmao, I do not have GP, nor have I been a big supporter of it. But this is common sense, and definitely an advantage of GP (that I feel is relevant to the topic).
But, to be honest, the real spiritual successor to this is Gamepass for the Xbox as you're allowed to try any game you want and continue to play, or shelve it completely, at your own whim.
Hell, shit cost as much as a yearly magazine subscription.
And no, lmao, I do not have GP, nor have I been a big supporter of it. But this is common sense, and definitely an advantage of GP (that I feel is relevant to the topic).
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ShadowNate
Member
I miss them. They were fun to discover and check out.
It was different times, and now the internet offers an overload of trailers, maybe demos, freeware and giveaways and the backlog is huge compared to back then. I don't think I have the same enthusiasm any more.
It was different times, and now the internet offers an overload of trailers, maybe demos, freeware and giveaways and the backlog is huge compared to back then. I don't think I have the same enthusiasm any more.
Kuranghi
Member
Demos in general were amazing, I remember I had one for Rollcage on PC and they left the developer keys active (Like the Dead Island launch code where you could activate 3rd person and other console commands via hotkeys, how did that get through QA 
) so you could press an F-key and it gave you two turbos instantly.
The tracks were suspended in the air, so you could technically fly straight to the finish line with the right momentum, so I tried to beat all the levels in the demo by turning to face the finish line at the start of the race and then spamming the boost key + that F-key to basically fly over to it, I submitted a time for a demo competition and my time was like less than 10 seconds for the whole course, I didnt win and no reply on that, filthy cheater haha. They didn't say you couldn't use accidently left on dev keys...
What really blew my little mind back then were "compilations" like, The Sweeney <insert number>. I can't even find reference to them online (for obvious reasons), anyone here relate to that? Finding tiny, unlisted games in the folders was so awesome, was like a treasure hunt.
) so you could press an F-key and it gave you two turbos instantly.The tracks were suspended in the air, so you could technically fly straight to the finish line with the right momentum, so I tried to beat all the levels in the demo by turning to face the finish line at the start of the race and then spamming the boost key + that F-key to basically fly over to it, I submitted a time for a demo competition and my time was like less than 10 seconds for the whole course, I didnt win and no reply on that, filthy cheater haha. They didn't say you couldn't use accidently left on dev keys...
What really blew my little mind back then were "compilations" like, The Sweeney <insert number>. I can't even find reference to them online (for obvious reasons), anyone here relate to that? Finding tiny, unlisted games in the folders was so awesome, was like a treasure hunt.
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Krappadizzle
Gold Member
I don't miss them as they've been replaced by a much much better alternative....BUT, there was something magical about them too and the excitement when you'd get a good one.
Pizza Hut's demo disk with Metal Gear Solid and Tomb Raider demos on it was one of my favorite. Reggie Fils-Ame was on point when he came up with that. Also had a Tony Hawk demo that'd I'd use the GameShark on to stop the timer and just skate for hours while listening to my own music.
Pizza Hut's demo disk with Metal Gear Solid and Tomb Raider demos on it was one of my favorite. Reggie Fils-Ame was on point when he came up with that. Also had a Tony Hawk demo that'd I'd use the GameShark on to stop the timer and just skate for hours while listening to my own music.
Krappadizzle
Gold Member
The Halo 3 beta disk came with an awesome demo called Crackdown, played that for hours.
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TheMan
Member
Which is kind of funny cause back in the day practically every pc game had a demo
Kuranghi
Member
I just remembered I, like many others I'm sure, bought Zone of the Enders for the MGS 2 demo disc. I planned to play it for a week or two and then return it but when I got it home I realised some bastard had already had the idea but going further and just return the game without the demo disc in the case
Had to go back and the person behind the counter was so confused I was saying the disc was missing and he's like the disc is right there, "Its *squints at disc* Zone of the Enders", he couldn't understand why I would care about the demo so disc much haha.
Had to go back and the person behind the counter was so confused I was saying the disc was missing and he's like the disc is right there, "Its *squints at disc* Zone of the Enders", he couldn't understand why I would care about the demo so disc much haha.
Hypereides
Member
I kinda do. It was nice skimming some demos and previews. The music like this below was especially, dope.
We don't really get much of that type of experimental ambient demoscene music these days. It really set an otherworldly tone like a transition into some surreal dimension if that makes any sense. Cool shit in my book.
That scent of nostalgia
We don't really get much of that type of experimental ambient demoscene music these days. It really set an otherworldly tone like a transition into some surreal dimension if that makes any sense. Cool shit in my book.
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Demigod Mac
Member
the Pizza Hut PS1 demo disc intro FMV was raw 90's energy.
MiguelItUp
Member
Definitely! They were the absolute SHIT when you were younger and didn't have a job, haha.
Some of those demo discs were goddamn SUBSTANTIAL, haha. Especially the ones on PC. So many shareware demos or something similar.
Honestly, I just really miss demos in general being a bigger thing like they used to be.
It's all immediate gratification now, which is cool too, don't give me wrong. But man, I miss knowing demos were coming on the following month's disc and having something else to look forward to.
Some of those demo discs were goddamn SUBSTANTIAL, haha. Especially the ones on PC. So many shareware demos or something similar.
Honestly, I just really miss demos in general being a bigger thing like they used to be.
It's all immediate gratification now, which is cool too, don't give me wrong. But man, I miss knowing demos were coming on the following month's disc and having something else to look forward to.
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Prof. Tivor Tontomo
Banned
Most older demos were just sectioned off complete levels or half the game finished on a disc with only 5% of it accessible, unless you could crack it. It rarely took much time.
German Hops
GAF's Nicest Lunch Thief
Not really.
It's like getting food samples at a grocery store display. Entirely unfulfilling.
I need the whole enchilada, baby!
It's like getting food samples at a grocery store display. Entirely unfulfilling.
I need the whole enchilada, baby!
Duchess
Member
Never mind demo discs, who remembers getting demo cassettes from magazines? Often enough, what was included on those C64 demo tapes was enough to make me [ask my mum to] buy the magazine. Every now and again you'd get a full game, too.
Then there were the Amiga days, where you'd have 2 or 3 discs attached to the cover. Lots of interesting PD games from those floppies.
CDs during the PlayStation 1 era remained a thing for a while, before (I assume) it grew too expensive to continue.
Hey, does anyone remember that one crazy time where you bought the PS2 Metal Gear Solid 2 demo and Konami threw in that free robot game? That was pretty sweet
Then there were the Amiga days, where you'd have 2 or 3 discs attached to the cover. Lots of interesting PD games from those floppies.
CDs during the PlayStation 1 era remained a thing for a while, before (I assume) it grew too expensive to continue.
Hey, does anyone remember that one crazy time where you bought the PS2 Metal Gear Solid 2 demo and Konami threw in that free robot game? That was pretty sweet
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StreetsofBeige
Gold Member
I stopped buying mags in the mid 90s so I never got a console demo disc, but I did get a PS1 sampler disc when I bought a used PS1. The guy even included the disc. Fantastic.
I bought Formula 1 and Tekken 2 based off it.
I bought Formula 1 and Tekken 2 based off it.
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BabyYoda
Banned
I used to be hardcore with my Mean Machines magazine (it really was excellent, shame it split up into two mags) and later ones. When demo discs were finally a thing for console (before CD's came out, we had to make do with VHS tapes...) I loved them, but I don't miss them. There's still enough demos that come out for me to download, but I have such a massive back catalogue of games, it's become irrelevant to me. I don't miss having to shed a bunch of money for a mag and get it home, only to find all of the news is old and the headlines all hyperbole and "clickbait" and demos rubbish. The first disc of Panzer Dragoon Saga was certainly a highlight though, wish I'd kept it really, might be worth something!
StreetsofBeige
Gold Member
Amen to that.
During the 360/PS3 era, every game and indie seemed to have a demo. Pretty sure it was mandated. Even indie games on XBLIG had 10 minute trials.
Now, it's rolling the dice on a game unless you do your own YT searches and trust what you see out there as good enough to make a purchase decision.
sunnysideup
Banned
It was such an easy and convenient way to try games.
Most of the time i would pop the disc in, try all 7 games in 5 minutes and toss it out into the pile. I have a huuuuge pile of demodiscs. When i dig up an old disc based console these days, i often return to the demo pile. Its like flipping through old magazines.
Sometimes i would find a game that did interesting things with the graphics, like quake 2 on psone, or some game that was sorta fun for an 30 minutes play session like some random snowboard game.
Sometimes you found games you would not have thought you would like but did. But this is and was truly rare.
Or when you got a demo of an game that you really really wanted like mgs2 and you played that over and over again, thinking about how the finished game would end up. In the end the demo was better than the finished game.
I still download demos of games i really like to play. But i rarely if ever download random demos. It just takes to long. Downloading, installing, uninstalling. It just is not enjoyable.
But i would like to have some modern demodiscs. If its not possible physically, they could make them downloadable. Ten demos packaged into one file, which you only have to download, installl, uninstall once.
Most of the time i would pop the disc in, try all 7 games in 5 minutes and toss it out into the pile. I have a huuuuge pile of demodiscs. When i dig up an old disc based console these days, i often return to the demo pile. Its like flipping through old magazines.
Sometimes i would find a game that did interesting things with the graphics, like quake 2 on psone, or some game that was sorta fun for an 30 minutes play session like some random snowboard game.
Sometimes you found games you would not have thought you would like but did. But this is and was truly rare.
Or when you got a demo of an game that you really really wanted like mgs2 and you played that over and over again, thinking about how the finished game would end up. In the end the demo was better than the finished game.
I still download demos of games i really like to play. But i rarely if ever download random demos. It just takes to long. Downloading, installing, uninstalling. It just is not enjoyable.
But i would like to have some modern demodiscs. If its not possible physically, they could make them downloadable. Ten demos packaged into one file, which you only have to download, installl, uninstall once.
Gameplaylover
Member
I miss demos in general, not only demo discs. That's why i love Game Pass, it's a library full of demos.
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mancstheps5fanboy
Banned
video game demos , ran shit once , for pc. , i was a magazine addict , for many years.. but the best years? the free sweeties , toys and demo discs , on magazines.
funkygunther
Banned
I miss demos in general, getting refunds for digital purchases before two hours played isn’t the same
Matt_Fox
Member
I miss them as much as I miss AOL discs.
And you never wanted to throw them away, because they were a CD and back then that had some kudos, ended up with drawer fulls of these useless things...
Matt_Fox
Member
BTW there are still some decent console demos out there... Resident Evil 8 did one few months ago, and Samurai Warriors has one out at the moment.
They definitely added value to video game magazines, and the total absence of them today is just one more reason why one by one each mag has gone out of business.
They definitely added value to video game magazines, and the total absence of them today is just one more reason why one by one each mag has gone out of business.
Elder Legend
Banned
My favorite demo discs came from the Official Xbox Magazine, some of them had the newest or pre-released triple A titles and those discs were the only way you got to try them. They also had trailers for brand new games that I couldn't find anywhere else at the time due to Internet's infancy and lack of YouTube. I miss is solely for the nostalgia reasons but nothing else.
Bluecondor
Member
There was a demo disc included with the PSVR, and then about a year later, Sony released "Playstation VR Worlds" which was also a demo disc. These were great. I definitely miss demo discs.
SkylineRKR
Member
I don't miss them, but during the PS1 days and even PS2 days they were great. Demo1 on Playstation was so good that I probably played it as much as a full game.
