Portal 2 on PS3: Redeemable Steam Play copy explained


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GZ: The PS3 version includes Steamworks functionality which, on the face of it, gives it the edge over the version 360.

JB: Uh huh, I think so.

GZ: And it also provides PS3 players with a copy of the PC version for free. How does that process work? Is there a Steam key included in the box to download the PC version, or is a copy gifted to you once you link your Steam account in the PS3 game?

JB: We're going to send out some more details on that, but when you buy the PS3 version there'll be a key code in the box , and when you first bring up Steamworks in the PS3 game, that allows you to link your Steam account with your PSN account. That's where you punch in the code, and once you've used that code it's spent. With that link, you automatically own the game for PC and you can download it on any PC or Mac that you have. If you don't have a Steam account you can instantly create one through a quick sign up, and then you can activate that later as a full Steam account on your PC.

GZ: Do you need the code to access co-op in the PS3 version, or can you simply play through PSN without touching Steam?

JB: You have to create a Steam account, which again can be via that quick create where all you're doing is clicking a button saying 'hey, I wanna play'. You don't need to input the code. You don't even need to have a full Steam account.

GZ: So someone buying a second hand copy of the PS3 version would still have access to the co-op even if the code has already been redeemed?

JB: Yes, they would.

GZ: Does that leave the system open to abuse? Let's say I want to pick up the PC version. Are there any measures stopping me from buying the PS3 version, linking the code to my Steam account, immediately selling back the PS3 game to a store and effectively getting a PC copy for next to nothing?

JB: No, I don't think there's anything that would prevent that. We're willing to take the risk that someone might jump through all those hoops to create what we think is a really compelling feature that people are going to like.

And cue abuse... **** anyone who abuses this system, Valve don't deserve that.

And cue abuse... **** anyone who abuses this system, Valve don't deserve that.

That's actually pretty nice of them to do something like this. Most publishers would just want money for another copy for a different platform. To be honest though, I don't see it being abused that much.. if I were wanting to get a freebie for totally nothing, I'd just download the thing and be done with it versus going through the extra steps/cost. (Not that I'm condoning that either of course.. if they're going to go for free, path of least resistance and all that.)

I still dont understand the point of all this, why would you play the same game on two different platforms (yes I think its a generous idea but without locking down the ps3 version its just going to cause loss of sales somewhere)? I would just wait for the reviews and buy the version that gets the better review. There is no question that people are going to abuse this to get a free copy of the PC version - hopefully the trade-in value will be lower to eliminate some of the low-lifes.

I still dont understand the point of all this, why would you play the same game on two different platforms (yes I think its a generous idea but without locking down the ps3 version its just going to cause loss of sales somewhere)? I would just wait for the reviews and buy the version that gets the better review. There is no question that people are going to abuse this to get a free copy of the PC version - hopefully the trade-in value will be lower to eliminate some of the low-lifes.

When it has Steam Play or Steam Cloud or whatever it is called, why not play the game on two different platforms?

From my understanding of it all, I am on my PS3 using the TV, got to a certain level, but my wife wants to watch one of her TV Shows. No problem. I quit the game, go upstairs to my PC, or hell even fire it up on my Powerbook laptop, and continue where I just left off.

If for some reason it does not work like this, especially with CoOp now being a part of it, Portal is a game that can be played multiple times IMO. I definitely played the first one on the PC and on the 360, as it is just a fun game.

I haven't decided if I'm going to pick this up on the PS3 yet. Free PC copy does sweeten the deal, but still not sealed the deal for me!

To me it is an absolute no brainer. As soon as they announced it, I pre-ordered the PS3 version.

I was leaning towards the PC version regardless myself, but once I found out I could get the PC version for free with the PS3 version, absolutely no reason not to take that route. Even if I mainly wind up playing it on the PC, a free game is a free game.

I was actually going to make a poll yesterday about which version people plan on buying, as to me like I said if one has a PS3 then it is an absolute no brainer to me to get that version, but then I thought about all the variables I would need to add to the poll, and decided it was to much work for something I only have a slight interest at best. :laugh:

When it has Steam Play or Steam Cloud or whatever it is called, why not play the game on two different platforms?

From my understanding of it all, I am on my PS3 using the TV, got to a certain level, but my wife wants to watch one of her TV Shows. No problem. I quit the game, go upstairs to my PC, or hell even fire it up on my Powerbook laptop, and continue where I just left off.

If for some reason it does not work like this, especially with CoOp now being a part of it, Portal is a game that can be played multiple times IMO. I definitely played the first one on the PC and on the 360, as it is just a fun game.

I didnt know/think it was going to work that way. I would have assumed that the save files are still limited to just the PS3 or PC version, not both. I def can see your point on multiple play throughs but it certainly doesnt make sense from a $$ point of view. that being said.. valve/steam have been successful in reviving PC game (IMO) so hopefully this all pans out for them.

And don't forget a game like this, you're bound to get friends buying it on console and on PC!

That being said there is cross platform play with the PS3/PC & MAC versions anyway.

And yeah later down the line if you sell your PS3/some PS3 games you make some money back, where as you can't sell steam games. However wangling the system day 1/week 1 is very distasteful.

I didnt know/think it was going to work that way. I would have assumed that the save files are still limited to just the PS3 or PC version, not both. I def can see your point on multiple play throughs but it certainly doesnt make sense from a $$ point of view. that being said.. valve/steam have been successful in reviving PC game (IMO) so hopefully this all pans out for them.

I could be wrong like I said, but my impression was it supports Steam Cloud as well, which you can read up on here.

And I really think this is somewhat a move by Valve to make amends for slamming the PS3 so long publicly. Whatever their intent is, Valve or pretty smart about things, so I am sure they have a good reason behind it all.

And don't forget a game like this, you're bound to get friends buying it on console and on PC!

That being said there is cross platform play with the PS3/PC & MAC versions anyway.

And yeah later down the line if you sell your PS3/some PS3 games you make some money back, where as you can't sell steam games. However wangling the system day 1/week 1 is very distasteful.

I am definitely curious to see how the cross platform play winds up playing out (pun intended). I am sure it will be smooth and flawless, or else Valve would not have implemented it, but one never knows.

I just wish I could preload the PC version since that was announced yesterday since I get it for free with the PS3 version.

Well... And here I thought Valve wouldn't be this ****ing stupid.

Uh, no.

Valve actually take the time to look into and research the market, they see entertainment as a service and not a product. Just because they don't agree with your draconian anti-consumer views doesn't make them stupid.

It's not about wanting to play the game on two different platforms, it's about owning the right to digital media on every platform I have. If we're no longer restricted to the costs and limitations of optical media, these types of initiatives should not only be explored but encouraged. I have friends on both my 360 and my PC - I wish they did a similar offer so I could play Portal 2 with both.

Uh, no.

Valve actually take the time to look into and research the market, they see entertainment as a service and not a product. Just because they don't agree with your draconian anti-consumer views doesn't make them stupid.

So what you're saying is... if every PC player, bought the PS3 version, and just kept the PC version for free... and sold the PS3 version on Ebay... That's not stupid? Just giving away free copies of the PC version?

From my understanding of it all, I am on my PS3 using the TV, got to a certain level, but my wife wants to watch one of her TV Shows. No problem. I quit the game, go upstairs to my PC, or hell even fire it up on my Powerbook laptop, and continue where I just left off.

If for some reason it does not work like this, especially with CoOp now being a part of it, Portal is a game that can be played multiple times IMO. I definitely played the first one on the PC and on the 360, as it is just a fun game.

No, Valve has said the saves are incompatible. You may be able to pick it back up on another PS3, however. Or, when it's released, maybe on NGP?

So what you're saying is... if every PC player, bought the PS3 version, and just kept the PC version for free... and sold the PS3 version on Ebay... That's not stupid? Just giving away free copies of the PC version?

Valve get paid for your purchase of the PS3 version whether or not you sell it right back.

So what you're saying is... if every PC player, bought the PS3 version, and just kept the PC version for free... and sold the PS3 version on Ebay... That's not stupid? Just giving away free copies of the PC version?

Nope.

Did it ever occur to you that Valve's primary motivation is not making a profit? How many times now have they given away games in their catalogue for free? How much free content have they given away in their supplemental updates?

I am certain that Valve are intently aware that players may do that, but they know if they provide a great service to their users it only encourages additional purchases.

You might be used to being bent over backwards by companies like Activision, but that's not how Valve work.

Nope.

Did it ever occur to you that Valve's primary motivation is not making a profit? How many times now have they given away games in their catalogue for free? How much free content have they given away in their supplemental updates?

I am certain that Valve are intently aware that players may do that, but they know if they provide a great service to their users it only encourages additional purchases.

You might be used to being bent over backwards by companies like Activision, but that's not how Valve work.

This. Valve is huge now. They know how they became that way as well, customer service. No PC game company has ever offered their customers so much for so little. A lot of their games would not have been half as good if not for Valves desire to give us more for nothing. Dedicated servers, SDK Tools for all their games, Constant updates and customer feedback, and much more. They know if they can hook you with customer service, the products will sell themselves just fine.

No, Valve has said the saves are incompatible. You may be able to pick it back up on another PS3, however. Or, when it's released, maybe on NGP?

What about this...

Additionally, players will be able to save their co-op and single-player progress in Portal 2 to Steam Cloud, and pick up where they left off on any PS3 system. The Steam Overlay will deliver Portal 2 news and announcements, and downloadable content registered on Windows/Mac versions, too.

So if one can go to their PS3 and pick up, surely it works the other way too?

Taken from here...

EDIT - Oh, I see, it only works from PS3 to PS3. Well that kind of sucks then.

Does not change my plans to get it for the PS3, but that does seem kind of stupid, if it works from PS3 to PS3, why not the other way around, especially when cross platform play is an option.

Wish I had the money for Portal 2, why do so many people have to have their birthdays in March/April. :(

What about this...

So if one can go to their PS3 and pick up, surely it works the other way too?

Taken from here...

EDIT - Oh, I see, it only works from PS3 to PS3. Well that kind of sucks then.

Does not change my plans to get it for the PS3, but that does seem kind of stupid, if it works from PS3 to PS3, why not the other way around, especially when cross platform play is an option.

I would assume the save formats aren't compatible between what the PS3 uses and however the PC saves will be used, they would at least would need some sort of converting between them for it to work, and then there is always the chance something could go wrong, corruption, loss of data, etc.

It would have been a neat feature, but I can see why it might not work at this point, maybe in future games or through an update or something.

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    • Sihoo Doro C300 Pro V2 Ergonomic Office Chair review: The Ikea of chairs by Steven Parker I've reviewed a few gaming chairs over the past three years or so and generally found them to score well in our reviews. SIHOO reached out asking if I was interested in taking a look at their flagship chair, the Doro C300 Pro V2. I never got the chance to check out its predecessor, but the V2 is described as an "Adaptive Ergonomic Chair." It became available to buy in April of this year. Let's get things rolling with a closer look at the specifications and features. Specifications Doro C300 Pro V2 Model Ergonomic Materials Mesh Back and Seat; Soft PU Coated Armrests Height adjustability 45.5 - 53 cm / 17.5" - 20.9" Seat (w+d) 52 x 43 - 47 cm / 20.5" x 16.9" - 18.5" (adjustable) Backrest 52 – 60 cm / 20.5" - 23.6" (adjustable) Lumbar support Mesh built-in (adjustable) Armrest adjustability 8D Bionic Armrests Rocking angle 105°, 120°, 135° (fixed) Neck support Mesh built-in (adjustable) Net weight 27.3 kg / 59.64 lbs Weight support 150 kg / 330 lbs Colors Black, White Warranty 5 years (upon registering) Price $499.99, $539.99 Introduction At first glance, it looks like a chair that in another life wants to be a Herman Miller; It certainly looks like my Aeron Remastered, but the Doro C300 Pro V2 has quite a few more features and costs quite a bit less. SIHOO says that it is made up of a "DynaCore" system that tracks your movement and synchronizes the headrest, backrest, lumbar support, and armrests as you shift, twist, or recline. They also say that the "SyncroFlex Backrest" molds to your spine, which kind of describes how the mesh fabric works in most ergonomic chairs, but anyway. Below are the meat and potatoes measurements for the chair. Here is the same tech sheet, but in inches. Durability I would be remiss to not talk about the various durability testing this chair underwent before coming to market, as this is claimed on the product page. First of all, the chair is BIFMA-, SGS-, and TÜV-certified. As for durability, the tests undergone were: 100,000 Castor cycles tested 120,000 Armrest cycles tested 120,000 Recline cycles tested 120,000 Gas lift cycles tested 60,000 Armrest durability cycles tested 120,000 Rotation cycles tested Nothing about weights testing, though. Now that's all disclosed, now onto my own personal findings. Assembly The Doro C300 Pro V2 came in two large boxes (1) (2), and everything was packed very well, protecting the different parts of the chair. In the box, there is a folded sheet that explains the 12 steps to assemble it; they are: Remove the bottom cover on the aluminum base; Insert the five legs into the aluminum base and use ten screws to fasten them; Insert the castors into the legs; Replace the bottom cover on the bottom of the aluminum base; Place the Class 4 Hydraulics gas cylinder into the aluminum base; Screw the bottom part of the arm rests, taking care of the orientation using two screws on each side; Use three torx screws to fasten the footrest to the bottom of the seat; Fasten the backrest to the seat using four torx bolts; Fasten the armrests to the backrest using four Torx bolts (two on each side), taking care to note the orientation; Place the chair onto the Class 4 Hydraulics gas cylinder; Insert the headrest into the top of the backrest; Use two torx screws to fasten the headrest to the backrest. There's also an online guide you can refer to. Carefully unpacking the two boxes took around 15 minutes because almost everything is wrapped in plastic and protective foam; the chair assembly itself took around an hour. I say in the above assembly steps to take note of the orientation, because it's not obvious which way around the bottom portion of the armrests go, and although there is an L and R on the bottom of the armrests, it also wasn't clear from the instructions which was actually left or right, facing the chair, or in the seated down orientation? Anyway, I ended up putting the bottom portions on the wrong sides, and after securing one of the armrests, I discovered that although it was on the correct side, the armrest base could rotate a full 360°, but not when bolted to the chair, so I had to remove it, rotate it, and then bolt it back on. Truly an Ikea experience! Also, to complicate things further, although all the parts are labeled from A to X (yes, that's 24 parts) unhelpfully, these letters do not appear on the parts themselves or the package with the bolts, screws, and washers. There's also a pair of protective gloves in the box, but I think they were made for much smaller hands than I have. Even my friend, who is 5.1, had difficulty putting them on. Once assembled, I needed to sit down. Anyway, as I said, it looks quite similar to my Herman Miller. And here is the back of it. If you look at the product page and on Amazon, it seems like a lot of thought has gone into the chair itself and what it's capable of, but there is no mention at all about the castors, and this is an area where I think the chair trips up quite quickly. I found it difficult to move the chair in any direction. I asked a friend who came to visit me earlier this week to test my findings, and she said that the wheels were "no good," so it definitely isn't just me. I am 6'2 myself and a big guy, I work from home and gained a few pounds from mostly staying in and the hell away from other people. However, the Doro C300 Pro V2 is rated for up to 150kg (330lbs), which in my case is used well within its max rating. Ergonomics The number of adjustments you can make, right up to setting it in nap mode — which I haven't fully tested yet — is what you'd expect from a premium chair. Yes, you can go up and down (max 7.5 cm adjustment), rock back and forth (with tilt adjustment), and lock the chair between three stages of 105°, 120°, 135°, which is not quite as flat as the AndaSeat I tested at 160°. Some thought has also gone into the "8D" armrests, too, which are cushioned but quite firm; you'll only know it if you press hard into the PU-covered tops, which give about half a centimeter, but it's enough to ensure your skin won't get awkwardly stuck to it in warmer (or sweatier) conditions. It almost feels like plastic and is very easy to keep clean. However, the armrest positions move far too easily, and I am not sure what that "elbow" function is. Maybe it is good for a short person with short arms, anyway, I never used it and kept it flat at all times. There are eight levels of adjustment for the armrests, they are: backwards, forwards, swing left/right, height up and down, tilt, and 360° rotation, which can be handy for desk clearance. As I said, the armrest pads shift far too easily, which could give off an ergonomic vibe, but who wants the armrest sliding when you are shifting weight? The height adjustability does lock into place when lifting and adjusting. Comfort This is ultimately what it boils down to at the end of the day, right? Quite a lot of reviews praise the comfort of this chair, and I don't disagree that the mesh seating is quite comfortable. I am used to the material from my daily Herman Miller. 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In all honesty, they are just hollow metal tubes, so it is not recommended to let a kid sit on them. I also feel like it doesn't really go out far enough for my height, so that kind of puts the dampener on me being able to use it regularly. I'll just have to continue to use my subwoofer as a footrest! I do not like the armrests being able to shift around as easily as they can, and they are a little too forward-positioned in the chair to comfortably sit close to my desk, because even in the lowest height position, they don't allow me to go under the desk like is possible with my Herman Miller. I also feel like this chair could have been delivered partially constructed, especially the armrests on the seat, and why the aluminum base wasn't already pre-constructed (without the castors) is baffling, considering it would have fit in one of the two boxes that way. The instructions also need to be clearer. 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Check out Today's Deals on Amazon | or our recent tech deals. Become a Prime member (for Students or SNAP) via Neowin Get Prime Access - Prime for half price (for qualifying Medicaid, EBT, SNAP) Subscribe to Prime Video, Audible Plus, Music Unlimited or Kindle Unlimited via Neowin As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
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