Topic: Impulse overview

[idolminds]

Linky

Impulse is the new digital distribution thingy from Stardock. Sounds pretty nice, and it releases this Tuesday.

Everyone wants to be a platform, it’s the new buzzword. However, there needs to be something basic that makes one thing a platform and another thing not a platform. For us, it’s simple: If a user wouldn’t use it unless they purchased a program from it, then it’s not a digital platform.

“Impulse will succeed not because it forces users to use it but because users will want to use it.” –Brad Wardell, President & CEO, Stardock Corp.

Seems like a little jab at Steam. The only reason I use that is because some of the games I own require it. Unless I'm playing one of those games, I never leave Steam running.

Anyway, read the link. Some neat stuff. I like how it collapses down into a dock.

[Quemaqua]

I'll definitely check it out.  I really liked their old program, and I have enough faith in the company to think they won't fuck things up with a new one.  I'll give it a whirl.

[Xessive]

¡Muy interesante!

[MysterD]

This sounds a like a newer and more improved version of Stardock Central (SDC) -- which already was pretty good. I love that SDC was NEVER EVER really forced upon you.

So, you want a patch for a game?

Have SDC check for existence of a new patch and let it install the update itself for you through the program itself (like Steam).

OR download the patch-file manually and separately (like most gamers probably do, getting patches from places like Fileplanet, official game sites, GamersHell, etc etc).

OR hell, do both if you want -- let the game check for an update within itself SDC and let it do all the work (Steam-like), then go DL the patch from anywhere who got separately just in case you want the file manually (usual method, but likely only Stardock is one of the few places you can download it from).

[scottws]

Well, I got Impulse.  To be honest, I always thought Stardock Central seemed kind of amateurish.  I mean it worked well, but the interface just screamed random website on the Internet application, nothing becoming of an accomplished game and app studio.

Impluse blows it out of the water.  It is really nice.  My favorite thing is that it seems to detect your OS, so all those Windows Blinds mods for XP aren't shown.  I see all Vista mods.

[MysterD]

I tried Impulse. Yuh, it's great. I mean, I love how if I don't want a patch, just click Ignore -- it won't ever ask for you to DL that patch again. Nothing is FORCED upon you with Impulse, which is the way these services SHOULD BE -- especially if say word gets out new patch breaks somethin' in-game to break the game or it breaks some feature in the game (which has happened before w/ games), y'know?

I didn't like Impulse toolbar booting up with Windows on my taskbar, though. That got disabled. If I wanna open it, I'll open it myself -- which you can do, which is cool w/ me.