I don't currently have Gold, but I used to last year. I just let it expire. This is partly because the only games I actually bothered to play online were stolen or are otherwise missing. But when Guardian Heroes hits XBLA, no doubt I will re-sub.
I'll echo previous comments and say it depends. It also depends on what you want from the game. I've bought a few collectors editions before, such as Oblivion, Fallout 3 and Fable 3. I personally loved the Oblivion one as it came with the coin, and it was nice for me to have a physical object from the game, such as a coin. I did like the Fallout 3 collectors edition as well, especially for the bobble head. But, that one ended up being somewhat of a regretted purchase, as I paid 50 for it and only a few weeks later did I start seeing shelves and piles of the collectors edition selling in game shops for half of that. I really disliked the Fable 3 one though, biggest waste of money. It came with ingame DLC and some cards. The cards were never opened and the DLC was a rip off. I basically paid extra for a nice box. I'll certainly not do that again.
The number one rule of game development is that it's all about the gamer. Devs are not making a game for themselves, but with the gamer in mind, so every decision should, ideally, be implemented with that game experience in mind. You don't put a complicated puzzle in a game to look all big and clever, but to challenge the gamer. If you're failing to design for a specific audience in mind, then you've pretty much failed as a game designer. That said, the Internet is a horrible place and most people seem to use it as an outlet for negativity. Most criticism I come across is very rarely constructive and being insulted or attacked personally is not the same thing as criticising a game for its flaws. Criticism is obviously important for game developers, but some gamers are just entitled whiners. I studied game design for years and decided that I would make games as a hobby, rather than as a profession, because I wouldn't want to pour art into something that only I will appreciate.
I have the 360 and PC version of Oblivion. I have to admit, after playing the PC version, I could not go back to the console version and the main reason was for the mods. Mods really do extend the life of games like Oblivion. I personally added mods which made the game more realistic or which added additional role playing elements, but I also messed around with new locations, new buildings and other new stuff, like clothes and character models. Some mods streamlined the experience as well, such as open cities, better guards and horse back packs. Others were graphical enhancements, such as better weather effects, better textures, gatherable items which vanished when used, etc. I can't imagine my Oblivion experience without these now. Mods are also important to the development of the series and mods which are really well created can inspire features for future games. For example, Fallout New Vegas has gatherable items which vanish when picked. But, when Skyrim comes out I will be buying the 360 version first. I'll enjoy it on console and then upgrade to the PC version later when I've sorted my computer out and when I'm reading to expand the game further.
Generally, Nintendo have a 'recipe for success' when it comes to Mario. The game is designed with specific game mechanics in mind and for a specific purpose. Nothing in that game is there simply by chance, but has been designed to create the best possible playing experience. For example, the mechanics around Mario himself are gradually introduced so that players can get to grips with the game quicker and easier. New mechanics, such as power ups, are also introduced at the right time to prevent boredom as well as avoid frustration and a feeling of being overwhelmed. It can be hard for games to hit the 'sweet spot' of boredom vs challenge, but Nintendo have had years of experience!
Day one for me too. I'll probably pick up a GOTY edition later, but chances are there will be a collectors edition on the way which will be a must have for me. I bought Oblivion on the day of release too. Then the GOTY later because I didn't have all the DLC and I basically broke my game disc from overuse. I also bought it on Steam as well, so I can imagine doing the same with Skyrim :)
Have you guys heard of Bartle's gamer types? These are split into four groups of gamers: you've got your achievers that like to collect and 100% everything, your killers that like competitive play and PvP, social types that like co-op and joining guilds etc and explorers that like to explore areas of games. We're not just in each group, you could have someone that likes to explore and collect, and these different game types suit us in different moods, but it seems that a lot of games these days try to include game modes and mechanics which appeal to different types. So you end up with a game that has single player, multi-player, leaderboards, massive worlds to explore and many things to collect. That's just one way of explaining it! I personally enjoy collectables if I'm engaged with the game. The first Assassins Creed didn't really grab me at all, so I never bothered to collect everything, but other games have. I do believe that collectables should have an incentive though. I never bothered getting all the items in Lost Odyssey for 10 GS, for example. But I may eventually ;)
As someone who has studied game design at university and spoken to a lot of developers, it seems that many are more concerned by used games than piracy. The main problem is that a second hand game can be sold on multiple times and none of that money reaches the developer. It's really the retailers which are to blame for increasing pre-owned sales though, as they use many incentives to get customers to save, what, an extra $5 on a new game most of the time? Devs need to make better incentives to buy new. I wrote an article on my website about incentives used to discourage pre-owned game sales, which you can read if you're interested.
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