DRM Software

[Rixirite]

As many of you may already know, DRM is becoming increasingly common among popular game titles like Bioshock 2, Dawn of War 2, COD: MW2, and many other newer releases. Digital Rights Management was designed under the notion that piracy is becoming a big problem in the gaming industry, which is very true. Hacked copies of games and full downloads of retail, and digital titles are obviously around. But is the way that the gaming industry is handling this problem the right cause?

 

Lets take a look at what DRM can do to your gaming experience:

 

1. Requires continuous online connection to play (Many new titles including UbiSoft ones use this.)

2. Limits the number of installs per a copy (Spore is famous for this issue.)

3. Requires log in to a master server (Dawn of War 2 uses this method.)

4. Requires third party platform to launch the game (Steam is a good example of this.)

5. Can completely stop the game if you lose internet connection (Assassin's Creed 2 is supposed to implement this.)

 

As you can see, these five issues can sever your game if something is to go wrong. Here are some examples of what ifs that can happen:

 

1. You cannot log into a third-party platform due to connection issues. (Happens to me with steam ALL the time.)

2. You install a game 3 times in the course of 12 months to figure out your disc has become useless. (Spore has this problem, and Bioshock 2 as well.)

3. You cannot connect to the master server for unknown reason to play a single-player game. (Dawn of War 2 has shown these problems.)

4. You buy a game retail to find out it installs through a third-party platform. (Empire: Total War installed steam instead of the game!)

5. Your neighborhood has experienced a nasty storm that wiped out internet connection rendering your game unplayable. (Assassin's Creed 2 does exactly this.)

 

DRM's motive is a lawful conduct. But the way it is being used and implemented derails the whole aspect that you have complete control over your product that you paid for. When I got Spore when it first came out I was angry at the DRM SecuROM for turning my retail disc into a coffee mug coaster. The game had so much potential but I wasn't about to go buy another copy of a game I already own. So DRM in my opinion has a nasty effect on the consumer who buys the product and basically owns it. This, is pure gaming dictatorship and is draconian in my opinion. So what do you think? Yes? No? Maybe? Explain why you think so.

[Shoren]

In my opinion they have gone too far already with this. For me single-player games should be able to be played OFFLINE without needing internet. Having you to log in to some server or otherwise verify that you are ONLINE defeats the whole point of single-player games. Well not their actual point but why should a single player game need internet? I can understand if some multiplayer games will have this protection as they need internet in anyway to play but to need internet in single-player game is bit too much for me. Also games should be able to install as many times as person wants after all they paid for the game in the first place.

[Trandoshan]

It's tyrannical, and will ruin them in the long run.

 

BTW, lol. How long do you think it will take before the pirates crack this one anyways? I'm not going into detail due to Forum Rules, but they will eventually destroy this program just as they have destroyed all of the others.

 

It's only a matter of time, and the people who buy the game for real will stop buying those games all-together due to those restrictions. I'm hoping EA crashes into the ground because of things like these.

 

Long Live Bethesda! Long Live CD keys! GLORY TO THE EMPIRE!

 

Console Games aren't effected at least.

[Rixirite]

Bethesda seems to be the last greatest single-player game developer. Unless of course they go to the draconian DRM as well.

[Balagor]

I voted "maybe". I must admit they do this in a must annoying way, but don´t forget who is really to blame for this: THE PIRATE. :thumbsup:

If any of you know a pirate, don´t forget to knock him/her on the head :verymad: :whistling:

[Aurielius]

I voted yes. If I buy a game for single player use I want to be able to do so without an online component to it's use.

Steam is a more appropriate model, where a game after activation can be played offline.

[Rixirite]

But you have to log into steam before you can play offline. Plus steam isn't always working.. It doesn't matter. I shouldn't have to use a third party platform to launch a game I OWN.

[Aurielius]

But you have to log into steam before you can play offline. Plus steam isn't always working.. It doesn't matter. I shouldn't have to use a third party platform to launch a game I OWN.

 

I have KA RPG from steam and can easily play without an active Internet connection. However I concur in your basic response, I own it if I paid for it. 3rd party platforms requirements are a possible disqualification for purchase.

[Skotte]

To me, it has gone to far. far enough that it has become the deciding factor in whether or not I buy a game

[Rixirite]

Same here, which is why I am not buying UbiSoft titles any longer. I am not buying Bioshock 2 either. Apparently there is a Anti-DRM movement I forget the name of it though. It aims to have game companies drop the draconian DRM. Steam is a form of DRM software that makes sure your game is yours, and no one else can play it. While I like the idea of cutting pirates off, it cannot be done in such a way where the customers who really buy the game suffer.

 

When I really started to get angry about Steam is when I purchased Dawn of War 2 retail. I put the disc in all excited then steam started up and it asked for the DOW2 CD key.. That made me mad. So I entered it in and thought "Whatever" but then before it gets a chance to install Steam says "Our servers are busy at the moment, please wait while they become available."! I became intolerant to this nonsense, but restained myself because I wanted to play the game. So finally a day later, the servers are not "busy" so I install the game through steam, once it was done it took another 15 minutes to patch. I finally started the game thinking that was it.. But it wasn't. I had to create a GFWL (Games For Windows Live) account in order to play the campaign! The campaign is single-player! I don't care about achievements and Cooperative gameplay, yet it required full GFWL access to play the game. The same applies to skirmishes when I want to fight AI. This was the last straw, I threw a fit and wanted a refund but I can't do that because I installed it through steam therefore you cannot "return" a digital copy.

 

I am so fed up with DRM right now I hope the gaming industry crashes like it did in 1983.

 

Nuff' said. There is why Steam is utter fail in my opinion.