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That wouldn't work at all. How can anybody, but the developer tell whether I'm playing a legit copy of Fallout 3 or not. Even then, a cd crack can be used and it would appear to be an illegal copy of said game. Not only that, Piracy rarely affects actual game play and would be nigh impossible for a player to determine whether the game is legit solely by playing against them only. Lastly, your method still contains the same problem that all forms of DRM contain, Internet access. Not everyone has internet hooked up to their computer, which can be caused by the region where they live and whether internet is available, or if they have the money to afford an Internet connection to begin with.
The only viable solution to DRM is the ditch the software. It only slows down pirated versiond by a day at most(generally a couple of hours) of an official release. DRM only harms the legit consumer while doing nothing to slow the rate of piracy.
The only viable solution to DRM is the ditch the software. It only slows down pirated versiond by a day at most(generally a couple of hours) of an official release. DRM only harms the legit consumer while doing nothing to slow the rate of piracy.
First about the rat system: Wouldn't that only work in multiplayer? Doesn't Steam, for an example, already deal with MP piracy quite well?
To the main topic, this is for non-MP/online content: you can't fix that, which is inherently flawed. The more likely it is to prevent piracy, the more likely it's going to annoy users and/or breach their privacy. And the real problem is that it's more likely to annoy etc. the ones with the original, legal copy. This is most prevalent in DVDs with the FBI warning and the "You wouldn't..."-clips.
Not to mention that DRMs are gris-gris to begin with. There's no proof they work at all, and they cost money and time. And since time=money => money^2, so a lot of money.
If your potential clientele is unwilling to buy your product, and prefer to get it illegally, why would you try to convince them otherwise? What other field does that? Just look at, or for, possible customers who are known to prefer purchasing. Unless people start linking buying into getting more similiar things, it will be doubtful piracy will decrease.
Just in case it didn't come clear, I don't believe that using DRMs service anyone else, except companies that create DRMs. Companies seem to implement protections systems purely out of fear, a need to feel safe. Which is bad for everyone, since some of the worst things in the history have been done out of fear.
Multiplayer and online stuff are different things however. Ability to properly identify different players is essential for proper cheater/improper behaviour -control. But I'm pretty certain that a Product Key -system would be enough. Allow only one access per PK, and that's it. Of course there's the "multi-install"-thing, but if the copies are on different users' machines, they'd have to share their gametime. Surely that would be enough? We don't have to buy separate objects for two people, who are willing to share it.
I don't have to buy two, or more, puzzlecubes or whatnot. I just solve it, and then borrow it to my sister. And I haven't heard of puzzle-makers trying to get laws passed to make it illegal, despite puzzles being an information based goods (once you know how to solve it, it loses most of it's value, similiar to video games).
Okay, I'm not certain if this is coherent, but I hope so. And that it gets people thinking. (and that Escapist did indeed have an edit-button)
To the main topic, this is for non-MP/online content: you can't fix that, which is inherently flawed. The more likely it is to prevent piracy, the more likely it's going to annoy users and/or breach their privacy. And the real problem is that it's more likely to annoy etc. the ones with the original, legal copy. This is most prevalent in DVDs with the FBI warning and the "You wouldn't..."-clips.
Not to mention that DRMs are gris-gris to begin with. There's no proof they work at all, and they cost money and time. And since time=money => money^2, so a lot of money.
If your potential clientele is unwilling to buy your product, and prefer to get it illegally, why would you try to convince them otherwise? What other field does that? Just look at, or for, possible customers who are known to prefer purchasing. Unless people start linking buying into getting more similiar things, it will be doubtful piracy will decrease.
Just in case it didn't come clear, I don't believe that using DRMs service anyone else, except companies that create DRMs. Companies seem to implement protections systems purely out of fear, a need to feel safe. Which is bad for everyone, since some of the worst things in the history have been done out of fear.
Multiplayer and online stuff are different things however. Ability to properly identify different players is essential for proper cheater/improper behaviour -control. But I'm pretty certain that a Product Key -system would be enough. Allow only one access per PK, and that's it. Of course there's the "multi-install"-thing, but if the copies are on different users' machines, they'd have to share their gametime. Surely that would be enough? We don't have to buy separate objects for two people, who are willing to share it.
I don't have to buy two, or more, puzzlecubes or whatnot. I just solve it, and then borrow it to my sister. And I haven't heard of puzzle-makers trying to get laws passed to make it illegal, despite puzzles being an information based goods (once you know how to solve it, it loses most of it's value, similiar to video games).
Okay, I'm not certain if this is coherent, but I hope so. And that it gets people thinking. (and that Escapist did indeed have an edit-button)
1. There's no indication that's in anyway true. Galactic Civilizations only had a Product Key for updating (not used for installing) and it sold well. Thinking that you'd have sold better "if only" will only lead to stress, depression and costly mistakes.scifidownbeat said:
2. Most software/computer experts seem to be quite strong on their "NO, and quit asking." -stance. I personally see it as "oh fuck, what the hell were we thinking? Let's bail out before it gets worse" -option. Most DRM-systems were a bad choice to begin with. Getting rid of it isn't giving up, it's realising your mistake, learning from it and trying not to reapeat it. And there are already DRMs that don't aggress* clients, Impulse for example. The DRM is Product Key based, and it's only used for downloading content. Like updates or the game itself. The inconvenience of having to hunt updates through torrent sites should not be underrated.
* read mspaintadventures.com it is good
3. I doubt a wish through a genie would get this subject to rest. Do not underestimate the human power for seeking conflict.
DRM, as it were, does not work, right now. It doesn't achieve it's goal in any way.
When something doesn't work, you ditch it completely. So for DRM; it's goodbye.
The key is finding new alternatives, not reinventing old one. Steam, is a good example of trying. According to scientists at Cambridge, most normal people actually go pretty far in attempts to uphold the law, and only become pirates when they run out of money, get tired of being screwed by whatever company has copyrights to their product, or become idealogically inspired. Since most pirates belong to category 1 and 2, the industry itself holds the key to demolishing the pirate movement.
1) Stop overpricing games. This issue is much, much less critical than in the movie and music industry, though. Let's hope gaming won't end up there.
2) Stop working you clientele. Moves such as Bethesda's, launching bugged games, realeasing a DLC that can't be installed by anyone. EA is a prime example: Selling games with such horrid DRM, even legitimate customers move to pirateship. In general, these companies tend to do things in the name of profit that I suspect end of reducing that profit. The large number of pirates are an indirect cause of company strategy.
3) Learn from examples: The Witcher: Enhanced Edition, had approximately 1.5GB of extra content. This content was given away for free to owners of the original, providing Enhanced Edition with the lowest number of pirated copies for a modern video game, AND a lot of satisfied customers.
4) Develop cheap and effective alternatives: Steam is still constructed based on thoughts of old. It's an alternative, and it works, but things can become even more streamlined, and cheaper, than they are now.
Overall, I'm not worried. DRM-issues will be solved because the industry has to; right now, it's costing them money, not saving them any.
When something doesn't work, you ditch it completely. So for DRM; it's goodbye.
The key is finding new alternatives, not reinventing old one. Steam, is a good example of trying. According to scientists at Cambridge, most normal people actually go pretty far in attempts to uphold the law, and only become pirates when they run out of money, get tired of being screwed by whatever company has copyrights to their product, or become idealogically inspired. Since most pirates belong to category 1 and 2, the industry itself holds the key to demolishing the pirate movement.
1) Stop overpricing games. This issue is much, much less critical than in the movie and music industry, though. Let's hope gaming won't end up there.
2) Stop working you clientele. Moves such as Bethesda's, launching bugged games, realeasing a DLC that can't be installed by anyone. EA is a prime example: Selling games with such horrid DRM, even legitimate customers move to pirateship. In general, these companies tend to do things in the name of profit that I suspect end of reducing that profit. The large number of pirates are an indirect cause of company strategy.
3) Learn from examples: The Witcher: Enhanced Edition, had approximately 1.5GB of extra content. This content was given away for free to owners of the original, providing Enhanced Edition with the lowest number of pirated copies for a modern video game, AND a lot of satisfied customers.
4) Develop cheap and effective alternatives: Steam is still constructed based on thoughts of old. It's an alternative, and it works, but things can become even more streamlined, and cheaper, than they are now.
Overall, I'm not worried. DRM-issues will be solved because the industry has to; right now, it's costing them money, not saving them any.
Get rid of it. Pirates always find a way around it and the worst you can do is prevent them getting updates or playing online, which only matters for a small percentage of people who use pirated software.
DRM only hurts legitimate consumers who get screwed over when it doesn't work properly.
DRM only hurts legitimate consumers who get screwed over when it doesn't work properly.
But that's the point in DRM, to merely stop day 0 piracy. Someone is always going to pirate a game, but the most damaging in terms of sales is when a game is immediately cracked on release or even pre-release. If DRM can delay the game being cracked by say, a week, then people who are desperate for the game are more likely to buy it in a shop rather than wait for it (Anno is a good example, it took so long to crack most people got bored and bought it).sheic99 said:
Thinking that DRM is designed purely to stop all piracy is wrong, all devs are aware that their game will get pirated at some point, it's just a matter of time. The only truly successful DRM was starforce, if I remember right it was a year and no-one had cracked it. Then, rather coincidentally, the complaints about it breaching consumer rights and being spyware came rolling in. Suspicious, no?
The best form of DRM is online games and CD-Keys though. That virtually cuts out all piracy and is relatively cheap, as all you really need to do is have a CD key required for online play - most people will want to play that part of the game and will be forced to buy it.
Wha? You got any material to back up that claim?
Only a some gamers (see: The Hardcore Crowd) await any game so eagerly as to buy it on the release day or within a week of its release. The rest, which makes out the vast majority, couldn't care less if the date was delayed.
I'm not sure about the spread of piracy (hardcore vs. casual), but I'm guessing it's fairly even.
DRM is treating the symptom. They need to find a cure for piracy. Cambridge, the cultural elite, and the progressive media has already suggested several alternatives.
We just need one succesful developer to utilize some of those.
Only a some gamers (see: The Hardcore Crowd) await any game so eagerly as to buy it on the release day or within a week of its release. The rest, which makes out the vast majority, couldn't care less if the date was delayed.
I'm not sure about the spread of piracy (hardcore vs. casual), but I'm guessing it's fairly even.
DRM is treating the symptom. They need to find a cure for piracy. Cambridge, the cultural elite, and the progressive media has already suggested several alternatives.
We just need one succesful developer to utilize some of those.
CD keys are enought to defeat 99% of the populous
Razor1911 are still going to crack it no matter what they do
Razor1911 are still going to crack it no matter what they do
How to improve DRM?scifidownbeat said:
1) Produce the highest quality product you can.
2) Sell it for the lowest price you can safely manage.
3) Treat your employees as well as you can.
If you do these 3 things you will topple sales against your competition. This is the model that Henry Ford set forth and it wasn't till they stopped doing it that they started having problems.
World of Goo is a fantastic example of matching all 3 qualifiers.
There are 3 groups of folks generally.
Those who will never pirate.
Those who may or may not.
Those who always will.
You cannot stop the latter. However by doing the 3 above things you can move the (much larger) middle group into the larger (but not quite big enough to stfu about piracy) first group.
Welcome to wrongville, we are currently looking for a mayor and I think you'd be perfect.scifidownbeat said:
World of Goo had near 90% Piracy rate.
People suck.
As for DRM: Stick to CD Keys. They work fine for preventing pirates from playing online. Any other sort of DRM will inevitably fail to stop pirates and ends up hurting legitimate customers, something that no publisher ever wants to do.
Ah, but you can play in cracked/Private servers with an illegal copy of a game, no CD-key needed.Amnestic said:
Also, do people not read the columns and articles? There's an article on The Escapist that lays out precisely how it should be done.
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/experienced-points/5961-10-Ways-to-Fight-Piracy
The thing is, it is easy to leave it out. It's hard to implement it.scifidownbeat said:
Implementing/making/licensing DRM costs money, and has no proven positive effect on sales. Leaving it out doesn't exactly sound like "losing money", it's gambling with less. It's guaranteed loss, for an untrusty promise.
2Dboys (World of Goo developers) didn't use DRM because they figured it was a waste of time and money. They still do, they expected the 90%, and if they would have used DRM, they expected it to drop to 89.9% (IIRC). The cost of implementing would doubtfully be covered by that promille.
Clashero: Thanks for the link, had forgotten about that one.