Help me create the perfect DRM

[Mr. Gency]

What if every game had a unique code and you have to make some kind of account to download the rest of the game. You must go to your e-mail and sign in before you can download, and you must be signed in to the same e-mail every time afterwords (you can change which e-mail is need, though).

What if somebody wants to play games but has no access to the internet?

Then look at my "So crazy it just might work" DRM. Just add the ability to download the "pirated" version.

 

[Bloodstain]

What if every game had a unique code and you have to make some kind of account to download the rest of the game. You must go to your e-mail and sign in before you can download, and you must be signed in to the same e-mail every time afterwords (you can change which e-mail is need, though).

What if somebody wants to play games but has no access to the internet?

Then look at my "So crazy it just might work" DRM. Just add the ability to download the "pirated" version.

So first you have some awful DRM, and as soon as it is broken you want to change it to a better one? At least that's how I understood it.
You do that it's just a matter of time before the better DRM will be broken, too?

Please correct me if I understood something wrong.

 

[AllLagNoFrag]

Thread starter, I see why you want to create this perfect DRM. However, the way DRM's are currently thought of with your data saved somewhere online requiring you to have internet connection to play the game, this just causes people to get pissed off. Then you look at games with offline stored data just getting pirated.

Even with the online stored data, these games such as Splinter Cell Conviction, Assassin Creed 2 are still getting pirated.

How about a system that uses a unique code, and requires each person to set up an account with an email address. The same code cannot be used twice, and the game sets itself up to only run on that machine.
However, if the person wants to switch computers, they can remove the code from their account after a confirmation email and then reinstall the game on a new system.
If then the old system attempts to play the game while connected to the internet, the game would be programmed to destroy several major files which will render the game unplayable. If you play it offline, though, it'll be fine. Hopefully the annoyance of having to remember to turn off their internet connection every time they want to play will be too much and they will give up.
let me know if that makes no sense.

Yes, this is probably the best thought of anti-pirate system I have heard. Though, you could patch the game with a crack that disables your internet just like how there is a "Gaming Mode.exe" that I click on which disables internet connection except with multiplayer games where it only disables the explorer (This gaming mode frees up RAM and ends un-needed processes to allow maximum performace btw).

 

[Mr. Gency]

Well it was an idea that just smacked me in the face. How it works is it secretly offers a DRM free experience and has something to distract pirates with.

 

[veloper]

In a way DRM is already 'perfect'.

The purpose of DRM is to reduce the value of second hand sales to zero. Even simple, easy to crack DRM achieves this perfectly.

Consumers who are willing to spend money on used games, won't be fundamentally opposed to buying new. They are the ones worth targetting.

Nobody will buy a used game that can only work with a crack and isn't supposed to work in the first place. Then you will simply pirate the game instead and occasionally buy a game NEW (the only transaction that will benefit a publisher).


DRM can do nothing against piracy.
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I think what the TS wants to hear is something other than DRM. Something to inconvenience pirates.

For that you would make every game run like a MMO (even single player), with the code for certain gameplay algorithms running only on the server.
Even this isn't adequate yet as even WOW has been reverse engineered, but I reckon Blizzard could've tried harder. WOW servers don't do all that much per player.

Maybe have data streamed to the client, only when the game advances near enough to the point it will need those textures, models etc. Leave out only small, but critical portions and leave most of the data on the client.

That means the crackers need to have access to the server code and data, to make a completely functional pirate version. It's not unfeasible to guard those servers and big brother the personel, though it would get expensive.
The crack alternative would be playing through the entire game first and explore everything (may require multiple playthroughs), before you can grab all the data, which is too much trouble to get an almost complete crack too late.

The scheme would be terribly expensive and would face similar problems as onlive and also be unavailable to most of the world. It's also the minimum requiremnt for a crack to inconvenience pirates.

 

[Khada]

What if every game had a unique code and you have to make some kind of account to download the rest of the game. So every pirated copy has the same code, as a result every one of those copies are treated as the same game.

now imagine trying to patch/hotfix an issue, or simply making thousands/millions of code variants. simply not viable.

 

[Funkiest Monkey]

The best DRM form is the one Arkham Asylum had, gimped game features.

Aha, I remember that. That was a smart move.

 

[AlphaOmega]

None.
If that is not an option: Disk Check and for online play a CD key.

I bet the money saved on over the top DRM (sup Ubisoft) would weigh up against the piracy, or not and they would still have money more in the end.

 

[daltonlaffs]

Snip (about game-gimping DRM)

I really wish people would stop holding this up as the holy grail of DRM. It doesn't work. It never works. Best case scenario, it delays the real crack by half a day.

DRM always gets cracked, and pirates always end up with a perfect coy of the game (sans multiplayer)

The reason this DRM is being touted as a "holy grail" is because it has the potential to be perfect. Why do I say this?

Frankly, pirates are human, even the hackers among them. They can't know things that they haven't witnessed. The idea behind this form of DRM, in its perfect form, is that it's not just one or two game-breaking details, but several small ones scattered all through the game in very random and unpredictable places.

Therefore, the pirates would get it day-zero, but find the first broken segment. "No problem, guys!" says the one pirate, promptly patching the break. But then something else breaks. And a third. And a fourth. And eventually, a twentieth. At some point, the pirates will collectively throw their hands up and move on. (Or, if not, it's sure as hell going to take them a while to figure everything out, and they'll always be worried about yet another feature breaking down the road.)

 

[Frapple]

Good, lasting, persistent (stats, levels, etc) multiplayer

+

CD-Key tied to online account (can be reclaimed to other account if the game is sold)

 

[slipknot4]

Best DRM is no DRM.

Of course, if your objective involves pissing off the paying customers and having pirates everywhere laugh at it, a super hardcore DRM is great!

I agree, If a game requires constant internet connection it's broken. Take my router for example. It shuts down every 2 hours. Does that mean that i have to restart the game all the time?
Face it, people will find a way to crack the game open no matter what. They did it with AC II and they'll do it to everyone else. The only games that actually benefits from DRM's are MMO's and even they are hackable with private servers and things alike. (I know, i owned one)

 

[AlanShore]

Ultimately trying to come up with some kind of "perfect" DRM is completely pointless with the hardware architecture that we currently have and will end in it being cracked. The only difference between different DRM methods is how easy or difficult it is to beat.

I'd suggest that anyone who thinks that an unbreakable DRM scheme exists should go and research into reverse engineering and the reversing methods used. It's a fascinating subject if you can get your head around it and it will certainly change your mind on the usefulness of DRM.

 

[Mr.Amakir]

It does not mater if you have a DRM or not people will find a way to crack the game and pirate it anyway. DRM only hurts the consumers not the pirates.

 

[Raddragon]

Well, that's the problem. I cannot really be solved. Sooner or later pirated can crack any DRM and basically every copy protection.

There is one example though of copy protection that could be used, but unfortunately it also has to be online and it has only gone well with one game:

Guild Wars.

Guild Wars?
Can't people play that in Private Servers, like every other subscription-based MMO?

 

[Blue Musician]

Well, that's the problem. I cannot really be solved. Sooner or later pirated can crack any DRM and basically every copy protection.

There is one example though of copy protection that could be used, but unfortunately it also has to be online and it has only gone well with one game:

Guild Wars.

Guild Wars?
Can't people play that in Private Servers, like every other subscription-based MMO?

That's the thing, GW has no private servers. So to play the game you must purchase it legally. Every other MMO hasn't done this.

 

[Raddragon]

Well, that's the problem. I cannot really be solved. Sooner or later pirated can crack any DRM and basically every copy protection.

There is one example though of copy protection that could be used, but unfortunately it also has to be online and it has only gone well with one game:

Guild Wars.

Guild Wars?
Can't people play that in Private Servers, like every other subscription-based MMO?

That's the thing, GW has no private servers. So to play the game you must purchase it legally. Every other MMO hasn't done this.

No private servers? How come?
A MMO should be connected to a list of possible servers, and all pirates have to do is change that list. So guild wars only has one server?

(And sorry if I don't know what the heck i'm talking about.)

 

[DestinyCall]

I think the best DRM would be DRM that BENEFITS the buyer rather than punishing the pirate. Instead of punishing someone for playing a non-legit copy of the game, provide tangible incentives for playing a registered copy. Some games already have a system that works like this related to their multiplayer aspect. You can play the single player game as much as you want without interference. No DRM to worry about for the basic game, no punishment for installing multiple copies on your home computers. But if you want to download additional content or join the multiplayer community, you must make an account and register each copy separately. Since the licensing information would be hosted on a secure server separate from your home computer or the individual game disc, the game developer would have additional control over registration and it would simplify DRM management while facilitating digital distribution of the game and allowing the gamer to decide how and where he would like to play the game. The developer could limit the number of re-installs or registrations, but from a customer service standpoint, they would be wise to provide more if asked. Basically, very similar to how Steam works, but applied to individual games supplied by a game company, either on-line or in the store.

I would also accept one of those spinning matching wheel thingies old lucas arts games use to come with for copy protection. Those things were so fun!

 

[Plurralbles]

store all the game data externally ie a game server which will require the user to be connected to the internet which will then store the data in the RAM (I suppose it eliminates the user needing a hard/soft drive ^.^)

for the user to play the game, the user must install Spy ware/Rootkits so that the server has overall control of the data stored in the RAM preventing copying and any other unauthorised use of the .tmp information

self termination of the internet connection without warning will force the data stored in the RAM to delete itself.

any flaws?

I love this post. : )

The best DRM would be to allow the company full control and monitoring of your computer at all times and just by going to a site they don't like, they break your computer.

 

[Raddragon]

I think the best DRM would be DRM that BENEFITS the buyer rather than punishing the pirate.

I agree.

Sort of
"You can play online only after you register" kind of thing.

 

[TelHybrid]

How about programming better software to prevent disc ripping, or software to prevent cracks, included on the disc? Seriously game devs are multi million $ industries. They should be able to prevent some random guy who's a hacker for a hobby from pirating surely.

DRM means having to have a constant internet connection. I think if you own a hard copy, you should be able to access all content without an internet connection. I find even online activation has its flaws. For example for a couple of months, I had no internet connection, but I already had all of my steam games installed and updated (games I own hard copies of but require activation). Now for some reason it would not let me play half of my games because apparently it needed to update. I was unable to access content I paid for.

Digital distribution seems to share this whole DRM issue. Example: the PS3 bug that resembled Y2K. I was unable to play any of my PSN games like Wipeout HD. Some trial versions were available if I was lucky.

DRM is ruining gaming. Especially PC gaming. It's actually encouraging piracy as it punishes owners of legit copies more than game pirates. I refuse to buy another Ubisoft game after Assasin's Creed II.