How does Steam employ DRM?

[Doom972]

The games you own are tied to your account, Steam must be running in the background for the games to work, and you must be online when playing a game for the first time after downloading it.

I think it's worth it because of the large-discount sales and easy to manage library of games (which don't take space on my shelf).

 

[Zeh Don]

The issue stems from the fact that no one has "digital rights" that require managing. The "rights" they're referring to are simply what the Publisher wants or doesn't want you to be able to do, and the DRM Software attempts to enforce that upon you. However, it's only as effective as their ability to enforce it within a court of law. And, the vast majority are basically worthless.

A great example of where DRM falls down is when a company alters their TOS or EULA AFTER you've purchased or bought the game/software. As a legally binding document, it can only be enforced if you actually agree to allow the changes - otherwise the original agreement remains, and the alterations are ignored.
However, as we all know, if you decline to agree with the amended TOS or EULA, such as the rubbish pushed out on Steam, Xbox Live and the Playstation network to prevent class action lawsuits, you're software is entirely disabled. That's actually illegal, and invalidates the altered agreement due to the fact that they've amended the original agreement without both parties agreeing to allow those specific changes. They can't just up and change the terms and conditions of an agreement in a "like it or lump it" situation. The law doesn't work that way. In fact, in a court, at least within Australia, the case would be thrown out and the original TOS or EULA would remain in effect.

The beautiful thing is that you can actually mail a new EULA to the Publisher, as it's an agreement, and give them seven (7) business days to decline the changes or the agreement is said to be agreed upon and now in effect. The difference is in how it's presented. The Publisher forcing a new EULA upon you provides no avenue for negotiation or discussion with regards to the amended terms and conditions, whereas mailing the EULA out does.
Of course, they don't tell you that

 

[Auron]

snip

I disagree with about 98% of this post, if Steam was truly that inconvenient it would be dead, The offline mode works much better now even though I rarely use it. Trading the games is not gonna fly, their bases are pretty covered and speaking of Germany if games are censored there and you can't get the decent versions you shouldn't blame Steam or even the publishers, they're not making the laws. Valve, actually Gabe Newell has made a statement about making all the titles available via patch if Steam ever closes and Steam will never close, it might be bought out by another company but dying is impossible, lucrative business don't die they mutate, that said we haven't been able to rent or borrow PC games for a decade and a half now with cd keys and online multiplayer dependant on them.

Basically the The one part I'll completely agree is that their liberal stance towards Publisher enforced third party DRM on top of Steam is terrible, it can often be a hassle even though it affects very few games.

 

[FalloutJack]

Heh

Well naturally, Wolf, we thought it was your doing. You ARE a mad genius at technology, after all.

 

[Anachronism]

SNIP

OK, most of these points were good, except....

- If Steam is not available because it is down out of whatever reason you aren't able to access, download or play your games

BULLSHIT! You can still access any games that you've downloaded to your P.C. by turning on "offline mode" for steam. This'll give you full access to your library. However, you won't be able to play multiplayer or any games which you have in your library which haven't downloaded to your hard drive. Apart from that, though, the servers being down will have no affect on your single-player games.

In theory, this is true. The reality, unfortunately, is that Steam's offline mode is an absolute joke that barely even works at all. Consider this: when my internet went down one time, I tried to open up Steam to play some games. I was told that Steam (obviously) couldn't connect to the network and that I had the choice of quitting or starting in offline mode. But when I clicked to start in offline mode, Steam told me that it couldn't do this because it couldn't connect to the network.

The problem is that you need to plan in advance to use offline mode, telling Steam to restart in offline mode when you have it open and are presumably connected. What is the bloody point in an offline mode which you need to be online in order to be able to use it?

 

[nevarran]

I remember a few months ago Lorin from EpicBattleAxe got his acc hacked. And he wasn't able to play any games (even those bought from a retailer) on his PC for weeks. That sounds pretty bad to me.

And DRM isn't necessarily a bad thing, invasive DRM is.

And generally when we talk about Steam, people are hypocrites. They blame EA for forcing their Origin service on us, and Ubi for UPlay, when Valve did the same with Steam, when HL2 was released.

 

[Auron]

I remember a few months ago Lorin from EpicBattleAxe got his acc hacked. And he wasn't able to play any games (even those bought from a retailer) on his PC for weeks. That sounds pretty bad to me.

And DRM isn't necessarily a bad thing, invasive DRM is.

And generally when we talk about Steam, people are hypocrites. They blame EA for forcing their Origin service on us, and Ubi for UPlay, when Valve did the same with Steam, when HL2 was released.

The thing with Origin is it took games away from Steam to self-promote, it's why it earned a lot of ire at first, I actually think Origin is quite functional but given the option I would have kept all my games in a single client. Uplay at least launches from Steam, arguably also a problem but it doesn't split my games into other clients and it's not something I tend to keep open when not playing Ubisoft games.

Accounts are almost impossible to hack with steamguard unless someone also got your e-mail and then there's probably more serious damages than being locked out of steam.

 

[nevarran]

That would be a good point....if it wasn't completely and utterly untrue

Same here, the offline mode works.
I unplugged my internet cable, with Steam closed. Started the program, clicked "start in offline mode" and it worked. Haven't actually tried to play a game, it may say something about not being able to find my save data, but with it being on the cloud, it's not surprising.
Maybe there was an issue, but it's fixed now.

 

[Anachronism]

In theory, this is true. The reality, unfortunately, is that Steam's offline mode is an absolute joke that barely even works at all. Consider this: when my internet went down one time, I tried to open up Steam to play some games. I was told that Steam (obviously) couldn't connect to the network and that I had the choice of quitting or starting in offline mode. But when I clicked to start in offline mode, Steam told me that it couldn't do this because it couldn't connect to the network.

The problem is that you need to plan in advance to use offline mode, telling Steam to restart in offline mode when you have it open and are presumably connected. What is the bloody point in an offline mode which you need to be online in order to be able to use it?

That would be a good point....if it wasn't completely and utterly untrue.

Just to prove a point, I read your post and then pulled out my USB wireless dongle. My computer then told me that I had no internet connection, as confirmed by the fact that I was cradling the one thing that could connect it in the palm of my hand. I then loaded up steam, clicked "restart in offline mode" and then tried running games. Bioshock, FTL, Spec Ops: The Line and XCOM: Enemy Unknown all ran without a hitch. So your claim that Steam's offline mode is somehow "broken" is absolutely false.

I won't say that you didn't have problems on your own computer; I wouldn't know. But your claim that steam's offline mode is somehow broken entirely is demonstrably false.

If the offline mode doesn't work for me, I think it's only natural that I'd say it doesn't work. The even weirder thing about it is that, if I have an internet connection, open Steam, and then the connection dies, I can still use Steam perfectly fine and restart it in offline mode, which seems to be the scenario you're describing. But if I turn my computer on, there is no internet then, and I try to open Steam in offline mode, it doesn't work.

I'm not denying that it's possible to get it working offline, even if it is much more of a faff than it should be, but I think dismissing my point as "completely and utterly untrue" is a little unfair. If it doesn't work on my computer, then it doesn't work as far as I'm concerned.

 

[DoPo]

Digital Rights Management - that's what it stands for, it's a facility (or set of facilities) for securing and making sure access and restrictions to the use of digital goods as according to the license agreement. How is that automatically bad is beyond me.

The reason its considered bad is because it limits what you are allowed to do as an end user, restricting your rights to first sale doctrine and the like.

But for some reason all and any form of DRM is automatically considered bad. As I said, CD keys - that's DRM. Until a few years ago nobody hated that. Copy protected disks, too - that's DRM, I don't think I've heard people complain of it. I think that some of the stern opponents of DRM don't even know what DRM is only that it's "bad"[footnote]And let me clarify, others know fully well what it is and they still want to have nothing to do with it. I understand and I respect their position, it's ignorance and blind faith that annoys me.[/footnote]. Well, yeah, it can be, but also it can be quite lenient. When you don't notice it, that's when you know it works.

 

[Dragonbums]

Anyway, my question to The Escapist is thus: how does Steam employ DRM, and how/why is that a bad thing?[footnote]I know that DRM is bad. I just want to know specifically about Steam.[/footnote]

You are required to use Steam to launch your games and Steam is responsible for making sure you are authorised to play the game. Pretty simple really. Also, I've got no clue why "DRM IS TEH BADZ" is always thrown around. Digital Rights Management - that's what it stands for, it's a facility (or set of facilities) for securing and making sure access and restrictions to the use of digital goods as according to the license agreement. How is that automatically bad is beyond me. CD key input is also a form of DRM. Quick, hide under the bed now! Because...you...have to type some numbers and letters. Yeah. And that's bad. Definitely bad. Somehow.

Actually...you don't need Steam to launch your games. Because that would mean it would be an "always online" kind of thing. When you purchase a game through Steam, it uploads everything onto your hard drive.
I remember my cousin's internet didn't work for a week, and I was still able to play Skyrim despite Steam not being able to connect to the internet. Once I was able to again, it simply asked me if I wanted to over ride my game save with Steams's files or my computer hard drive files.

 

[DoPo]

Anyway, my question to The Escapist is thus: how does Steam employ DRM, and how/why is that a bad thing?[footnote]I know that DRM is bad. I just want to know specifically about Steam.[/footnote]

You are required to use Steam to launch your games and Steam is responsible for making sure you are authorised to play the game. Pretty simple really. Also, I've got no clue why "DRM IS TEH BADZ" is always thrown around. Digital Rights Management - that's what it stands for, it's a facility (or set of facilities) for securing and making sure access and restrictions to the use of digital goods as according to the license agreement. How is that automatically bad is beyond me. CD key input is also a form of DRM. Quick, hide under the bed now! Because...you...have to type some numbers and letters. Yeah. And that's bad. Definitely bad. Somehow.

Actually...you don't need Steam to launch your games. Because that would mean it would be an "always online" kind of thing. When you purchase a game through Steam, it uploads everything onto your hard drive.
I remember my cousin's internet didn't work for a week, and I was still able to play Skyrim despite Steam not being able to connect to the internet. Once I was able to again, it simply asked me if I wanted to over ride my game save with Steams's files or my computer hard drive files.

You do need Steam. Well, for most games, if we have to be correct, not all (some can be launched from the .exe normally - either through omission or intention), but you need Steam running for the game to launch for the rest. That doesn't mean "always online", though, I don't know where you got that from - "Steam running" means "Steam running", you can have it in offline mode. The credentials and needed user info are encrypted and saved on your machine - in the ClientRegistry.blob file in the main Steam directory, that's what Steam uses to "authenticate" when offline. If you delete/rename, you'd get Steam asking to connect online at which point it's recreated.

CAPTCHA: know your paradoxes

 

[MetalDooley]

That would be a good point....if it wasn't completely and utterly untrue.

Same here, the offline mode works.

"It works for me therefore no problem exists and anyone who says otherwise is lying"

Sorry but while offline mode may work fine for you that doesn't mean it works for everyone.I have the exact same problem Anachronism has as does my brother and several of my friends.If I try to start Steam while not connected to the internet I get a message telling me it's unable to launch Steam because it can't connect to the network.The only way I can get offline mode running is to launch Steam online and then select the "restart in offline mode" option which kinda defeats the purpose of an offline mode to begin with and the second I log out I get the "unable to connect" BS again

Simple fact is that for me and a lot of other people Steams offline mode is pretty much broken

 

[MeChaNiZ3D]

You can't launch the games except through Steam. It does have an offline mode, so connectivity isn't a problem, but it does mean Valve can take your games if they want, and occasionally they do. Not very often, but I still think it's ridiculous that Valve should be able to render your whole library unplayable on a whim. That's why I don't particularly like purchasing through it.

 

[nevarran]

Same here, the offline mode works.

"It works for me therefore no problem exists and anyone who says otherwise is lying"

I did not said that, did I?
I was curious, I tried, and it worked perfectly. And I said, maybe there was a problem, but they fixed it.
Maybe the quoted message confused you, but I just felt no need to completely quote a post that stays just above mine.

 

[MetalDooley]

I did not said that, did I?

Sorry I should have specified that that line was aimed at the other person I quoted who has basically accused two people in this thread of lying because they said offline mode doesn't work for them

I was curious, I tried, and it worked perfectly. And I said, maybe there was a problem, but they fixed it.

If it works for you then great.Just because you didn't experience a problem doesn't mean it's not real though.The fact that there are still people complaining about not being able to use offline mode properly means there still clearly is a problem and they haven't fixed it

 

[thesilentman]

Steam activation is required for some games and you can't really run games that use Steamworks without cracking the copy (which may or may not be legal where you are) or playing in Offline mode.

Oh, and offline mode works. I've done it for a few months and I can confirm it. Sure no multiplayer games, but I can still play my singleplayer games.

That would be a good point....if it wasn't completely and utterly untrue.

Same here, the offline mode works.

"It works for me therefore no problem exists and anyone who says otherwise is lying"

Sorry but while offline mode may work fine for you that doesn't mean it works for everyone.I have the exact same problem Anachronism has as does my brother and several of my friends.If I try to start Steam while not connected to the internet I get a message telling me it's unable to launch Steam because it can't connect to the network.The only way I can get offline mode running is to launch Steam online and then select the "restart in offline mode" option which kinda defeats the purpose of an offline mode to begin with and the second I log out I get the "unable to connect" BS again

Simple fact is that for me and a lot of other people Steams offline mode is pretty much broken

A fact is a term that is true for everyone regardless of what happens. Just throwing that out there as perspective is indeed important when we discuss.

Steam's Offline mode is pretty much broken is not a fact. It works, and I recommend that you take a further look at how to fix it. I wouldn't call it broken per se, more fussy.

Then again, Steam is not perfect as the whole client sometimes glitches on me and I am not happy about that. -.-

I think its more a generalization, when people rally against "DRM" they are meaning intrusive copy protection systems that maul even the most law abiding users like Origin, StarForce, Always-Online.

It may be an artificial distinction but I think in peoples minds a real one does exist between "DRM" and "Copy protection" even though they really are the same thing.

God I hope this post makes sense as I am half asleep at the moment... xD

Actually, that makes a whole lot of sense considering the attitude against DRM and the attitude against Steam. Steam is DRM, but you don't see people getting pissed (most of the time; I mean Origin level pissed) as much.

 

[MetalDooley]

A fact is a term that is true for everyone regardless of what happens. Just throwing that out there as perspective is indeed important when we discuss.

Steam's Offline mode is pretty much broken is not a fact. It works, and I recommend that you take a further look at how to fix it. I wouldn't call it broken per se, more fussy.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary a fact is "something that truly exists or happens,something that has actual existence".Steams offline mode not working for a lot of people is something that truly exists or happens so yes it qualifies as a fact

I've looked up how to get it running and have followed every tip on Steams own help page on how to get offline mode running.It still doesn't work for me.This is not a case of it not working once and me declaring it broken.I have genuinely tried to get it running but no luck

Oh, and offline mode works. I've done it for a few months and I can confirm it.

Yes it works...for you.Just because you haven't experienced a problem doesn't mean it doesn't exist.Why is that so hard for some people to understand?

As an example loads of people complained that Fallout:New Vegas was riddled with bugs and glitches,some of which were gamebreaking.I put around 70 hours into that game and didn't experience a single bug or glitch.Does that mean they didn't exist and all the people complaining were making shit up?No it doesn't.The bugs and glitches were a real thing but only some people experienced them.This is the same situation.Offline mode works fine for some people but not for others

 

[thesilentman]

A fact is a term that is true for everyone regardless of what happens. Just throwing that out there as perspective is indeed important when we discuss.

Steam's Offline mode is pretty much broken is not a fact. It works, and I recommend that you take a further look at how to fix it. I wouldn't call it broken per se, more fussy.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary a fact is "something that truly exists or happens,something that has actual existence".Steams offline mode not working for a lot of people is something that truly exists or happens so yes it qualifies as a fact

I've looked up how to get it running and have followed every tip on Steams own help page on how to get offline mode running.It still doesn't work for me.This is not a case of it not working once and me declaring it broken.I have genuinely tried to get it running but no luck

Oh, and offline mode works. I've done it for a few months and I can confirm it.

Yes it works...for you.Just because you haven't experienced a problem doesn't mean it doesn't exist.Why is that so hard for some people to understand?

As an example loads of people complained that Fallout:New Vegas was riddled with bugs and glitches,some of which were gamebreaking.I put around 70 hours into that game and didn't experience a single bug or glitch.Does that mean they didn't exist and all the people complaining were making shit up?No it doesn't.The bugs and glitches were a real thing but only some people experienced them.This is the same situation.Offline mode works fine for some people but not for others

Yeah, I saw something that really wasn't there. Sorry about that. I actually agree, but I think I must have not been paying attention or something.

Once again, sorry. It wasn't really my intent to pick a fight. >.>

 

[MetalDooley]

Yeah, I saw something that really wasn't there. Sorry about that. I actually agree, but I think I must have not been paying attention or something.

Once again, sorry. It wasn't really my intent to pick a fight. >.>

No need to apologise dude.If everyone agreed with everyone else this forum would be a dull place