yeah, HL2-ep3, Freeman + his team (Alex,, going GoW3 style!!! 4 players split screen! or online, CO-OP! NO BOTS(support)!! "Half Life 2-Episode 3-Power of 4" Game ONLY AVAILABLE ON STEAM, ONLY PLAYABLE ONLINE (assuming PSN is back)... YEAH!~
REALLY? Seriously? this is the way they answer to Pirates? This will have two outcomes, and both bad for players (who buys games), and the industries.
1: Do you REALLY think that will stop piracy? No!!! like virus, there WILL BE BETTER CURE! the pirates are getting MUCH more complex, and better at what they do, and all because they keep putting out counter-pirate software! I think they actually "enjoy" the challenge! (I know, it's kinda sick, but that's just how it is...) you'd end up with pirates learning how to make "pirate servers" (remember RO?), how to "net crack" (remember PSN, and it's only going to get worse), like pool of water, the more force you put to push the water towards one side, the stronger the "return wave" comes back at you... till you drained all resource and there is not enough water in the pool to have fun...
2: People who pirates, will continue, People who don't know how to will stay, some will get sick of all the "potential pirates' treatments" and eventually learn to pirate to have easier game times, or the "honest players" who got pushed too far, will drop this tiresome hobby entirely, and go for something else, instead having to pay for their share + the "dis-profit from piracy" that industries are charging the ACTUAL BUYERS for!
REALLY, it's not they way you "anti pirate software", it's your sale strategy, to "make pirates feel like they're actually missing out" on buying! think about it, instead punishing your faithful buyers, making them feel oppressed, making them feel rewarded for buying, thus making pirates feel missing out. hey, pirates can dupe software, but they can't dupe models, nor art books(yes, they can scan, but it's different when you are HOLDING it), nor beautiful BOX set, nor awesome looking DVD, nor cool accessories. YOU DON'T NEED TO PAY TO DEVELOP SECURITY SOFTWARE (it's not like it EVER WORKED, they'd crack it by the second week...), use that recourse to reward "buyers", you WILL see result, for sure!
Perspective: In an eye of a buyer, say you launch a popular game title, say... WARHAMMER40K, On purchase, you included a folded poster, an art book, sound track, and a small Warhammer40K space marine (one of 10 different set) table top model, not painted, and a little booklet (colored) about the table top game, Mini-codex (simplified rule book) and how to paint... all warped in a nice "Old Fashioned Fancy Art BOX. On the shelf, you have a game, that's NOT limited edition that offered same, or BETTER "stuff" than the collector's edition, and lets say you actually BREAK the $60 system, and sell your game for $50 instead! This is a DEAL! Player walked by, saw the nice looking box, check out the content, thinking that it MUST BE some limited, collectors edition shit, before putting it back on to the shelf, sip on his tapioca, suddenly he saw the price tag... (in excitement, he "discharged" the Tapioca from his mouth, "$50!?" he shout, little did he know, that with tapioca on that box, he is now obligated to buy that copy, and he'd go tell all his friends how he saw the amazing price tag(that's NOT on any kinds of promo/discount) with CRAZY contents, and how he was forced to buy it for spiting all over it, there by making all the friends to go check out the fancy boxes, and probably think twice before pirating, a cheaper game, and not able to get all the "COOL STUFF" in the COOL LOOKING BOX SET!
