Does DRM really make a difference? Games without protection get copied a lot, games with protection get copied a lot. Isn't authentification by key enough?
<!--quoteo(post=1721390:date=Aug 7 2009, 05:00 PM:name=Razagal)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Razagal @ Aug 7 2009, 05:00 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1721390"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Does DRM really make a difference? Games without protection get copied a lot, games with protection get copied a lot. Isn't authentification by key enough?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> The important issue at mind here is not to stop a game from being copied, that is just about asking people to break it. But to stop a person from just dropping a blank cd into a drive and giving a full copy with nothing more then dragging the files to the disk. A lot of people don't understand how to get around that, they might not be the market for the game, but that does not mean that you allow anyone with a burning and knows how to drag and drop make a copy that works right away.
Requiring someone to authenticate online, like steam does is the same thing, although a lot more annoying so you need to add value so people will put up with it.
Anything more then that is a waste of time, and money. Show me one game that had DRM, had a good number of copies sold, and was not cracked. You will find none.
The Best DRM stops what you would call the layman from copying a game. Any more and you are just wasting money as the more advanced people could either crack it them selfs or find out how to online.
By the way the only way to fight pirates is to offer a better copy then they can. Most of the Pirated games I have looked at where BETTER then the retail copy.
So to sum up my reply, DRM only affects the most basic of users of a product, any more advanced users will be able to get around it. So it does make a Difference, just hard to see. There is no information where you find out that x people tried to copy a disk and failed.
I understand your point, but that's not what DRM does. For example the DRM part of Steam is, that games are only playable as long as Valve lets you play them. A good old copy protection would suffice to keep the layman from copying a CD. On the other hand, a few copied and uploaded games are enough for wide illegal distribution. NS2 is a multiplayer only game, so you'll probably have to authentificate your copy everytime you start the game or join a server anyway.
Our stance is that we strongly dislike heavy-handed DRM but a small amount of DRM to prevent the casual piracy of our games is probably going to be necessary. We've all seen a lot of rampant piracy and we can't afford to let that happen to us, but on the other hand, we need to focus on the service paying customers get instead of fighting pirates.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
The best DRM is the type of DRM that seems like it's actually value-added.
Steam is the best DRM out right now. Most players don't even recognize steam for what it is; a way to control end users.
Not only that, it provides a centralized and automated way to deliver content patches/updates. Combine this with its other features(Server lists, friend lists, one-click shopping) and you have a DRM that few people bother avoiding.
<!--quoteo(post=1721369:date=Aug 7 2009, 10:14 PM:name=Flayra)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Flayra @ Aug 7 2009, 10:14 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1721369"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->we need to focus on the service paying customers get instead of fighting pirates.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Comments
Games without protection get copied a lot, games with protection get copied a lot.
Isn't authentification by key enough?
Games without protection get copied a lot, games with protection get copied a lot.
Isn't authentification by key enough?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
The important issue at mind here is not to stop a game from being copied, that is just about asking people to break it. But to stop a person from just dropping a blank cd into a drive and giving a full copy with nothing more then dragging the files to the disk. A lot of people don't understand how to get around that, they might not be the market for the game, but that does not mean that you allow anyone with a burning and knows how to drag and drop make a copy that works right away.
Requiring someone to authenticate online, like steam does is the same thing, although a lot more annoying so you need to add value so people will put up with it.
Anything more then that is a waste of time, and money. Show me one game that had DRM, had a good number of copies sold, and was not cracked. You will find none.
The Best DRM stops what you would call the layman from copying a game. Any more and you are just wasting money as the more advanced people could either crack it them selfs or find out how to online.
By the way the only way to fight pirates is to offer a better copy then they can. Most of the Pirated games I have looked at where BETTER then the retail copy.
So to sum up my reply, DRM only affects the most basic of users of a product, any more advanced users will be able to get around it. So it does make a Difference, just hard to see. There is no information where you find out that x people tried to copy a disk and failed.
For example the DRM part of Steam is, that games are only playable as long as Valve lets you play them.
A good old copy protection would suffice to keep the layman from copying a CD.
On the other hand, a few copied and uploaded games are enough for wide illegal distribution.
NS2 is a multiplayer only game, so you'll probably have to authentificate your copy everytime you start the game or join a server anyway.
Our stance is that we strongly dislike heavy-handed DRM but a small amount of DRM to prevent the casual piracy of our games is probably going to be necessary. We've all seen a lot of rampant piracy and we can't afford to let that happen to us, but on the other hand, we need to focus on the service paying customers get instead of fighting pirates.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
The best DRM is the type of DRM that seems like it's actually value-added.
Steam is the best DRM out right now. Most players don't even recognize steam for what it is; a way to control end users.
Not only that, it provides a centralized and automated way to deliver content patches/updates. Combine this with its other features(Server lists, friend lists, one-click shopping) and you have a DRM that few people bother avoiding.
Yes, that job is up to the government of Sweden!