DRM on PC games

[House]

I quite like Steam as a system but there pricing is not excatly competitive.

Quite often games that are in the bargin bin in high street stores are more expensive on steam.

When an online delivery system is more expensive than buying the physical media something is wrong.

 

[XPE]

I don’t mind on line activation, its a concession Im willing to make for not needing a CD, what I don’t like is the limited installs.

 

[House]

Why are limited installs a problem?
How many people seriously install there legally owned game on more than 3 machines?
In every case ive seen you can free up installs and in most cases after the first couple of patches the restriction is removed anyway.

 

[XPE]

It when its linked to hardware not windows is when its a problem, so if i get a new gfx card and reformat that me used up 2 installs.

 

[Adsta]

I dont like the limited installs. But id rather have a CD key. I dont mind an online check, however it does mean your a bit buggered if you ever wish to sell the game on.

 

[rjk]

Without wanting to derail the Spore thread any more than it is already I was wondering what peoples ideal DRM system would be?

People dont want Discs in their drives.
People dont want Limited installs.
People dont want Drivers installed (like Starforce)
People dont like Online activation
People dont like old school manual/code wheel type protection.

I think its fair to admit in this day and age anyone releasing a game with no protection at all would be foolish. High speed net access just makes it too easy to pirate and even non tech savy people can use a P2P program or torrents so piracy is very much mainstream like it or not these days.

Even size of files in no protection because games can be Ripped to remove the bulk and make then downloadable.

Whats a good line between them protecting themselfs but not causeing users too many problems?

If you published a game what would you use?

i personally have to say that after installing and faffing around with two games for windows titles this week on a 3 week old install of vista 64 i can honestly say that drm is a joke

the fact that neither of them work properly is atrocious- it says games for windows on the box and it doesnt work in bloody windows is a farse

i am a legit user who has never pirated a game and it is telling me i have emulation software running?
etc etc
its actually pretty insulting

steam works fine - good model in my opinion
if it was more competativley priced and in £ then i would only get my games on there
no problem at all

but the fact i have to use illegal no cd patches to get legit retail games to work is a joke

its been said too many times

with drm - the only people who lose out are the honest pc gamers who buy their games legit

 

[Margaret]

Well now Spore has leaked to the internet and guess what...

The DRM has been cracked 3 days before the game is due out.

So, the DRM is again hurting only the people buying the game legitimately.

What's the ******* point in it? Seriously, it achieves nothing!

 

[Tefal]

Why are limited installs a problem?
How many people seriously install there legally owned game on more than 3 machines?
In every case ive seen you can free up installs and in most cases after the first couple of patches the restriction is removed anyway.

Think how often people here change things on their pc/components. Many here could go through their activations in no time.

 

[KaneStatton]

Well now Spore has leaked to the internet and guess what...

The DRM has been cracked 3 days before the game is due out.

So, the DRM is again hurting only the people buying the game legitimately.

What's the ******* point in it? Seriously, it achieves nothing!

It's EA they are EVIL!

 

[Darkwave]

Think how often people here change things on their pc/components. Many here could go through their activations in no time.

I'm not defending DRM, but if you uninstall the game (properly) don't you "get an activation back"?

 

[Margaret]

I'm not defending DRM, but if you uninstall the game (properly) don't you "get an activation back"?

I think so, the thing is that's just hassle to me, it's a bit of effort for example having to uninstall a game just to keep your install limit up, sometimes I just reboot my PC and reinstall Windows without having to install stuff separately, just format it completely.

I don't see how the install limit helps against piracy at all really, when some casual hits the limit they are going to feel ripped off and possibly not purchase another title by EA.

 

[elmuzzy66.]

None, because it costs the publishers a fortune to implement and the only people who have to tolerate it are the legitimate buyers. If you make a good game, or at least hype your game, your game will sell.

Games like Company Of Heroes have no DRM and they are very popular and highly-acclaimed games, and games like Oblivion that only use a simple CD check and nothing else snatch up GOTY titles like they're candy.

agree with you totaly. Its down to the quality of the game. i still think there is a need for DRM.

 

[elmuzzy66.]

Have reformatted my Hdd many times without uninstalling bio shock and added different GC, Hdd setups and ram combo's. not once have i had a problem installing or playing the game

 

[Darkwave]

I think so, the thing is that's just hassle to me, it's a bit of effort for example having to uninstall a game just to keep your install limit up, sometimes I just reboot my PC and reinstall Windows without having to install stuff separately, just format it completely.

I don't see how the install limit helps against piracy at all really, when some casual hits the limit they are going to feel ripped off and possibly not purchase another title by EA.

I agree. It's needless hassle and, if someone runs out of activations, it's only going to make them stress out at the publisher/developer. Especially so if they realise that no pirate out there has to put up with this crap, only people who have genuinely bought the game.

Have reformatted my Hdd many times without uninstalling bio shock and added different GC, Hdd setups and ram combo's. not once have i had a problem installing or playing the game

I've forgotten to uninstall Mass Effect properly twice now, so I'm soon on my way to finding out how this is going to work. Maybe the DRM these companies are on about is just entirely broken to begin with, because I've heard nobody mention it.

Edit: Never mind, see below.

 

[Margaret]

Have reformatted my Hdd many times without uninstalling bio shock and added different GC, Hdd setups and ram combo's. not once have i had a problem installing or playing the game

They removed the install limit after (well I think) uproar from the playerbase.

 

[Tefal]

I'm not defending DRM, but if you uninstall the game (properly) don't you "get an activation back"?

Does that work after the pc has changed though?

ie i change card, its still on HDD and it then says its a new pc you must reactivate, could you then get that back?

 

[Darkwave]

Does that work after the pc has changed though?

ie i change card, its still on HDD and it then says its a new pc you must reactivate, could you then get that back?

I literally have no clue at all if that would work I'm afraid, lol.

 

[BlackDragon]

A system like Steam is perfect. However I hope developers/publishers don't start creating loads of similar systems for their games just so you can play them.

 

[Margaret]

A system like Steam is perfect. However I hope developers/publishers don't start creating loads of similar systems for their games just so you can play them.

Aye.

I'll get Fallout 3 on Steam if it comes out on it, if not I'll buy it in the shops when I'm in the US.

Edit: If it has an installation limit however, it won't be a purchase.

 

[Dolph]

The attitude of many people on this forum with regards to downloading games and music shows the need for DRM (whether it's defeated later or not).

If people were generally more honest, then there would be much less need or incentive for publishers to use DRM.