Finally a DRM that works?

G J · 30 Jun 2009 at 13:03

This method is actually worse then the current, people with totally legit copies unable to play the game and sometimes forced to get a crack to actually play the game they purchased.

So what happens with a legit copy and the anti-piracy measure kicks in and a person is screwed by these measures?

Streeteh · 30 Jun 2009 at 13:07

It'll get cracked eventually, thing is the issues don't show themselves till later in the game so crackers can't tell whether they've bypassed the issue straight away. After some time each and every hurdle will be identified and overcome.

Operation flashpoint used a system similar to this and that was cracked eventually.

britboy4321 · 30 Jun 2009 at 13:16

I think a good way to stop piracy is to give every impression the crack has been successful, for some time.

Then 5 days after you've been using a cracked copy of a game, it deletes the entire computer's registery therefore the whole computer is smoked, just with a message on bootup that says 'Stealing is bad'.

sc(+)pe · 30 Jun 2009 at 13:21

As has been said, these guys that crack the games are smart cookies and it's only a matter of time.

Nothing will stop piracy. It can be the greatest game ever made and it will still get pirated. People just like getting things for free even if they don't realise the long term effects on the industry.

eXor · 30 Jun 2009 at 13:21

GizmoTheMogwai said:
Steam is the best DRM

Remember when the pirates lost their entire STEAM collection?

That was awesome.

Tefal · 30 Jun 2009 at 13:24

britboy4321 said:
I think a good way to stop piracy is to give every impression the crack has been successful, for some time.

Then 5 days after you've been using a cracked copy of a game, it deletes the entire computer's registery therefore the whole computer is smoked, just with a message on bootup that says 'Stealing is bad'.

and then watch as the bailiffs take away all your equipment and pension fund to pay off the lawsuits...

malachi · 30 Jun 2009 at 13:26

GizmoTheMogwai said:
Steam is the best DRM

Even then Left 4 Dead and Dawn of War 2 can still get pirated without a valid Steam account.

Gimpymoo · 30 Jun 2009 at 13:27

jonneymendoza said:
you cant. plus what if i dont have a internet connection?

Then you should donate your computer and STEAM account to someone who will actually make use of it

Gimpymoo · 30 Jun 2009 at 13:29

malachi said:
Even then Left 4 Dead and Dawn of War 2 can still get pirated without a valid Steam account.

BEST DRM is not just about STOPPING PIRACY, it is finding a middle ground between what the publishers want and what the consumers want.

For me, STEAM is the "BEST DRM" around at the moment.

Yamahahahahaha · 30 Jun 2009 at 13:41

Steam is the best DRM at the moment, if only for the availability of your game files anywhere, any time.
It actually offers the consumer something rather than restrictions all the way.

Carrot meet stick. Stick, Carrot.

Dutch Guy · 30 Jun 2009 at 14:15

Why is STEAM the best against piracy, AFAIK you don't even need to have STEAM running to play a pirated STEAM game :confused:

Gimpymoo · 30 Jun 2009 at 14:17

Dutch Guy said:
Why is STEAM the best against piracy, AFAIK you don't even need to have STEAM running to play a pirated STEAM game

I dont think anyone said it was the BEST against Piracy. If they did, then they are incorrect.

Gimpymoo said:
BEST DRM is not just about STOPPING PIRACY, it is finding a middle ground between what the publishers want and what the consumers want.

For me, STEAM is the "BEST DRM" around at the moment.

Tefal · 30 Jun 2009 at 14:18

Yamahahahahaha said:
Steam is the best DRM at the moment, if only for the availability of your game files anywhere, any time.
It actually offers the consumer something rather than restrictions all the way.

Carrot meet stick. Stick, Carrot.

yep steam is pretty much the only drm that i like.

Frapple · 30 Jun 2009 at 14:21

Steam would be perfection if you could unregister games.

Have no use for Empire, DoW + Expansions + CoH any more, could get £30-£40 for them but they'll just be stuck there forever.

iviv · 30 Jun 2009 at 14:26

Actually, Impulse should surely be a better DRM system than Steam? It has all the abilities to download the games onto any PC through your account, but it also doesn't require you to be on the internet to play. You can launch the games without running Impulse, and so on.

I don't know how Steam's offline mode is now, I've not had a need for it in years, but I remember it used to be rather tempromental, and not let you play games for various reasons.

orderoftheflame · 30 Jun 2009 at 14:30

iviv said:
Actually, Impulse should surely be a better DRM system than Steam? It has all the abilities to download the games onto any PC through your account, but it also doesn't require you to be on the internet to play. You can launch the games without running Impulse, and so on.

I don't know how Steam's offline mode is now, I've not had a need for it in years, but I remember it used to be rather tempromental, and not let you play games for various reasons.

I've had no problems with it when I've used it recently.

Gimpymoo · 30 Jun 2009 at 14:32

When Impulse gets more Publisher support, I will consider it better than STEAM.

m4cc45 · 30 Jun 2009 at 14:32

Yamahahahahaha said:
Steam is the best DRM at the moment, if only for the availability of your game files anywhere, any time.
It actually offers the consumer something rather than restrictions all the way.

Carrot meet stick. Stick, Carrot.

Steam is the worst DRM if you ask me. It's the worst because there are so many illegal versions of the Steam client around where you can download the games and play them.

It's a good idea and nicely done (and I have a lot of games on there myself) but for DRM it may as well just hand out the games to anyone.

M.

Gimpymoo · 30 Jun 2009 at 14:37

m4cc45 said:
It's the worst because there are so many illegal versions of the Steam client around where you can download the games and play them

There is that many that if it were true it would be a pirates dream but seeing as the torrent trackers are still working overtime indicates there are not that many.

4p · 30 Jun 2009 at 15:17

Where therse a will theres a way.

The best DRM is steam, because it works.