Comments on: DRM: What Am I Paying For? http://www.nerfbat.com/2008/05/08/drm-what-am-i-paying-for/ Game design, development, and industry commentary by MMO Game Designer Ryan Shwayder. Sun, 12 Oct 2008 08:20:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Core2Extremist http://www.nerfbat.com/2008/05/08/drm-what-am-i-paying-for/#comment-76946 Core2Extremist Wed, 04 Jun 2008 22:16:17 +0000 http://www.nerfbat.com/?p=501#comment-76946 Boycott EA Games? By 2020, that might involve just boycotting your computer in the first place :P If people can crack Bioshock, Portal and Half Life 2, they can crack anything else that comes out on the market. The cracks are designed to bypass or trick the software into not using those copyright protection features in the first place :) Ironically, all of this tethered licensing might just drive traffic farther away from the PC which is bad for traditional PC developers. Then more gaming traffic will move towards the consoles and console cracking will become all the more common. If you visit The Pirate Bay, search for "Xbox 360" and check the "Games" box only, there are dozens of results for cracking/modding the drives or w/e and TPB has the bigger Xbox 360 titles are already available for download and burning. Then if this console software piracy increases, then game developers will be back to square one again. Tethered consoles? Pirates will come up with the same solution: cracked exe's and game files Encrypted console drives? Decryption software (like the ones for the Xbox Original) and modchips I don't know enough about IT to offer a good solution. Frankly, if you have a good grasp of the copy, paste, "Find Target" functions and you have a basic knowledge of how folders work, it's just so easy to steal games. Download Daemon tools and the crack. Start installing the crack, use the keygen to complete the install then crack the final product. Done! Now that I think about it, what's preventing somebody from just making a keygen for Mass Effect and Spore? If the software requires a tethered key, then just use the keygen to get yourself one. If you need a new key, just transfer the saves when you're done re-installing. I really hope those game developers already though of that... Boycott EA Games? By 2020, that might involve just boycotting your computer in the first place :P

If people can crack Bioshock, Portal and Half Life 2, they can crack anything else that comes out on the market. The cracks are designed to bypass or trick the software into not using those copyright protection features in the first place :)

Ironically, all of this tethered licensing might just drive traffic farther away from the PC which is bad for traditional PC developers. Then more gaming traffic will move towards the consoles and console cracking will become all the more common. If you visit The Pirate Bay, search for “Xbox 360″ and check the “Games” box only, there are dozens of results for cracking/modding the drives or w/e and TPB has the bigger Xbox 360 titles are already available for download and burning.

Then if this console software piracy increases, then game developers will be back to square one again.

Tethered consoles? Pirates will come up with the same solution: cracked exe’s and game files
Encrypted console drives? Decryption software (like the ones for the Xbox Original) and modchips

I don’t know enough about IT to offer a good solution.

Frankly, if you have a good grasp of the copy, paste, “Find Target” functions and you have a basic knowledge of how folders work, it’s just so easy to steal games. Download Daemon tools and the crack. Start installing the crack, use the keygen to complete the install then crack the final product. Done!

Now that I think about it, what’s preventing somebody from just making a keygen for Mass Effect and Spore? If the software requires a tethered key, then just use the keygen to get yourself one. If you need a new key, just transfer the saves when you’re done re-installing. I really hope those game developers already though of that…

]]> By: TheNickster http://www.nerfbat.com/2008/05/08/drm-what-am-i-paying-for/#comment-76326 TheNickster Wed, 14 May 2008 03:09:14 +0000 http://www.nerfbat.com/?p=501#comment-76326 I would have rather kept the 10 day check in and lose the three "activations" part. At 50 bucks a pop I want to actually own the game, just like the "good old days". Looks like I'll be boycotting EA branded games... I would have rather kept the 10 day check in and lose the three “activations” part. At 50 bucks a pop I want to actually own the game, just like the “good old days”. Looks like I’ll be boycotting EA branded games…

]]> By: Grish http://www.nerfbat.com/2008/05/08/drm-what-am-i-paying-for/#comment-76292 Grish Tue, 13 May 2008 06:58:25 +0000 http://www.nerfbat.com/?p=501#comment-76292 http://kotaku.com/5008452/bioware-backs-down-from-draconian-mass-effect-authentication They stole my adjective! :razz: http://kotaku.com/5008452/bioware-backs-down-from-draconian-mass-effect-authentication

They stole my adjective! :razz:

]]> By: Ryan Shwayder http://www.nerfbat.com/2008/05/08/drm-what-am-i-paying-for/#comment-76281 Ryan Shwayder Mon, 12 May 2008 15:59:27 +0000 http://www.nerfbat.com/?p=501#comment-76281 Looks like they backed down on all of this mess. I'd find a link but I'm lazy. Looks like they backed down on all of this mess. I’d find a link but I’m lazy.

]]> By: J.P. Lapointe http://www.nerfbat.com/2008/05/08/drm-what-am-i-paying-for/#comment-76233 J.P. Lapointe Fri, 09 May 2008 14:23:03 +0000 http://www.nerfbat.com/?p=501#comment-76233 I think part of the problem is that on a high level, somebody is convinced that pirates can be stopped. That would be the only way to justify the hassle you're causing your legitimate users (I mean you in the very general sense, not referring to any specific person or company). Or somebody has decided that it's ok that every x number of users is going to have to buy a new license. I mean that's a revenue stream. The fundamental flaw with all security is that it has to have a way to let users through. The best way to stop piracy is to stop making games that can be installed. This significantly reduces their utility as games, however. I think part of the problem is that on a high level, somebody is convinced that pirates can be stopped. That would be the only way to justify the hassle you’re causing your legitimate users (I mean you in the very general sense, not referring to any specific person or company). Or somebody has decided that it’s ok that every x number of users is going to have to buy a new license. I mean that’s a revenue stream.

The fundamental flaw with all security is that it has to have a way to let users through. The best way to stop piracy is to stop making games that can be installed. This significantly reduces their utility as games, however.

]]> By: Vimes http://www.nerfbat.com/2008/05/08/drm-what-am-i-paying-for/#comment-76232 Vimes Fri, 09 May 2008 13:34:14 +0000 http://www.nerfbat.com/?p=501#comment-76232 I wont be buying anything that assumes I am a criminal more than exists already. With Unreal tournament series - a patch usually surfaces after a few months to allow no-cd play. This has occured Since UT:GoTY. Also - an opposite trend is being tried by more independant developers - with the assumption that most dont want this software/security and would naturally recompense a good developer for a good game. sins of the Solar Empire wqas released along this line and sales have gone crazy. The Free to play games also dont have this restrictions, possibly with the microtransaction element being both the carrot and stick to ensure security. Could this over the top security be because they have recognised a vunerability in the code that cannot be avoided or is it purely subscription focused? As you can tell - I am no expert at all - Just a user with over active imagination :) I wont be buying anything that assumes I am a criminal more than exists already. With Unreal tournament series - a patch usually surfaces after a few months to allow no-cd play. This has occured Since UT:GoTY. Also - an opposite trend is being tried by more independant developers - with the assumption that most dont want this software/security and would naturally recompense a good developer for a good game. sins of the Solar Empire wqas released along this line and sales have gone crazy.

The Free to play games also dont have this restrictions, possibly with the microtransaction element being both the carrot and stick to ensure security. Could this over the top security be because they have recognised a vunerability in the code that cannot be avoided or is it purely subscription focused? As you can tell - I am no expert at all - Just a user with over active imagination :)

]]> By: Genda http://www.nerfbat.com/2008/05/08/drm-what-am-i-paying-for/#comment-76202 Genda Thu, 08 May 2008 19:46:31 +0000 http://www.nerfbat.com/?p=501#comment-76202 This is something that I've been railing about for a few months myself. (http://www.thegrouchygamer.com/?p=117) and (http://www.thegrouchygamer.com/?p=81). It's a growing trend in this company to treat your customer like an adversary or even a criminal. I understand the need for loss prevention, but these schemes don't help anyone and only hurt the legitimate user. Also, what happens when the DRM software malfunctions and disables the software you have already paid for? What if it also "disables" other things installed on your machine or installs unwanted additional software. I also work for a software company and we have had out share of problems with piracy. I am sensitive to the need to protect intellectual property. Punishing your legitimate users with onerous DRM schemes isn't the solution, however. This is something that I’ve been railing about for a few months myself. (http://www.thegrouchygamer.com/?p=117) and (http://www.thegrouchygamer.com/?p=81). It’s a growing trend in this company to treat your customer like an adversary or even a criminal. I understand the need for loss prevention, but these schemes don’t help anyone and only hurt the legitimate user.

Also, what happens when the DRM software malfunctions and disables the software you have already paid for? What if it also “disables” other things installed on your machine or installs unwanted additional software.

I also work for a software company and we have had out share of problems with piracy. I am sensitive to the need to protect intellectual property. Punishing your legitimate users with onerous DRM schemes isn’t the solution, however.

]]> By: Grish http://www.nerfbat.com/2008/05/08/drm-what-am-i-paying-for/#comment-76200 Grish Thu, 08 May 2008 17:24:17 +0000 http://www.nerfbat.com/?p=501#comment-76200 Wow, the three installation bit is a little draconian. Especially for those that don't want to have dozens of games clogging up their hard drives, simply because they may be interested in playing them in a year or so. Steam seems to have gotten it right, at least in this respect. I will say this however; no amount of obnoxiousness will prevent me from playing Spore! Wow, the three installation bit is a little draconian. Especially for those that don’t want to have dozens of games clogging up their hard drives, simply because they may be interested in playing them in a year or so. Steam seems to have gotten it right, at least in this respect.

I will say this however; no amount of obnoxiousness will prevent me from playing Spore!

]]> By: Thermoses http://www.nerfbat.com/2008/05/08/drm-what-am-i-paying-for/#comment-76199 Thermoses Thu, 08 May 2008 17:15:13 +0000 http://www.nerfbat.com/?p=501#comment-76199 This will definitely cost sales to casual players. I don't have a lot of time, so at the prospect of dicking around in order to play a game, or trying to get it running more than once, I've immediately lost interest. As cool as Spore sounded, I'm already turned off if I have to deal with that nonsense. There are plenty of other games to play. This will definitely cost sales to casual players. I don’t have a lot of time, so at the prospect of dicking around in order to play a game, or trying to get it running more than once, I’ve immediately lost interest. As cool as Spore sounded, I’m already turned off if I have to deal with that nonsense. There are plenty of other games to play.

]]> By: Chas http://www.nerfbat.com/2008/05/08/drm-what-am-i-paying-for/#comment-76197 Chas Thu, 08 May 2008 16:37:24 +0000 http://www.nerfbat.com/?p=501#comment-76197 Minor correction here- the DRM allows for "three simultaneous installs" not three separate activations. I haven't been able to verify this, but re-installing the same software on the same machine isn't usually an issue unless the hardware was changed significantly enough that the software recognizes it as a new machine. Some way to manage machines is needed, though. Bioware also uses the CD Key for the online user account. You can already go there to see what games you've got registered through them. Next step, let you drill down and see the machines the registered machines. Right-click to "remove" one or to "report it" if it's not an authorized use. Heck, I can do that for my antivirus (which has one subscription for 3 simultaneous machines). If I want to register my MS Office (also a multiple-machine license) on a new machine, I could call up support and ask them to remove my old one from their list to make room for one more. Minor correction here- the DRM allows for “three simultaneous installs” not three separate activations. I haven’t been able to verify this, but re-installing the same software on the same machine isn’t usually an issue unless the hardware was changed significantly enough that the software recognizes it as a new machine.

Some way to manage machines is needed, though. Bioware also uses the CD Key for the online user account. You can already go there to see what games you’ve got registered through them. Next step, let you drill down and see the machines the registered machines. Right-click to “remove” one or to “report it” if it’s not an authorized use. Heck, I can do that for my antivirus (which has one subscription for 3 simultaneous machines). If I want to register my MS Office (also a multiple-machine license) on a new machine, I could call up support and ask them to remove my old one from their list to make room for one more.

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