Spore

[Raven]

Originally Posted by DaGaffer

If someone can come up with a non-DRM model that doesn't involve freetards ass-raping their business, I'm sure the PC game publishers will be delighted to hear from you.

Why hello steam.

[nath]

Originally Posted by DaGaffer

I agree with the sentiment (bad DRM has sent me scurrying for noCD keys for games I owned in the past, I'm looking at you UT2K3), but in this case the game is really all about the online. Yes you can play offline, but without accessing Sporepedia its only half a game anyway.

I also think that this approach is an inevitable outcome of the taking the piss levels of PC game piracy out there. Over the five years I was at GAME it went from an irritant to a bad joke; the returns rate was astronomical because almost everyone abused the returns process; it was why they stopped 10 day returns on PC games; but everyone simply took their business online and abuse the Distance Selling Regs instead (or go straight to torrents). And I know all the usual suspects will come scurrying out of their holes with the inevitable "I copy games but if I like them I buy them" line, but the numbers don't agree. If someone can come up with a non-DRM model that doesn't involve freetards ass-raping their business, I'm sure the PC game publishers will be delighted to hear from you.

The thing is, as far as I'm aware, protecting online content is pretty straight forward. Perhaps less so if you're going for the no-DVD required in the drive to play issue. My main problem with all this DRM is that it really doesn't seem to stop piracy. Mass Effect and Bioshock are both totally single player games and they had pirate versions available pretty soon after release. I've harped on about this loads, but I actually had Bioshock pre-ordered before I heard about the DRM bollocks. The pirate version came out shortly after and the people who downloaded it had a more enjoyable experience.

I don't mind companies trying to protect their I.P. but when it means people paying have a shitter time than those not, it seems a little counter-productive.

All that said, I haven't seen the figures - I guess it's difficult to determine if the DRM is having the effect that the companies would like. If it is working and deterring piracy enough to warrant the lost sales, then I guess they should stick with it. However, I'll never buy a game that has DRM that's going to adversely affect me in any way, I'll just download it.

[Furr]

Another vote for steam, I buy games from them for many reasons including Valve treating gamers well, supporting their products well, free updates, free new content, and generally being good eggs, EA on the other hand hate us.

[PLightstar]

Loving Spore at the moment, even my GF was playing it and creating creatures which says a lot. about half way through the tribal stage at the moment. Looking forward to trying out the space stage.

I agree with alot of people here, DRM on CD's does not work and distribution like Steam is so much better, I got a new HD this year because all my old one had it and wouldn't spin. But because of Steam I could have all my games up and running very quickly without having to hunt around for CD's all the time. the Community aspect they put in has only made it better, if all games were released on Steam then Piracy would take a huge hit and PC gaming will bring in a new golden age of Gaming for all.

[Helme]

Stardock has come up with a pretty solid solution, no copy protection whatsoever unless you want to update your game, with the free new content - then it requires an verification of your cd key and thats it.

They actually saw increased sales after they introduced this, they also have a full money back policy if you can't run their game for any reason - again it increased sales, and from what they noticed very few people actually returned the game - but it did give a peace of mind to people who would otherwise not buy it incase it didn't work.

[DaGaffer]

Originally Posted by Raven

Its not quite as bad as they will have us believe. I was reading that the devs at Crytek said for every 1 game bought 20 were copied. That would mean something like 60 million people playing it.....

It is worse than that because of returns, which aren't counted in the sales figs (e.g. ELSPA stats). And even if only say, one in four of those copied games were paid for, then that would be a 500% increase in revenue, which would be galling if you were a dev/publisher/retailer wouldn't it?

Originally Posted by Raven

Personally I have changed my opinion on PC games, I have not had a pirate copy of a game since HL2 (which I have since bought on steam) I think we should buy decent games on PC so that they make more, still don't give a shit about drivel and the lazy software houses though. I do have a problem with blanket punishment for gamers and this sort of stunt encourages piracy which can only be bad for the industry. I mean come on, 3 installs? That's 1 PC crash and a PC upgrade and you will be on your last install and have to buy it again if something goes wrong. As said above, where is the guarantee that the validation server will still be online in 2, 3, 4 years? IT will not stop the game being pirated, all it will do is force more people into getting their games from torrents.

They've basically followed the most successful DRM model, iTunes, which from a business perspective, makes sense. As for encouraging more piracy, well that's the rub isn't it? If pirated games are already several multiples higher than your official sales, how exactly can you make it worse?

Originally Posted by Raven

The future of the PC games industry lies in steam and similar programs, the piracy for games on steam is tiny. maybe EA should pull its head out of its arse and either compete with steam properly or come to some sort of arrangement with them. Its easy to whine about piracy to justify punishing real customers but it seems its a bit to tough to deal with the problem.

You're almost certainly correct, and console versions of Steam or similar will happen as well; but, that model only effectively combats piracy if its the only game in town (pardon the pun). If there is still a physical distribution channel (and ironically Valve's is EA), then the Freetards will still choose free over Steam. Its in the publisher's and developer's ultimate interest to go down the digital distribution route, but until there is a shitload more bandwidth out there (and globally), they have to keep retail sweet, and retail is also still hugely important because of Christmas. So right now, Steam isn't an effective answer, and so you get stuff like three installs instead.

[Vae]

It seems that Amazon.co.uk are actively deleting all reviews of Spore and have been for several days hence there only being 17 reviews for the product at the moment. Just posted a (negative but fair) review myself so I'll see if it makes it on there and if it then gets deleted.

I'm utterly against this form of DRM as it appears to only harm the paying customer (in this case me!). Ironically I don't see this 3 installation limit affecting me because I've been so underwhelmed by the 'game' that I can't see myself ever re-installing it.

However I read that Red Alert 3 is planned to have the same level of copy protection (with a whopping allowance of 5 installs) which, if it lives up to expectations, is a game I would be buying and would likely install several times just as I have done so with the original. However I won't be paying for a crippled product so EA's will be driving me into the arms fo the freetards.

[Roo Stercogburn]

I was really into getting this game then I learned about the DRM and its now on the Never-going-to-buy list.

[~Latency~]

that's the thing about a downloader - a million and one excuses not to buy anything..

[nath]

That's all well and good, but this is actually a valid reason.

[VidX]

I had issues with the EA downloader/store with Hellgate: London and swore never to go near it again. Ever... .

So unless a game is available on Steam or D2D I refuse to buy a digital copy.

I bought Spore on Friday from D2D, installed it and got to play it on Sunday (between the WAR OB and Headstart). Got to the Space stage but haven't played it since Sunday

The DRM is really annoying and I do agree that it shouldn't be needed. People will find ways around it so why inconvenience legit customers?

Steam is still the best digital store in my opinion and I really wish everyone would publish their games on it. There's so many games I'd buy if they were on Steam but don't bother