Thoughts On DRM?

Hahaha I liked the image, but ya DRM is pretty pointless. It won't prevent anyone with half a brain from pirating and it punishes the average gamer.

They haven't completely justified its existence. They want to stop piracy (allegedly) but it does very little to actually hinder it. IF it prevented piracy, I'd be all for it, but it doesn't. So I'm not a fan. I don't hate it with a passion, though, as some others do. Same with online passes.

DRM combats Piracy....but it kills gaming.

It's useless, as you will hear many people say. For me though, it has really been negligent. Sometimes, it's like it isn't even there.

Of course, when game with DRM happens to be too intrusive, I end up using a tweak on it to remove it. Before anyone calls foul play, this is after I buy the game.

Honestly, the only thing it does is hinder the people who actually buy it. In many cases such as games for windows live games, the person who pirates it gets the better deal, but especially on ubisoft games do the pirates get a better deal. I know some people who buy ubisoft games and then pirate them so they dont have drm on every startup and/or server downtime.

DRM combats Piracy....but it kills gaming.

LegatoSkyheart

[QUOTE="LegatoSkyheart"]

DRM combats Piracy....but it kills gaming.

Inconsistancy

Perhaps I should have put Quotes on that.

"DRM combats Piracy!".....but it kills gaming.

Get what I was trying to say?

DRM only ever blocks legitimate customers, and it only takes one experience like the OP's for that customer to form a negative opinion of the publisher.

How's it combating it? Delaying a game's playability via pirating by a day or two at most?Inconsistancy

It doesn't even do that. The cracking people typically get their hands on the game days ahead of its release date, so even if it takes a couple of days to crack they'll still have a good chance of getting it out in a playable form on or ahead of the actual release date.

The release date checks some games enforce through DRM make this especially galling: managing to buy an early retail copy is meaningless because it's a $50 coaster until the big day arrives, but those that pirated it are enjoying it right away.

steam? fine. punch in a code and activate online. kewl as long as im not limited to my installs.osan0

Unfortunately many games on Steam also use another form of DRM, but this is never mentioned on the store page when such games are first released. After enough complaining the DRM is eventually mentioned on the store page, but by then it's too late for anyone who would have otherwise avoided it had this knowledge been available. You can't even predict what the added DRM could be based on what other versions of the game use; for instance the retail version of Risen had a mere disc check but the Steam version requires manual activation and boasts a "3 machine activation limit".

The only people inconvenienced by DRM are legitimate customers. I had to jump through several DRM hurdles to get Batman: Arkham Asylum working, and the whole time I was thinking, "A warez kiddie would have been playing by now."dzimm

Unfortunately many games on Steam also use another form of DRM, but this is never mentioned on the store page when such games are first released. After enough complaining the DRM is eventually mentioned on the store page, but by then it's too late for anyone who would have otherwise avoided it had this knowledge been available. You can't even predict what the added DRM could be based on what other versions of the game use; for instance the retail version of Risen had a mere disc check but the Steam version requires manual activation and boasts a "3 machine activation limit".

garrett_daniels

Ouch 3 machines only? but it says on Steam games are tied up to your account, not machine... although I'm not sure if this game has special rules.

Given that I got a few games off steam sale... My pc is now infested with DRM that cuts down on performance. There is no 1 standard and that's what I hate. I must have 4 different DRM programs on my PC now.

After I'm done with the games I'm reformatting my PC.

The only people who ultimately see DRM, and experience its negative affects, are the genuine customers who bought the product. The pirates will be playing a version of the game with the DRM wiped clean, which they will do, given no DRM in existence has ever stopped piracy.

So ultimately its only use is to **** off your customers.

Why was i moderated for saying the same thing as pretty much everyone in this thread?MFDOOM1983

[QUOTE="MFDOOM1983"]Why was i moderated for saying the same thing as pretty much everyone in this thread?millerlight89

Helps prevent day 0 cracks. This brings up sales. Day 0 Crack is pirating the game before retail.

Helps prevent day 0 cracks. This brings up sales. Day 0 Crack is pirating the game before retail.Vambran

pointless . ppl get passed it anyways so why should they screw their real customers.

Ultimately just a hindrance, but... still necessary. If that makes sense. :P

DRM combats Piracy....but it kills gaming.

LegatoSkyheart

This pretty much sums up everything and is sig worthy.

Ultimately just a hindrance, but... still necessary. If that makes sense. :P

psn8214