Your thoughts on DRM.

[gimbal]

Its no different for downloadable stuff you buy on your consoles, or in iTunes / Google Play. IF the service ends, you're stuffed. But by the time the service ends the platform itself is probably also dead and replaced with another one, so do you still care? I used to own a lot of Commodore Amiga software, I can't run any of those discs (without emulator) on any of my current machines. Big whoop, I don't have an Amiga anymore. Alternatively, I don't think many people will be bothered they can't play Fifa 11 online anymore when there is Fifa 12.

[princec]

@gimbal - quite. It is irrelevant posturing. In the real world, Blizzard gets away with it, EA gets away with it, because 99% of the world don't actually care.

Cas

[Cero]

You really don't get any more single player as piracy has killed the market.

Thats just bullshit.
In related news BioShock Infinite is coming...

Games published by our own members! Check 'em out!

[StumpyStrust]

BioShock is a console game. I am talking more PC.

[sproingie]

BioShock is a console game. I am talking more PC.

News to me, seeing as how I have both on Steam.

[StumpyStrust]

There are a crap ton of games that were big on consoles and are made for consoles but still released on PC as there is still some market. You do not see very many PC only single player games as the market is harsh.

I forgot Dragon Age. That games was good. It was made for PC and ported to console. Then DA 2 was well...

[sproingie]

Bioshock was a PC game first.  DA was a simultaneous release.

[StumpyStrust]

No it was a simultaneous release. Even then the game controls where really meant for a controller. Dragon Age was not very control friendly. Point is, things are moving towards consoles/handheld/casual and not single player. I guess Mass Effect was ok well...the first one was.

[princec]

I can't imagine playing Bioshock with a controller. Or any FPS for that matter.

Cas

[StumpyStrust]

Ehh I am used to PC controls for most games as that is all I have but you can tell if a game was thought out for a particular setup. I think quite a few people on here never got into the newer consoles that much. Looking at the favorite games topics most liked old school or multi release games which means they could have played it on console but probably not.

On topic though, DRM is a horrid topic to be talking about when basically all of us (except you princec) have yet to create a game that is even some what presentable. So lets try getting DRM down when you can't and have nothing to protect with the hackable DRM. 

Games published by our own members! Check 'em out!

[Oskuro]

You really don't get any more single player as piracy has killed the market.

Actually, World of Warcraft can be more to blame about that one.

Imagine how console game sales would've dropped if WoW had been available on major consoles when it had it's major boom.

In the real world, Blizzard gets away with it, EA gets away with it, because 99% of the world don't actually care.

.

I think EA, Valve and Blizzard (among others) get away with their DRM crap because they are big enough and have valuable enough properties that the people who don't care enough can keep them afloat.

I doubt smaller companies, or indies, can afford the backlash that comes with obnoxious DRM.


As for DRM...

In my opinion, as a project's budget grows, there are diminishing returns when investing on DRM, since all DRM can be defeated, and high-interest products (and high budget usually equals a budget for publicity and thus hype/interest) will be targeted and broken quickly.


I personally would try to achieve a balance between protection and usability. The moment the pirated version of your game is more convenient for the user than the legal version, you've lost.

But, then again, I'm still not dealing with these issues in my projects, so just stating my general opinion.