Things that should be done to break the piracy debate.

[EVILNess]

Originally Posted by Eltargrim

So far all of the DA:O and ME2 DLC has been cracked. DLC codes in the package aren't really doing their job so far.

I said its a step in the right direction. They need to find ways to not piss off the customer so they don't pirate out of spite and discourage piracy, because let's be real... many people are gonna pirate regardless of DRM.

They don't need to be adding to their problems with oppressive DRM, I personally was gonna get the special edition of CnC4 before I heard it was using the same DRM scheme as Assassin's Creed 2, now I'll probably just not get it at all, or maybe even pirate it if I can be bothered to poke around for a cracked copy. I'm not saying DRM is a deal breaker, because I have bought DRM enabled games. This is kinda extreme for me.

It's kinda analogous to Wal-Mart making everyone spread eagle and patting them down looking for the shoplifters.

So, I dislike DRM but yeah its not so bad when they are just asking you for a receipt instead of trying to cavity check you.

[Seil]

I also remember a time when you got actual swag in with your purchase. A cloth map or a piece of DLC might not seem like much, but I think its better than online locking your stuff.

What, like a gold sword, crown, chalice and a Philosopher's Stone? You crazy man, you crazy.

[Mirai Gen]

Seil, that's...that's not even remotely the same thing. I...

Okay yeah sorry, brain's hurting.

Originally Posted by Loyal

Hell yeah. I love swag. I have this big ol' Age of Empires III poster hanging up over my bed. Trinkets, posters and so on would slightly help encourage less piracy due to the nature of not being piratable... or not without some specialized equipment or DIY know-how.

This is actually something I'm totally in favor of as well - Posters. Seriously, just print out a big ass poster (by which I mean like a 2 x 1.5) and consider me happy.

Shit, my roommate preordered God of War 3 and got a poster. I preordered Prototype and got a tiny, kinda lame Alex Mercer figure. This actually makes me kind of curious to pre-order, which is what it should do.

I say if developers start doing this more often and with games for PC like they used to, they might get a few more solid sales.

[Eltargrim]

Originally Posted by EVILNess

I said its a step in the right direction. They need to find ways to not piss off the customer so they don't pirate out of spite and discourage piracy, because let's be real... many people are gonna pirate regardless of DRM.

The other problem I have with Day-1 DLC is that if it includes something major (ie Zaeed, Shale), then I feel as if I'm being punished for preferring to buy my games secondhand; I'm already putting out a fair bit of my entertainment budget on a game, I don't want to drop another $10 to get the whole thing when I'm buying secondhand specifically to avoid that.

Know what DLC I can live with? Whatever Valve is doing. Yeah, L4D2 is probably piratable, but I was totally willing to pay 50 for access to the public servers. Bit of a different game style, but if RPG makers don't want me to pirate out of spite, they should avoid a microtransactionary style. I hate that shit.

[bluestarultor]

Originally Posted by Eltargrim

The other problem I have with Day-1 DRM is that if it includes something major (ie Zaeed, Shale), then I feel as if I'm being punished for preferring to buy my games secondhand; I'm already putting out a fair bit of my entertainment budget on a game, I don't want to drop another $10 to get the whole thing when I'm buying secondhand specifically to avoid that.

I think you're confusing DRM with DLC.



@Loyal: That swag you and others have mentioned is what I was talking about with "feelies." And yes, they are awesome.

[Jagos]

So you're a touchie, feely type? Ew...

[Seil]

Seil, that's...that's not even remotely the same thing. I...

Okay yeah sorry, brain's hurting.

Gee, thanks for not even taking the time to call me stupid.

[DFM]

Originally Posted by Eltargrim

The other problem I have with Day-1 DRM is that if it includes something major (ie Zaeed, Shale), then I feel as if I'm being punished for preferring to buy my games secondhand; I'm already putting out a fair bit of my entertainment budget on a game, I don't want to drop another $10 to get the whole thing when I'm buying secondhand specifically to avoid that.

That is the point, they want to eliminate second hand game sales because every used game sold is seen as a lost sale, just as every game pirated is seen as a lost sale.

[Azisien]

Steam and other platforms like it are light enough DRM that I am fine with it. I have mostly steady Internet on my gaming PC, so I could theoretically put up with those "100% onliners" too, but I draw the line there anyway. I also have games on my laptop which rarely has stable wi-fi, and as such, fuck that.

My stance is that, if I can't buy the game, but I can pirate it, I will. If servers have been shut down, I'll use other methods to gain that functionality back. These cases are a company having the open chance to enjoy my money, but due to their lack of effort/care/whatever, won't.

That being said, thanks to things like Steam, I'm bloated with games to play and I haven't pirated anything in almost 2 years. So kudos to that. Now fuckin' release Baldur's Gate!

[Mirai Gen]

Gee, thanks for not even taking the time to call me stupid.

"I miss the free stuff they'd put with games like cloth maps. Those were cool."
"Yeah, it's just like that one contest Mirai made a thread about, where they designed the game to be a competition for golden treasure that only one person would get."
"...what?"

Originally Posted by Azisien

Steam and other platforms like it are light enough DRM that I am fine with it.

I really like Steam. I have no problem with it. I just wish that games stopped creating their own Steam engines, then selling it on Steam.