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Magister Lajciak

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Posts posted by Magister Lajciak

    DRM Thread

    in Computer and Console

    Posted

    PC gamers waiting 3 months without a patch calmly? I've not seen too many of that.

    lol. Stabbed through the heart. Yeah, a lot of pc gamers do not wait calmly AT ALL for a patch. WHich I understand. But a lot seem to tolerate this idea that when you buy the game it will be a bug-ridden mess and that the patches will fix it.

     

    But a lot of gamers don't tolerate it. It does cause an outrage among gamers when a game is released buggy. It cannot cause apriori outrage, unlike DDRM, because no developer/publisher will admit that they are about to release a buggy game - see them do that and then see the outcry that would ensue!

     

    My comparison really is that DRM doesn't cause nearly so much problem as generally buggy games

     

    My chief issue with DDRM is the impact on the longevity of games. That's why I am so vehemently opposed to online activation and limited installs, but don't really mind other forms of DRM that don't decrease game-longevity. I agree that bugs are a problem too, but there is a major difference, that being that excessive bugs are the result of insufficient resources (time an money devoted to playtesting), whereas draconian DRM is introduced into the game deliberately. The bugs equivalent would be if bugs were inserted into the game on purpose (and the developer/publisher would even pay extra to introduce the bugs), rather than merely not being caught due to insufficient resource intensive Q&A/playtesting/debugging.

    DRM Thread

    in Computer and Console

    Posted

    I enjoyed this:

    http://www.tweakguides.com/Piracy_1.html

     

    It's biased in one direction of course, but I appreciated that he tried to substantiate his points with evidence. A good chunk of it is anecdotal unfortunately.

     

    He also has an interesting perspective on StarForce.

     

    He completely ignored the online activation issue with the possibility (eventual likelihood I would say) that the servers will be shut down.

     

    Besides, if online activation-type DDRM is there to prevent 0th day piracy (and I agree that that is part of the reason), than online activation can be patched out a week or two after it's cracked - but this does not happen. This leads many to the conclusion that DDRM has an ulterior motive - to prevent second hand sales, rather than to fight piracy.

    DRM Thread

    in Computer and Console

    Posted

    If anybody else wants to present some rational reasons why certain aspects of DRM, such as online activation affecting game longevity, or something else is problematic for software users and gamers, you can pass on your ideas through the form at the bottom of this page directly to the Federal Trade Commission: https://secure.commentworks.com/ftc-DRMtechnologies/

     

    I encourage you to do so, since this really is a great opportunity for our concerns to be heard and possibly addressed.

     

    On this note I would like to give kudos to those companies, such as Obsidian/Atari and most recently also Ubisoft (Prince of Persia, Tribes of the East - both DRM free), for not resorting to online activation and limited installs.

    DRM Thread

    in Computer and Console

    Posted

    In other news,

     

    Ars Technica reports that the FTC is getting ready to take a hard look at gaming DRM, setting up a town hall meeting to be held on March 25th. They're currently recruiting panelists, and they say the meeting will, in part, "address the need to improve disclosures to consumers about DRM limitations." The controversy over DRM came to a head in 2008 with the release of Spore and the multiple subsequent class-action lawsuits focusing on the SecuROM software that came with the game. Ars Technica says the town hall meeting will also look at "legal issues surrounding DRM" and "the potential need for government involvement to protect consumers."

     

    Yes, this is siomething I have been following. It is possible to submit suggestions and comments by e-mail to the FTC on this matter and I have done so, arguing why online activation is a particularly bad idea.

    DRM Thread

    in Computer and Console

    Posted

    Prince of Persia PC DRM Free apparently.

     

    Thought some people here might be interested in this news.

     

    I found it quite interesting that they did this. Looking at it from one perspective, Ubisoft basically called the bluff of many pirates ("We only pirate because of the eeeeevil DRM")... and judging from a few torrent tracker sites I looked at, the pirates were basically proven to be full of sh*t. o:)

     

    Actually, according to a number of posts/indications on the Ubisoft website, the piracy rate for the Prince of Persia has been unusually low.

    DRM Thread

    in Computer and Console

    Posted

    The reason is that I also like playing very old games and online activation servers will not be here forever.

     

    Versus bugs that make your games unplayable right ot of the box. :thumbsup:

     

    Bugs are a problem too, but there is a key difference. Draconian DRM (DDRM), such as online activation and limited installs, makes the game defective by design whereas bugs make it defective unintentionally. There is an easy solution to the draconian DRM problem - don't include it with the game and only include Friendly DRM (FDRM) that won't make the game expire (CD-keys, disk-checks, or perhaps artificial degradation of gameplay of pirated copies...). Bugs, however, are much more difficult to remove, because they require a lot of playtesting and coding. Adding DDRM, if anything, might or might not add new bugs, but it certainly won't remove them.

     

    On that matter, I don't really know of many games at all that are so buggy that they are unplayable, but sure, I agree that more emphasis on playtesting and bug removal would be welcome. Perhaps part of the money saved for not licensing DDRM systems could be spent on removing some bugs?

    Does Obsidian make anything for non-window systems?

    in Obsidian General

    Posted

    I am not sure I understand how this WINE thing works. Is it some kind of Windows emulator?

     

    Also, I presume Ubuntu is a version of Linux, right? If it's free, I might give it a try (on a separate partition) when I next do a complete reinstall. I am very used to Windows, though, so I don't know how easy it would be for me to get used to a whole new operating system. Windows is OK for the most part, though the whole forced folder/file-structure (e.g. My Documents, My Music, etcetera) thing does annoy me.

    DRM Thread

    in Computer and Console

    Posted

    The perfect DRM would have a good balance between discouraging piracy without punishing the paying customer or tampering with their property. I have no problem with Mass Effect calling home when I install it. I dislike the fact that when I switch out my hardware, it will call home again and again and eventually tell me I can

    DRM Thread

    in Computer and Console

    Posted

    I agree with this. It may seem naive to say that "Hey, DRM has never caused any issues for me, so I'm not concerned about it" but I also haven't heard too many people have problems with DRM that weren't up to something shady.

     

    I have only had computer problems due to DRM once and that was not with games but with music. It was thanks to Sony's music DRM and my sister's Sony MP3 player. Suffice it to say, I have become much more cautious about DRM since that time - it was a real eye-opener for me that cost my family a great deal of frustration and also some money (the Sony MP3 device was rendered unusable). This was many years ago, and I have never had problems with DRM since then, since I simply don't buy any music or games that has DRM dependent on outside stuff (online activation...) and am very careful before buying any Sony equipment (well, to put it simply-my family no longer buys any Sony music-related equipment, though we are still fine with Sony TVs and so on).

     

    And, of course, there is the longevity issue of draconian DRM (DDRM) that requires company servers to exist for online activation. As for normal DRM, such as disk-checks, I have no problem with that whatsoever. Regardless, there seems to be experimental movement away from draconian DRM by Ubisoft and perhaps even the EA. I really hope it works out for them and if so, than this topic will, of course, lose its relevance. That would be a win-win for all, I think.

    DRM Thread

    in Computer and Console

    Posted

    There is going to be a new update for Dragon Age today: Click Here

     

    After the recent string of good news, I am really hoping that it's going to be an update to the FAQ and the update will mention that Dragon Age will not use DDRM!

    Who knows, the thread being not stickied might mean that the issue will soon not be relevant!

     

    I am fighting my hopes getting up too high, so that I am not disappointed.

    Pathfinder RPG Beta

    in Pen-and-Paper Gaming

    Posted

    Interesting - I am mostly playtesting the ruleset and have not actually played any of Paizo's campaigns or adventure paths. Perhaps once I finish running my current two homebrew campaigns I may give theirs a try - I keep hearing good things about them.

    Prince of Persia is out

    in Computer and Console

    Posted

    The game looks really rad, and I'm thinking of getting it. But the reviews so far turned me off a bit. Especially the part about the low-player input and the fact that it's too easy. Hmm. How's the story btw? And should I grab the PC or PS3 version? Does the PC version has evil DRM?

     

    I am happy to report that the PC version does not have any DRM! The no DRM statement applies to the retail version. The Steam version, of course, has Steam, which is a form of DRM.

    DRM Thread

    in Computer and Console

    Posted

    The other thread disappeared?! Interesting...

     

    By 'disappeared', I mean that it probably slipped some pages back.

     

    Anyways, DRM is still vile and annoying.

     

    Yes, that's why I think it is such a good thing that Ubisoft is moving away from DRM with Prince of Persia. I really hope it works out for them! :o

    Yahtzee reviews

    in Computer and Console

    Posted

    Mirror's Edge: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/vie...57-Mirrors-Edge

     

    I found this one to be particularly funny, but it might be just that I have been missing these reviews after taking a few week hiatus. :wub:

    I agree with some of his points, namely when the developers just decided in the game to make you kill every soldier in the area just to keep moving. But the ones about not really explaining things (particularly what you were carrying) I'm annoyed at because he seems to have not watched the cut scenes or taken the game anywhere beyond the first level as the first level is the only one where the message you were carrying was unexplained and the police chase seemed to be for no good reason. After that the cops just chase faith because she is a suspect in a criminal investigation, and most levels she's not even carrying a message. Personally I liked the game, And if EA had some better combat in the thing it might actually be a pretty good contender, but as it is with combat that is harder to play than Contra without codes and a few pants on head retarded puzzle, I think overall it's a pretty average game for most people.

     

    His review always mocks the game he is reviewing - that's part of the entertainment value.

     

    Oh, and I am not the only person who remembers Contra? I enjoyed that game back in the day!

    Random generation vs. Careful planning

    in Pen-and-Paper Gaming

    Posted

    I prefer a mixture of randomization and control over character creation in PnP RPGs. In CRPGs I don't care. When I DM D&D or the Pathfinder RPG I make players roll their character's stats (I don't like nor accept point-buy). When I am a D&D/Pathfinder player, rather than the DM (which rarely happens), I also prefer to roll for ability scores, but I, of course, submit to whatever system of character-creation the DM devises.

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