Update #4: Digital Tiers, DRM, and Add-Ons Update

[Hornet85]

Kickstarter backers as a group seem to be very anti-DRM in all it's forms, moreso than most other groups and they categorize Steam in that group where others might make an exception for it because of the benefits it provides.

That's the vibe I'm getting..

 

I mean, don't you guys play AAA games too? I know I do and these games have DRM in one form or another.

 

Its hard to avoid DRM unless you stick to indie games or something.

Edited September 19, 2012 by Hornet85

[Crosmando]

Kickstarter backers as a group seem to be very anti-DRM in all it's forms, moreso than most other groups and they categorize Steam in that group where others might make an exception for it because of the benefits it provides.

That's the vibe I'm getting..

 

I mean, don't you guys play AAA games too? I know I do and these games have DRM in one form or another.

 

Its hard to avoid DRM unless you stick to indie games or something.

I generally don't play AAA games at all, because apart from a few they're all "cinematic" rubbish. The only "AAA" games I've played in last few years were Drakensang and Drakensang River of Time, as they were both based on a pen & paper RPG, and recently Dark Souls, which surprisingly for an action-RPG I actually like it. Oh and Mount & Blade, but I think that's an indie game.

 

Before that I'd have to go back to Neverwinter Nights 2, KotOR 2, and Vampire Bloodlines, but I purchased those on disc when they came out (and later digitally on steam).

Edited September 19, 2012 by Crosmando

[LadyCrimson]

Some of are just stubbornly old skool and don't like DRM in principle, fondly remembering the days when you could just buy a disc-game and there was nothing, sometimes not even a CD-key check. Steam has its uses/advantages but many don't like it when a game requires extra programs just to be able to run it. Or the "forced" downloads of patches and stuff. That said I personally did give in and use Steam these days ... I just try to avoid it when ever there's the option to do so.

Edited September 19, 2012 by LadyCrimson

[Pop]

Obviously the only sensible choice is to bring Matt Rorie back on to write the P:E strategy guide.

 

(He wrote a bunch of Obsidz guides for Gamespot before signing on as our erstwhile marketing director)

Edited September 19, 2012 by Pop

[Hornet85]

Well I can totally understand why one would be against DRM

 

Its just I'm just surprise that many people are able to avoid caving in because DRM is so common now . I dislike it too when Half Life 2 needed Steam. Its such a bizarre concept. But now, what can we do. Most games out there requires it and eventually its something I get used to. Steam, Origin and Uplay. I wonder what I have to install next.

[tamimh]

Will the use of DRM require a steady connection to the internet, like DIABLO?

If so I really hate to say it but this is going the very wrong way.

Edited September 19, 2012 by tamimh

[Crosmando]

Some of are just stubbornly old skool and don't like DRM in principle, fondly remembering the days when you could just buy a disc-game and there was nothing, sometimes not even a CD-key check. Steam has its uses/advantages but many don't like it when a game requires extra programs just to be able to run it. Or the "forced" downloads of patches and stuff. That said I personally did give in and use Steam these days ... I just try to avoid it when ever there's the option to do so.

It's not really a matter of principle, I just find it unwieldy and unneccessary to have to run Valve's personal social client just to play a game I purchased with my own money. It's more "compact" and simple just to have an GOG installer file that you can copy and back-up as many times as you want, install it as many times as you want on any number of computers.

 

What I find even funnier are the steam fanboys who seem to love Valve for making Half-Life 2, but don't seem to realize that Valve hasn't released a single-player game (what made them famous in the first place) in years.

Edited September 19, 2012 by Crosmando

[Hornet85]

sorry for the naive question, but what is DRM ?

Digital rights management.

 

Its basically a means of controlling your access to a software. Its aim is to tie a game to a specific person like your Steam account or your Battle.net account (if you play Blizzard games).

 

There are other more extreme DRM that requires you to be online all the time to play, it is said that such DRM aims to prevent piracy but we know that's just BS. Games get pirated no matter what protection.

 

So the real aim by the company is just to tie a game to your account so you cannot share it with others, resell it or give it to others.

[Jozape]

Will the use of DRM require a steady connection to the internet, like DIABLO?

If so I really hate to say it but this is going the very wrong way.

 

No. If you're on Steam, you'll be required to update to the latest version of the game and activate online once when you install the game, and then from that point you can play offline as long as you log in to Steam(in offline mode). This will require you to save your account credentials to your PC(should do it by default, I think).

 

If you get the game on GOG, there is no DRM. You download, install the game, and you're ready to go.

[Hornet85]

Will the use of DRM require a steady connection to the internet, like DIABLO?

If so I really hate to say it but this is going the very wrong way.

DIABLO 3 DRM is actually just through Battle.net account

 

The reason why you need a connection all the time is because the game works like an MMO. Everything happens on server side, when you hit a monster, you tell the server to hit that monster, and it will calculate the damage, and generate the drops you get. Its really like an MMO game, except you're playing alone.

 

This game, PE, is a single player game, not MMO so no worries. You don't need any server to play it.

Edited September 19, 2012 by Hornet85

[Raedwulf]

Sorry if this is a dumb question but does pledgers above 140 dollars get beta access as well? Can those that have beta access do beta testing for Obsidian? ' : ^ B

 

This is not a dumb question but a qualified one. It's not clearly stated.

 

For example, the description of Pledge $250 or more says it includes Previous reward tier + ... so it should include the beta key, but the graphics for this tier does not mention it.

 

Well, any tier above $140 includes a Collectors Box. So by Update #4 we would expect to get a beta key, if we pledge at least $140. But, sorry to insist, it's improperly announced.

 

On the other hand, Obsidian does not want us to downgrade our pledge to get a beta key, won't they?

[Cantousent]

I love Steam. I've never had a problem running any game on my computers. I tend to update my computers regularly each an oem os I purchase at that time. I save a lot of info from the old systems, but I never worry about Steam games because I can just download them. This is something that I've done many many times. Yeah, it's probably intrusive, but it sure as hell beats the Diablo 3 setup, which I've come to loathe. Steam might have to be running while I play, but at least I don't have to be signed onto a server the whole time.

 

All that said, this makes it certain I'll be pledging more money sometime this week.

[pedroantonio]

I have a question about the Addons thing; the first day I pledged $60 but I choose the $35 tier, because it was the only digital tier available then.

 

If I have understood it well, If I left my pledge as it is ($60 pledge, $35 tier), I will obtain the $35 tier and a second digital copy. Is that correct?

Edited September 19, 2012 by pedroantonio

[Alvin Nelson]

correct.

[Raedwulf]

If I have understood it well, If I left my pledge as it is ($60 pledge, $35 tier), I will obtain the $35 tier and a second digital copy. Is that correct?

 

Well, according to the example given in Update #4, you're correct: For instance, if you are at the $35 Pledge level and want to add one Digital Download, you would enter $60 as your total pledge.

[Lexx]

Wait, is the beta key only for $140? What about the $250+? Coz I'd like to get a beta key too. :>

[Tale]

Wait, is the beta key only for $140? What about the $250+? Coz I'd like to get a beta key too. :>

The way they said it made it sound as if it was tied to the Collector's Edition. Even if I read that wrong, I can't see them applying such a limitation.

[tehOriman]

I'm not sure why people care so much about Steam vs GOG, because Steam only has DRM to confirm you bought the product, then whatever the developer decides to add to it, nothing more or less. So the only difference is that you won't have the installer on your computer, which having a Steam installer is generally easier. But more power to you all.

 

Also, when do we get our forum VIP badges?

[Lexx]

Well, you always need steam to install / run the game. On GOG, you download it and be done unless you have to redownload the setup file because of whatever reason.

 

Forum badges most likely not before the ks is completed.

Edited September 19, 2012 by Lexx

[NoxNoctum]

So is GOG going to be cool with selling a full priced game? I hope this doesn't mean PE will be budget priced at release.

 

BTW, might want to update KS page, I don't see beta mentioned at the $140 tier.

Edited September 19, 2012 by NoxNoctum

[Pop]

Yeah, they announced plans to include full-price games awhile ago, they just haven't featured much (any?) yet

[Raedwulf]

Yeah, they announced plans to include full-price games awhile ago, they just haven't featured much (any?) yet

 

At least one: Witcher 2

[IEfan]

Please people, don't start the Steam vs GoG - debate again now that it's granted. I'm a little disapointed when i learned from this topic that it's the Kickstarters that are really anti-gog but now, what can you do.

 

Though I want to blurt quickly to you guys that Obsidian IS taking a risk putting it on GoG since there won't be any guarantee if people will either buy it or get it from through torrents or rapidly uploaded to rapidshare et all. Think about it.

Also, to quickly blurt another perspective: the industry is pr much in a state where piracy is seriously cannibalizing sales so you really can seriously argue that Steam IS a little price to pay for the service... because it could seriously be much worse with a tighter noose on consumer's (PC gamers!) neck (possibly no pc games developed over console ones). And if you've read about Steam, you should know that despite it's shortcomings sometimes, it's run by nerds as well so it's a little hard for me to believe that their greatest intention is to FOOL YOU GAMERS. They've made it pretty clear on several occasions that they have no plans to sell their company to bigger firms eg EA.

 

Sorry for the hit-and-run - commentary though but this steam vs gog debate should seriously be elsewhere than in Update #4 topic! and you should also read about it more from all perspectives from various sources in the internet and otherwise.

 

Now, let's hope for answers to the questions in this topic...

 

EDIT: now that i think about it, IDK if it goes like this but it almost seems like that translations might be necessary to announce during the pledge so that you could even GET money out of consumers/possible fans of Obsidian from countries like eg. russia where you can get any game pirated either through internet or even physically in the market a couple days before the game is even released in the country.

It's like fighting a losing war, can you get the money out before it becomes easy to get through other ways. The only hope really is that gamers WILL buy it from places like GoG or Steam.

 

But yeah, this from sales perspective. Maybe games like these had to be followed by their actual sales AND by how much it got pirated by different parts of the world so that the real demand for genre/type of games/the spiritual successor can be realistically estimated.

 

EDIT: Somebody in the comments - section also mentions that the Pledge 25 dollars (digital download through Steam) needs to be changed to Steam and GoG. Just a fyi

Edited September 19, 2012 by IEfan

[Ink Blot]

Holy crap. OBSIDIAN. Guys. Project Eternity on GOG DRM-free?!! You guys absolutely freaking rock! Take my monies. All of them. Thank you for listening to all of us that were requesting this. This is really, really great. Thank you and thank you again.

[BMacklin]

This update was just what I was hoping for. Thanks, Obsidian!