Converting P:E pirated copies to game key sales without using any DRM

[cdx]

Have been trying to figure out a way to convert people who have pirated the game to buyers and this looks like an option. Sorry for the long text and the image of offensive quality, did my best to keep it short.

 

So… how about a selection screen (accessible via the main menu) with some pretty art and in-game avatars where you show off your relationship with the game (well, the way you got the key)? It would be a point of pride for anyone who has purchased a key, and an easy way for people who do not own a key to buy one.

 

What is the point of such a screen if we are not concerned about piracy? To see some nice art and feel good about yourself.

 

Something along those lines (please pay no attention to my awesomazing graphics skills):

 

 

 

It can have a few categories such as Digital KS backer, Physical KS backer, GOG or Steam (probably different labels), with different characters (or classes, or differently equipped versions of the same character). For each category there should be a male and a female to click on. Once you click, the avatar appears in slightly bigger version, in the middle of the screen, together with some descriptive text that goes with the selection* (read below). Also, there should be an easy way to purchase a game key from there ** (another note below). Such a screen would fit in with the rest of the game and could help with piracy.

 

* The idea of the text (as well as the avatar) is to show the personality of the backer / purchaser through the game world lore. For example, the text that goes with the GoG avatar selection would be something about “You are a character that does not agree to be ordered around by merchants how to use their wares. The adventuring gear you buy is of the finest quality – without protective charms that make it duller, just so other people would not try to steal it.” Ok, that was quite a bad example but you get the idea. The kickstarter backers can get text about how they plan and prepare well for adventures and that they support merchants and other adventurers. No matter which way you got your game key you should be equally proud to have it (be it as a backer, DRM-free at GoG or Steam, assuming these are all the distribution channels), so each text description and avatar representing these should be equally great, too.

 

** The more important point – there should be an easy non-intrusive way to buy a key should you want to. Clicking on an avatar that minimises the game and opens a browser is not non-intrusive. I guess the developers can figure out the technology of how to offer that. Maybe there could be additional text or small image next to the GoG and Steam sections. If you press it, it could open a window inside the game asking if you want to minimise the game and open the browser to get a game key “to gift” (just a bit less intrusive). Then either GoG or steam website could open, or even some Obsidian web platform – after all it’s selling just keys, the player already has the game running.

 

The majority of players would already have a key and just pick one of those (the last avatar you click on should stay selected even when you restart the game) and feel good about it. If you pirated the game, it is just a quick 30 sec to buy a key for that game you really, really like (provided the devs find a way to implement a process that quick and painless – paypal, google checkout, amazon payments, whatever) and then feel good about it!

 

 

Some assumptions I have made:

• The game will be pirated. – I don’t think there is any doubt about it.
• Many of the people who pirated it will like it so much that they would feel really good about buying it. – Possible, even probable, I think.
• DRM is bad / does not work – Not worth talking about.

 

 

A couple of other things:

• There could be other stuff like equipping the avatar with different gear, etc. – something like a minigame. However, this would be counterproductive as it would shift the focus. The one and only purpose of this screen should be to make you feel good about how you purchased the game. And about *how*, not *if*. (Plus the unofficial purpose of selling game keys).

• The image I put started with the idea that these would be in a cave, smaller avatars would be on something like ledges, the big one on the cave floor (bet you couldn’t have guessed that ). This is just one idea, they might as well be in a city, in a forest, anything. This could even change as the game progresses and new areas are accessed (backgrounds could be selectable once they have been unlocked – could help with people coming back to this screen, especially after the game is completed and people are pumped up and ready to buy it if they have not already, and more so after they see an amazing new selection screen).

 

Please refrain of making this a discussion about piracy in general – the goods, the bads and so on. Lets try to find a way to make P:E earn the money it should so it can fund the expansion we’ll be looking forward, P:E 2 and all other Obsidian projects. What do you think about the upsides / downsides of this idea? Could it make enough returns for the invested time / energy? What are some ways to improve it? Any good alternatives instead?

[Ristora]

I think it is a good idea, but I'm not sure that in practice it would affect the pirate community. If there were benefits, whether in game or just aesthetic, to having a legitimate copy of the game, the pirate community will find a way to tap into it regardless of whether something was purchased or not. As far as I can foresee, your solution would only benefit players who are already honest and are likely to buy the game if they find it worth while after pirating it anyway.

 

One thing I could see working is a PE server that hosts lore, items, quests that vary on a regular basis each time the player logs in. Note I said 'hosts', kind of like how diablo 3 game content within the framework intended by the developers requires the information to be kept on the development side's server. However, I don't see this as a likely scenario.

 

 I really like your idea though CDX. If I'm missing something seem to have overlooked a point you made, let me know. 

Edited April 6, 2013 by Ristora

[oneda]

You put much thought into this and it demonstrates how strongly you wish to support a bold kickstarter project such as PE.

 

I like the idea that a purchased key would be reflected through ingame interaction.

 

One problem is that this is susceptible to cracks, hacks and what not, just like any software is. Same as the very game itself.

 

I believe that piracy cannot be stopped or even controlled, but, as you suggested, it can be discouraged.

 

Ultimatley, piracy is a form of support and advertisement, as any individual or group playing a game will inevitably communicate the game experience to their peer groups which is preferable to a situation where people have no contact with the game. If the game doesn't exist in their reality, then they cannot comment on the high qualtiy of the game. Thus failing to introduce new potential financial supporters to the program.

 

I know you did not want to drift into a genreal piracy discussion and I respect that.

 

But imagine a country that is so poor that nobody could afford to spend money on a game. if all those people that somehow have access to adequate hardware would pirate that game as the only means to play the game, then you would have 1000, 10000, or 100000 people that will post their experiences through blogs, mails, etc. etc. This is an effective way to spread the word about a game.

 

Piracy will not destroy a game's potential success, but quality will ensure the maximum of potential supporters  either through hear say or financial means.

 

The  commercially most successful games have been pirated countless times but remain as milestones in gaming history because they have received so much attention. Every video game fan knows about these games because of that very reason.

 

That is why I would instead encourage the developers to focus on quality as the ultimate means to guarantee financial success.

 

Still, if there is enough time they should look at your idea and maybe consider to reward loyal customers through ingame interaction or what not. I like it.

 

 

Blessings

Edited April 6, 2013 by oneda

[lordgizka]

The only real two ways to effectively combat piracy are:

1) Game can only be played online, and the server side is being heavily utilized. Basically, be an MMO.

2) DRM is linked to actual game code. Think the game making fun of pirates, with changed dialogue, self-erasing saves, all the fun stuff.

 

Now why exactly don't all companies go nuts with the second method is a great question. Granted, it's extra work for the developer, but making a crack for such a game will always take time. Time during which some would be pirates might give up.

[necromate]

Well as Oneda said...
In my country most people either don't have the hardware to play demanding games or have the hardware and pirate, tough both category always has a collection of "worthy games to buy"

 

The only real two ways to effectively combat piracy are:

1) Game can only be played online, and the server side is being heavily utilized. Basically, be an MMO.

2) DRM is linked to actual game code. Think the game making fun of pirates, with changed dialogue, self-erasing saves, all the fun stuff.

 

Now why exactly don't all companies go nuts with the second method is a great question. Granted, it's extra work for the developer, but making a crack for such a game will always take time. Time during which some would be pirates might give up.

Both options damage the game for those who actually buy it...  they don't go nuts with the second one due to it being totally useless, 'cause there was no game that was not cracked within a week... (most are cracked BEFORE they are even released to the public, does not matter how great the drm is... hell my friend has to pirate the game he actually OWNS because the old drm does not support winVista/7, if I remember these are ubisoft titles like splinter cell)

 

Starcraft 2... they turned off the achivements today again...  I could not play for single!? player achivements...

Edited April 6, 2013 by necromate

[lordgizka]

Well as Oneda said...

In my country most people either don't have the hardware to play demanding games or have the hardware and pirate, tough both category always has a collection of "worthy games to buy"

 

The only real two ways to effectively combat piracy are:

1) Game can only be played online, and the server side is being heavily utilized. Basically, be an MMO.

2) DRM is linked to actual game code. Think the game making fun of pirates, with changed dialogue, self-erasing saves, all the fun stuff.

 

Now why exactly don't all companies go nuts with the second method is a great question. Granted, it's extra work for the developer, but making a crack for such a game will always take time. Time during which some would be pirates might give up.

Both options damage the game for those who actually buy it...  they don't go nuts with the second one due to it being totally useless, 'cause there was no game that was not cracked within a week... (most are cracked BEFORE they are even released to the public, does not matter how great the drm is... hell my friend has to pirate the game he actually OWNS because the old drm does not support winVista/7, if I remember these are ubisoft titles like splinter cell)

 

Starcraft 2... they turned off the achivements today again...  I could not play for single!? player achivements...

How exactly does making an MMO damage the game for legitimate buyers? I realize there is the atrocity that is SimCity now, but it was cracked anyway. That doesn't count as an MMO then, if it can be played offline with the client alone.

The second option is of a self-sufficient client, which always can be cracked. Do you suppose companies should simply give up? Witcher 2 was a great game, and CD Projekt were kind enough to not include DRM at all. And it had ridiculous pirate rates. Because people could pirate it. DRM can be harmless, just look at Steam. My original point was simply that increasing the number of variables that hackers have to take into account will buy time. 

[Jarmo]

2) DRM is linked to actual game code. Think the game making fun of pirates, with changed dialogue, self-erasing saves, all the fun stuff.

 

This doesn't work. When DRM is cracked the game thinks it's a legit copy and can't make fun of, or harass the pirate.

[JFSOCC]

Offering a legit option for pirates is an effective way to convert some of the pirates to your "honest" userbase. I think it's an excellent idea which has been known to work.

Now about turning your windows Genuine? If it's going to cost as much as that does, I doubt it would work. So it's essential that the pricing of the game stays decent. (which, I think it is)

[necromate]

 

Well as Oneda said...

In my country most people either don't have the hardware to play demanding games or have the hardware and pirate, tough both category always has a collection of "worthy games to buy"

 

The only real two ways to effectively combat piracy are:

1) Game can only be played online, and the server side is being heavily utilized. Basically, be an MMO.

2) DRM is linked to actual game code. Think the game making fun of pirates, with changed dialogue, self-erasing saves, all the fun stuff.

 

Now why exactly don't all companies go nuts with the second method is a great question. Granted, it's extra work for the developer, but making a crack for such a game will always take time. Time during which some would be pirates might give up.

Both options damage the game for those who actually buy it...  they don't go nuts with the second one due to it being totally useless, 'cause there was no game that was not cracked within a week... (most are cracked BEFORE they are even released to the public, does not matter how great the drm is... hell my friend has to pirate the game he actually OWNS because the old drm does not support winVista/7, if I remember these are ubisoft titles like splinter cell)

 

Starcraft 2... they turned off the achivements today again...  I could not play for single!? player achivements...

How exactly does making an MMO damage the game for legitimate buyers? I realize there is the atrocity that is SimCity now, but it was cracked anyway. That doesn't count as an MMO then, if it can be played offline with the client alone.

The second option is of a self-sufficient client, which always can be cracked. Do you suppose companies should simply give up? Witcher 2 was a great game, and CD Projekt were kind enough to not include DRM at all. And it had ridiculous pirate rates. Because people could pirate it. DRM can be harmless, just look at Steam. My original point was simply that increasing the number of variables that hackers have to take into account will buy time. 

 

sorry, I thought u meant always online gaming... like sim city or starcraft2...

Witcher 2 was, in my opinion, ruined by the reputation of witcher 1... people expected it to have issues like the original release of witcher1, so instead of buying it, they pirated it not to "waste money" on a faulty product...

 

Yes, I think companies should just give up the whole DRM thing! drm's are cracked whatsoever, mostly even before release. When it comes down to it, having a DRM or not having a DRM, does not effect pirating at all! Instead of wasting money on DRM they could improve the game or spend it on hype.

About MMOs, you can't make every game into an mmo (costs lot of money to rent/build/maintain servers). There are even a great many unofficial MMO servers with enough supporters to be nearly as enjoyable as the official.

always online gaming like starcraft2 or simcity is a valid option, but it still has so many issues, that it's absolutely out of question. lagging in single player? or throwing you back into the main menu just because the servers are full, disabling achievements mid-game... until the whole planet is covered with 100% stable high speed internet connection and the servers are ready and able to handle so many players... always online will break the game experience! (though i do not know a lot about the simcity issue... but if a cracked version is playable offline... that's even more of a scandal)

 

I'm not rooting for pirates! If people have the money to buy every game they are interested in, than they should buy it! But drm is both a waste of time to make and an offense to customers in my opinion, especially in case of single player games

Continued support,  physical extras in the retail version (small figures/map/keyrings etc, that you can show off to all those "infidel non-gamers") and a little things like this one that cdx suggested are what can counter pirates

 

oh, and Steam's success lays not in it's drm, but it's SALES ( 75% off etc, so a wider range of gamers can afford them) and continued support, steam games have to work on new operating systems, steam installs direct x for you, etc... it's very comfortable compared to piracy where people have to use the workaround methods...

also advantage to retail version/piracy: you cannot lose a steam game, it's in your online library forever...

[cdx]

As far as I can foresee, your solution would only benefit players who are already honest and are likely to buy the game if they find it worth while after pirating it anyway.

 

Exactly . This is exactly what I am aiming for.

 

Unfortunately, I guess I did not explain the whole thing correctly. There should be no content at all that is hidden from the pirates, no content to be cracked. This should exist in a pirated copy, just like in a licenced one (with an original non-duplicated key) and be fully functional.

 

Also, some clarification about how it should work:

• The game does not select anything for you or switch modes or anything. Literally all this does is put the avatar you pick (by clicking on it) and its corresponding text in the middle or the screen. You can have any type of key (backer, gog, steam), maybe you don’t have a key, it does not matter. You click on any one avatar and it goes in the middle.

 

• If you have a key, you see all the avatars, you pick yours, you look at the little avatar in the middle and read the text and you are proud and happy – that’s all this screen does for you.

 

• If you do not have a key *and* have a conscience, you feel bad. If you have curiosity, you follow a link from the game to check how much a game key is going for.
• You play the game, you love it as much as we loved BG, Fallout, P:T and all the rest, you go check that screen and *if you have the means* you buy a game key and you feel proud and happy. This is the only case where this could help and this amounts to the full usefulness of this suggestion.

 

@oneda:

Do not want to talk about piracy in general because this is a whole other debate. I have pirated P:T, BGs, Fallouts. All infinity engine games actually. I was a student, ONE game had the price of more than a month worth of rent. It was either pirating these amazing games or never having played them (and never having supported kickstarter). I own all of them now (should have put that in the beginning, I could feel some hate flaring up ). I do not care about this case of piracy. I cannot do anything about it and neither can Obsidian. *It is irrelevant.*

 

As for server-side content: that’s DRM. Whether it is useful or not it does not matter (please don’t turn the topic into a DRM: yes or NO ), there will be no DRM in P:E, as confirmed by the developers.

 

@ lordgizka:

This is not about combating piracy. It is acknowledging it and increasing returns through that.

 

@ JFSOCC:

Yes, completely agree. No-one gives the offer to a pirate to make their game legitimate. Everybody just tries to kick them down. If the offer is given, the game is great and the price is right, what then? Maybe results will be nice?

 

Please, can we kinda forget about DRM and how piracy is good or bad and try to figure out a way to inprove this suggestion (or beat it down to the ground if it deserves it) and help P:E and Obsidian get the return they deserve for all the time and effort invested?

[necromate]

hmmm, an annoying "this version of the game is not genuine" in the main menu/load menu... large red letters... no other effects whatsoever, drm free... if the pirate wants to show the game to someone else... the shame the pirate has to face each time (would work for some ppl, but some would "crack" the letters out, still I don't think reloaded or skidrow would do anything about it, even they ask players to buy the game)

load menu, to further annoy -> every time a pirate has to load a game, he faces the same not genuine letters
 

 

[cdx]

hmmm, an annoying "this version of the game is not genuine" in the main menu/load menu... large red letters... no other effects whatsoever, drm free...

 

It is a valid idea. This would get people's constant attention. The problem with it is that some groups may ignore this but others will probably remove it.

 

What is more, if we have these in the game, someone will most likely share the gog version with a key (or even keygen) and then the whole thing will be obsolete because every pirated copy will be a genuine copy that has not been paid for. I do not think there is any way around this (blocking pirates from downloading a DRM-free game).

 

To me it looks like the only option is to make pirates buy the game by their own free will (again, if they have the means, if they like the game and they have some conscience).

 

Going for that, positive motivation is in most cases more effective than negative (you get better results if you offer something good, rather than offering to avoid something bad). Offering them an opportunity to feel proud and happy about buying the game seems like a better option to "pay to avoid punishment".

 

Maybe some kind of message (on the main menu screen or lading screens, as you suggest?) congratulating the gamer for supporting a self-publishing effort, instead of a negative one? That might make a pirate somehow uncomfortable until they have actually done the good deed they take credit for?

[Wench]

Copy protection is largely pointless and only buys you time before your title is completely cracked. Pretty much doesn't matter what method is chosen the crackers will find a way to get around it. The only exceptions are always on DRM where you play on a server like say Diablo 3, or certain types of hardware based DRM that can't be emulated.

 

Having messages appear or changing content/gameplay for pirated version can backfire. Been cases where copy protection has acted on legitimate customers who when attempting to get help from the community have had the community turn on them and accuse them of being a pirate and generally being nasty and horrible. A pirated version of the game will quickly have this code disabled and will then mean that pirated users will never actually have it happen, where as legitimate customers might still manage to activate it by accident some how.

 

If you give out specific bonuses to customers based on things like where they purchased the games, it can alienate the customer who wants to get the game from one place and but wants the bonuses from another (classic preorder dlc problem). Pirates however rarely have that problem because they just get all the bonuses from all sources included and can pick and choose what they like.

 

Of course this is largely an irrelevant discussion though because we are already promised a DRM free game.

[Lysen]

I think that most of the us pirates had already bought the game via kickstarter. PE uses a different model of funding, so I don't think that piracy will affect it much anyway. It may even do some good: people who will pirate it may consider donating to the next kickstarter campaign. Some of them, at least.

[Boo's Brother Hoo]

Does it matter if its pirated?  I thought the whole purpose of this crowd funding was the customers who want to support the game paid for the game to be made.  So at the end of the day, when the game is finished, everyone involved got paid.  I'm sure they would very much prefer to make a profit as well, and a few of the top guys might make very little relatively, but I don't think they are expecting to do much in the way of sales beyond the 75,000 people they already have waiting.  Its a niche product.

 

In fact, now that I think about it, crowd funding video games makes a lot of sense.  Have your fans pay to develop it, and you mitigate risk of a loss to investment.  I actually hope it becomes a thing, maybe like "boutique" gaming, where developer units offer up various ideas to their fan base and build to order if funded, rather than trying to mass market every single game they make.

 

Edit:  I also hope it catches on with the movie and television industry.  Imagine shows and movies built for a specific set of audience with their input in mind, paid for by that audience in the first place...oh the opportunities...a Wheel of Time mini series...

Edited April 7, 2013 by Boo's Brother Hoo

[nikolokolus]

Presumably every copy of PE that gets sold via Steam or GOG will be nearly 100% pure profit for Obsidian.  There will definitely be pirates, but just judging off of CD Projeckt's sales figures vs. piracy figures for DRM free Witcher 2 there were about 5 million legit sales compared to about 4.5 million pirated copies circulated (Can't remember the source, might have been Total Biscuit?).  So are those pirated copies really lost sales?  Maybe some of them, but chances are that the pirates would have never purchased the game regardless of its DRM state.  But maybe because they released a DRM free copy of the game, that lead people to purchase that otherwise would have been offended or put off by the presence of DRM.  I know that's how I felt about Ubisoft when they had their draconian version of DRM that they only recently changed, and I refuse to purchase EA games because of Origin (and a number of other reasons)  I don't pirate their games either, but many people do out of spite for publishers that push invasive forms of DRM and sometimes people reward companies for treating customers with respect.

Edited April 7, 2013 by nikolokolus

[Jarmo]

    Do you suppose companies should simply give up? Witcher 2 was a great game, and CD Projekt were kind enough to not include DRM at all. And it had ridiculous pirate rates. Because people could pirate it.  

 

Reminds me. CD Projekt also elaborated on this one, there was a DRM free version of Witcher 2 and also a DRM'd version (as sold on discs and Steam).

It was indeed the DRM version that was immediately cracked and pirated. Now if there had been only a DRM-free version, I'm sure that's what the pirates would have shared. But it's not the lack of DRM that led to high pirate rates.

 

On another note, which I should have replied to in the first place.

The OP's idea to put in a simple "purchase a legit copy" option in the game somewhere, is a good one.

But that too shouldn't be too much in your face, because the option would also be visible to purchasers of a legit copy.

[Greydragon]

Edit:  I also hope it catches on with the movie and television industry.  Imagine shows and movies built for a specific set of audience with their input in mind, paid for by that audience in the first place...oh the opportunities...a Wheel of Time mini series...

So far all we have to show for a similar model is 'Snakes on a plane.' Lets hope that they get it right next time and develop something we can sink our teeth into. 

Edited April 7, 2013 by Greydragon

[necromate]

how about something like a construction set/monster/adventure module creator that creates half-compiled files, you have to register with a serial key online, upload your half-compiled file, the server finishes the compile process and allows the files to be downloaded/shared among serial-key-registered users. The idea is, you can only create your own mod if you have a proof of purchase. Also, cracking gangs like skidrow would not be interested in uploading/sharing thousands of small/large mods.

 

this would both encourage the community to create mods/modules/adventures and lure pirates in to buy a legit copy

 

would not affect the base game

[forfs]

If there were benefits, whether in game or just aesthetic, to having a legitimate copy of the game, the pirate community will find a way to tap into it regardless of whether something was purchased or not. As far as I can foresee, your solution would only benefit players who are already honest and are likely to buy the game if they find it worth while after pirating it anyway.

 

^This.

Hell, if I find out that, say, Physical KS backer has some benefit over any other kind of backer I will download crack and unlock it. This would be truly terrible policy to provide different experience in a single player game depending on how much money you paid for the same freaking game. And I don't want the game to tell me what kind of person I am based on how much money I spent on a video game.

Edited April 7, 2013 by forfs

[Iucounu]

I think when it comes to copy protection, this would be a pretty neat system. 

[necromate]

I think when it comes to copy protection, this would be a pretty neat system. 

would be still cracked sooner or later, and it's still an issue whether the develelopers would gain more money with or without the free hype pirates do

in addition, updates are cracked too...

I think the best solution is still something drm free that encourages pirates to buy the game and does not fill the net with angry pirates who tell everybody that "this game is broken at multiple points", that's bad for sales, could also cause issues for legal copy owners

 

but we are going off-topic, we are not looking for DRMs, but clever lures to convert pirates into legal owners

[cdx]

I am sorry for all the repetition in this post, I just really want to stress on a few points. And again, sorry for the looong text.

 

Can we please forget about any kind of DRM or copy protection? People will probably pirate the GoG DRM free version. This + a key makes it a genuine copy. *Every pirated copy will be a genuine copy which has not been paid for*. Let’s forget about possible copy protection measures as they will not be included. This has been confirmed by Obsidian.

 

As the thread title states, this is an attempt to convert a pirated copy (genuine DRM-free copy that has not been paid for) to a copy that has been paid for (exactly the same content, just it has been paid for).

 

There is no exclusive content in the suggestion. This screen (or messages) exists in all versions, behaves the same way in all versions (backer, gog, steam). Also, this is not an attempt to make people pirate the game less.

 

Any message that can appear (like: “Thank you for buying and supporting this self-published game!”) will appear in both the genuine and pirated game (as they are exactly the same thing).

 

The only concern is: How can we make the only version of the game convince people who have not paid for it to pay for it?

 

I believe this will not happen by bashing people in some way (there is only one version of the game, if you bash pirates, you are bashing buyers, too).

 

From a monetisation point of view, this works a bit like downloading a demo, then paying for the full version. But the *demo is the full version* - this cannot be avoided! People have already downloaded a legitimate copy of the game and not paid for it (this is what pirated DRM-free game is), what can we do to change their mind to pay for the game? This is what this suggestion tries to answer. No copy protection, no DRM, no exclusive content, no “pirated” and “non-pirated” version of the game.

 

Monetisation is a big thing in mobile games – there is a lesson to be learned from there. If we can just make it as easy to buy the key as it is easy to buy something inside a mobile app, many people will buy it (ok, that’s a speculation, but a founded one, as explained before).

 

@Lysen and @Boo's Brother Hoo

If you take Legend of Grimrock for example, you’ll see that an old-school game can be very popular. I think way more people than the backers will play P:E. You’re right, people who pirate it may consider to support the next kickstarter campaign. But how do we make them pay for P:E, too? This is what I am going for.

 

@nikolokolus

Please, let’s not start about piracy in general and DRM. Game will be pirated. Trying to stop that is irrelevant. DRM will not be included, so it is irrelevant, too.

 

@Jarmo

Good point about the version which was cracked. Or at least it would be in a piracy good / bad discussion that is not this thread

The “purchase legit copy” should be “purchase additional copy (or gift)”, as this is a legit game, even in a pirate’s hads (who did not pay). Backers will be reading the same thing. And good point it should not be in your face.

 

@necromate

Um, isn’t that half-compiled system a form of DRM? Makes genuine customers’ life hard by creating extra work for them… yup, it sounds like DRM.

 

@forfs

No benefit content. One version. GoGDRM-free. Legit, pirated, it is one version.

 

@necromate

“I think the best solution is still something DRM-free that encourages pirates to buy the game and does not fill the net with angry pirates who tell everybody that "this game is broken at multiple points", that's bad for sales, could also cause issues for legal copy owners

but we are going off-topic, we are not looking for DRMs, but clever lures to convert pirates into legal owners”

Yes! Yes, YES!

 

Edit: Typo and adding a couple more yes-es:)

Edited April 7, 2013 by cdx

[oneda]

Quite frankly I would have to say that Obsidian shouldnt spend any resources or time on this issue. If there are any capactities free, please just focus everything you got on the important elements of the game. All of this is negligible in terms of the games qualtiy, its success or anything else concerning the game.

 

It is like trying to teach a billion ppl to never lie. You can put them into a thousand classes and give them life and death reasons not to lie and in the end you realize all of them still lie occassionally.

 

Its like trying to count sand, create world peace or date Jessical Biel. By trying to reward those that bought a copy capacities will have to go into that reward system. I'd rather have them put a cool new Npc in the game, destroy another 100 bugs, enhance frame rate....hire another voice actor, you name it. Even one hour spent on the entire piracy thing is, in my honest opinion, a complete waste of time. Time that could have been spent way way way more effectively.

Edited April 7, 2013 by oneda

[JFSOCC]

I wouldn't make the "legit" option invasive at all. That's just a sure way to create animosity.

Just a "Support the artists! Buy a legit key" in the start menu, which is greyed out if you have a legit key.

 

You're never going to force any pirate to do what he or she doesn't want to do, so instead try to make them want to do it. It might not get you every pirate, but you'll get some, which is more than you had.