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Forums - Gaming - Yet another proof that DRM does not work

Senlis on 06 February 2009

The gamers bill of right written by Stardock and Gas Powered Games

"We the Gamers of the world, in order to ensure a more enjoyable experience, establish equality between players and publishers, and promote the general welfare of our industry hereby call for the following:
 

   1. Gamers shall have the right to return games that don't work with their computers for a full refund.
   2. Gamers shall have the right to demand that games be released in a finished state.
   3. Gamers shall have the right to expect meaningful updates after a game's release.
   4. Gamers shall have the right to demand that download managers and updaters not force themselves to run or be forced to load in order to play a game.
   5. Gamers shall have the right to expect that the minimum requirements for a game will mean that the game will adequately play on that computer.
   6. Gamers shall have the right to expect that games won't install hidden drivers or other potentially harmful software without their express consent.
   7. Gamers shall have the right to re-download the latest versions of the games they own at any time.
   8. Gamers shall have the right to not be treated as potential criminals by developers or publishers.
   9. Gamers shall have the right to demand that a single-player game not force them to be connected to the Internet every time they wish to play.
  10. Gamers shall have the right that games which are installed to the hard drive shall not require a CD/DVD to remain in the drive to play."

These are the things that will stimulate the PC gaming industry.  I would not call it "saving" PC gaming because I'm not convinced it is dying.  Regardless, Stardock has been pushing for "no DRM" for a while now.




 

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famousringo on 06 February 2009
Senlis said:

The gamers bill of right written by Stardock and Gas Powered Games

"We the Gamers of the world, in order to ensure a more enjoyable experience, establish equality between players and publishers, and promote the general welfare of our industry hereby call for the following:
 

   1. Gamers shall have the right to return games that don't work with their computers for a full refund.
   2. Gamers shall have the right to demand that games be released in a finished state.
   3. Gamers shall have the right to expect meaningful updates after a game's release.
   4. Gamers shall have the right to demand that download managers and updaters not force themselves to run or be forced to load in order to play a game.
   5. Gamers shall have the right to expect that the minimum requirements for a game will mean that the game will adequately play on that computer.
   6. Gamers shall have the right to expect that games won't install hidden drivers or other potentially harmful software without their express consent.
   7. Gamers shall have the right to re-download the latest versions of the games they own at any time.
   8. Gamers shall have the right to not be treated as potential criminals by developers or publishers.
   9. Gamers shall have the right to demand that a single-player game not force them to be connected to the Internet every time they wish to play.
  10. Gamers shall have the right that games which are installed to the hard drive shall not require a CD/DVD to remain in the drive to play."

These are the things that will stimulate the PC gaming industry.  I would not call it "saving" PC gaming because I'm not convinced it is dying.  Regardless, Stardock has been pushing for "no DRM" for a while now.

*sniff*

Huh? No, just... just something in my eye...

 



"The worst part about these reviews is they are [subjective]--and their scores often depend on how drunk you got the media at a Street Fighter event."  — Mona Hamilton, Capcom Senior VP of Marketing
*Image indefinitely borrowed from BrainBoxLtd without his consent.

Alby_da_Wolf on 06 February 2009
Senlis said:

The gamers bill of right written by Stardock and Gas Powered Games

"We the Gamers of the world, in order to ensure a more enjoyable experience, establish equality between players and publishers, and promote the general welfare of our industry hereby call for the following:
 

   1. Gamers shall have the right to return games that don't work with their computers for a full refund.
   2. Gamers shall have the right to demand that games be released in a finished state.
   3. Gamers shall have the right to expect meaningful updates after a game's release.
   4. Gamers shall have the right to demand that download managers and updaters not force themselves to run or be forced to load in order to play a game.
   5. Gamers shall have the right to expect that the minimum requirements for a game will mean that the game will adequately play on that computer.
   6. Gamers shall have the right to expect that games won't install hidden drivers or other potentially harmful software without their express consent.
   7. Gamers shall have the right to re-download the latest versions of the games they own at any time.
   8. Gamers shall have the right to not be treated as potential criminals by developers or publishers.
   9. Gamers shall have the right to demand that a single-player game not force them to be connected to the Internet every time they wish to play.
  10. Gamers shall have the right that games which are installed to the hard drive shall not require a CD/DVD to remain in the drive to play."

These are the things that will stimulate the PC gaming industry.  I would not call it "saving" PC gaming because I'm not convinced it is dying.  Regardless, Stardock has been pushing for "no DRM" for a while now.

That's respect for gamers! Chapeau.

 



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TGS, Third Grade Shooter: brand new genre invented by Kevin Butler exclusively for Natal WiiToo Kinect. PEW! PEW-PEW-PEW!   


Hephaestos on 06 February 2009

games get pirated anyways.... the only thing that does work is online gaming with cd keys...

stardock is great though =)



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Soleron on 06 February 2009

Don't Gas Powered Games use software to force you to have a CD in the drive? I have Supreme Commander which does this.



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Zkuq on 06 February 2009
Soleron said:
Don't Gas Powered Games use software to force you to have a CD in the drive? I have Supreme Commander which does this.

Doesn't practically every game on the market - on any platform - need a disc? Naturally we must exclude downloadable titles. And wasn't SC published by THQ instead of Stardock?

Don't know much about Stardock but I think I like their attitude. I suppose I might actually try Sins of a Solar Empire some time...



Soleron on 06 February 2009
Zkuq said:
Soleron said:
Don't Gas Powered Games use software to force you to have a CD in the drive? I have Supreme Commander which does this.

Doesn't practically every game on the market - on any platform - need a disc? Naturally we must exclude downloadable titles. And wasn't SC published by THQ instead of Stardock?

Yes, but the game was installed the the harddrive and you could take the disc out immediately after launching. It was definetely a copy protection mechanism rather than a requirement.

And, yes, THQ published it, but how can they go and make a Gamer's Bill Of Rights including that Rule 10 if they do otherwise elesewhere?

 



Senlis on 06 February 2009

Speaking of Stardock, here is a program that you may find interesting.

http://www.neowin.net/news/main/09/02/05/neowin-review-fence-your-desktop-with-stardock-fences

@Soleron

The Gamer's Bill Of Right may have been created after that particular game. Also, #10 may have been Stardocks idea and they convinced Gas Powered Games it was a good idea to accept it.




 

Zlejedi on 06 February 2009
Avalach21 said:
who is stardock

Developer of great but a bit niche strategy games. And also owner of Impulse - digital distribution platform.

IIRC they made Sins of Solar Empire for 1000k USD and sold 500k copies.



PROUD MEMBER OF THE PSP RPG FAN CLUB

Zkuq on 06 February 2009
Soleron said:
Zkuq said:
Soleron said:
Don't Gas Powered Games use software to force you to have a CD in the drive? I have Supreme Commander which does this.

Doesn't practically every game on the market - on any platform - need a disc? Naturally we must exclude downloadable titles. And wasn't SC published by THQ instead of Stardock?

Yes, but the game was installed the the harddrive and you could take the disc out immediately after launching. It was definetely a copy protection mechanism rather than a requirement.

And, yes, THQ published it, but how can they go and make a Gamer's Bill Of Rights including that Rule 10 if they do otherwise elesewhere?

 

Well, I don't consider copy protection very bad although I'm trying to boycott DRM. It's not a big deal and it's not restricting my rights as a customer... Though it doesn't help against piracy, either. Then again, I could imagine someone selling his copy and keeping the game on the HDD. And my point about the THQ thing was that those rules were made by Stardock, not THQ, so THQ doesn't exactly have to follow them if they even existed at the time of SC's release.