Stardock, Microsoft Unveil Their Own New Anti-Piracy Methods 232
Island Dog sends news that shortly after Valve showed off their new anti-piracy methods in Steamworks, Microsoft and Stardock were quick to demonstrate their new, similar technologies as well. All three companies are bending over backwards to say that this is not traditional DRM. Stardock (the company behind the Gamer's Bill of Rights) calls their system Game Object Obfuscation (Goo), "a tool that allows developers to encapsulate their game executable into a container that includes the original executable plus Impulse Reactor, Stardock's virtual platform, into a single encrypted file. When a player runs the game for the first time, the Goo'd program lets the user enter in their email address and serial number which associates their game to that person as opposed to a piece of hardware like most activation systems do. Once validated, the game never needs to connect to the Internet again." Microsoft's update to Games for Windows Live has similar protections. "You can sign in and play your game on as many systems as possible, but you have to have a license attached to your account. Of course, this only works for online games."
Re:WoW model seems to work (Score:0, Insightful)
Re:Not traditional DRM? (Score:5, Insightful)
The ability to "steal" content unfortunately is a necessary part of it being accessable and usable.
Re:Not traditional DRM? (Score:5, Insightful)
Oh, you can steal the software, just walk into Gamest... (no, not Gamestop, my daughter manages one)... er, Best Buy and shoplift a copy. That's the only way to steal software.
You might have a hard time infringing its copyright. You would also have a hard time excersizing your right to resell what you bought and paid for, should you decide to buy it rather than shoplift.
It was smart of you to post AC, so nobody would know who the dumbass that doesn't understand the difference between stealing and infringing copyright is.
Re:Meh... (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Huh? (Score:5, Insightful)
On the other side, it's always annoying the need of connecting to internet to register an offline game.
I have friends that don't have internet access. Few years ago even I didn't. Also, an ISP subscription is an extra cost, which not everyone is willing to pay.
They should provide an alternative(which I doubt they will now).
Re:WoW model seems to work (Score:2, Insightful)
When a player runs the game for the first time, the Goo'd program lets the user enter in their email address and serial number which associates their game to that person as opposed to a piece of hardware like most activation systems do. Once validated, the game never needs to connect to the Internet again.
You need an internet connection to "associate" your email and serial to the game.
This is not intrusive either and does not prevent you from installing the game everywhere you want.
I approve.
Unless you don't have an internet connection available.
It's still DRM.
Comment removed (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Not traditional DRM? (Score:5, Insightful)
The ability to "steal" content unfortunately is a necessary part of it being accessable and usable.
Just when I'm out of mod points...
But yes, that's exactly it: if it's not usable after theft, it's probably also not usable after something else went wrong.
As far as I understand, GOO does require online activation, which means that after Stardock goed bankrupt, you probably won't be able to install it on a new machine anymore. And if you are able to install it on new machines without requiring Stardock's permission, that pretty much means you can "steal" it.
Re:Solution - Subscription Service (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Not traditional DRM? (Score:3, Insightful)
Oh, you can steal the software, just walk into [...] Best Buy and shoplift a copy. That's the only way to steal software.
Well I prefer the other way, go to the developer HQ, and take all copies of source code and art there. That's what I call software theft, why stop at a copy ?
Not a traditional DRM (Score:4, Insightful)
Not a traditional DRM
Um...sure guys. Whatever you say.
How do you define "traditional". From my end, I don't get to see the implementation details, just whether or not I can run the game/program without any hassles and maintain my anonymity. If you're forcing me to identify myself or otherwise check in with you, it's still traditional DRM.
Get a clue. If the game phones home at any point, I don't buy it.
Re:Second hand market? (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:DRM by any other name still smells of stale egg (Score:5, Insightful)
If you don't think this will be a problem, and that these games will be able to be activated online until the end of time, then you need to wake up and pay attention to the history of DRM. There are already plenty of examples of servers being shut off, leaving people without access to the media they paid for.
Or maybe you just only play modern games. That's OK, as long as you realize that a good percentage of gamers out do pick up the older stuff every once in a while.
Re:DRM by any other name still smells of stale egg (Score:3, Insightful)
Stick with used classics (Score:2, Insightful)
I'll stick to buying used classic PC games. These idiots aren't getting a dime from me!
Re:Not traditional DRM? (Score:5, Insightful)
DRM isn't about preventing piracy. It's about showing consumers who's boss.
Re:Not traditional DRM? (Score:3, Insightful)
Not sure who is being a dumbass here. Stealing and theft as English words (not as a legal concepts) apply perfectly validly to a variety of uses that have nothing to do with tangible property or depriving the victim of its use: "he stole my idea", "identity theft" etc.
That's true, but copyright infringement is only "theift" to someone wanting to load the language for political purposes. Everyone knows that "stealing an idea" isn't really stealing and that identity thieves don't become the person whose identity they've stolen, but those who call copyright infringement "theift" see no difference between stealing a CD and downloading it from Pirate Bay. Equating copyright infringement with theift is a dishonest use of language, that, may I say, only the dishonest use.
Re:This is Great! (Score:3, Insightful)
(1)Needing an internet connection to play a 1-player game
(2)Forcing me to give a company my email account when I purchase a game
(3)Being treated like I'm a criminal for wanting to play their game
Luckily for me, the more companies that adopt DRM or other anti-piracy measures, the more free games I get. If they treat me like a customer, they'll get my money. If they treat me like a thief, they won't.
Re:Not traditional DRM? (Score:3, Insightful)
Piracy isnt about avoiding DRM, its about showing the companies who's boss.
Re:Not traditional DRM? (Score:3, Insightful)
I assume you mean "remarkably effective" in the sense of the kid getting punished (and therefore being less likely to share other games in the future) rather than the sense of undoing the distribution of the already-shared game, right?
Re:Fuck you Linus and the horse you rode in on (Score:3, Insightful)
The GP is a copy/paste troll. Please ignore.
Re:Not traditional DRM? (Score:4, Insightful)
Not true. Copyright "infringement" is also about extending rights into perpetuity, crushing fair use, limiting parody and free speech, and taking away the rights of the consumer to do what they want with the stuff they own.