PC Gaming Alliance's New President Talks DRM, System Requirements 163
arcticstoat writes "It's been nearly three years since the PC Gaming Alliance announced its formation at GDC 2008, promising to 'advance the PC as a worldwide gaming platform.' Since then, Activision-Blizzard has publicly left the alliance, Sony DADC – developer of the controversial SecuROM DRM software – has signed up and some people are wondering if the PCGA is really acting in the best interests of PC gamers. However, in December 2010 the alliance appointed a new president — Intel's Matt Ployhar — who's promising to make some changes. In this in-depth interview, Ployhar reveals that he wants to tempt Activision Blizzard back to the alliance, saying that 'Activision's Kotick and Blizzard's Morhaime may be more aligned with our future objectives than they may realize.' He also discusses Sony DADC's role in the alliance, and the group's stance on DRM, explaining that its research can 'really help to influence Sony DADC's and other members' awareness of key trends taking place in the PC gaming ecosystem. Given the trend of retail's diminishing presence, free-to-play, games moving towards authentication, game streaming and so on, it's really hard to divine where DRM solutions fit into this equation in the future.'"
PC Gaming Alliance is a Joke (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:PC Gaming Alliance is a Joke (Score:3, Insightful)
Why, exactly, is it such a bad idea?
I dislike it, but that's mostly because I'm a consumer. As a consumer, many things strike me as annoyances (or downright stupid) that are actually good business sense (or so I'm told). From the point of view of the corporate suits that actually run the gaming companies, I'm sure DRM looks very good: it protects their assets for a time (all they really need is for the DRM to last long enough for the first wave of purchases, which make the game a hit or not), it combats casual piracy, and it gives them a warm fuzzy feeling, kind of like taking an umbrella out into a tornado. Now, you may be saying, "But taking an umbrella out into a tornado is fucking stupid. It accomplishes nothing!", and you'd be right. But if the psychological effect is reassuring, you'll face a real uphill battle convincing the person to give up their security blanket. Or security umbrella, as the case may be.
From your and my point of view, DRM is stupid and annoying. It does nothing for us but annoy the hell out of us. It's rather quickly subverted, as well. But consider that the gaming companies aren't looking for a 100% reliable solution; they're just trying to recover as much of their profits as possible. I can't really begrudge them that, though I can (and do) resent it.
Is DRM doing what *they* want it to? They wouldn't keep using it, if it weren't, even if it merely gives them that warm fuzzy feeling. Does it seem stupid, useless, and a waste of money to you? Surely. But you need to look at it from their point of view, as well. I'm not saying that DRM is necessary or that it truly does increase revenues for them, but if it means that they'll pull out of the PC market without DRM, I'm at least willing to entertain the possibility of buying DRM-encumbered games. But as soon as it's on my hard drive, I download the no-cd, of course.
Re:PC Gaming Alliance is a Joke (Score:3, Insightful)
Sony just joined because of their draconian stance on DRM. Sony LOVES DRM.
There is a standing fact; These guys HATE the players and customers. This is why the DRM is so bad that you have to pirate it to get a good gaming experience. I have actually stopped PC gaming completely. IT's not worth it anymore. Buy a game, go searching for the cracks and irate tools so I can play the damn thing without having to be connected to the internet or have the Disc in. I gave up and now travel with a DS and a PSP which is sad because I have a killer gaming laptop.
At home I now really only play Xbox360 and Wii. Games have far more immersion on a 62" plasma than the 24" monitor, I dont have to fight or wait through a 20 minute install. put in disc and play. no register on their servers, no other crap, no entering a key code. insert disc->play. PC games can easily be this way with a install option so I dont need the disc.
PC Gaming is dead to me. and all because of the PC Gaming Alliance.
So you want to "advance the PC gaming platform"? (Score:5, Insightful)
Here's a one step path to success: Don't devalue your own games and drive people to console gaming. It is actually that simple. Allow me to tell you how this can be achived.
1. Create menus and controls that lend themselves to the way PC games can be played and are played.
It should be a no-brainer, but it is anything but that. With more and more games you don't even only "feel" like they're cheap knockoff console ports, they very obviously are. Menus that can't be sensibly navigated with a mouse because they're made for console controllers. Controls that are harebrained at best until you somehow jury-rig a game controller into your PC. That blows twice as hard if it's a game that asks for keyboard/mouse input like a FPS or RTS game.
2. Let me resell my game or at least make it cheaper than the console version.
I can resell console games. Which in turn allows me to shave about 30-50% off the price of a game because that's what a second hand sale will net me. If the PC game isn't at least 30-50% cheaper, why should I go for the PC version? Especially if the game handles as badly as the console version, because of 1).
3. Make sure it works!
Again, should be a no-brainer, but more and more games require me to jump through more and more hoops just to play. Why does it work for Steam, GOG and Impulse?
4. Don't devalue your games with pointless DRM.
Note the pointless. DRM, as much as anyone hates it, is probably a requirement to make sure at least the "playground copying" stops being a problem. Ok. We got used to having CDs in our drives, and the consoles are even on this field. The new "be online or don't play" crap certainly puts a dent into this and again favors the console as the gaming platform of choice, because it does not feature this problem. And it is nothing but a source of problems for the customer, he doesn't really have any benefit from it.
In short, if you want to promote PC gaming, don't cripple games 'til your customer rightfully thinks he's better off with a game console.
That's cute (Score:5, Insightful)
I'm a serious gamer, and have been for the past 25 years. I've played everything from text based adventures, MUDs with pseudo-ascii maps, and today's fast paced shooters. I've killed, conquered and explored from the bottom of the earth's crust to different galaxies past and future.
Yet somehow I've never heard of this PC Gaming Alliance which claims to be acting in my interest. They've never spoken to me or asked my opinion. Yet they say they represent me, the gamer.
Well you can keep your political organizations, for all they're worth. I have games to play.