DRM–Something–Profit!

"Phase one, Underpants. Phase two, erm... something. Phase three, Profit!"

After playing the Duke Nukem Fovever Demo, I can see this phrase going global. Of course it originally came from SouthPark, where Gnomes are stealing Underpants in preparation of their business venture.

It works on every level, just replace the word "underpants" and you have a 2010 phrase for: "a leap of faith, into the pits of Idiocracy".

Sometime ago, WarFace used the same analogy:



In much the same way as the SouthPark episode portraits it, it goes a little like this:

Phase one install a DRM on a PC game.

Phase two ... Something.

Phase three ... profit for the PC gaming publishers.

However after several decades, it has never been able to show that it indeed makes a profit! Of course the current claim is that DRM software is supposed to stop "causal piracy"! As in a friend copying the game and giving it to a friend!

But this also assumes two things:

1) That people are unable to use the internet and "Google search" and find the files to remove the copy protection.

2) That piracy is too difficult in the first place. As we believe that people are more likely to share a pirated copy! (As in share an illegal download among friends.)

What is worse is that all security companies seem to gloss over the fact that DRMs impose, limit, and assume. DRMs target loyal customers and not those illegally downloading products. Then DRMs companies make a huge profit and claiming it a success.

Technology has a nasty habit of forgetting that at the end of the PC is an actual human being. Loyalty is a bit of a two way street, when you forget that, your customer base will be less loyal to your products. This is not a criticism about any particular DRM technology; each one is clever in its own respect. Unfortunately DRM companies just don't understand piracy's one simple trait!

Take the two current PC games that have yet to be cracked, both from Ubisoft, using the same implementation of UbiDRM (v2). Both with over 230 days of being crack free, you would think that Tom Clancy's HAWX 2 and Shaun White Skateboarding Ubisoft have it figured out!

Has sales gone up? Probably a little!

Has the company's reputation been damaged by the implementation of UbiDRM? Oh yes...

Is Ubisoft using the same implementation in any game since? Oh no...!

It shows that a DRM doesn't increase profits and that publishers know it! But in a strange coincidence, upsetting customers affects your company image, profit, and loyalty. Publishers are stuck between a rock and a hard place, and something needs to change...!

Customers First, Piracy Second, and as always a DRM should come dead last!

But what do you think?

Is it right for a publisher to use DRMs on customers?

Do publishers have a right to protect their software?

The Piracy Misconception of Multiplayer

Often the PC multiplayer is quoted as 100% safe, and that it cannot be pirated. This is normally followed by quoting some WOW stats on profitability, and then accusing developers for being stupid, for not jumping on the band wagon.

The problem with this type of genre, people tend to commit to only a few MMO's (Massively Multiplayer Online). New MMO's enter a very competitive market, so they entice with incentives, and the most common is to make it free for a period of time or completely. Because unfortunately people will not automatically jump at your product no matter how good it is.

But it is a common misconception that multiplayer games are pirate free. Most people believe because the publisher controls the server, any pirates trying to access the game will be quickly found and booted out.

But as I pointed out to one such person on twitter, "What happens if the pirates own the server? Pirates in effect become the DRM; with the power to allow access to anyone they wish!"

In fact you might be surprised to know that there are several websites that cater exactly to this. Virtual Private Networks, VPNs, sites which allow you to connect with others regardless of the illegitimate nature of the game.

For example two of the more popular VPN's are: (Games Checked on 6th June 2011)

Tunngle
Currently hosting: Minecraft, Hunted: Demon's Forge, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2, Killing Floor, Company of Heroes: Tales of Valor, Need for Speed: Most Wanted ... and many others.

planethamachi
Currently hosting: HomeFront, Portal 2, Red Alert 3, Command Conquer Generals Zero Hour, Dungeon Siege 2, RC Cars, PES, Street Fighter, FIFA 10, Operation Flash point: Red River, Gears of War ... and many others.


So why do a select handful of legal MMO's games do so well???...One word, cheaters, or more precisely, the stopping of!

People hate cheaters, not illegal downloaders, but people that cheat on games. Some avoid the public VPN threads because on unregulated servers, the other people could be cheating. It is surprisingly hard to tell sometimes, even for the servermaster, they actually have to see real footage to be sure!

Speaking with many game publishers, they all rate this as the highest feedback issue... Unfairness!

Many Game Developers tell of people who passionately scream about the unfairness of a person or even the game. That often game updates will tweak a unit's armour by barely half a point and this will be met by praise.

MMO sit in a unique position, and are not the answer to piracy. On the one hand people see the value of a "God" making sure that the balance of good and evil is fair. But on the other hand people tend to stay with the brands that they know, which means that most new MMO's will fall away quickly.

But ...what do you think?
Do multiplayer games hold the answer to illegal downloading?
Or is it that we don't want to be cheated? And will pay for the privilege?
What Multiplayer games do you play?

The exciting sets my Heart Flickering!

It's been a while since I have written a new blog ... and that's a good thing. In the small break I reflected and realised a few things; one that previous blogs where too long. And two, droning on about the facts of piracy can be a little annoying.

But we are all gamers here; this is something to cherish and to constantly talk about. So the new revised WarFace Blog is to talk about the real important stuff, gaming and gamers. And occasionally Piracy...!

Please note there are spoilers for "The Witcher 2: Assassin of Kings", quest "with Flickering Heart"


So why do I love games?

Personally if I have had a bad day, just to jump straight into a game and think of nothing else helps real life worries melt away. I suppose you could get the same effect out of any activity, sport, cooking, watching tv, or something that you like.

The only problem is that I have been around for a long time, so the latest Shooter thrills me less and less. Not to say they aren't good games and that you shouldn't enjoy them.

But as you play more games the truly great ones come less frequently. One of the greats is the newly released "The Witcher 2: The Assassin of Kings."

Apart from the many marvellous things about this game and perhaps the equal number of annoyances too. What really stood out in Witcher 2, for me, was the side quest "with Flickering Heart". This reaffirmed that games can be just as thought provoking as novels or movies.

(Spoilers)

So when Witcher 2 came out I was truly excited to play it... But what do I love about the Flickering Hearts quest? I won't go into too much detail, but you have to make a choice between a beautiful lady who is a monster? Or a normal looking man who is corrupted?

The quest revolves around murders of the village men, and these are your two suspects. Not only do you have to make a choice, and normally in video games its kill either A or B. In this case Witcher 2 is no different from many other games, but this time you never find out if you are right or wrong!

Such a well crafted sub-story within the main plot, and still I ponder with this single thought. "I am pretty sure that I got the right person... But I will never know?"

I could have just play the sub-story again from the different angle, but this time it seemed wrong. One of the benefits of saved games is that you can play the scene over and over until you are happy with the outcome.

But in this case, I really liked the fact that you do not know, the mere thought that I might have got it wrong is a ground pushing notion in video games. Normally you have the good choice and the bad one, but to have a choice were you have to convince yourself it was the right one, that is a decision!

Like all stories the best ones are the ones that have you asking questions afterward; the ones that you are sure, but can't say for certain!

And if you're wondering, who did I side with? ... A gentleman never reveals!

The question I am ending with is... what game provoked a thought with you?