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Wishbone: Why in seven hells is the OP downrated? I guess I qualify as a GOG fanboy as much as anybody here, but I see absolutely nothing unreasonable in anything the OP has to say in any of his posts in the thread.
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Ancient-Red-Dragon: The OP is saying that the Steam DRM is fine. It's not. He's wrong about that.
He is saying, quite explicitly I might add, that for him Steam's DRM does not present any problems. He is not making any blanket statements about the objective merits of DRM, he is simply relating his experience with it. Read it again:
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phutchins: I rarely have any DRM problems in my many Steam\EA games. I buy, install and click game to run.
With GOG its the exact same. DRM free just doesn't come into play (for me).
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Ancient-Red-Dragon: The OP is saying that the Steam DRM is fine. It's not. He's wrong about that.

On the other hand, he does have a point about how some devs need to stop treating GOG customers like citizen-class citizens by delaying and/or just not ever releasing patches for GOG versions of their games.

But the second point still does not make the Steam DRM okay. It will never be okay, and therefore GOG will always be superior - until if/when GOG abandons their no-DRM policy.
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mechmouse: Steam's DRM is fine, for him.

Steam's DRM for most users, most of the time is transparent.

Its a bit like asking a White, heterosexual male if they've experienced sexism or racism. It is highly unlikely they'll say yes, but that doesn't mean there isn't problems with the system, its just doesn't affect them directly.
Which is an issue. I mean, I'm kinda fine with the steam drm which can be bypassed very easily, so if a game gets released only there, I can purchase and make it "drm free", but the real issue are how most people are either ignorant or don't care about drm and other similar shite (denuvo) in general, THAT is disturbing. This way of thinking helps the cancerous pubblishers like EA, WB, SE and so on to release games with denuvo, yet people defend it, calling everyone against drm a pirate ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ .
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mechmouse: Steam's DRM is fine, for him.

Steam's DRM for most users, most of the time is transparent.

Its a bit like asking a White, heterosexual male if they've experienced sexism or racism. It is highly unlikely they'll say yes, but that doesn't mean there isn't problems with the system, its just doesn't affect them directly.
At least, unlike racism/sexism, internet coverage is not generally going backwards, it's mostly moving forward. Sure, we're not all there yet (particularly some parts of the world), but, kind of like electric cars, we're definitely headed that way.
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mechmouse: Steam's DRM is fine, for him.

Steam's DRM for most users, most of the time is transparent.

Its a bit like asking a White, heterosexual male if they've experienced sexism or racism. It is highly unlikely they'll say yes, but that doesn't mean there isn't problems with the system, its just doesn't affect them directly.
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Pheace: At least, unlike racism/sexism, internet coverage is not generally going backwards, it's mostly moving forward. Sure, we're not all there yet (particularly some parts of the world), but, kind of like electric cars, we're definitely headed that way.
Pheace,
Access to internet isn't the issue.

Its the final control of your software being out of your hands, heck even out of the hands of the publishers, but in the hands of a single company.

VALVe have a very narrow definition of access rights, deviate from that and Steams DRM becomes an issue..
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mechmouse: Pheace,
Access to internet isn't the issue.

Its the final control of your software being out of your hands, heck even out of the hands of the publishers, but in the hands of a single company.

VALVe have a very narrow definition of access rights, deviate from that and Steams DRM becomes an issue..
Yes it is the issue. Not all of the issue. You're correct, game preservation (and control) is a thing. But when talking about people's "problems" with DRM, mostly you're talking about people who are having problems playing their games because of DRM and the bulk of those problems are generally internet related. No internet, no game.

Game preservation, in comparison, while a valid concern, is a much smaller part of people's concerns with DRM. It's one of those threads you see once in a while, while the bulk of the DRM complaint threads are about more direct problems.

And yes, that's because "control" is somewhere else, and that's an annoyance, but in most cases, for people who do have good internet, it's a problem that rarely ever pops up. (For instance every time I've made that argument, rather than saying the problem with DRM is elsewhere, people started complaining not everyone has good internet (yet), hence back to my original point)

TLDR: Most people don't care "control" of a game is not theirs, they care whether it turns out to bite them or not. And most of the biting complaints involve people with bad/no internet.
Post edited September 13, 2017 by Pheace
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mechmouse: Pheace,
Access to internet isn't the issue.

Its the final control of your software being out of your hands, heck even out of the hands of the publishers, but in the hands of a single company.

VALVe have a very narrow definition of access rights, deviate from that and Steams DRM becomes an issue..
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Pheace: Yes it is the issue. Not all of the issue. You're correct, game preservation (and control) is a thing. But when talking about people's "problems" with DRM, mostly you're talking about people who are having problems playing their games because of DRM and the bulk of those problems are generally internet related. No internet, no game.

Game preservation, in comparison, while a valid concern, is a much smaller part of people's concerns with DRM. It's one of those threads you see once in a while, while the bulk of the DRM complaint threads are about more direct problems.

And yes, that's because "control" is somewhere else, and that's an annoyance, but in most cases, for people who do have good internet, it's a problem that rarely ever pops up. (This is usually where people start complaining not everyone has good internet, hence back to my original point)
It rarely pop's up because most Steam users fit very snugly in the single, white, heterosexual male category. And for every one of those that deviates and settles down, they're replaced buy 2 more come of age single, white, heterosexual males.

Yes dodgy or no internet is the most obvious issue of DRM.

But for what I was saying about the OP not having a problem with Steam, and countering Red Dragon's "attack" against the OP, is that for the vast majority of Steam users they fit into a specific category.

How they use Steam, does not cause them issue (unless their internet goes down). So from their perspective there is no issue with the system. Just like single, white, heterosexual males for most work environments, if your not being affected by an issue it can be easier to dismiss it.

I'm not talking about those militant Steam supporters that believe almost every game on Pirate bay comes from GoG, but most users don't have issues.
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phutchins: ... Is the DRM free really that useful that many are okay with delay patches (and no show of concern by GOG)? ...
I can understand that some people might think otherwise but for me, yes it is. The thing is that I hardly have time to play a game immediately right now. I rather play them much later. This way delayed patches are not so much of a problem as long as the delay is not too bad, but also DRM becomes more important too because I may still want to play one or more years from now. I just love the idea, the freedom that it gives to me. I love the freedom.

With Steam I had some problems in offline mode not being offline and constantly nagging me about stuff, but that was years ago and in general I could always resolve them. So for any practical purpose (patches and DRM), Steam and GOG are right now very similar but I still prefer GOG.
Asides from joining gaming sessons with friends which were more of chore at the worst of times, GOG has been running like a dream. Since it has come out of beta it has adressed alot of issues I have been having with it like a lack of screen shot button amoung other things.

There is still some rough areas that need polishing (I hate that I cannot copy words in or out of posts to correct them nor does it offer any way to check that my spelling is ok) But I say it is a pretty great platform.
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timppu: If modern game developers don't want to make their own multiplayer (matchmaking etc.) service for their games but expect the store selling their game provide it (be it Steam, Galaxy, EA Origin or whatever), then those really are the only two options: either the GOG version uses Galaxy for the multiplayer part, or it doesn't have any multiplayer.
False dichotomy. GOG *could* provide a DRM-free matchmaking service that isn't tied to Galaxy.
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Breja: Barely anyone is these days. It pisses me off to no end that when meeting with my friends they tend to spend most times staring at their phones, doing everything with this or other social app but actually paying attention to the other people in the room.
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kbnrylaec: The Pace of Modern Life
https://xkcd.com/1227/
Wow, that was a long read! Why does it end in 1915 though?
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Breja:
I suppose the quote from 1906 is the best equivalent (though I'm pretty sure it was 100 times less un-social back then).
Post edited September 13, 2017 by BlackThorny
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phutchins: So I tried GOG when I bought Ashes of the Singularity, thought I try out a Steam competitor.

Yet I see no advantageous, and with long delays for patches and split in-game communities I feel I made a mistake. I really wish I had bought it on Steam, they been playing the new update for weeks.

Is the DRM free really that useful that many are okay with delay patches (and no show of concern by GOG)?

I rarely have any DRM problems in my many Steam\EA games. I buy, install and click game to run.
With GOG its the exact same. DRM free just doesn't come into play (for me).
The only difference is patches on GOG, and it seems for all GOG games, seem delayed for a very long period.

I am assuming GOG is for people who, for whatever reason, push the DRM limits and our willing to forgive the other problems GOG brings to the table. Or maybe they are just Steam haters?

But I am excited by this new update (2.4) and it irritating to not have it when I am suppose to own it. To be stuck watching videos... for weeks...

Do other games have there patches delayed by weeks too, I have seen similiar comments in a few forums. Is this the exception or rule? Whats the longest wait you been subjected too?
Hey there.

1. Game devs purposefully delay patches/updates to GOG, either out of boredom, or to indirectly compel gamers use Steam, more. Yet yes, having something DRM Free is *that* useful. I myself am perfectly fine with and willing to: a. Pay a steeper price b. Wait for updates/patches c. Stomach an oppressive environment and a one sided, censoring community BUT: Get a game i can use and even burn into a disc, without DRM!

2. GOG stuff tweaks games, in order for them to be playable in modern systems. Keeps taking care of their property. Steam and Origin, on the other hand, merely dump them into their store page and leave them dissolve to dust... Once, i got a free game on origin, "on the house". It was so buggy (old game), that it was simply unplayable. The GOG version of the same game, though, worked great. I never regret purchasing it! I even supported some decent, hard-working, honest folks!

3. GOG support, works and they reply fast, 97% of the time providing you with WORKING solutions, too! "Steam Support" = almost a meme level joke of epic proportions (i personally never got even a single RELATIVE answer to my game issue i have ever opened a ticket for).

4. DRM-FREE is a revolution. We lost some battles down the road (fair pricing system, cough!), yet still, gog people do their best to offer us nice perks (like free wallet money for certain purchases). The bigger war is what matters. DRM-FREE gaming will never be defeated, it is here to stay and has already been established and grossing out! DRM-FREE gaming, can even turn dedicated pirates into sober buyers agains; and no mistake yarrr!
Post edited September 13, 2017 by KiNgBrAdLeY7
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mechmouse: Its a bit like asking a White, heterosexual male if they've experienced sexism or racism. It is highly unlikely they'll say yes, but that doesn't mean there isn't problems with the system, its just doesn't affect them directly.
Um 192 documented instances since I moved to Charlotte in 1991. Many of them concerning our local bus service. More than that actually as I stopped reporting them last year.

And a friendly reminder I'm a male victim of domestic violence. Spent 6 weeks in a coma thanks to that right after Christmas 1999. Ex was able to live openly in Charlotte for 8.5 years after that with 19 outstanding warrants, 12 of them felonies. 108 complaints pertaining to her. Never looked into the matter until I finally got someone at the state level (edit: And that took them 8 years) to pay attention and all they did was suggest she leave town.

Steam DRM is not fine for me. When I'm at the library, I can see the Steam website and make a purchase. Can't download or verify whatever they use for DRM as the library has those IPs blocked. I don't have internet at home.

edit: And yes, I pirate. I'll admit it.
Post edited September 13, 2017 by drmike
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AB2012: I'm not confusing anything and have personal experience in dealing with IP media licensing for work. "Revoking a license" between publisher and distributor doesn't work retroactively back to every end user who's ever used the store. The publisher can scream and shout "I want everyone who's ever purchased a copy of my product from X store to destroy it because I no longer want to sell new copies to other people via same store" as some T&C / EULA / license change, and it wouldn't even get to court, let alone be laughed out of it because:-

1. The publisher has already agreed that removed games remain in the accounts of existing customers in their contract with GOG / Steam, and changing their mind is simply a breach of contract, and

2. EULA's with stupid / unreasonable demands that contradict national law (eg, First Sale Doctrine, Berne Convention, etc, that do put some limits on what copyright owners can demand after the first sale) do not have any legal merit in general. This is also why they cannot "demand" you be prevented from reselling legal physical books, CD's, DVD's, etc, on Ebay. There is no legal mechanism where a company can retroactively demand the "customers of its customers" destroy their own legally purchased products years after they bought them simply because they don't want to sell the product to new customers anymore. They can pull the product from the market, but they cannot legally demand post-sale "private book burnings", physical or digital.

As I said, when a game you own gets pulled from GOG it remains in your account and you can continue to re-install, re-download and play it to your hearts content. This isn't opinion, it's a basic statement of fact. Feel free to contact GOG support if you require clarification "from the horses mouth".
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amok: When a store is no longer allowed to sell a game, no licenses has actually been revoked. it is two different things
Interesting, you seem to be confused by the issue. What you said here is not what you said up above. And I quote:
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amok: If there is some license quarrels here on gOg, they can also revoke the license and remove it from your library. You are then meant to delete the game from your own HD, as you now longer have a license to play that game
That post is absurdly incorrect, not just in the sense that no court would ever align with your... "peculiar" interpretation of copyright laws, but also that it is not a description of how GOG acted every time the license's owner had a game removed.

I once bought the Wallace&Gromit games, which are not for sale anymore after Telltale decided not to renew their right to the characters. I can still download those games. GOG did not remove them from my shelf, much less ask me to delete my installers.

My copies of Duke Nukem and XIII are as accessible as they've ever been, too. You can ask anybody who ever bought a Forza, Collin McRae or ARMA game here on GOG whether they can still download it.

Also, a bunch of times GOG put up goodbye promos for games that were about to be removed. Presumably because they wanted more people to own them before they remove the games from shelves and ask for deletion of installers, right? /sarcasm

Oh well. At least your last post is correct, even if it contradicts the first.
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timppu: If modern game developers don't want to make their own multiplayer (matchmaking etc.) service for their games but expect the store selling their game provide it (be it Steam, Galaxy, EA Origin or whatever), then those really are the only two options: either the GOG version uses Galaxy for the multiplayer part, or it doesn't have any multiplayer.
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clarry: False dichotomy. GOG *could* provide a DRM-free matchmaking service that isn't tied to Galaxy.
Controlled, ranked, and moderated multiplayer system requires a method to uniquely identify individuals. That either means using a CD key or a license tied to an account.
low rated
For some reason, every time I see the name of this thread I think of that famous "Leave Brittney alone!" YouTube clip.