Posted May 24, 2021
ChrisG_
Is in the middle of nowhere.
Registered: Apr 2012
From Faroe Islands
Orkhepaj
SuperStraight Win10 Groomer Smasher
Registered: Apr 2012
From Hungary
ChrisG_
Is in the middle of nowhere.
Registered: Apr 2012
From Faroe Islands
KetobaK
New User
Registered: Jul 2013
From Argentina
Posted May 24, 2021
There it always be people like that, that will pirate or share something, but add a password or any other DRM it won't stop the piracy just will bother legit customers tgat give you money, I don't purchase games because it's a game I want to play (there are toons of places where you can get it "for free"), but because I want to support the studio that make those games and support the store, I never share my installers, I use it as a back up for myself, if GOG trust in my as a customer and don't bother me with a shitty DRM, I have to respond in the same way a be a trusty customer.
NuffCatnip
New User
Registered: Apr 2015
From Germany
Posted May 24, 2021
Post edited May 24, 2021 by NuffCatnip
OldOldGamer
It's me!
Registered: Sep 2009
From United Kingdom
Posted May 24, 2021
LoL ... this thread is a threat of GOG existence itself.
I remember... well, quite some time ago, articles from GOG management that were actually highlighting how the DRM free policy was in itself anti-piracy, prising high sales.
Perhaps long days gone as the game quality is dropping dramatically on this store.
I remember... well, quite some time ago, articles from GOG management that were actually highlighting how the DRM free policy was in itself anti-piracy, prising high sales.
Perhaps long days gone as the game quality is dropping dramatically on this store.
InkPanther
Registered: Sep 2008
From Poland
Posted May 24, 2021
low rated
If I understand the idea correctly, it would be like a watermark in an ebook. It doesn't do anything to control or prevent users from using them normally, but if somebody is clueless enough to share it in public, it has information needed to connect it with an account in a store
Is watermark, understand in that sense, a DRM? Perhaps? It wouldn't affect me in any way, so I don't care. But I don't think it's feasible for GOG, as it would require creation of installers on demand (to include watermarks) every time somebody wants to download a game.
And I must say this knee-jerk reaction with downvoting OP instead of simply discussing the idea is not cool.
Is watermark, understand in that sense, a DRM? Perhaps? It wouldn't affect me in any way, so I don't care. But I don't think it's feasible for GOG, as it would require creation of installers on demand (to include watermarks) every time somebody wants to download a game.
And I must say this knee-jerk reaction with downvoting OP instead of simply discussing the idea is not cool.
patrikc
Get lost back to Vienna!
Registered: Dec 2013
From Other
Posted May 24, 2021
high rated
Simply bringing this up any further would be a waste of time, especially here. Nothing of the sort (key-check, watermark, whatever) should ever come close to the offline installers. Instead, GOG should keep them up-to-date, not treat them as an afterthought. Now that is worthy of debating, not some protection scheme. Focus on how to make the customers happy, not on how to push them away from your platform.
Lord_Kane
Leaf Kaigai Nikki
Registered: Mar 2009
From Canada
Posted May 25, 2021
so steam is so desperate for shills they are paying people from Iraq eh?
UnashamedWeeb
Clueless Engineer
Registered: Jun 2020
From Canada
Posted May 25, 2021
That is GOG's issue, not ours. Others have done a good job scrutinizing this idea as DRM and its shortcomings.
The underlying issue OP has brought up is how to further encourage gamedevs to publish on GOG.
Gamedevs / publishers should be running their own analyses to understand if GOG is right for their products. If the initial publishing and maintenance costs of putting their games on here outweighs their metrics for economic benefit, then there's not much GOG can do except to keep growing its market share or restructure so that the gamedevs can reconsider and re-evaluate their position. The immense profit / customer base to gain for any product outweighs any piracy risks or investor concerns as long as the metrics and expectations can be exceeded.
The underlying issue OP has brought up is how to further encourage gamedevs to publish on GOG.
Gamedevs / publishers should be running their own analyses to understand if GOG is right for their products. If the initial publishing and maintenance costs of putting their games on here outweighs their metrics for economic benefit, then there's not much GOG can do except to keep growing its market share or restructure so that the gamedevs can reconsider and re-evaluate their position. The immense profit / customer base to gain for any product outweighs any piracy risks or investor concerns as long as the metrics and expectations can be exceeded.
Ryan333
Classic Crusader
Registered: Sep 2008
From United States
Posted May 25, 2021
high rated
First off, what you're proposing is the very definition of DRM. So: NO.
And like every other form of DRM, this scheme will also be circumvented in short order. But unlike other DRM schemes, this one also has the potential consequence of "false positives" and putting false blame on innocent users. Imagine if someone created a key generator, and a key was generated that was the same as your personal -- legitimate -- unlock key. You would then get flagged as being a software pirate and criminal.
This would actually be worse than Steam/Origin/Uplay/etc. -- not only would I have to prove that I'm a legitimate user, I'd also have to constantly be faced with the threat of having to prove that I'm not an illegitimate user!
This would actually have the complete opposite effect than intended: I would completely avoid any storefront that used such a scheme and would be highly encouraged to pirate my games so that I wouldn't be subjected to possible criminal accusations for doing nothing more than legitimately purchasing a game and having some other "dude" pirate my legitimate verification key.
In this use case: legitimately purchasing a game could expose the buyer to a significantly higher chance of criminal repercussions as opposed to simply pirating the game.
And like every other form of DRM, this scheme will also be circumvented in short order. But unlike other DRM schemes, this one also has the potential consequence of "false positives" and putting false blame on innocent users. Imagine if someone created a key generator, and a key was generated that was the same as your personal -- legitimate -- unlock key. You would then get flagged as being a software pirate and criminal.
This would actually be worse than Steam/Origin/Uplay/etc. -- not only would I have to prove that I'm a legitimate user, I'd also have to constantly be faced with the threat of having to prove that I'm not an illegitimate user!
This would actually have the complete opposite effect than intended: I would completely avoid any storefront that used such a scheme and would be highly encouraged to pirate my games so that I wouldn't be subjected to possible criminal accusations for doing nothing more than legitimately purchasing a game and having some other "dude" pirate my legitimate verification key.
In this use case: legitimately purchasing a game could expose the buyer to a significantly higher chance of criminal repercussions as opposed to simply pirating the game.
PowerPCx86
New User
Registered: Mar 2020
From Iraq
Posted May 25, 2021
Ahh, sht
I'm really lazy person and these are many comments
the post gain attention more than it should be …
.
It's fine, I understand it is the ugliest idea
it's ok I'm sorry
gog will never be a DRM
I, however, meant to find solution to fight piracy and I don't mean to say that gog should become a DRM to achieve that
I hoped to see new ideas about the primary subject instead on just focusing on my bad idea
It's a terrible idea and would ruin gog I agree
didn't expect it to be good idea any way It was just an example
I hate the DRM my self, but I was surprised to see the deep hate towards the DRM from other members here honesty
and no I'm not steam spy whatsoever (wtf)
I'm really lazy person and these are many comments
the post gain attention more than it should be …
.
It's fine, I understand it is the ugliest idea
it's ok I'm sorry
gog will never be a DRM
I, however, meant to find solution to fight piracy and I don't mean to say that gog should become a DRM to achieve that
I hoped to see new ideas about the primary subject instead on just focusing on my bad idea
It's a terrible idea and would ruin gog I agree
didn't expect it to be good idea any way It was just an example
I hate the DRM my self, but I was surprised to see the deep hate towards the DRM from other members here honesty
and no I'm not steam spy whatsoever (wtf)
Post edited May 25, 2021 by PowerPCx86
UnashamedWeeb
Clueless Engineer
Registered: Jun 2020
From Canada
Posted May 25, 2021
Calling someone a shill is an easy way for some people to dismiss opinions and bypass critically thinking about the contents.
Again, fighting piracy shouldn't be the customers' responsibilities. We're already doing our part by buying games legitimately. We can only remind others to remember the humans behind the work and to support them by buying a copy, but it has limited effectiveness as some pirates already have low moral judgement.
The 2012 paper above goes into three major factors that affect what influences piracy intention based on a population distribution of a randomized campus body: affect, moral judgement, and self-efficacy affecting 64% of variance in attitudes towards piracy. In summary, pirates feel piracy is a victimless crime, society already normalizes piracy (no reason to feel guilt), and the knowledge of how to crack or download content. The findings imply pirates are going to keep on pirating. And it also suggests that companies and governments employ anti-piracy campaigns, harsher punishments on copyright infringement, restrictions on what can be downloaded, and increasing technical barriers to cracking by DRM and online registration.
[Opinion] Since GOG's business model is built on no DRM, its other options are anti-piracy campaigns and to increase the quality of the provided product to retain the honest customer pool. Provide a technically superior product (malware-free), region-based pricing, improving conveniences, great customer experience, and great support, and pirates with disposable income will have less incentives to pirate content.
Again, fighting piracy shouldn't be the customers' responsibilities. We're already doing our part by buying games legitimately. We can only remind others to remember the humans behind the work and to support them by buying a copy, but it has limited effectiveness as some pirates already have low moral judgement.
The 2012 paper above goes into three major factors that affect what influences piracy intention based on a population distribution of a randomized campus body: affect, moral judgement, and self-efficacy affecting 64% of variance in attitudes towards piracy. In summary, pirates feel piracy is a victimless crime, society already normalizes piracy (no reason to feel guilt), and the knowledge of how to crack or download content. The findings imply pirates are going to keep on pirating. And it also suggests that companies and governments employ anti-piracy campaigns, harsher punishments on copyright infringement, restrictions on what can be downloaded, and increasing technical barriers to cracking by DRM and online registration.
[Opinion] Since GOG's business model is built on no DRM, its other options are anti-piracy campaigns and to increase the quality of the provided product to retain the honest customer pool. Provide a technically superior product (malware-free), region-based pricing, improving conveniences, great customer experience, and great support, and pirates with disposable income will have less incentives to pirate content.
Vendor-Lazarus
Make GOG great again!
Registered: Jun 2019
From Sweden
tomyam80
Not-So-New User
Registered: Feb 2011
From Singapore
Posted May 25, 2021
As mentioned by many others here, adding a password or some form of unique key identifier wld b equivalent to adding DRM & basically against GOG principles. If anything, the fact that ppl actually buy their games here instead of getting it 4 free on various 'warez' sites shows that they value DRM-free games. GOG knows that & trust their customers not 2 redistribute their games, likewise GOG customers appreciate GOG 4 their trust & continues 2 buy games here.
So NO, i dun think wat u suggested necessary but nonetheless i appreciate ur suggestion as i know u r just concerned abt piracy but that isn't something that is going 2 go away even with DRM which can b cracked.
So NO, i dun think wat u suggested necessary but nonetheless i appreciate ur suggestion as i know u r just concerned abt piracy but that isn't something that is going 2 go away even with DRM which can b cracked.