What exactly is DRM?

[joelthezombie15]

I was talking to my cousin about gaming and what not and we got to drm and i couldnt remember exactly what it is and why its bad. Isnt it a type of anti piracy?

[nishank93]

DRM (Digital Rights Management) allows the publisher of a software to control how one is able to use it in certain ways after it has been sold to the customer. It ranges from things like limiting second installs of software to always-on verification of users (and even manipulation of software function). Whether or not it is a good thing is debatable.

[joelthezombie15]

DRM (Digital Rights Management) allows the publisher of a software to control how one is able to use it in certain ways after it has been sold to the customer.

So how exactly does it adversly affect game play?

[nishank93]

So how exactly does it adversly affect game play?

It doesn't affect gameplay directly, but it may for example not allow you to play the game, or take away certain aspects of things you can do in the game (specific to you because the publisher thought you had too powerful a sword or something like that). It originally came about to monitor piracy, but now, people like Blizzard use it for many many things.

[Minjon]

Its a very bad thing that needs to die....

[joelthezombie15]

It doesn't affect gameplay directly, but it may for example not allow you to play the game, or take away certain aspects of things you can do in the game (specific to you because the publisher thought you had too powerful a sword or something like that). It originally came about to monitor piracy, but now, people like Blizzard use it for many many things.

Okay thanks

[Snickerzz]

Steam for example would be a type of DRM, have you ever installed a game and a pop up from secuROM asked for the product key to activate it, thats also DRM. understand? c:

[felixbearpig]

good old games said it best

"DRM, also called copy protection, tries to control you and your games. We don’t believe in that - all of the games on GOG.com come without any DRM at all!"

[Snickerzz]

good old games said it best

"DRM, also called copy protection, tries to control you and your games. We don’t believe in that - all of the games on GOG.com come without any DRM at all!"

same with humble bundle games :)

[joelthezombie15]

good old games said it best

"DRM, also called copy protection, tries to control you and your games. We don’t believe in that - all of the games on GOG.com come without any DRM at all!"

Okay, thanks

[Topido]

Its a very bad thing that needs to die....

 

So you want them to close steam? Steam is Digital Rights Management.

[Blade of Grass]

Good article explaining what it actually is/how it works.

http://netforbeginners.about.com/od/d/f/What-Is-DRM-Digital-Rights-Management.htm

[joelthezombie15]

Good article explaining what it actually is/how it works.

http://netforbeginners.about.com/od/d/f/What-Is-DRM-Digital-Rights-Management.htm

Thank you

[Minjon]

So you want them to close steam? Steam is Digital Rights Management.

Its a platform where i can install my game as on many computers i want too but it is some kind of DRM, the DRM i want to go is securom and GWFL.

[rashdanml]

So you want them to close steam? Steam is Digital Rights Management.

Steam is far less draconian than most. At least Steam allows you to play singleplayer//offline games without having to sign into Steam. Some DRM have required "always online" to play singleplayer games, which was later removed.

 

Steam is still a DRM in the sense that you need the Steam client to play games. It's not very restrictive.

[Topido]

Steam is far less draconian than most. At least Steam allows you to play singleplayer//offline games without having to sign into Steam. Some DRM have required "always online" to play singleplayer games, which was later removed.

 

Steam is still a DRM in the sense that you need the Steam client to play games. It's not very restrictive.

Its a platform where i can install my game as on many computers i want too but it is some kind of DRM, the DRM i want to go is securom and GWFL.

 

I know, but he said DRM needs to die. He never said which DRM. Sorry for the confusion.

[Minjon]

I know, but he said DRM needs to die. He never said which DRM. Sorry for the confusion.

I should have worded it intrusive drm.... no worries mate :)

[jbr]

Comparing what there was in the 80's, the protection there is now is minimal.

 

Codewheels,  manuals printed on purple paper with black ink to prevent photocopying,  being forced to look up words in manuals [Page XX, Paragraph XXX, Line XX,  XX word]  to get a game to run.

dongles,.......

 

Trust me, DRM today is childs play compared to the old days.

 

 

http://royal.pingdom.com/2009/08/26/wacky-copy-protection-methods-from-the-good-old-days/

[SteepGnomeKing]

DRM as other have said is Digital Right Management. Its a copy and usage protection so the object in question does not get used in a way that the developer did not want or intend. 

 

It 'stops' copies of games and movies from being created and distributed to the public for free. Other ways is it can request check ins so you have to be connected to the internet in order to play said that game.

 

Some games this does negatively effect and does change how the game is made. Sim City for example required online connectivity for the save files and check ins in order to play.

Another game that got hit badly with because of DRM was in fact a company who is strongly against DRM Witcher 2. On release the game was plagued with errors and long load times because of DRM. Once they removed all DRM in a later patch load times were increased and even in game fps was increased.

 

Games have multiple types of DRM included that can cause long load times because the game has to do a check to make sure it is a legit copy of the game. Crysis 3 has this feature in it.

 

DRM only hurts the people who buy the object legitimately because for those who steal it have all the DRM removed and are unaffected. The only thing DRM does is increase the time it takes to crack a game from the release hour to the next day.

 

Source: Wiki, Self