DRM: Is Steamworks The Way to Go?
Bethesda has said that Fallout: New Vegas will use Steamworks for DRM, and frankly, that sounds like a really good idea.
Wednesday Jason Bergman, Senior Producer at Bethesda Softworks, said that the upcoming game Fallout: New Vegas will use Valve's Steamworks for its digital rights management. While the mention of DRM sends a shiver of dread down our spines, this might actually be a good thing. Resulting intrusive software won't worm its way into the system's root; games won't be required to remain online so that players can experience the single-player campaign, and we won't be left with expensive drink coasters after using up all of our allowed installs.
"We’ve implemented Steamworks in as light and unobtrusive a way as possible," he reassured fans. "Yes, you will have to install Steam when you install Fallout: New Vegas if you don’t already have it. And yes, you will have to be online at the time of that initial install. However you can install the game on as many systems as you want (with no restrictions!), and you do not have to be online to play the game after your initial activation."
He goes on to say that once gamers have installed and activated the game on Steam via their account, the DVD can be discarded for good, as the digital version will be available immediately and indefinitely. Need to re-format the PC? Just download Steam again when Windows is replaced, and then re-install the game. There's no locked number of installs, and as Bergman stated, the game isn't locked to one specific Mac address. With all that said, it seems more environmentally-friendly to simply purchase the digital version.
Still, there are consumers who refuse to go digital. "If you don’t even have a DVD drive, you can just take the CD-Key from the box, enter it into Steam, and download it without ever using the disc at all," he added. Modders were also reassured that using Steam will have no effect of development--they will still be able to create and distribute their goods as they have in the past.
"We made the decision to use Steam after looking at all the various options out there and decided that it provided the best, least intrusive experience for PC gamers," he said. "We think you’ll agree."
Do you agree? Is this the best way to approach DRM without requiring limitations and compromising system stability? This seems like the best solution out there, and New Vegas might have a better chance on creating a community with Steam than with Microsoft's stagnant Games for Windows environment.
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Steam is almost to easy to use its scary. Every now and then you will get some bugs or downtime with maintenance, but its probably the most reliable DRM and system for buying games.
Agreed. Steam is "awesome-sauce". I have been using steam since it first went beta. Yes we have had issues with it in the past... but for the last few years its been working great!
(I used to be a CS (counter-strike) addict, NOW I am an MW2 addict) LOL!
Check out my knife throwing montage on my youtube channel here
www.youtube.com/delanoche21
(I am use ATI's eyefinity technology to spread my field of view (FOV) you can see on the video what im talking about)
Out of all the DRM systems out there steamworks is IMO the most reliable one, so hopefully it becomes a standard of some kind for anyone wanting to use DRM.
im quite happy to use steam's DRM for games - its damn near seamless - now what needs to happen next is that the abortion that is games for windows live gets booted out the door - the fact that a removal tool exists to get rid of GFWL should be a big enough hint that it does more harm than good
"However you can install the game on as many systems as you want (with no restrictions!)"
Wow! What an amazing new "feature". How is this superior to what I can do with a non-DRMed or cracked copy?
Definetely a great idea, For the small price of having to download steam (if they dont already have it) the customer gets a digital back up free of charge, never has to use the CD again - and the developer gets an unobtrusive DRM, this is what you call a Win \ Win deal.
I consider disks having to be in the drive too obtrusive as DRM, let alone many of the other worse systems out there, hate damaging disks unnecesarily, hate having to swap over disks etc, but Steam, thats a totally different ball game.
This solution not only offers developers protection, it gives the customer a real tangible benefit from the DRM system used.
Dear Ubisoft, do take note of this. THIS is how DRM must fly yo.
"Wow! What an amazing new "feature". How is this superior to what I can do with a non-DRMed or cracked copy?"
- well with this system the developers get some compensation for their work - and with your non-DRMed cracked copy they do not. So their model ensures developers get a pay packet and continue developing.
Does the illicit usage tracking that steam put anyone off?
All DRM no matter how reliable, unobtrusive or wonderful is still DRM.
As long as DRM doesn't affect legitimate owners then I have no problem with it. And Steam is the only one out there that gets close to that.
In using Steam ever since Half-Life 2 came out, I can honestly say if a publisher needs to have DRM I absolutely agree that Steamworks is the way to go. It's lighterweight that most DRM schemes, comes with the add-in features (such as community and chatting to friends) that Steam has, and avoids putting any far worse DRM on my system. I get my game and game studios/publishers/etc get their money.
Well, one might say that a superior option is to buy the game disc, never install it, and use a cracked copy (I often do that myself, not necessarily in that order), but if DRM must be used, STEAM does seem to be the best one available.
"Wow! What an amazing new "feature". How is this superior to what I can do with a non-DRMed or cracked copy?"- well with this system the developers get some compensation for their work - and with your non-DRMed cracked copy they do not. So their model ensures developers get a pay packet and continue developing.
Yeah, there was an "or" in that sentence you seem to have missed. You may find this hard to believe but there was a time when you could buy a game legitmately without DRM on it - occasionally you still can. My point (which evidently flew straight over your head) is that everyone is ranting about how wonderful this is, when it's still DRM and still shouldn't be condoned, even if it is the lesser of the evils available. Being able to install a game you bought on as many machines as you want should be a right not marketed as some privilege or worse, a feature.