DRM, Anti-Piracy & COD

[Flying Colander]

I am hoping someone official can clarify how DRM will be handled in Cliffs of Dover.

I searched on DRM, Steam and Solidshield but found nothing on 1C.

At UBI (http://il-2-sturmovik.ubi.com/cliffs-of-dovers/blog/uk/?p=1162), however, an Admin posted this:

"IL2 Sturmovik: Cliff of Dover (sic) will use the SolidShield DRM solution. SolidShield features a flexible activation process and allows for up to 3 simultaneous game installs.

Please note that the game will also use the Steam platform for services such as matchmaking, anti-cheat etc… So you will need a Steam account to play the game."

If one doesn't require "matchmaking, anti-cheat, etc...", why are we being required to use Steam?

Unfortunately, the UBI forum quickly devolves into an uninformative rant between anti-Steam and pro-Steam voices.

Being an off-liner, I have never used Steam. Is it really an anti-piracy tool, or just a distribution model, or both? I very much want Oleg & Company to be able to protect their investment, and to profit and thrive so they can continue the development of this extraordinary simulation.

However, I am a little apprehensive about Steam as the discussion around it are quite heated with a majority of the forum contributors ready to fore go buying Cliffs of Dover in protest.

The objections center upon:

Steam's invasive design ("users agree that Valve may collect aggregate information, individual information, and personally identifiable information")

Steam consuming PC resources in what will already be an resource intensive game

Steam's long term viability turning your purchased software into a rental. Steam Valve will eventually go the way of LucasArts, Spectrum Holobyte, Jane’s, Dynamix, Sierra, Microprose, and even Microsoft's Aces Studio of three decades.

Finally, many seem to think that DRM generally fails to protect copyright holders and only frustrates legal buyers of the software.

These all seem to be legitimate concerns.

Can someone better educate me? Official guidance would also be appreciated.

Thank you.

[zipper]

My guess is that it will be handled on Steam the same way they handle 1946.

And how's that you ask? I believe (I'm not a Steamer) they provide all the usual Steam services (because you have to have an account to buy from them) BUT that they don't handle the DRM. And yet they still require a Steam account ...


http://il-2-sturmovik.ubi.com/cliffs-of-dovers/blog/uk/?p=1162

[zauii]

My guess is that it will be handled on Steam the same way they handle 1946.

And how's that you ask? I believe (I'm not a Steamer) they provide all the usual Steam services (because you have to have an account to buy from them) BUT that they don't handle the DRM. And yet they still require a Steam account ...


http://il-2-sturmovik.ubi.com/cliffs-of-dovers/blog/uk/?p=1162

Steam in itself is a form of DRM, even if it uses Solidshield in combination.

[Les]

The latest official UBI information says the boxed versions will have more limited Steam integration and functionality than the downloadable version(s?).

The Steam downloadable version is probably as fully integrated into Steam as it can be.

So far, the only official word on the boxed version is that it uses Steamworks for multiplayer match-making. Whether that's really true, and what it really means for the end-user still isn't entirely clear.

[Voyager]

Long term viability and remote activation keys are an issue with all DRM forms. Steam is better positioned than most as it is now a distribution outlet, so unline Jane's, Dynamix, and many of the game development houses, it's revenue stream is separate from the games they develop.

In short, they are more comparable to BestBuy or Amazon.com. Granted, major retails do go broke and close shop, but it is less often than game development studios.

[Blackdog_kt]

The latest official UBI information says the boxed versions will have more limited Steam integration and functionality than the downloadable version(s?).

The Steam downloadable version is probably as fully integrated into Steam as it can be.

So far, the only official word on the boxed version is that it uses Steamworks for multiplayer match-making. Whether that's really true, and what it really means for the end-user still isn't entirely clear.

That's pretty much the current situation it seems. It might mean

"boxed editions don't require Steam for offline play but do require it for online play" OR

"steam is optional for boxed editions: not needed for offline play, but you can use either steam or a 3rd party server browser for multiplayer"

or whatever other combination of requirements. :confused: :-P

I guess it's wait and see at this point :grin:

[Flying Colander]

That's pretty much the current situation it seems. It might mean

"boxed editions don't require Steam for offline play but do require it for online play" OR

"steam is optional for boxed editions: not needed for offline play, but you can use either steam or a 3rd party server browser for multiplayer"

or whatever other combination of requirements.

Very well put, Black Dog. I think an official clarification right away might quell the unproductive yea-nay back and forth.

Les' comment seems the logical way to go for Ubi-1C:

.. the boxed versions will have more limited Steam integration and functionality than the downloadable version(s?).

The Steam downloadable version is probably as fully integrated into Steam as it can be.

Thanks all for your even comments.

Cheers,

Flying Colander