Help me create the perfect DRM

[slipknot4]

Best DRM is no DRM.

Of course, if your objective involves pissing off the paying customers and having pirates everywhere laugh at it, a super hardcore DRM is great!

I agree, If a game requires constant internet connection it's broken. Take my router for example. It shuts down every 2 hours. Does that mean that i have to restart the game all the time?
Face it, people will find a way to crack the game open no matter what. They did it with AC II and they'll do it to everyone else. The only games that actually benefits from DRM's are MMO's and even they are hackable with private servers and things alike. (I know, i owned one)

 

[AlanShore]

Ultimately trying to come up with some kind of "perfect" DRM is completely pointless with the hardware architecture that we currently have and will end in it being cracked. The only difference between different DRM methods is how easy or difficult it is to beat.

I'd suggest that anyone who thinks that an unbreakable DRM scheme exists should go and research into reverse engineering and the reversing methods used. It's a fascinating subject if you can get your head around it and it will certainly change your mind on the usefulness of DRM.

 

[Mr.Amakir]

It does not mater if you have a DRM or not people will find a way to crack the game and pirate it anyway. DRM only hurts the consumers not the pirates.

 

[Raddragon]

Well, that's the problem. I cannot really be solved. Sooner or later pirated can crack any DRM and basically every copy protection.

There is one example though of copy protection that could be used, but unfortunately it also has to be online and it has only gone well with one game:

Guild Wars.

Guild Wars?
Can't people play that in Private Servers, like every other subscription-based MMO?

 

[Blue Musician]

Well, that's the problem. I cannot really be solved. Sooner or later pirated can crack any DRM and basically every copy protection.

There is one example though of copy protection that could be used, but unfortunately it also has to be online and it has only gone well with one game:

Guild Wars.

Guild Wars?
Can't people play that in Private Servers, like every other subscription-based MMO?

That's the thing, GW has no private servers. So to play the game you must purchase it legally. Every other MMO hasn't done this.

 

[Raddragon]

Well, that's the problem. I cannot really be solved. Sooner or later pirated can crack any DRM and basically every copy protection.

There is one example though of copy protection that could be used, but unfortunately it also has to be online and it has only gone well with one game:

Guild Wars.

Guild Wars?
Can't people play that in Private Servers, like every other subscription-based MMO?

That's the thing, GW has no private servers. So to play the game you must purchase it legally. Every other MMO hasn't done this.

No private servers? How come?
A MMO should be connected to a list of possible servers, and all pirates have to do is change that list. So guild wars only has one server?

(And sorry if I don't know what the heck i'm talking about.)

 

[DestinyCall]

I think the best DRM would be DRM that BENEFITS the buyer rather than punishing the pirate. Instead of punishing someone for playing a non-legit copy of the game, provide tangible incentives for playing a registered copy. Some games already have a system that works like this related to their multiplayer aspect. You can play the single player game as much as you want without interference. No DRM to worry about for the basic game, no punishment for installing multiple copies on your home computers. But if you want to download additional content or join the multiplayer community, you must make an account and register each copy separately. Since the licensing information would be hosted on a secure server separate from your home computer or the individual game disc, the game developer would have additional control over registration and it would simplify DRM management while facilitating digital distribution of the game and allowing the gamer to decide how and where he would like to play the game. The developer could limit the number of re-installs or registrations, but from a customer service standpoint, they would be wise to provide more if asked. Basically, very similar to how Steam works, but applied to individual games supplied by a game company, either on-line or in the store.

I would also accept one of those spinning matching wheel thingies old lucas arts games use to come with for copy protection. Those things were so fun!

 

[Plurralbles]

store all the game data externally ie a game server which will require the user to be connected to the internet which will then store the data in the RAM (I suppose it eliminates the user needing a hard/soft drive ^.^)

for the user to play the game, the user must install Spy ware/Rootkits so that the server has overall control of the data stored in the RAM preventing copying and any other unauthorised use of the .tmp information

self termination of the internet connection without warning will force the data stored in the RAM to delete itself.

any flaws?

I love this post. : )

The best DRM would be to allow the company full control and monitoring of your computer at all times and just by going to a site they don't like, they break your computer.

 

[Raddragon]

I think the best DRM would be DRM that BENEFITS the buyer rather than punishing the pirate.

I agree.

Sort of
"You can play online only after you register" kind of thing.

 

[TelHybrid]

How about programming better software to prevent disc ripping, or software to prevent cracks, included on the disc? Seriously game devs are multi million $ industries. They should be able to prevent some random guy who's a hacker for a hobby from pirating surely.

DRM means having to have a constant internet connection. I think if you own a hard copy, you should be able to access all content without an internet connection. I find even online activation has its flaws. For example for a couple of months, I had no internet connection, but I already had all of my steam games installed and updated (games I own hard copies of but require activation). Now for some reason it would not let me play half of my games because apparently it needed to update. I was unable to access content I paid for.

Digital distribution seems to share this whole DRM issue. Example: the PS3 bug that resembled Y2K. I was unable to play any of my PSN games like Wipeout HD. Some trial versions were available if I was lucky.

DRM is ruining gaming. Especially PC gaming. It's actually encouraging piracy as it punishes owners of legit copies more than game pirates. I refuse to buy another Ubisoft game after Assasin's Creed II.

 

[Blue Musician]

Well, that's the problem. I cannot really be solved. Sooner or later pirated can crack any DRM and basically every copy protection.

There is one example though of copy protection that could be used, but unfortunately it also has to be online and it has only gone well with one game:

Guild Wars.

Guild Wars?
Can't people play that in Private Servers, like every other subscription-based MMO?

That's the thing, GW has no private servers. So to play the game you must purchase it legally. Every other MMO hasn't done this.

No private servers? How come?
A MMO should be connected to a list of possible servers, and all pirates have to do is change that list. So guild wars only has one server?

(And sorry if I don't know what the heck i'm talking about.)

Basically yes, but also Guild Wars installation directory has only like 10 files, instead of god knows how many WoW has, so that probably has something to do with that.

 

[Veylon]

The only DRM I've seen that I think would work is OnLive's system where the player's button presses are sent to a server, and the server streams video back YouTube-style. The user never has any of the game's programming, graphic models, or data on their computer.

 

[migo]

DRM will never be a good protection service. Simple as that. Your idea, while somewhat creative, would require a constant internet connection, and we know what happened with AC2 for that idea. Also, if the legit owner could get blocked simply because a confusion in the servers or simply because he bough a used game that was pirated.

What if the game had online multiplayer. That would mean pirates only get single player (if any).

Pirated MW2 on PC has superior multiplayer. It has servers and mods and lean.

So Yeah.

That's another problem. If the game is poorly coded, there's no incentive to pay for it.

 

[Secret world leader (shhh)]

How about this -- the company (Activision, Ubisoft, Electronic Arts, etc.) 'leak' a version of the game to Torrent Sites -- naturally, these files will get spread around to other sites by pirates. Naturally, a lot of people will download this and install it... and then be incredibly disappointed when they find out that their version of the game only has the first few levels (or in sandbox games, a severely limited area of the world map)... but also that their IP Address has been reported for piracy.

Not exactly DRM, but would be quite effective nonetheless. And after that, how many people would be willing to take the chance downloading your next game? Or the one after that? Effectively, if all game publishers bought into this, you could stamp out video game piracy.

*gasp* you beautiful bastard!

if i acheive my dream of becoming a games designer, i will be sure to credit you with this magnificent idea!

 

[ShadowKatt]

I won't say that the only good DRM is no DRM, but I will say something that thieves have been saying since the dawn of time.

No building is unbreakable. No object is untouchable.

The same applies to DRM.

 

[EHKOS]

DRM will never be a good protection service. Simple as that. Your idea, while somewhat creative, would require a constant internet connection, and we know what happened with AC2 for that idea. Also, if the legit owner could get blocked simply because a confusion in the servers or simply because he bough a used game that was pirated.

What if the game had online multiplayer. That would mean pirates only get single player (if any).

Pirates already have that In mind. Actually the games now they cannot play online, most of the games they only play singleplayer.

Well then, how would you improve on my idea?

Actually, we set up our own servers, and crack the multiplayer aspect to run on them. MW2 has a few of these. We can only play with other pirates who have the exact same files.

 

[dududf]

DRM will never be a good protection service. Simple as that. Your idea, while somewhat creative, would require a constant internet connection, and we know what happened with AC2 for that idea. Also, if the legit owner could get blocked simply because a confusion in the servers or simply because he bough a used game that was pirated.

What if the game had online multiplayer. That would mean pirates only get single player (if any).

Pirated MW2 on PC has superior multiplayer. It has servers and mods and lean.

So Yeah.

That's another problem. If the game is poorly coded, there's no incentive to pay for it.

The point was that pirated game=/= worse multiplayer.

 

[LightOfDarkness]

The first idea is called a CD-Key. It's been around for ages (only on PC though) and people have found ways around it (setting up a fake authentication server for instance)

 

[migo]

DRM will never be a good protection service. Simple as that. Your idea, while somewhat creative, would require a constant internet connection, and we know what happened with AC2 for that idea. Also, if the legit owner could get blocked simply because a confusion in the servers or simply because he bough a used game that was pirated.

What if the game had online multiplayer. That would mean pirates only get single player (if any).

Pirated MW2 on PC has superior multiplayer. It has servers and mods and lean.

So Yeah.

That's another problem. If the game is poorly coded, there's no incentive to pay for it.

The point was that pirated game=/= worse multiplayer.

But if you want to prevent piracy, you want to make sure that professionals being paid to make a game do a better job than hobbyists.