Copy Protection, etcetera

**Zenicetus** · 09-09-2007, 23:00

I voted "yes, but not too invasive." Any CP at all is only harming paying customers, not pirates. So in the abstract, I'm totally against it, and I preferentially support developers like Stardock (Galactic Civilizations 2) who have abandoned it. However, being practical about this, I know it's easier for a small, independent outfit that self-publishes like Stardock to take the high ground, and it's less likely with a behemoth like Sega.

So I'll settle for non-invasive, non-arrogant methods that don't leave behind potential security risks and hidden files after the game is un-installed, like the current SecureRom installation for M2TW:Kingdoms does.

**Trax** · 09-10-2007, 11:35

No, because it's absolutely useless.

**sapi** · 09-10-2007, 12:33

Bethesda didn't go broke without it on Oblivion.

It will have very little effect on sales, but perhaps a negative one on community, if harsh measures are included.

**alpaca** · 09-10-2007, 12:52

Originally Posted by sapi

Bethesda didn't go broke without it on Oblivion.

It will have very little effect on sales, but perhaps a negative one on community, if harsh measures are included.

In fact I'd argue that removing it would even have a positive influence. Ok, the DRM lobby would like to bash you over the head but a lot of players would hail you for it, including me. From a PR point of view I believe it's the way to go before everyone does it

And I'm almost 100% sure that it won't affect sales negatively. Practically all people buy the game because they think it'll be good and want to do the right thing not because they can't pirate it.
I'd even argue that of all the players who buy TW games the number of people who'd rather pirate it than buy it but are deterred from that by copy protection is definitely negligible (that is I believe it's lower than 0.1%)

**sapi** · 09-10-2007, 13:07

If someone was going to pirate the game, copy protection would make absolutely no difference...well, it might waste ten more seconds of their life finding a copy that has it bypassed, but that would be it.

I agree that the smart PR thing to do would be to ditch it; but I wouldn't like to be the one to have to sell that to the execs

**Matty** · 09-10-2007, 13:28

The local counterfeit market had Kingdoms one day after release. Still the shops selling originals don't have it. I fear I am about to crack... (ho ho)

**Jeroen Hill** · 09-10-2007, 15:03

Whats the use of a copy protection anyway. People who dont buy the game but download it get a working crack with the warez release in 99% of the cases. And people who did buy it sometimes get to deal with annoyances, securom+deamon tools anybody?

A copy protection is merely a small delay for warez groups to crack it, thats all.

So imho, save yourself money and drop the copy protection. It's not going to stop people from downloading it.