Since PAX East is still pretty fresh in my mind, I wanted to do another post related to something that I saw while I was there. As I said in my very first post, I plan to do things that are not always related to gaming/geek issues, and I have a great idea for a post that I am researching a bit now.
I went to a panel called "MMO Gamer Behavior 101" while at PAX. I'll be honest, I did not find it incredibly enticing. I must not have been alone in this, because it was the only panel I was at that by the end of it, the room had a lot of empty seats.
Regardless, it can serve as a good jumping off point to talk about online gamer behavior in a few different types of games. While I am sure I could do a whole post about Xbox Live kiddies and their wonderful grasp of the English language, that's not my plan.
Instead, I am afraid I need to pick on one of my friends who I was there with again, yes the same one I got into the DRM debate with. As we are all WoW players, but play the game very, very differently, we obviously come at it with different views. Still, I was surprised at an attitude he took in regards to one of my pet-peeves, sub-optimal play.
The WoW community is a big one. Within that community, there are many different types of players. Some love to play the auction house, some are collectors, some do a lot of PvP (Player vs. Player), and some focus on PvE (Player vs. Environment, or AI controlled opponents). Because within the game there are so many different stats and modifiers to your character, sometimes it takes quite a lot of effort to be able to identify things such as the right gear, stats, or talent specializations to go for. The good news is, there are some VERY smart people who take the time to figure out how to best balance all of these aspects (the best of which are over at Elitist Jerks). They put all the data up on the net, where others examine it for accuracy. In other words, 99% of the player base have no need to figure this out, because they have easy-access to peer-reviewed information about how to be the best at their classes.
Which is why I get so frustrated when I am in a group with someone that is clearly not paying attention to this data, so that their character is far below optimal levels. Totalbiscuit on a recent Blue Plz! episode covered this - in his normal hilarious manner - in relation to Frost-specced mages, which are so far below any other spec it is absurd. Now, the normal response I get to this position is something along the lines of "It's just a game, I am playing how I want to play and how I enjoy it!" (usually without the level of grammar I just used). This is the wrong attitude to have.
When you join a group of other players, you have a responsibility to play as a good team mate. Just because you can do something, does not mean it is the right thing to do, no matter the levels of personal enjoyment you get out of it. If you are playing soccer, you CAN take the ball and put it in your own goal, but that does not mean you SHOULD. That would make you a bad teammate. Just because you CAN spec something, despite it measurably slowing down a group, does not mean you SHOULD. See what I mean?
No one is asking you to do original research here or reinvent the wheel. As I said earlier, the data and information is all out there. Yet even when pointed in the direction of that information, all too often they say they don't even want it, because "it is their $15 a month, and they will play the way they want too." Sure, if they were doing nothing but solo content, that would absolutely be a legitimate position. But the truth is, when you are playing with 4/9/24 other players, your personal enjoyment goes out the window, and it is your responsibility to perform in the best way for the team.
Just remember the old phrase: "There is no 'I' in 'team.'"
-Nova
Showing posts with label PAX. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PAX. Show all posts
Friday, April 2, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
A Better Way Than DRM
I suppose it was inevitable that my first non-introductory post was going to be about DRM. Whenever I talk with people about gaming, somehow DRM or piracy seems to come up, and that of course prompts me to get... intense about my views on the practice.
So it was unsurprising that while at PAX this weekend, I got into an intense discussion with a friend over the subject of DRM. For a quick review, Digital Rights Management, or DRM, is the process of adding layers of security to digital content in order to secure it from things like piracy. DRM can range from the fairly innocuous, like a CD-Key, to SecuROM which limits the amount of installs allowed, all the way to the current draconian measures being taken by Ubisoft.
The problem with DRM is that it by and large fails at its main goal of fighting piracy, and instead manages to hit almost everyone else but pirates. As I was telling my friend, DRM often causes the most harm to the customers that actually purchased the software. It limits them from using their purchased merchandise as they have a right to.
For example, let's take two single player games available for the PC. I'll use Assassin's Creed II from Ubisoft, and Fallout 3 from Bethesda. Both games are completely single player games. However, Assassin's Creed II has Ubisoft's new DRM, which requires the constant online connection to play. Were I to take a laptop, load both games on to it, and then go on a plane ride, I could only play Fallout 3. This is because I do not have an Internet connection on the plane. I purchased both games from a retail outlet. What have I done wrong to not be able to play Assassin's Creed II?
The answer of course is nothing. It illustrates the fact that DRM only punishes the legitimate, paying customer. Furthermore, it is still used when there already exists better alternatives. Without going to much into the motivations behind piracy in this post (I want to talk more in depth about that issue another time), one of the best ways to avoid Day 1 piracy is to present incentives for purchasing the game. EA/Bioware have done an excellent job with this by providing Day 1 DLC for two of their most recent games, Dragon's Age: Origins and Mass Effect 2. They have also come out with other free DLC over time, and I believe they plan to keep doing so. Can this free DLC be pirated as well? Probably. But what it shows is that the developers want to continue to support their customers by providing more content - often at no cost - to their valued customers.
Unfortunately, because it is a benefit to the paying customers is often not enough of a reason. But in this case, there is an added benefit for the developers and publishers to use these types of incentives. Driving into work today, I was listening to Totalbiscuit's Gaming Express podcast, and he was talking about a class-action lawsuit Gamestop is facing over used sales. The basic issue is that, as more games come with Day 1 DLC that is available via a one-time use code included with new games, people who buy the games used find that they cannot access this content without purchasing a new code, often for $10-15, making a used game actually more expensive than a new game. Gamespot loves selling used games, because they turn a huge profit margin by buying back games low and selling them at near-retail price. Publishers hate used games because they don't see any money from them. Therefore, by using this approach, they can not only cut down on piracy, but they can also encourage consumers to purchase the game new. It's a win for consumers who get more bang for their buck, and a win for developers and publishers who can knock back both piracy and used game sales with one strategy.
While developers and publishers have to use methods to protect their product, it should still be important to them that they do right by the customers that provide them their income. I can't think of a better way it is summed up than by the philosophy of independent developer Positech Games:
-Nova
So it was unsurprising that while at PAX this weekend, I got into an intense discussion with a friend over the subject of DRM. For a quick review, Digital Rights Management, or DRM, is the process of adding layers of security to digital content in order to secure it from things like piracy. DRM can range from the fairly innocuous, like a CD-Key, to SecuROM which limits the amount of installs allowed, all the way to the current draconian measures being taken by Ubisoft.
The problem with DRM is that it by and large fails at its main goal of fighting piracy, and instead manages to hit almost everyone else but pirates. As I was telling my friend, DRM often causes the most harm to the customers that actually purchased the software. It limits them from using their purchased merchandise as they have a right to.
For example, let's take two single player games available for the PC. I'll use Assassin's Creed II from Ubisoft, and Fallout 3 from Bethesda. Both games are completely single player games. However, Assassin's Creed II has Ubisoft's new DRM, which requires the constant online connection to play. Were I to take a laptop, load both games on to it, and then go on a plane ride, I could only play Fallout 3. This is because I do not have an Internet connection on the plane. I purchased both games from a retail outlet. What have I done wrong to not be able to play Assassin's Creed II?
The answer of course is nothing. It illustrates the fact that DRM only punishes the legitimate, paying customer. Furthermore, it is still used when there already exists better alternatives. Without going to much into the motivations behind piracy in this post (I want to talk more in depth about that issue another time), one of the best ways to avoid Day 1 piracy is to present incentives for purchasing the game. EA/Bioware have done an excellent job with this by providing Day 1 DLC for two of their most recent games, Dragon's Age: Origins and Mass Effect 2. They have also come out with other free DLC over time, and I believe they plan to keep doing so. Can this free DLC be pirated as well? Probably. But what it shows is that the developers want to continue to support their customers by providing more content - often at no cost - to their valued customers.
Unfortunately, because it is a benefit to the paying customers is often not enough of a reason. But in this case, there is an added benefit for the developers and publishers to use these types of incentives. Driving into work today, I was listening to Totalbiscuit's Gaming Express podcast, and he was talking about a class-action lawsuit Gamestop is facing over used sales. The basic issue is that, as more games come with Day 1 DLC that is available via a one-time use code included with new games, people who buy the games used find that they cannot access this content without purchasing a new code, often for $10-15, making a used game actually more expensive than a new game. Gamespot loves selling used games, because they turn a huge profit margin by buying back games low and selling them at near-retail price. Publishers hate used games because they don't see any money from them. Therefore, by using this approach, they can not only cut down on piracy, but they can also encourage consumers to purchase the game new. It's a win for consumers who get more bang for their buck, and a win for developers and publishers who can knock back both piracy and used game sales with one strategy.
While developers and publishers have to use methods to protect their product, it should still be important to them that they do right by the customers that provide them their income. I can't think of a better way it is summed up than by the philosophy of independent developer Positech Games:
"We never charge you again for re-downloading your game. We don't limit your installs or use securom or anything similar. You can burn your game to a disc as a backup, and contact us for a re-download if you ever lose the link and your files. We ensure you can always play your game. We won't treat our customers as criminals. You are the people who help us pay the bills, and you can bet your ass we appreciate that."I'd love to hear what others think about DRM, or just an approach to customers in general.
-Nova
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