If GoG sold physical copies, I'd buy them. Would save me the hassle of burning them on DVD/Blu-Ray myself. Of course they would have to release actual patches then, because I won't reoder the physical installer everytime a new version is released...

EDIT: fruitless discussion. I'm out. Cheers.

This is a major problem in debates both online and off. Everyone is too focused on the person, or in this case, the delivery. A point delivered aggressively isn't wrong because it is delivered aggressively. Points stand or fall on their own merits. And even if that wasn't the case, it's not like a passive-aggressive tone somehow is a high ground over aggressive tone, lol. I get that no one likes to be called a "moron" or what have you, but it also reeks of a copout when this is the main thrust of people's replies instead of addressing the points that are being made. It is an easy way out. "I'm offended, not reading". Okay. But there is discussion to be had and imo it is a very signifcant discussion since our shared hobby (gaming) continues to be at stake.

EDIT: fruitless discussion. I'm out. Cheers.

The reality is you can't have a debate with people who have been successfully manipulated into believing things against their interests. No one who replied to me ever wanted a "debate" because in their minds this new corporate video games as services they think is just wonderful(tm).

Not realising that companies are now going to clean house with their indoctrinated sheep, aka shit is going to get even worse. There is no bottom to the level of stupidity of the videogame buying masses. Think of league of legends - it's entire business model is predicated on fraud - and technological illiterate - buying skins in a videogame you don't own when the skin files are ALREADY on your computer. DOTA 2 and League of legends model is proof the average person on our planet is too far gone to even be a participant of a technocratic capitalist society. We get to watch as the stupid kids at the other end of the capitalist highschool believe whatever the rich corporate kids say and basically burn videogame history to the ground - this era will be remembered for the morons who ushered the destruction of videogame culture by giving up their rights to own software. That videogame software and culture were destroyed to rapturous thunderous corporate applause of the game buying audience itself.

I saw you had linked to a history of DRM article, to which supp subsequently pointed out the distinction between the old DRM and the current online-based DRM. As far as I can tell, your follow-up response to that (post 83) was to tell him that you guess he'll never be happy because he likes the old ways. Not really a response. I went to try and quote it directly but I see you deleted it. So much for any hope of discussion here.

I think the vast majority of gamers have values that are very different from mine and that's fine. I don't think it makes them idiots, it just makes them very different.

And yeah, most people don't care that much about preservation. If you look at history, librarians, scholars, philosophers, scientists and others who cared about the preservation of human thoughts were not exactly the majority (in more enlightened societies, they are listened to though).

I don't see capitalism as pure evil, but I agree that the belief that the market system can fully represent our values is naive. Checks have to be put in place to enforce our sensibilities (and ironically, even the most ardent free market nut will want to see some of his values enshrined into law).

I agree that business people have traditionally had too much control over intellectual property and I agree that mainstram views on ownership of intellectual property can be weird.

To me, once you put something out there, it no longer belongs to you, at least not fully. At the same time, you usually spend a lot of time creating intellectual property and it is fair (and pragmatical) that you should benefit from it.

I think the right balance is to allow the creator to be the sole person who can (or allow others to) financially benefit from the work for a time after which it becomes part of the public domain. Technically, this is was is supposed to happen, though rights on intellectual property get extended for way too long.

Also, I think that those who hold the rights to intellectual property have a duty to preserve it. I think that too should be enforced into law.

So you see, while you blame the free market and the internet for the world's woes, I prefer to see those things simply as tools to an end. Concerning the cause of how strict control of intellectual property falls into the hands of those that don't care that much for it, I put the blame strictly on a lack of common sense or at least a lack of will to enforce it.

Not shackling physical releases to the internet would be a nice place to start...

Make Kiosks that can print the appropriate interior contents the developers wish to be included, and the game iso burned to the disc and dispense the game on a similar redbox type machine. That way you minimize any wasted materials, and the machine and games can be updated and patched out of the box. And possibly a new job that pays well for someone who maintains the machines for each platform,and adds unique custom developers features on demand. Throw in DRM free stuff, open source things, syncing options for each game client, and customization. Also each game/dev having its own new portal and domain created with some unique properties for added potential.

You're Welcome for this 500 million idea free of charge. And possibly creating a new well paying job. You heard it here first. Best regards gamers. I just won the internet today while paying Prominence Poker, talking to my wife and posting here in this thread. Just dont forget to send me a 12 pack of good beer in the future. Thanks in advance.

/drops lemonade

As have been said before but this is also the case for me, include the actual game on the disc and without any drm because what's the fucking point in buying discs otherwise and this is the reason why i only buy digital game copies these days.

There's a few developers who's a exception to this rule but way too few.

New post for emphasis.

Who is going to build the prototype machines and have the dispensary right's first? Valve, GoG, or some else? I just created a new job, dispensary rights, new assets for each game dev, and new opportunities for every PC gamer. You could also create new twists on the old box copy games by having custom chests and such for the long run, with added game items stored in them, and streamline the discs and packaging themselves for each individual buy.

Example A: Game Dev Portal on the machine has added a printable map for collectors edition owners. That map can be printed on the machine as an individual item besides being able to print the game to disc and package it. I mean like you couldnt do figurines prolly, but hey the premise brings back physical copies, most features, convienence, and a lot more. The heck with figurines. Just add logo's, stickers, some other stuff it could do.

Yes, I do believe MMOs are something special. They are games I purposefully avoid because they are incredibly boring grindfests with absoultely no endgoal other than just more grinding. Not my idea of an enjoyable game. And paying monthly subscription to even play them? They can sod right off even if I wanted to play it.

I have never bought a game through Steam/Origin/any other DRM platform directly and have yet to encounter a Denuvo game I had any interest in playing. But I keep throwing my money at GOG the moment they offer something even remotely interesting. I am a very good corporate sheep aren't I?

From what I see, it seems you have been reading too many conspiracy theories books and are now a paranoic bundle of nerves that explodes at anything that isn't 100% to your liking and will just immediately shout that it's the end times. Just grab a sign and go to the streets. People need to know the truth.

It is you apparently who is so emotional that you keep spouting insults left and right. Talking to you is obviously worse than talking to a wall because a wall is at least going to listen. You will just twist everything anyone says in a way so that it fits your paranoic "end of the world" arguments.

It's been a pleasure talking to you. Not.

Starcraft 1 had lan and we controlled it, starcraft 2 is drm infested and there is no lan
Diablo 2 had lan and we controlled it, Diablo 3 streams and is controlled from blizzards offices.

So no please don't embarass yourself any longer, there is no "conspiracy" because you are too stupid to see a videogame is just a piece of software, all it takes is changing some lines of code to turn "ANY" game into a server locked game.

There is no rational reason for any piece of software to be server locked, we're only having "these discussions" because pre internet, stupid people couldn't fuck up gaming with their idiotic purchasing habits.

Oh yeah and your brain doesn't see reality as it is, see the science:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYmi0DLzBdQ

Sigh..., let's try one more time.

I'm not disputing that, but the final choice in whether you support it/are okay with it is up to you.

Yes? I don't know what you want to hear here. The developer of the game can do with his game as he sees fit. That is a simple fact. Let me repeat, it is up to you, the consumer, to decide if you are okay with it. And once again, the insults don't really help to somehow make your posts the universal truth.

Definitely true for single player games. That should always be accessible. If you are okay with multiplayer service being provided by the developer only is once again, you guessed it, up to you.

I watched it just to make you happy. This is nothing new under the sun. I thought that was general knowledge by now and it can be clearly seen in the world every day. Don't need 9 years old 3 minute long pixelated video to see that.