Anything that stops you from enjoy the full content of something is DRM. Especially something that is put behind a verification server. PERIOD.

Yes, absolutely. Online requirement with mandatory data collection is a DRM.

I would consider this question ungenuine, as you can't "simply check" internet connection. The game must check the connection to a specific server and if that server goes down (but the internet is still working) you will lose the opportunity to play this game too.

In your previous comments on this forum, you've shown you're tech-savvy so, I wonder why would you ask like that?

It could try pinging 1.1.1.1 and 8.8.8.8 as well as doing a DNS lookup of example.com

If all of those fail, than the program refuses to start.

Just an example of how this could work.

Alternatively, it could do the same sort of check that browsers do before they display the "No Internet" message.

Except that this example doesn't do data collection; all it does is check to make sure the computer is online.

Why would you even do that?

I think games like any applications should not do any not necessary stuff, if they do I don't use them, that's even before the drm free principles for games.
I am making a small games for fun as a hobby and I don't need to ask for a connection for my single player game, I only try to connect to Google drive, Dropbox, one drive or mega to upload /download the save file if the user ask for it (that's part of my save in the cloud without a client system) if there is no connection of course the save in the cloud system cannot work but the user should know that, that's why if the user try to push the button to save in the cloud and my game cannot connect I show an error for the upload /download the game from/to the cloud. I don't really need to check the connection even then... Why would I even do that, even if the connection work the connection to Google drive, Dropbox, one drive, mega can fail for any reason and of course my single player game should continue to work even without the optional save in your own cloud feature.

Of course hitman don't just check for an internet connection so that's pure drm. But I think it's drm even if it would just check for internet by ping to 8.8.8.8 and kick you out from the game if it cannot do that. This last part is annoying and that's the main reason people care about drm free here on gog. And for backup reason of course.

If drm would not require an internet connection and /or a client and or some other strange stuff that you would not usually require nobody would even ask "is there a better way?" and nobody would find gog.

You'd be surprised about how much software does unnecessary stuff.

For example, the program screen can actually be used to access a serial port, even though it doesn't seem like the sort of thing one would expect. (tmux, a similar program, does not have this feature.)

Or, for that matter, OpenSSL supports the TLS Heartbeat protocol extension, which allows for arbitrary data to be requested to make sure that the other end of the connection is still alive, and if the target system has a certain version of OpenSSL, this can be used to trick the program into sending other data in memory (like username/password combos) to the attacker.

I could also mention that the original Final Fantasy checks to make sure that you have the Crown before you enter the Castle of Ordeals, except that there's no way (barring arbitrary code execution, which is clearly not intended by the developers) to actually get to that point in the game. Or, Final Fantasy 2's Killer Bow, which isn't actually obtainable (and in later remakes the the game says that you either found a bug or are a hacker (with l33t speak) if you do somehow manage to obtain it).

whats the point of this topic?:O agree this topic is pointless, another look at me topic...

And/or requires steam to be active and/or what it thinks is a valid certificate. Otherwise it's the same. SimCity 2013
Also Diablo 3.... Lag in a single-player game...
Or StarCraft 2, can't save.... Simcity 2013 So... says 'ping yahoo, and if there's a reply it's good'? I would call it terrible DRM which you can get around by modifying your hostfile... so.... at first yes, but as it's worked around no?

I'm just saying what would be the point of that? Like it would not be a rational thing for any company to do. I get you're making a hypothetical comparison to disc checks or something, but it's just so illogical it doesn't work.

wait for it , it is a possibility , just look at what china is doing + add in a little western idiocracy and this isn't so far-fetched anymore

Incidentally, this topic has reminded me of a topic I made a long time ago, but at least in that other topic, there was a legitimate reason for the connection:
* This other game was written by a Chinese company.
* No internet connection is required to play said game in Chinese.
* If played in another language, any time the game needs to display text, it would send a request to Google Translate, and display whatever Google Translate returns.

So, that game arguably has a legitimate non-DRM reason for requiring an internet connection, but it still feels rather unnecessary and inefficient.

There is always a practical purpose to have an internet connection.

So it'll be a DRM, yes.
No, that's won't be a legitimate reason. Because you should translate the text once and bundle it into the game.

This

If it’s not controlled by me then it’s drm, or whatever you want to call it, drm, online gating, online this, online that.
In the same way, if I buy a car, I don’t want to have to go to the store each day to pick it up, or have someone open the lock, or have someone watch me as I drive it, or have to sign up to online sites in order to use the indicators, or have to have software running on my phone in order for the engine to keep running, or any other idiotic method that companies spend millions each year trying to come up with ways of removing control from users and putting it in their court.