Good game, worth a look. To be honest, the strategic depth is low IMHO, but it's an interesting experiment.

"However, if you want to play online with friends you need to enter your unique authentication code ('My serial number' from the game page on your shelf)."

I could be wrong but wouldn't a serial number to access some features of a game be DRM?

CD Projekt's CEO Marcin Iwinski seem's to think so:

"DRM, in most cases, requires users to enter serial numbers, validate his or her machine, and be connected to the Internet while they authenticate – and possibly even when they play the game they bought."

http://www.kotaku.com.au/2012/05/cd-projekt-red-drm-absolutely-does-not-work/

I'm not saying that having a serial on Defcon is a huge problem - I bought it and love it - but when GOG say they will never use DRM having a discussion over how your code will work and what it will let you do seems a bit off.

Don't get me wrong, I love gog and what iot does but this seems to be the first step in a direct gog always said they would never go in.

Geez, would you like more whine with your cheese?

Do you seriously expect that once someone, even a CD Projekt overlord, says something, the entire reality will shift? GOG is selling the game that was already published, and certain parts of it have been designed in a certain way i.e. multiplayer requiring an authentication.

It is unfair to have a singleplayer game to force you to be connected to the internet to play it. Ubisoft tried it with AC2 and it caused only grief and problems.

However, playing online requires additional support from the game developers/publishers - maintaining infrastructure that eats bandwidth and server space. There is no reason to allow people in that have not paid for the game.

Online validation for multiplayer segment of the game is actually one of the few instances where authentication is to your own benefit. Would you really like your multiplayer server to be clogged to death with people who have obtained the game illegally? Because thats the point where piracy stops only hurting publishers/devs and starts also hurting players.

There are tons of multiplayer games on GOG (like Heroes of Annihilated Empires for one) that require a serial key to access the online servers. And everyone considers that fair. Suddenly, a game appears that is, apart from having the singleplayer component severely liimited (but still present!), not much different from previous games.

You can play Defcon in singleplayer with bots. It does not require you to connect to the internet, since it already contains an "offline" cdkey. If you want to play online, you input the key you are provided. I would say GOG behaved with nothing but decency in this case - try buying the game from any other distribution platform and see if the "offline" mode has been also implemented. GOG changed the way the game is sold for the benefit of it's clients. I see no transgression against DRM-free policy here.

I know it's a bit of a whine - but who doesn't like a bit of a grumble now and then? ;)

Actually those a very good points and I must admit I probably hadn't given enough thought to maintaining infrastructure etc.

In anycase it's great to see GOG commenting so quickly as well as the community.

I'm going to return now to my cheese.

Peace

You don't need to get upset or defensive. I was just trying to be helpful suggesting that. Do whatever you please. It's just that when I read stuff like "it should work" I figure wouldn't it be best to just ask the guys who supplied the keys? I mean, they know for sure is all. But again, if doing that bothers you for some reason maybe somebody here has taken a GOG key and applied it to the Linux demo download, etc.

I wasn't meaning to hassle you, just help you.

Well, thanks buddy, no one is upset, I just stated that my question was correct, and I think this is the right place to ask, because: first, we've got a GOG representative here explaining how to use the key; second, since now I'm pretty sure that the key will fit the Linux demo, there is another question — about licensing, because it may happen that GOG have the rights to distribute only Windows version, thus using their key for the Linux one might be illegal.

I never said your question was incorrect or that you shouldn't ask it here. Maybe somebody would have tried this already and could have answered you. Nothing wrong with trying to find out. I was simply suggesting you could get a definitive answer from the source without waiting if you chose to. Well, assuming the folks at Introversion are timely in responding to consumer questions that is.

However, after this much time and posting back and forth, you still do not have the answer so maybe you will want to try Introversion yet. Good luck to you and I do hope it works out for you that you can have the Linux version the way you want it.

Hi. Just for your record, guys: I successfully used the key from the game bought on GOG with the Linux client downloaded from the Introversion website. I don't see how this can be illegal as both the key and the software are from legal sources.

There were some issues with the client though - just make sure that you have correct resolution set in ~/.defcon/preferences.txt (you have to create that file for the first time) and you'll be fine. Just copy and change settings from this thread

Hope this helped and see you in game! :)

Random on-topic babbling: DEFCON is a great game, and I'd get it if I didn't already have DRM-less, Steam and Desura copies from the Humble Bundle. =)

Serial numbers can be used as a part of a digital rights management system.

However, they do have another legitimate use: Identifying individual users of software in a secure, reliable manner.

It's a system that is ripe for abuse, of course - a company could deny you your continued access to your own serial numbers, or could cease issuing them - but this function of identifying users in a secure manner is so vital and benefical to all users that it cannot be ignored on the outset.

I don't really see the problem with what GOG does: you get serial numbers as part of the purchase, and they're just another thing that you write down. No matter what, you get everything you need to run the game.

If I get Defcon from GOG, will I be able to play with someone who got it from Steam? I don't mean through Steam servers but just the two of us.

I see no reason why were you got it should stop you from playing.

Where :p

Bah! :/