naticus
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Some day I need to actually give this a go beyond what I played originally. I haven’t played this since the alpha days forever ago, and it looked like it had a lot of potential, but I didn’t have the patience. I think I helped fund it through their own site to play the super early build and then got the steam key from that when it released a long time after.
Yeah I quit WoW in 2009 and never went back, which would have been 15 years ago now, and lines up with what the OP was saying for timeline. I remember all the coming class changes that would homogenize things drastically, and already being rather annoyed with how things already were, I dipped without a regret, other than losing touch with friends from there. I’m only in contact with a few of them at this point and that’s a little sad, but we all move on eventually.
I don’t know of an instance where it’s not used as DRM. Maybe on F2P games since there’s no license management? Would be interested in knowing where you’ve found it isn’t used. And yes, more clarity on what is happening under the hood would always be welcomed by me. I do feel I have a decent grasp of things just because of my IT background and work with cyber security, but closed source software will always have its secrets.
Also, definitely like the play on words with your username lol. I have a domain that is a pun on my last name, so I always like seeing creative ways people use their own names.
I completely agree with you that Steam itself is DRM and that we use it for convenience.
But I do disagree with the same statement about GOG Galaxy because it doesn’t provide the same digital decrypting functionality that all DRM provides. They don’t do it because they don’t have to, proven by the ability to download the EXE and BIN files directly even in Galaxy. I liken the Galaxy app to using a VPN or other network tool like Hibachi people have used when a game only had couch co-op support.
Either way, your point is made, but I don’t see an issue with running a client app that provides so much. I don’t inherently trust Valve or GOG, but they haven’t done anything that I know of to betray me as a gamer or consumer. I do NOT however see a point in running a client app that also has additional launchers required afterwards like all Ubi games. DRM on top of DRM is anti gamer imo.
That’s news to me, but looked it up and confirmed you’re absolutely right. That blows my mind, because in many circumstances it can be impossible for players to connect, especially in a double NAT situation or you’re playing on a network you have no control over (e.g. university network).
But comparing a safety feature to a technical requirement is a bit misleading here, no? This is more about making sure gamers can just play rather than having to reconfigure network equipment, which they may or may not have access to.
Honestly if Steam is down at this point, I’ve got bigger things to worry about personally. Does it happen? Do I curse the name of GabeN? Sure, but it’s such a rare instance and happens maybe once a year for a matter of an hour or so typically.
But let’s not confuse using a client app as being DRM. On GOG Galaxy, it’s not doing anything DRM related other than providing you access to download the game itself. All the client is doing is providing a “friends network” that everyone is connecting to and creating a cloud bridged connection. This solves any double NAT problems, obfuscates your IP, removes any need to make network config changes, and no one has to think about it.
Doing things with a direct connection to friends is something no one does anymore. Port forwarding for a game? Yeah it’s fine for people who are technically minded like I’m sure anyone in the community is, but walking a friend through it on their router just to play with them is a nonstarter. No, the cloud connection is how this is handled now. I haven’t seen a game in a decade do it via a direct connection from player to player.
While I agree it can be painful to do anything multiplayer without dedicated network support in the game itself, it’s a nontrivial thing for devs to add. Expecting every dev studio to be network experts as well as having the infrastructure for the cloud peer connections is why Steam finally added a way for games to simulate couch co-op between remote players. I try to buy games on GOG as my first choice but there are definitely factors (including price) where I’ll consider Steam instead.
I have to get back to where I was… I was a few chapters into CS3 and put the entire thing on hiatus from burnout. Working thru Sky 3rd now and really looking forward to Crossbell for the first time using the official Western releases. Have only played the Geofront mods to this point and so pumped to see their efforts realized in an official way.
Wow, was surprised to see there was a mention of MO: Astray. I got I as part of a Humble Choice bundle a few years ago and randomly gave it a go. Didn’t look at anything about it, which is not my usual… MO.
ANYWAYS, I absolutely adore this game and highly recommend. Like he says, the game is very clever, never outstays its welcome, and it will surprise you regularly. It has a solid storyline and the way it tells it to you is unique, but I don’t want to give that away.
I’m always trying to find new Let’s Plays of this game, it’s just a satisfying romp.
Never played Emperor’s Tomb, though I think I have it. I’ve played Last Crusade, Fate of Atlantis, and Infernal Machine, but never really kept up with anything after. Do you know how this compares to Infernal Machine? Loved that game but it was brutal and made me question my sanity repeatedly for continuing.