Independent game World of Goo experiences 90 percent piracy rate.

[Heretic]

Anyway, for me it comes down to this: A couple of guys put together a pretty good game, offered it for a reasonable price, made it easily available online, and respected their audience enough not to burden it with DRM. And they're being rewarded with an overwhelming piracy rate, regardless of any quibbles with their methodology.

The larger point is that a publisher who puts out a mediocre game, at a higher price, and DRMed to oblivion will suffer a high piracy rate as well.

The piracy rate only matters when it comes to the few who could and would pay for the game given no other option (similar to those from Speederlander's example: they pirated the game and enjoyed it, didn't pay for it, but would if they had no other way of getting the game).

[Xcel]

DRM has NOTHING to do with it.

Any DRM will be cracked by some genius coder the day its out, thats just fact. And THATS the version that will be circulated, also on day 1 of release (if not before).

DRM ONLY effects the paying customers.

Thanks for the excellent post. I mean what game in history hasn't been cracked, it doesn't matter if the games has DRM or not!

I completely agree with you. I for one would have loved to support Mass Effect for instance but I just cannot support that kind of DRM.

[[XC] riptide]

There is no incentive to innovate now. IP and copyright law is used to steal the right of invention from the inventor and to take the art away artist.

Besides, the basis of inventing and making art isn't all about money. For true inventors and artists it is about creating an invention that will help people or society or art that expresses themselves or tells a story. Money is simply something for them to be able to continue invent/create art.

What is incongruent is that business does not care about either of these. It simply sees a product, a worker, and a consumer to sell it too. $$$$ I wrote about this, I don't know if it was on here or the Guru3d forms as well. But I explained EA to the teeth.

Perhaps this is my fault for not being precise in my explanation. I was referring to copyrights, as in text, sound, etc. I wasn't speaking to such things as inventions or patents covered by US Patent office and law. While both could be considered IP, they are slightly different in how they are handled and defined in law. Patents cover the way something is constructed, copyright covers what does not physically exist.

Thats just not reality at all. The inventions that come about now are primarily the result of a very small number of sources.

1) Military with a 15-20 year commercialisation hand down on specific items.

2) Industry... in the past very often with military grants and contracts.

3) Academia

4) A small amout of independant guys in garden sheds etc.

[[XC] riptide]

Yeah, way to be an ass.

Way to name calling

[n91htmare]

The hypocrisy of people is VERY clear in this thread.
A company releases a game with DRM and other protection... so people justify pirating it. Because of the EVILLLLLL DRM......
so then a company releases a game without DRM or any protection.... what do people do? PIRATE IT!!!! because it's now so much easier to pirate... and now the argument is that it's a crappy game or $20 is too much..yada yada.

These people will never be happy with anything.. pirates will always be pirates no matter what approach is taken.

Remember how people cried about $13-$15 being too much for a CD... and even $1 a song being too much for a song....
So what did Radiohead did with their album "in rainbows"?
Later reports said that most people paid NOTHING.

If you're gonna pirate and decide to pay nothing for something, there is nothing that these companies can do to change your mind. end of story.

[Heretic]

The hypocrisy of people is VERY clear in this thread.
A company releases a game with DRM and other protection... so people justify pirating it. Because of the EVILLLLLL DRM......
so then a company releases a game without DRM or any protection.... what do people do? PIRATE IT!!!! because it's now so much easier to pirate... and now the argument is that it's a crappy game or $20 is too much..yada yada.

As has been stated numerous times, DRM doesn't affect the pirate, only the legitimate consumer. DRM (or lack thereof) generally does not make a game harder or easier to pirate. Those that crack DRM tend to do it for fun or the challenge. Those that pirate hop onto their friendly neighborhood torrent site.

These people will never be happy with anything.. pirates will always be pirates no matter what approach is taken.
[snip]
If you're gonna pirate and decide to pay nothing for something, there is nothing that these companies can do to change your mind. end of story.

Exactly.