Collector wrote:GOG has no DRM out side of the occasional manual check that is integrated into the game play. They will crack and or hack games with DRM before they sell them.
To me, any form of copy protection is DRM. I actually prefer modern methods to the old "find-crap-in-the-manual" routine. It was far too easy to lose the manual or extra items (like that red magnifying glass for CB) which would make the game unplayable.
Collector wrote:Perhaps Steam is better than draconian DRMs like StarForce, but I don't like buying games that I won't be able to install/play when the company folds. Think that Valve can't go under? Many would have said the same thing about Sierra at one time.
Valve has said numerous times that, if in the unlikely event the company does go out of business, they will allow users to play the games without the Steam client. As is, it's easy to play single-player games in offline mode, so it'd be easy for Valve to change the setup.
Multiplayer games in the past have been released free of charge (the Tribes series, for instance), which would probably occur if Steam was no longer a possibility. This is particularly true of Valve's titles, like TF2.
Sierra didn't have anything remotely like Steam where games aren't limited to Valve's own titles. Steam is the most successful and widely used digital gaming client in the world. While that doesn't guarantee that Valve will never go out of business, the success (and money) Steam brings in would easily attract other companies.
Sales of games go up when on Steam as games reach a wider audience. Even games that're on store shelves benefit from being available on Steam. Plus, Valve often offers "incentives" to buy certain games by awarding prizes, usually in the form of a TF2 hat or weapon. Believe it or not, people WILL buy a game just for a hat or weapon. TellTale games tends to work with Steam in this manner. You'll see a number of people running around with "Max hats" and other gear.
You might say, "That's stupid if someone buys a game for an item." Maybe it is, but the developer benefits. That means the developer can create more (and potentially better) games in the future.
Everything I wrote in the last two paragraphs is why I'd like to see
Gray Matter on Steam, in addition to physical stores. More people will notice the game. If Jane were really smart, she'd follow TellTale's lead and make a deal with Steam to offer purchasers items.
I also agree with MI in that Steam grants greater support and security than games bought off store shelves. That doesn't mean I dislike physical copies -- I tend to prefer them, if for no other reason than I don't have to perform a hefty download.
Steam isn't perfect by any stretch of the imagination. It's definitely had its fair share of issues. However, if given the choice between standard "off-the-shelf" DRM schemes and Steam, I'll choose Steam every single time.
(Yes, I know I sound like a Steam fan boy, but I just see it as the best alternative to most DRM plans made by companies. If companies stopped their stupid DRM tactics, I'd be more inclined to buy off store shelves.)
