[jdkbph]

Originally Posted by CCIP

I still don't see what all the commotion is about. As I say, my experience has showed no problems at all with the game or the DRM.

That makes you part of the fortunate majority... many of whom seem to be too short sighted to realize that there really are problems here. Just because they haven't been affected yet does not mean it won't affect them at some point in the future.

Gee, thanks for killing people's interest in a rare, quality simulation that's already a very niche product to start with.

You're shooting at the messenger.

It is a good game... I never said it wasn't... and I suspect Jutland will be as good, if not better. More's the pity that the developer is so paranoid, so stubborn and egotistical... not only to the point of being unwilling to listen to the voice of the customer, but all too willing to alienate them by making wild accusations and throwing temper tantrums in public forums.

Also, I find the idea that "because you don't own a hard copy you've got no guarantee you'll have it tomorrow" a bit ludicrous. There haven't been many (or any) major games that I know this actually happened to, for one; and secondly, this assumes that hard copies last, which is also highly untrue.

I think you may have misunderstood the concern. It's not about the hard copy... it's a question of ownership vs a license to play. SES' position, as stated in the EULA, is that when you pay the $70 fee for the game you are not actually purchasing it, but only purchasing the right to install and play it on your computer... at the discretion and pleasure of SES. Meaning, if they judge that you have violated their EULA, they can literally pull the plug on you. For example, their EULA says you cannot resell the game, and this DRM system gives them the ability to enforce that, even if the legality is questionable. Here's an interesting thread on that subject.

There is one other aspect that I haven't yet mentioned, and that is what happens if SES gets bought out or goes belly up? L'Empereur assures us that it is his intention to "release the keys", so to speak, to all registered users should that happen. Nice thought... but is it realistic?

If somethng happens, say three or four years from now, will SES have your correct email address on file? Will they be able to contact you and every other registered user when they need to send you the files (or whatever) to make your game playable again after you upgrade to that shiny new computer system? But even if you assume that every registered user will be diligent about keeping their contact info up to date on SES' server, there's another problem with this idea.

Small companies often fold due to financial issues.... debt and cash flow mostly. When financial issues of that sort occur, disputes over company assets are not uncommon. What L'Emperuer is failing to consider, or neglecting to mention, is that these games, DG and Jutland, are in fact intellectual property owned by SES. As such the rights to those games, including the rights to those "keys" we've been promised, would most likely be forfeit to creditors... L'Empereur's good intentions notwithstanding.

Guess where that leaves us, the game "owners"?

How likely is this? I don't know... what percentage of small niche PC game companies have gone out of business or bankrupt over the years? But however you judge the risk, make no mistake that SES' policy in combination with their DRM system effectively places all the risk on the customer. I'm sorry but that just doesn't sit right wth me.

JD