a company’s resolve to combat piracy is like a double-edged sword

Even amongst the swarm uneducated individuals, the concept of piracy is well-known because of its ubiquitous nature, and advancements in computing and Internet technology have only served to streamline the ease of distributing commercial data. Because piracy is so firmly etched into the overall constitution of the Net, sometimes you have to wonder that if one were to suddenly utlilise the Digital Rights Management in unconventional ways, would it conversely produce a detrimental effect on the consumers’ end?

Because the lingering problems are presently far from plain-cut, the associated dangers become more complicated as a result, which essentially rules out simple solutions. Even by unintentionally spurring pirates on, and additionally causing many inconveniences for genuine buyers (elaborated further down), the risk certainly doesn’t outweigh the benefits immediately.

With every new challenge completed, something is always gained in the process; in the case of piracy, knowledge adopted now will typically be applied in later dates. Even games that require you to be connected at all times to ensure the validity of your copy will fall victim to very specific subsets of piracy, such as server emulation. Crackers will usually find a way to circumvent anti-piracy methods; after all, it’s just a matter of time and patience. In this respect, offline games will naturally become more susceptible to illegal distribution, so developers are always looking for ways to prevent this, even if it means treading on new, dangerous grounds. Goodwill is expendable, and there are times when it has to act as the shield for a company’s wellbeing.

And what of the general populace? It’s unequivocal that many would prefer to obtain their stuff without charge, and so, from the perspective of those who proclaim themselves “saviours” to the plight of software developers–armed with an overwrought sense of self-righteousness–their virtuous moral compass will always oppose the actions of pirates for their underhanded methods of procuring software illicitly; the truth of the matter is that while it’s not exactly openly-advocated, its accessibility is unparalleled. In the case of the Internet where certain degrees of anonymity are inherently enforced, it hardly matters what others think of you, even less so than a real-life situation. At the end of the day, it’s not like the pleas of anti-piracy groups are anything compelling, because it’s a situation where actions will always speak louder than words–this is the unbiased truth.

The Blank Disc: a weapon of mass circulation

Another thing to mention is that piracy isn’t exactly as problematic as people make it sound. It’s undeniable that a considerable amount of profits are lost as a result, but propaganda and uneducated public knowledge have given rise to a bulk of presumptuous conjecture; the reality is that it’s not enough to force many companies into bankruptcy.

I think the reason why I’m bringing this up is because of EA’s take on the PC version of Mass Effect. Initially, the plan they had devised to combat piracy was one of a atypical nature for a single-player game, marked by its expansion on customary methods. Previously, users were required to routinely validate the authenticity of their CD-key over the Internet at regular intervals to ensure that their copy was genuine; however, due to disparaging feedback discrediting the integrity of such a service which heralded a plethora of inconveniences, it was ultimately dropped and an alternative put in its place.

Because some users are not always bestowed the freedom of having the Internet available to them at all times, they are unable to play the game they paid for, and to be essentially robbed of such a liberty is discouraging to say the least. Bioware’s solution to this was to enforce a particular rule in which each copy of the game would only have to be validated online once post-installation, though the catch is that the game can only be installed a total of three times, with checks having to be performed each time it is installed. Plans for specific user helplines have already been laid out, allowing buyers the ability to settle any disputes they may have with their three-limit deals should they use them up, or have them prematurely spent. Yet again, this gives birth to numerous others hindrances.

No doubt many will share similar sentiments regarding future problems which will inevitably arise, though whether contacting support should justify the time spent is probably arbitrary, and even more so if the verdict of specific cases only produces unfortunate outcomes; something which is dependent on the leniency and speed of their service. This particular solution was brought about with the sake of convenience in mind, though as usual there are others who would probably have preferred the initial method. It’s a matter of circumstance, as there is no surefire way to please everybody.

Similar strategies were employed by the developers of Steam many years back who utilised an account-based system with games linked directly to the user, and whole game content freely provided for download regardless of other factors (assuming account and Internet access is available). An offline mode has been implemented though, which allows users to play games after disconnecting their computers from the Internet for an indefinite amount of time; it’s not perfect in all aspects, but it does work to some extent.

I don’t know how long it’s going to be before these security measures are breached, but it will happen eventually, possibly leaving honest buyers feeling a little more shafted.

~ by Espydon on 29 May, 2008.