GoG.com accuses Valve of making gaming difficult

[ríomhaire]

In a not very subtle video GoG has taken a bash at Valve in order to promote some sort of relaunch (again) on Tuesday:

I wonder if they're going to release a client.

 

[Edeslash]

Quite classy.

 

[Lobster]

Isn't the fact they have no client the thing that makes them unique among digital distributors?

 

[ríomhaire]

Isn't the fact they have no client the thing that makes them unique among digital distributors?

I would have thought the lack of any DRM and the large catalogue of older games is the thing that made them different. How would lack of a client be a selling point? I mean, if they leave the download-off-the-website system in place and add an optional download manager how would that be a bad thing/make them un-unique?

 

[Yorick]

I watched the video on this when you submitted it to be posted as News, but I don't really get it. When has Valve ever been a problem with DRM? Or when have they ever really been in competition with each other? I don't even see them as really having the same kind of market for the most part.

 

[Lobster]

I mean, if they leave the download-off-the-website system in place and add an optional download manager how would that be a bad thing/make them un-unique?

I didn't really consider that, I read Client and imagined something more bulky.

The last thing I read about GoG, was they were moving into delivering new games as well as old, It would be interesting to see which developers choose to have their games completely DRM free.

 

[Sliver]

I watched the video on this when you submitted it to be posted as News, but I don't really get it. When has Valve ever been a problem with DRM? Or when have they ever really been in competition with each other? I don't even see them as really having the same kind of market for the most part.

You're exactly right. Both are great services, but they also serve very different functions. I don't really take the commercial too seriously, just a fun little poke.

 

[Hectic Glenn]

This from the classy company which said they're shutting down as a publicity stunt to boost sales then said 'not really!'.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/103810-Good-Old-Games-Faked-Shutdown-to-Avoid-Being-Boring

 

[Omnomnick]

They'll be running surprise shutdowns soon. Make them regular events but don't let customers know when it might happen. That is one way to offer your customers an exciting, yet frustrating experience.

 

[ríomhaire]

I watched the video on this when you submitted it to be posted as News, but I don't really get it. When has Valve ever been a problem with DRM? Or when have they ever really been in competition with each other? I don't even see them as really having the same kind of market for the most part.

Yeah I can see why you won't bother with it as front page news. I just figured that it was Valve-related and GoG is a fairly well known (if not, as Glenn already pointed out, particularly classy) business so I'd submit it. I think in future if it's iffy whether or not it's really news I'll just post a thread instead of using the submit news button.

Anyway a lot of people actually really hate the fact that Valve has made DRM software acceptable and popular. Most Steam games won't run without Steam running (and offline mode can be glitchy for many people) and even if it's light DRM, it's still DRM and there is a group of people out there (I have no idea how large) that find any DRM unacceptable and I can see where they're coming from. I had dial-up when the Orange Box came out. Looking forward to and playing Half-Life 2, the episodes and Portal was delightful and installing them was a nightmare. Your internet connection going unexpectedly really shouldn't prevent you from using products that you bought that don't require the internet themselves to function. Steam is great in most ways and has some wonderful features, but I'd be pretty delighted if they allowed the games to run without Steam itself running.

 

[morgs]

Yeah, Steam is a nice service but I hate that it's a necessary one.

 

[MJ12]

I don't even understand the commercial. Yes I know what DRM is, but why is the guy wearing armor and attacking his own computer? Wat.

 

[Bob_Marley]

I really hope they don't release a client, if they do they may well be somewhat undermining thier own point about steam being DRM, which it is. Quite restrictive DRM in a very nice package (which is why we all go along with it.)

I would guess the armour is a reference either to steam guard or, more likley, how bloody useless steam is when one (attempts) to run it in offline mode.

 

[Krynn72]

The guy in the commercial didn't deserve to play any video games anyways. Needs a shave, a haircut, and in all likelyhood, an education.

 

[Paulaner]

I don't even understand the commercial. Yes I know what DRM is, but why is the guy wearing armor and attacking his own computer? Wat.

"Visual metaphor: the representation of a person, place, thing, or idea by way of a visual image that suggests a particular association or point of similarity."

BTW, GOG is awesome. New games, DRM free, could be a real breakthrough. Will publishers agree?

 

[ríomhaire]

I really hope they don't release a client, if they do they may well be somewhat undermining thier own point about steam being DRM, which it is.

A client would not automatically mean DRM. I have no idea why you would think that.

 

[Bad^Hat]

"Visual metaphor: the representation of a person, place, thing, or idea by way of a visual image that suggests a particular association or point of similarity."

It's a bad visual metaphor because it makes no ****ing sense. The title of the video refers to "the DRM knight." Who is the DRM knight? Is anyone who tries to play a game with DRM the DRM knight? Are they saying that I'm making it hard for myself somehow? Also at the end it says "games don't need armor" but at no point in the video does this occur. So what the **** are they trying to say? Playing games with DRM is like wearing a suit of armour? Why? What? A good metaphor shouldn't require this level of pointless deconstruction. :v

 

[Paulaner]

It's a bad visual metaphor because it makes no ****ing sense. The title of the video refers to "the DRM knight." Who is the DRM knight? Is anyone who tries to play a game with DRM the DRM knight? Are they saying that I'm making it hard for myself somehow? Also at the end it says "games don't need armor" but at no point in the video does this occur. So what the **** are they trying to say? Playing games with DRM is like wearing a suit of armour? Why? What? A good metaphor shouldn't require this level of pointless deconstruction. :v

The simple way: instead of protecting digital rights (the armour thing), DRM makes games more difficult to play (the awkward movements of the knight)

A client would not automatically mean DRM. I have no idea why you would think that.

A client is DRM if you need it to play.

 

[ríomhaire]

I think the image was supposed to be, playing games with DRM is like trying to use a keyboard wearing a full suit of armour, ie, cumbersome and annoying.

 

[Yorick]

I think the image was supposed to be, playing games with DRM is like trying to use a keyboard wearing a full suit of armour, ie, cumbersome and annoying.

But with Steam, that's simply not the case. GOG should really go after a target that actually provides a bad service.

 

[ríomhaire]

But with Steam, that's simply not the case. GOG should really go after a target that actually provides a bad service.

It is if your internet connection suddenly conks out and offline mode decides not to work. Or if you keep getting "can't connect to steam server" errors. Or if paypal decides to arbitrarily reverse a charge and you get locked out of your entire library until its sorted out.

 

[Edeslash]

But with Steam, that's simply not the case. GOG should really go after a target that actually provides a bad service.

Steam is every digital distributor's largest rival. Of course they want to give the not-so-subtle hints why they're better than Steam.

 

[Krynn72]

I think the image was supposed to be, playing games with DRM is like trying to use a keyboard wearing a full suit of armour, ie, cumbersome and annoying.

Even if that was the moral of the video (which I dont think it is) then the "games don't need armor" line still makes no sense, because it should have said "Gamers dont need armor" and even then it wouldn't make sense because DRM exists to protect publishers/developers, not gamers, and its never been suggested otherwise.

A better commercial with the same visuals would have been people dismantling a full suit of armor to get to the game. Then the game is wearing the armor to protect itself, and it shows how annoying it is to get to play it.

See, in less than a minute I came up with a clearer message.

 

[Tagaziel]

But with Steam, that's simply not the case. GOG should really go after a target that actually provides a bad service.

I love Steam. Whenever I have a working Internet connection. When I don't, I hate Steam, because it can't go to offline mode without being online first.

And I don't ****ing know when I'm going to be out of internets.

Anywhoo, there are several titles that require BOTH Steam and for example GfWL running, which is extremely shitty. Case in point: Red Faction Guerilla.

 

[Bad^Hat]

I totally agree with people's gripes about Steam's offline mode, but the metaphor still doesn't work there because that doesn't make Steam cumbersome, it just makes it straight up not work. It would be more like being in a suit of armour except the armour is just ornamental and the joints don't move. Also it has no internet access.

Edit: By the way there are two more ads and they're also bad and dumb. I love GoG but they need to fire the shit out of their PR. Or possibly hire some PR.

 

[ríomhaire]

Wow. Those were awful.

 

[Tagaziel]

The more I see of GOG's publicity campaign, the more I'm convinced they're making them horrible ON PURPOSE.

Whatever, as long as they continue to provide quality service, they can post commercials of them running around in black leather thongs, pouring joghurt on each other and sensually licking it off each others' chests.

 

[Bad^Hat]

So I guess this is what they were building towards: a website relaunch and some policy changes. Basically they've rebranded themselves as just "GOG," doing away with the old games thing so they can sell whatever the hell they want. Trine and Whispered World are available now as part of the announcement, and you can pre-order retro dungeon crawler Legend of Grimrock. In any case they're sticking with their mantra of no DRM and fair pricing, which is the important thing. No mention of a client either.

 

[Paulaner]

Trine and Whispered World are available now as part of the announcement, and you can pre-order retro dungeon crawler Legend of Grimrock. In any case they're sticking with their mantra of no DRM and fair pricing, which is the important thing. No mention of a client either.

Really awesome. The guys at GOG are raising the bar.

 

[Tagaziel]

Personally, I wouldn't mind an optional client to make downloading and purchasing titles easier.

 

[MJ12]

Legend of Grimrock looks quite good.