Why is there DRM?

To be the first of the new ULTRA Editions

Why is there DRM?

Postby ThreeSon » Sat Dec 12, 2015 9:37 am

The Kickstarter campaign that I backed specifically promised that Timeshock would be DRM-free. I would never have backed it without that promise.

Now it's been released and I learn immediately that we can't play unless we sign into our Pro Pinball account. That is DRM. It means that when the Pro Pinball servers go down permanently, we will never be able to play the game again.

Could a staff member please offer an explanation for this?
ThreeSon
VIP
VIP
 
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Sep 20, 2013 1:41 pm

Re: Why is there DRM?

Postby RaviorMetal » Sat Dec 12, 2015 10:14 am

Its just for the online highscore I guess. Also at the moment it relies on downloading the correct resolution graphics, which will be away in future versions where its fully delivered.
RaviorMetal
New Member
 
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Sep 27, 2013 1:47 pm

Re: Why is there DRM?

Postby ThreeSon » Sat Dec 12, 2015 10:24 pm

If it's just for the online high scores, then there's no reason we shouldn't be able to play offline, and without access to the leaderboards. There is no technical reason why they would need to require us to be online in order to play, except to deny access to the game once the servers are gone.
ThreeSon
VIP
VIP
 
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Sep 20, 2013 1:41 pm

Re: Why is there DRM?

Postby lifeisabeach » Tue Dec 15, 2015 3:10 pm

I was able to skip registering initially and got an option to play as a Guest, after which it proceeded to download the graphics. I didn't get around to actually playing and wound up starting over and logging in, but I was very bothered by the fact that the graphics had to be downloaded separately in the first place. Hopefully they can be manually downloaded at some point or included completely with the game itself. Otherwise, if these guys close up shop in a couple years, we'll have no way to reinstall the game with the proper high res graphics.
lifeisabeach
New Member
 
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Sep 20, 2013 1:51 pm

Re: Why is there DRM?

Postby adpag » Tue Dec 15, 2015 3:47 pm

The current version requires you to log in once and be online to download the graphics resolution(s) you want. Once you've done that, there's no need to be online again. If you want, you can copy your user data and graphics to another machine without ever going online. Your user data says which platforms you chose, whether you're a beta tester and whether you have any extras like the gold pinball.

The cabinet update will bring offline installation. That will require you to do some kind of login to get a license file(*) containing your user data. You'll be able to download installable graphics data packages for all the resolutions. You'll then be able to install the game on any machine without ever going online and no need for our servers to still be around.

* Exact details for offline installation won't be certain until it's actually implemented.
adpag
Staff
Staff
 
Posts: 486
Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2013 11:29 am

Re: Why is there DRM?

Postby bernds » Fri Dec 18, 2015 11:22 pm

So I'm guessing I chose Linux at some point and now it won't let me play the Windows version? Can't say I'm very impressed by this.
bernds
New Member
 
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Sep 20, 2013 2:02 pm


Return to Timeshock!