DRM ?

[jondonnis]

You just have to look at the XBone debacle to see what people think of DRM.

[Vercinger]

I'm yet another customer you've lost because of DRM. Played Cap II a lot over the years, was very excited about CapLab, then found this thread. I've since pirated the game, and am getting a better experience than the people who paid for it. So congrats, I guess.

But seriously, I can scarcely believe devs still do this! How hard is it to figure out that DRM has no positive and harsh negative effects? What do you think you could possibly gain from it? More importantly, what could you gain that's worth alienating a large percent of your potential customers?!

Anyway, there's no longer any chance I'll ever pay full price for this. And I won't pay even a cent for it as long as the DRM stays. However, if you ever remove the DRM, I'll almost certainly buy the game when it's on sale.

Also,

We understand that some people would never buy any games with any kind of DRM. Just as in a Cap game, no product can ever capture 100% of the market and we never intend to achieve it.

Each product has its own appeal, target customer segments and business model. So it is completely understandable that the fact that CapLab retains online checking will make some users skipping CapLab and looking for other business sim products without any kind of DRM and we totally respect their decisions.

There are other great business sim products by other developers out there which do not have any kind of DRM and we would recommend people who dislike DRM to look for a game in the market that suits you the most.

...This is just bullshit. Do you really treat this just as some product? Have you no passion for the game, no desire to see it succeed? Have you no connection to the fans, no respect for us? Are you really a big and wealthy enough company to afford acting so detached?

But ignoring the corporate style of your message, which is something I'd expect out of an EA or Ubisoft executive, not a small niche company, let's focus on what you're actually saying.

Each product has its own appeal, target customer segments and business model. So it is completely understandable that the fact that CapLab retains online checking will make some users skipping CapLab and looking for other business sim products without any kind of DRM and we totally respect their decisions.

So what exactly is it about DRM that makes up for lowering the game's appeal, reducing the number of target customers and worsening the business model?

There are other great business sim products by other developers out there which do not have any kind of DRM and we would recommend people who dislike DRM to look for a game in the market that suits you the most.

Name some. Or at least one. I don't know of any, and I've looked. The Capitalism series has no competitors. So people who are interested in your games have nothing else to choose from. Their choice is to either buy CapLab, or pirate CapLab. And you already know which behaviour is encouraged by DRM.

[Esoteric Rogue]

[azxcvbnm321]

I'm yet another customer you've lost because of DRM. Played Cap II a lot over the years, was very excited about CapLab, then found this thread. I've since pirated the game, and am getting a better experience than the people who paid for it.

I call B.S. Yes I pirated when I was younger, more than 10 years ago, but I stopped because I realized it was wrong and that I could definitely afford a game for $20 when I was spending $3 here and there for a snack plus drink from 7-Eleven or $4 for a coffee. These are the same arguments I've heard time and time again, but as a pirate, I never bought games, I only bought games that I couldn't pirate or had too much trouble with the DRM. Why would I buy a game that I stole already? There is zero incentive and I assure you that pirates are not going to all of a sudden start buying games once the only thing that can stop them, the DRM, is removed. I support non-intrusive DRM like Steam and I've had no issues with Capitalism Labs DRM at all.

[albatros]

I registered on the forum to say thanks for working again on Capitalism 2, and thanks for taking back the old graphic engine to focus on gameplay.

Then, of course, I saw this thread...


The fact that you burden you game and consumers with DRMs is already insulting enough. Weirdly you managed to do worse :

We understand that some people would never buy any games with any kind of DRM. Just as in a Cap game, no product can ever capture 100% of the market and we never intend to achieve it.

Each product has its own appeal, target customer segments and business model. So it is completely understandable that the fact that CapLab retains online checking will make some users skipping CapLab and looking for other business sim products without any kind of DRM and we totally respect their decisions.

There are other great business sim products by other developers out there which do not have any kind of DRM and we would recommend people who dislike DRM to look for a game in the market that suits you the most.

You can try to be as impersonal as possible, but do you realise people understand what you are saying ?! You are saying "I know I have a monopoly, so f**ck off, I don't care !"

I dare you to talk to us normally, and respond to the valid points already made previously on the topic.

Namely :

• You are only intersted in people buying your game, so you don't care alienating people who buyed your game but don't like DRM, right ?
• People have the choice between pirating your game and have no DRM, or buying it, and be punished whith mandatory online connexion, how is it good ?
• Why is there still no trace about the fact that your game is burdened by DRM here or here ? Why do I have to find this by surprise, digging into the forum, like the passionate Capitalism fan I am. You stand firmly for annoying your costumers in the forums, but you are reluctant to let people know on the official website ?! I really felt cheated to discover it this way !

I will try with my clunky english to add one more point :
A lot of traffic for your game would be generated if more youtube videos, articles, podcasts, mods, where created. As you can see, we anti-DRM Capitalism 2 lovers can be quite active on those things. Maybe the most ?
All the time I took to write this post, I could have used it to write a great article on my gamedesign blog. Giving your game more awareness, and thus giving you more costumers. It worked when Noth and wolfire Games commited to meke their games available for Linux. It would certainly work if you drop DRMs.

[Brienne]

Hello,

was looking for Capitalism, as i used to play it for hours, long time ago.
So, Cap Lab does exist...cool. Where do I buy it?

But... I need to be online to play it?!? To verify if I'm not a stealer ?!
And I got to buy CLab with a bunch of games I don't care?
Really?

The dev should play his game, just to learn what is marketing.
Byyyyeeeeeee.

PS: so, lets start Kerbal...huge success DRM free. Those silly guys^^

[jondonnis]

Hello,

was looking for Capitalism, as i used to play it for hours, long time ago.
So, Cap Lab does exist...cool. Where do I buy it?

But... I need to be online to play it?!? To verify if I'm not a stealer ?!
And I got to buy CLab with a bunch of games I don't care?
Really?

The dev should play his game, just to learn what is marketing.
Byyyyeeeeeee.

PS: so, lets start Kerbal...huge success DRM free. Those silly guys^^

You buy it, create an account, connect online at least once I believe, then you can go offline. If your offline for more than an hour it will autosave. But you can reload cap lab, reload the save and play for another hour offline. Bit crap, but not as bad as some DRM. They should move to Steam.

Nothing on Steam is technically DRM free. Steam is the DRM, which is why Cap Lab should head to Steam.

I haven't played in over a year. It's sunny and hot so I'm sitting in the conservatory on the laptop. Although I've already paid for the game, I now have to find the download file, install it on the laptop then connect. All fine, but Steam would be so much better.

Another, BIG reason Cap Lab should move to Steam is due to the nature of your business. You're small, what happens if you go bust? What happens if you just quit? The servers go down, no one can play properly anymore. Steam is going no where, so it's a safer bet sticking the game on Steam. It's clear the only reason you don't want to stick it on Steam is because you don't want to give Steam any cut of the profits.

[Killerbrandt]

I personally do not care one bit that its DRM haha I love the fact I can just log on and the game knows its me. Also, it does help from people stealing it from them and I rather have the DRM than have people take potential profit from this company. However, I agre BIG TIME! that the game should try to go to Steam. Yeah some of the profits go to Steam but you will get so much more exposure and SO MANY MORE PEOPLE!! Even if they take some of the profit, you will get so many more people and potentially more money than just chilling here. You might get like $20 bucks from one person here every month or you could go on steam and get 100 people in a month for 15 bucks profit each.

Also Steam allows for all the other perks like Jondonnis mentioned earlier.

[jondonnis]

Get rid of the pissing DRM

http://ge.tt/7UjjxQr1/v/0?c

Right at the moment I wanted to retire and start a new map.

[trein91]

Does this mean I have to be connected at least once per hour to play this game? -.-|