CD Projekt Statement on Witcher 2 and DRM

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Join Date 02/2007

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CD Projekt Statement on Witcher 2 and DRM

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User blog:Ausir/CD Projekt on DRM and patches

From Witcher Wiki

< User blog:Ausir

In response to rumors about The Witcher 2 DRM, the following has been posted in the official forum:

1. We believe that the chief way to achieve favorable sales of legal game copies is to establish the right relation between game price and product quality. In our opinion, it is more important to encourage acquisition of original game copies than to punish those who play pirated copies.

2. Copyright protection cannot impede or hamper the use of legally acquired game copies. In particular:

Games that do not require an Internet connection for gameplay reasons should not require an active Internet connection for normal use.
Game installation should in no way be limited, neither as regards the number of repeated installations on a given system, nor in terms of the number of systems on which a game can be installed.
Internet-based registration of game copies is advisable only where the developer makes available, free of charge and via the Internet, additional game content or other services requiring an Internet connection.
Traditional forms of copy protection like CD-check and serial numbers are acceptable provided they are highly stable and reliable.

3. All patches and updates should be made available free of charge as additional services provided to consumers who acquired original game copies. Charges can be applied only to completely new material providing additional gameplay time.

Our chief aim is to provide our customers with a positive and satisfying game experience. We strive always to remain true to our principles and find solutions that enable CD Projekt to operate effectively in the games industry while allowing us to pursue our stated aim.

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Ubisoft removed Tages and all DRM from Dawn of Discovery DVD version in a patch sometime last year. I believe it's still on the digital version (Steam, Impulse, GG) though.

So they removed Tages and went to the internet connection required with the DVD version or did they just remove Tages? My buddy put over 400 hours into that game and tells me to buy it all the time but I just can't bring myself to use Tages if I'm buying from STEAM or D2D or whatever. Game was on sale for 20 bucks including the expansion. Still not worth the hassle. There is no way to find a retail copy around here either. Maybe a handful ever shipped this way. Retail space for PC games around here is next to nothing. Best Buy and Future Shop are the only ones left with a shelf to speak of. Half of that shelf is WoW, Warcraft, and Diablo 2. =/

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Yeah well, I'm getting tired of getting...well 'lied' to about games.

They say something, but what they give out is partially that, or totally not there.

Like that old Fallout 3 about close to a 100 of different endings..granted I should have known better, but still.

And

Quoting KWAiRT,

reply 26

. There is no way to find a retail copy around here either. Maybe a handful ever shipped this way. Retail space for PC games around here is next to nothing. Best Buy and Future Shop are the only ones left with a shelf to speak of. Half of that shelf is WoW, Warcraft, and Diablo 2. =/

Same here..just that the other half is full of crappy games dating from 2-7 years ago. Y'know all the games that no one ever touches, only to see if there's maybe the game you're looking for behind it, like it was covered by accident?

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I mean WTF do they need Tages on a STEAM version of the game? Are they really that stupid and or lazy?

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Quoting Annatar11,

reply 24

Except Dragon Age didn't fail, and didn't come anywhere close to. It was hugely successful. Doesn't mean everyone liked it, but hey, GTA 4 is hugely successful and I can't stand it - doesn't make it fail. And yep, I loved Dragon Age.

I enjoyed Dragon Age too, and that game definitely did not fail. I thought it was darker than some of the other games, especially the dwarf area which was well done. Was it bleeding from your eyeballs, piece of flesh falling off all over the place dark... no.

I swear we had this DRM conversation before too, and it really doesn't matter what they say so much as what the game is shipped with.

egads x 1

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Quoting KWAiRT,

reply 26

Ubisoft removed Tages and all DRM from Dawn of Discovery DVD version in a patch sometime last year. I believe it's still on the digital version (Steam, Impulse, GG) though.
So they removed Tages and went to the internet connection required with the DVD version or did they just remove Tages? My buddy put over 400 hours into that game and tells me to buy it all the time but I just can't bring myself to use Tages if I'm buying from STEAM or D2D or whatever. Game was on sale for 20 bucks including the expansion. Still not worth the hassle. There is no way to find a retail copy around here either. Maybe a handful ever shipped this way. Retail space for PC games around here is next to nothing. Best Buy and Future Shop are the only ones left with a shelf to speak of. Half of that shelf is WoW, Warcraft, and Diablo 2. =/

There was never a constant Internet connection required for Dawn of Discovery. It was released before the latest Ubisoft DRM used in games like Settlers 7.

In the very first patch for DoD they removed all DRM from the DVD version. From what info I can find in various google searches seems to indicate that the DRM still is on the digital versions (Steam, Impulse, etc.). The only DRM that was used in the first place was the 3 activation things (more activations can be gotten from Ubisoft).

So anyway, the DVD version with the patch has no DRM at all. Digital versions appear to still have the DRM.

This is similar to how Firaxis removed all DRM from Civilization 4 with the last patch they released.

Other games have done this as well so I do like the trend of removing DRM after initial release.

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Quoting bonscott,

reply 30

So anyway, the DVD version with the patch has no DRM at all. Digital versions appear to still have the DRM.

This is similar to how Firaxis removed all DRM from Civilization 4 with the last patch they released.

Other games have done this as well so I do like the trend of removing DRM after initial release.

Not really similar to Civ IV. Civ IV did not have tages or activation limits that required customers to call up 2K and beg for the right to play something they already paid for. It was just a CD check.

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Quoting ZehDon,

reply 25

Personally, I don't think Bioware quite understand what 'Dark Fantasy' means. Scantily clad women and blood on your characters doesn't make a bevy of RPG cliches instantly fresh and appealing. Dragon Age was a great game, it just wasn't the game it promised to be.

I agree. If you want "dark fantasy," I HIGHLY recommend Baldur's Gate 2 (plus Throne of Bhaal expansion). It's the game that Dragon Age aspired to be. The problem with DA is that it confused shallow sex scenes, excessive blood splattering, and a highly predictable plot with being a mature, engrossing RPG. BG2 makes no such error. It delivers on storyline, villian (Jon Irenicus is the best antagonist I've seen in any game), party development, and gameplay.

In fact, Bioware should just stop half-stepping and make Baldur's Gate 3 already.

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Quoting the_hunger,

reply 32

Quoting ZehDon, reply 25Personally, I don't think Bioware quite understand what 'Dark Fantasy' means. Scantily clad women and blood on your characters doesn't make a bevy of RPG cliches instantly fresh and appealing. Dragon Age was a great game, it just wasn't the game it promised to be.

I agree. If you want "dark fantasy," I HIGHLY recommend Baldur's Gate 2 (plus Throne of Bhaal expansion). It's the game that Dragon Age aspired to be. The problem with DA is that it confused shallow sex scenes, excessive blood splattering, and a highly predictable plot with being a mature, engrossing RPG. BG2 makes no such error. It delivers on storyline, villian (Jon Irenicus is the best antagonist I've seen in any game), party development, and gameplay.

In fact, Bioware should just stop half-stepping and make Baldur's Gate 3 already.

This is for the win.

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This makes me glad, so very glad, that I actually bought The Witcher in the first place, when it was released.

This pretty much indebts me to aquire The Witcher 2 when it is released. Not because it's awesome. But because obviously, CD Projekt is.

Quoting the_hunger,

reply 32

I wouldn't call BG2 "dark fantasy" or anything close to it, but more to the point; I'm not even sure I want the new ElectronicWare to even attempt making a BG3 anymore.

I'm afraid that it'd forever taint the greatness that was the original BG Triology.

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Quoting WalkerK19,

reply 6

Meh, Dragon Age claimed to be dark fantasy (blood much?). But The Witcher managed to capture the feeling of dark fantasy correctly.

Completely agree. I think it results from playing a single character who's an outcast, has limited influence on the world and has to succeed without the help of a party. Gothic especially #1 felt the same way and also Planescape: Torment. Witcher 2 is now on my "need to have" list.

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Quoting Luckmann,

reply 34

Quoting the_hunger, reply 32I agree. If you want "dark fantasy," I HIGHLY recommend Baldur's Gate 2 (plus Throne of Bhaal expansion).

In fact, Bioware should just stop half-stepping and make Baldur's Gate 3 already.I wouldn't call BG2 "dark fantasy" or anything close to it,

I would agree. I never once every thought of either Baldur's Gate as "dark fantasy". Both BG1 and BG2 along with Icewind Dale were just D&D games to me. Frankly I don't even remember what the main plot of BG2 was, and I played it thru 2-3 times...but many years ago. I loved BG2 and it still ranks as one of my favorite games of all time...but "dark fantasy" it isn't. Was a D&D campaign to me.

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