Peace Phoenix

BTW, since one idea behind Elemental is to allow good moddability, I think that camp #1 with everything is a ressource can allow more freedom on modding than camp 2. That way, there won't be any difference on, for example, how griffins are in the game: they can be found in wilderness (like horse), breed through magical means (magically fusion an eagle and a lion for example), traded with another empire or whatever. it will still be a ressource. Everything h

I don't see any mention about multiplayer aspect. As Stardock has said there will be a multiplayer aspect and than online multiplayer will be on Stardock servers, I am wondering how caravan can be targeted/intercepted in a multiplayer game. If multiplayer means simultaneous turns, trying to intercept caravan can be impossible, meaning that they can be abstracted and made untargettable. The only way to disrupt them would be to blockade the source or the destination of the caravan.

[quote]I'll be on vacation when I finally get to play beta. I am happy I have a laptop. Waking up in the camper and playing this game will be cool.[/quote] Unless the beta requires to be always connected to Internet ....

Concerning Steam offline mode. Somehow, I think the problem isn't that Steam has an offline mode but more the fact that you must run Steam to play your games and by default, it requires an online connexion. It is like Impulse which allows you to choose where your game can be downloaded and installed. But unless you look at the options behind the top left icon, you would wondering why Impulse keeps downloading and installing game on a small partition when there is a bigger availab

[quote]I think if they spent 2 or 3 more months on the game they would of got the positive feedback[/quote] Are you sure, since all current net related problems are linked to the fact that net code has problemn to handle correctly thousands of simultaneous users?

[quote]I just spent a whole hour customising a race[/quote] Have you started playing with the ship designer ? [e digicons]}:)[/e]

[quote] If you REALLY want to be customer friendly, this would be possible with Impulse, too...[/quote] Well, Impulse requires .NET 2.0 and IE7 ... Are they available in LINUX?

[quote]"By Valve's own admission, it only has 20 million accounts"[/quote] I am wondering how many accounts are on impulse.

[quote]DRM (Goo) has zero, null, nada zap benefits for the paying customer he couldn't enjoy without DRM (Goo) . [/quote] Knowing that he can download the game again, without needing to paying it again, from any digital distributor, even if his computer has crashed and his install CD/DVD are scratched isn't a valid benefit for a paying customer?

[quote]Actually that's not what I am thinking, that's what Brad Wardell thinks.[/quote] Since you are thinking that copyright isn't an honor system, what is your remaining problem with GOO?

[quote]Sticking to the current Stardock policy(the game is not protected, but to get patches you need validation) would be the best thing IMHO. [/quote] But very few publishers are convinced of that. It is for them that GOO has been made.

[quote]Wait, what is happening April 7th?[/quote] Impulse phase 3 perharps, with Impulse Anywhere for installing downloaded games on a non connected gaming rig.

[quote]Again, if you're making your game available for download only, you're accepting that only people with internet connections that can download your game will be able to play it.[/quote] It depends about the delivery method. It could be a downloadable installer than can be copied to an USB drive.

[quote]Even a simple dialup connection would suffice.[/quote] For activating, yes. But for downloading 2 Gigas of data, this is another thing.

[quote]Then what's the reason for IE only?[/quote] It is impulse, the means to donwload the game from Stardock server that is IE only

[quote]Query some restrictions backend weather a user has rights for some content Ask that restrictions backend to package the content up in a DRMed container On the client end you need some code that obfuscates the decryption key (you do not want the user to have it) [/quote] I am not sure that it will works that way with GOO. From what I have read, the first step is required, since it is the one that will allow people to download the game from any Dig

[quote]Dealing with that DRM crap from a programmers perspective is just a darn hassle and it would be so much easier without [/quote] That is why GOO encapsulates the exe. The programmer doesn't have to worry about DRM in that case.

[quote]You as a company decide not to trust your paying customer [/quote] How are you sure that the customer is a paying customer? I remember a post on a Sins of a Solar empire forum from SD or IC explaining they have required sending Serial in e-mailed bug reports to ensure that bugs reported are on a legit version and not on a pirated one.

[quote] I know introducing a DRM system is all about market domination and proprietary file formats[/quote] Well, since you have done some researchs about post by Frogboy, you may want to look at this one http://frogboy.impulsedriven.net/article/339313/Do_you_really_want_Steam_to_be_your_only_option_Are_you_sure

[quote]Now the powers that be threaten to bann/silence me because I've become a public disturbance. [/quote] ??? I haven't seen any warning about restrictions of your posting priviledges.

[quote]I love how you somehow got 1+5+2 to equal 7 on the elite soldier. [/quote] Not to mention that few lines below you have 1 + 4 + 2 = 7. It seems there are some magic forces at works twisting the numbers ;)

[quote]Pirates don't count. We know our customers could pirate our games if they want but choose to support our efforts.[/quote] Stardock knows that but t others publishers don't get it. So they must be educated/convinced that hard DRM aren't needed first, before they go to no DRM on retail disc. The aim of GOO is to offer to publishers an alternative to SECUROM or STEAM DRM that is more acceptable by customer and doesn't tie the publishers to a specific digital distributor

[quote]So please, with suggar on top, tell me precisely how Goo (DRM) is about the paying customer and what he wants, and not about the pirate?[/quote] Goo is for publishers that want/must have protection on shipped games while avoid being too harsh for the paying customer

[quote]Still, it is DRM. Probably it just does not work without DRM.[/quote] Well, in order to be able to download the game without having to pay it, you need a proof that you already own a copy. Registering your e-mail with your serial id is just making that proof for latter uses.

[quote]They are using it for Elemental and they have required activation-on-install for their past games acquired through Impulse.[/quote] not quite. It is activation on install for betas and activation on updates. But the retail CD what without any kind of protection