The Gamer's Bill Of Rights - Stardock

[esd]

Very interesting stuff, and I can't say I disagree at all.

http://www.stardock.com/about/newsitem.asp?id=1095

The Gamers Bill of Rights:

• 1. Gamers shall have the right to return games that dont work with their computers for a full refund.
• 2. Gamers shall have the right to demand that games be released in a finished state.
• 3. Gamers shall have the right to expect meaningful updates after a games release.
• 4. Gamers shall have the right to demand that download managers and updaters not force themselves to run or be forced to load in order to play a game.
• 5. Gamers shall have the right to expect that the minimum requirements for a game will mean that the game will play adequately on that computer.
• 6. Gamers shall have the right to expect that games wont install hidden drivers or other potentially harmful software without their consent.
• 7. Gamers shall have the right to re-download the latest versions of the games they own at any time.
• 8. Gamers shall have the right to not be treated as potential criminals by developers or publishers.
• 9. Gamers shall have the right to demand that a single-player game not force them to be connected to the Internet every time they wish to play.
• 10. Gamers shall have the right that games which are installed to the hard drive shall not require a CD/DVD to remain in the drive to play.

[BlackDove]

They're great, but they're right up there with me wanting my pink unicorn.

[Fenavian]

I can't agree with #10 in the slightest. By not having a cd in the drive, it will promote pirating. That's the only one I really disagree with though.

[Isileth]

Really with the ease of getting a no cd crack I cant see how just not forcing you to put the CD in in the first place makes it any easier.

I always go and download one as soon as I get a new game because its just a pain to have to search round for the CD each time I want to play.

Definitely agree with them all.

[esd]

They're great, but they're right up there with me wanting my pink unicorn.

I can't agree with #10 in the slightest. By not having a cd in the drive, it will promote pirating. That's the only one I really disagree with though.

Well it's how Stardock have been doing business, those 10 rules. They've successfully built a business model based on them. It's a workable model, they've proven that.

There's a fair bit of debate about how DRM can actually be counterproductive, which is what set Stardock off down that route to start.

The sales of their software seem to bear them out.

[Syro]

As a contracts guy in the "software business"...

I say, "Amen!"

Even with #10

In fact, we do not want any physical media. Only electronic delivery please!

[Anubis]

In fact, we do not want any physical media. Only electronic delivery please!

I actually really dislike electronic delivery. I'd much rather have a hard copy of the game in my hand than have to pay for my games to be stored on someone's server, and run the risk of never being able to play them again without paying on a different site should the website go bust.

Give me disks any day.

As for the list, I have to agree with BD I'm afraid. Nice list, and for the most part I agree with it, but frankly the day it gets implemented is the day we all fly fluffy pigs across the oceans.

[SoulSeeker]

Take the right 'stuff' and you can fly fluffy pigs across the ocean....ahem ...cough

[SSX Fahd]

They're great, but they're right up there with me wanting my pink unicorn.

You need to stop "acting the goat" -source .

Rule #7 is a little unfair, at least on the company. They'll need some way of verifying whether the customer has a legit copy of the game. I don't think a CD serial will cut it.

Rule #10 would be nice, although most people will either find a no-cd patch, or they'll rip a copy of the game disk to a .iso, and then mount it. That siad if I remember correctly Epic released no-cd patches for UT (and maybe UT-2003/2004?) after the games had been out for awhile, so nothings impossible. Just unlikely.

[Syro]

Give me disks any day.

Fahd is correct for me. I will get a cracked no-cd rip if I am forced to have a CD spinning to simply play a game.

I added electronic delivery to #10 (for games) because I know the $$$ value of it. I admit it. I am cheap. I do not like leaving any money on the table for governments or non-application-users to grab.

Physical media vs. electronic delivery is purely a money game.

In many states (not just U.S. of A.), one does not have to pay taxes on electronic delivery of software. Physical media ALWAYS incurs a tax liability for either the user or the distributor. I would rather see more people investing $$$ into gaming than give it to a government. I will not rant on the actual distribution cost to create, wrap and send a 25 cent CD. More $$$ in the hands of non-gamers!

Seriously, how many times does a person use the physical media for game reinstalls?

I wipe my drives every 4-6 months. Format. Reinstall. I play multiple MMO's. I guarantee you that my WoW, L2, Lotro, EQ2 CD's will not be used when I start playing again... they are all from launch! I use my OS CD, security CD's, useful app CD's and have downloaded all the latest drivers to a CD prior to wipe. That's all for physical media. I have mountains of CD's with game code in old game wrappers that will never see laser light again!

If a person wants a physical copy of game code, then burn it to DVD after download. Better yet, legally grab the .iso files (the actual CD image). Or simply request physical media to be delivered for a minimal but added charge in a plain wrapper!

[esd]

Stardock's model there is pretty good too. GalCivII I bought on CD, but I get the additional right to download it from them too.

Best of both worlds.

[Chill]

#10 makes me wonder - If A USB dongle came with a game, and that dongle had to be plugged into play would there be more outrage?

After all this is really all it is, for me with a high speed internet line CDs are just.... dated technology. AFIAK Few games these days leave assets on the CD, it is just there for the protection.

I download a game apply the no cd crack and then go any buy it if its worth playing. I never even put that CD in because its a pain ito manage all this physical media.

[Scorpius]

They're great, but they're right up there with me wanting my pink unicorn.

Why am I not surprised you want a pink unicorn ?