How else would online multiplayer work? I suppose there's the community-run server model, but you're asking vendors to potentially do some pretty major re-architecting.
GOG's games are entirely DRM-Free for single-player and local multiplayer. For experiences that are inherently tied to online services, the concept of DRM-Free ownership doesn't really work.
Right, because I said "multiplayer", obviously I meant "multiplayer over the internet".
Multiplayer would work by letting you connect however you want.
> you're asking vendors to potentially do some pretty major re-architecting.
From a game architecture perspective, there is no difference between connecting to someone else over the internet, and connecting to someone else over a LAN. As far as the networking stack is concerned, the difference is that in the second case, you're most likely using IP addresses that are reserved for non-internet use.
But wait, there's more!
> How else would online multiplayer work?
You could just... NOT require a registration when connecting to the internet. Remember what I said about requiring a serial number? Try thinking of a more iconic, prototypical example of DRM.
> GOG's games are entirely DRM-Free for single-player and local multiplayer.
No, they're not, this is just false.
Well, but you're assuming the server software is actually designed to be run on end-user PCs, and not some proprietary server architecture that also hooks into a bunch of other company stuff.
> You could just... NOT require a registration when connecting to the internet. Remember what I said about requiring a serial number? Try thinking of a more iconic, prototypical example of DRM.
So I guess the question here is, what is the purpose of buying DRM Free games?
To me, it's the knowledge that as long as I can find compatible hardware, I will always be able to run a game, no matter what external server somewhere someone decides to take down. This is very powerful, and it's the difference between truly owning an experience, and renting temporary access to one.
As long as an external server is required, all of that goes out the window. Any game that uses that model is inherently a rental. And there's nothing necessarily wrong with that, if the experience couldn't exist any other way. I buy tickets to movie theaters, and Broadway shows, and plenty of other "temporary" forms of entertainment.
If the multiplayer already requires an external server, what does it matter whether or not there's a serial number? To me, it makes absolutely no difference.
> No, they're not, this is just false.
What single player / local multiplayer games on GOG have DRM?
#1. This question is not asked in good faith; games purposefully include centralized internet multiplayer, while not including local multiplayer, and this is itself a form of DRM.
#2. Northgard applies DRM even to single-player modes. You cannot use them without simultaneously connecting through the Steam^W GOG client.
I'm not seeing anything about this in reviews or elsewhere on Google? The GOG page itself states:
> Please note: The GOG Galaxy Client is required to access online features for Northgard.
But, offline singleplayer seems to work fine by all accounts. I'm actually a bit tempted to buy the game to verify absolutely.
https://www.gog.com/forum/northgard/warning_gog_galaxy_is_re...
So no, offline singleplayer is not working fine by all accounts, it is not intended to work at all, and this was fine with GOG when they reviewed the game. (If you start the game, you will see the message "You need to log in through GOG to access Conquest" displayed in a tooltip over its grayed-out button. It's not something you could actually miss, if you were reviewing the game.)
Did you really think I was just making this up?
I think you're conflating issues, if you give allow the community to run servers, you don't have on-going costs for multi-player (besides the discovery service, but you can make that free too).
Failing to see the problem here.
I think the parent made a mental jump here: the problem is when multiplayer needs a particular endpoint on the internet, and when that endpoint is unreachable (firewall, bad connection, product discontinued), then multiplayer is broken.
Define some, can you not play the full game if you're entirely offline if not either don't buy the game, or what's the problem?
Here, Northgard removes single-player functionality unless it can check on you: https://www.gog.com/game/northgard
> either don't buy the game, or what's the problem?
Well, the problem would be selling a heavily DRMed game while claiming to be DRM-free.
Well this suggests it's a bug, at least.
The commitment is weaker than they want it to sound. They're selling quite a few games now that require an internet connection or a serial number in order for multiplayer to work, or even just to access some of the single-player gameplay.
Refusing to call something "DRM" doesn't mean you're DRM-free.