Hard Reset: no DRM

[Rii]

Ars (http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2011/09/hard-reset-developer-talks-quick-saves-royalty-rates-and-drm.ars)

My last question concerned the boogeyman of DRM. "I'm a gamer as well as a developer," Zych said. "And I hate DRM. So no DRM."

Think I'll be buying this to prove a point. Course it doesn't hurt that the game is looking pretty speccy also.

[The JG Man]

That's good to hear. I'd like to wait on a few more previews though because whilst there is some footage, some info, there's still surprisingly little considering how close it is to release. Looks interesting though and this is certainly great news.

[squareking]

JG wrote what I am thinking.

[Rii]

Course there's TB's half-hour LP...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZeHWH_9sUg

[NecroKnight]

Finally, developers with some common sense.

[Rii]

The Witcher / 2 and Hard Reset ... both lacking DRM, both from Poland. Coincidence? I think not.

[The JG Man]

I skimmed through that WTF because, from what I've seen, it's the same level as played through the Giant Bomb quick look they did a bit ago. Which is part of my issue; we know there are guns, that it looks good and so on, but we don't really know anything else. Maybe that's enough? The mystery is certainly intriguing, but I want to know more. I'm sure there'll be some good stuff closer to release, not to mention undoubtedly it'll be Wot I think'd.

[Vexing Vision]

It still has the Steam-DRM though.

He's merely talking about no additional DRM, me thinks - but it's still a lot of sense and positive vibe. If I see it retail without DRM, I'll buy it just to make a point.

[Rii]

It still has the Steam-DRM though.

Is it only going to be available through Steam?

[Vexing Vision]

Sounds like it:


In a press release, Flying Wild Hog has announced that Hard Reset will launch on Steam Sept. 13, and that it will run you $29.99. If you decide to go ahead and pre-order the game, you’ll save 10-% off that price. Pre-orders should become available on Steam at 10 AM PST today.

Source: http://www.gamefront.com/hard-reset-gets-release-date-pre-order-discount-and-system-requirements/

[Kaira-]

Sounds like it

And I just got my hopes up. :(

[Rii]

Sounds like it:



Source: http://www.gamefront.com/hard-reset-gets-release-date-pre-order-discount-and-system-requirements/

Goddamnit.

[Megagun]

Yo dawg, I heard you don't like DRM, so I put no DRM in this DRM'd game so you can play a DRM'd game whilst pretending that you're playing a DRMless game.

(Unless, of course, the .exe actually contains no DRM and does not require Steam to be running)

[Vexing Vision]

(Unless, of course, the .exe actually contains no DRM and does not require Steam to be running)

Investigative games journalism for the win! (This was before the story popped up everywhere - the guy is the PR Person for Hard Reset and a really recommended follow for Twitter.)

Me -> @EvolveTom: @EvolveTom No DRM for Hard Reset confirmed? (Just say Yes and you got a direct sale.)
@EvolveTom -> Me: @VexingVision Yeah, just the Steamy stuff.


Hey, know what games don't have DRM? F2P online games! (*Vex heroically resists posting links to his games again*)

[Megagun]

@EvolveTom -> Me: @VexingVision Yeah, just the Steamy stuff.
Translation: "Yes. No". That guy, he a god amongst PR guys!

I wonder why they're not also getting rid of everything from Steam. I'm sure there were some games on Steam that didn't require Steam to actually be running (of course, I can't find any of them now; VVVVVV does't want to run without Steam, and I thought it used to run without it perfectly). So why go all "No DRM here, folks" when you're still using Steam's DRM? Is this just a grab for publicity, or is there some new requirement that requires games published through Steam to use Steam's DRM?

[apricotsoup]

HoMM V is an example of a game I've bought on steam and run from an executable.
Pretty sure there are a good number more.

[Vexing Vision]

Translation: "Yes. No". That guy, he a god amongst PR guys!


I know! I love that man.


Ahem.

In a purely platonic, non-PR way.

[JohnnyMaverik]

Available on Steam and is exclusively available through steam/uses steamworks are different things though.

Not that I'm saying it isn't exclusive to steam or uses steamworks, it's just I haven't seen that stated anywhere yet (might have been and I just missed it of course, not saying I've been looking particularly closely as Steam doesn't really bother me much anyway and I simply haven't been following the game all that closely). Still, until it's firmly confirmed I think people should hold off on calling foul on the "no-drm" (I do sympathise with people who dislike using Steam, and do consider it to be a form of DRM even if it's one that doesn't bother me personally) claims.

It looks pretty cool, I actually wrote about it on my blog today, among a few other September releases:

http://www.namelessblog.co.uk/post/9917039466/most-anticipated-september-2011

So yea, have fun not reading that. I apologise profusely for that shameless (probably not the right word since I am fairly ashamed) plug, but you know... if you don't plug nobody will ever read it, which is where I'm at with my blog atm. Same goes for my youtube let's play Saira series... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7llqqZNd1oQ

OK I promise I'll stop now -_-

The upshot of what I wrote there was that it looks really cool but I'm concerned. The setting looks awesome, a gleaming, futuristic, cyberpunk, Blade Runneresque city. I mean the cyberpunk alone tickles my belly, since as I'm sure most if not all of you would agree, cyberpunk is cool.

I imagine the two weapons that can do lots of things came from a design discussion of "is there a way you can have both the modern realistic design of "can only carry two weapons, cuz hey, weapons are heavy" and the old school, I have a gun for every situation", which is obviously there is, have two guns that can do many things. I'm not all that concerned about it since I imagine after a while of playing you'll get used to the way the different modes look, and even just the sequence switching from mode to mode goes in, e.g. railgun is followed by AOE bomb thing.

Graphically it looks great, really high fidelity models and textures, great overall aesthetic and plenty of detail in the levels.

Combat looks good, not a massive enemy variety shown in the preview build but screenshots dispell any fears that it'l be lacking in that department.

The big concern comes from level design. Secrets are awesome but secrets that are ALWAYS found behind destructible walls not so much. It also looked exceedingly linear in the preview builds... completely linear for that matter, with no alternate routes and path splits to be seen, which considering it seems to be a game that wants to put a modern interpretation on old school FPS design is fairly bizarre. But as TB quite rightly pointed out in his WTF is, just because it isn't in the preview build doesn't mean it won't be in the full game.

I'm not saying it'll live or die by it's linearity but it just feels like it's a game that really should include some more complex level design. At the very least some split paths if not larger areas you have to explore and find/do a few things before you can leave them. The kind of level design we know and love from DOOM in particular among other golden oldies of the FPS genre.

So yea... that's where I'm at with it. I really hope it's good and successful since a PC exclusive shooter running on specially built and fairly cutting edge tech (their engine looks pretty damn impressive from what I've seen of it and read about it) can only be good for the platform. I don't mean in a "HA, who's dead now console gamers!?" way either, I mean from the perspective of if this is a success it could encourage others to try similar endeavours, which would in turn lead to a few games coming out that can stand up to AAA titles in AAA dominated genres, like the FPS, and are thoroughly PC to boot, since they won't be hampered by the modern age curse of having to design everything to run on a console and work with a gamepad.

Edit: Dear god I had no idea that post was that long. So sorry :'(

*hides in a dark, damp corner and dies of shame*

If you read this far five yourself a pat on the back and have a cup of tea and a biscuit, because you deserve it!

[Berzee]

shame

Don't be 'shamed, Mr. Maverik. This is one of the rare internet oases where at least half of the users don't have a macro set up to type "tl;dr"!

[Whitmore]

It's definently a fun little game. Just had a bit of a play on the demo; fun and silly. Looks pretty sweet, too. Also, since when did we start getting Demos again?! Awesome.

[Anthile]

I was impressed by the demo. I certainly didn't expect it to be this much fun. The thing with the two weapons is a bit odd since you effectively have to press two buttons just to change your gun, which turned out to be a bit fiddly in the last combat of the demo. That said, it looks absolutely gorgeous. I had a hard time not to immediately press the pre-order button but my backlog is just too huge.

Also, I'll be damned if the team that is responsible for the comic-style sequences is not the same that did the comic sequences in The Witcher 2.

[Whitmore]

Indeed, it's just.. really stylish and brutal. I absoloutly love the way they handle the little robots. The story, although.. generic, does seem interesting. Was tempted to pre-order too, but MoW:Vietnam is stealin' my wallet. GOing to pick this up as soon as possible, though. If only to support a company who put out a DEMO.

I miss Demo's.

[QuantaCat]

Now it needs to be featured on GOG, and its completely DRMfree.

That and, I can understand him not counting the steam bits as DRM. I hardly do.

[Harlander]

I liked the demo a lot, and I think it's a fair bet I'll be picking this up some time.

What I really want to know is why this runs smooth as butter on Ultra and looks great while DXHR ran like a stuttering pile of poo?

[Vexing Vision]

Now it needs to be featured on GOG, and its completely DRMfree.

That and, I can understand him not counting the steam bits as DRM. I hardly do.

Yeah, I fully agree.

Still, it's a bit "Oh, we're without DRM. We hate DRM." *pause* "Of course, we'd be stupid to go ENTIRELY without DRM. So we use Steam."

;)

No conspiracy theory, it's probably just them using a good distribution platform. Still, I'd love to see them do a Witcher 2 on GOG statement.

[chickenblood]

I can confirm to you guys that Hard Reset is 100% DRM free and does not require Steam.

This is proven in one way by the demo not requiring Steam. For example, I downloaded the demo from GamersHell and it does not use Steam in anyway. Double click the exe and I'm in game. No overlay, No Steam.

My guess is they are using Steam as the primary distribution platform. It'll probably be out on Direct2Drive, GFW Marketplace and other DD places post-release.

Also, I base the above on it making no sense that the demo can be downloaded without the need for Steam but the full version would require it. Oh, and the guy saying it's DRM free.

[QuantaCat]

Yeah, I fully agree.

Still, it's a bit "Oh, we're without DRM. We hate DRM." *pause* "Of course, we'd be stupid to go ENTIRELY without DRM. So we use Steam."

;)

No conspiracy theory, it's probably just them using a good distribution platform. Still, I'd love to see them do a Witcher 2 on GOG statement.

Nah, I dont think that they have steam to "atleast have some kind of DRM". I think they have steam to sell more things.

[Calreth]

It's definently a fun little game. Just had a bit of a play on the demo; fun and silly. Looks pretty sweet, too. Also, since when did we start getting Demos again?! Awesome.

I really like that they had a demo for it. After having being burned by preordering Homefront and having the game turn out to be completely crap, it made me reconsider about buying games based solely on the hype of one trailer.

That makes two recent games with demos. Space Marine, and now this.

[Calreth]

Nah, I dont think that they have steam to "atleast have some kind of DRM". I think they have steam to sell more things.

Yeah, I'd imagine that as a small indie company, it'll be hard, or at least costly, for distribution. Better through steam than having them sell their souls to Bobby Kotick

[pkt-zer0]

Note: using Steamworks and being DRM-free are not mutually exclusive. See Super Meat Boy as an example: you can just copy the game over to another computer entirely devoid of Steam, not connected to the internet, and run it. You'll be missing the Steamworks/online features, but that's it. Defense Grid would be another such game, IIRC.

[Calreth]

Note: using Steamworks and being DRM-free are not mutually exclusive. See Super Meat Boy as an example: you can just copy the game over to another computer entirely devoid of Steam, not connected to the internet, and run it. You'll be missing the Steamworks/online features, but that's it. Defense Grid would be another such game, IIRC.

You're completely right. I have a copy of Wolf3D that I bought through Steam and it works anywhere :D

[Shane]

The demo is really well optimized and polished. The upgrades menu is pure sex. Plus, I really love the background stuff. I think I'll be getting it.

[Vandelay]

Optimisation is really good. I must admit to having been quite underwhelmed with the performance I get from my 6950 in a lot of games, but the smoothness and great look of this makes me suspect that it is all down to the dreaded console porting.

[cluongo]

The demo is really well optimized and polished. The upgrades menu is pure sex. Plus, I really love the background stuff. I think I'll be getting it.
I also came buckets when using that sleek upgrade menu which I didn't expect at all in this. This is a really neat old school styled shooter, I'm definitively picking it up. PC exclusives always get my dough.

[cosmicolor]

Just want to say that the shotgun is a masterpiece.

[ColOfNature]

Oh yes. Played the demo earlier and I'm convinced. Stylish, slick, shooty. Proper old-fashioned FPS with cyberpunk styling and B-E-A-yootiful design (in the demo level, at least). I'm buying it.

[Thants]

That Doom 3 style direct interface for screens in the game is pretty great.

[squareking]

It runs like buttered quicksilver on my machine -- delightful. And oh, that upgrade interface.

[Kaira-]

Necrobumbing this thread. Hard Reset arrived at Gamer's Gate.

DRM:Requires a 3rd party download and account (http://www.gamersgate.com/DD-HR/hard-reset?aff=fb)

Guess I know now what their word is worth.

[eRa]

Why, oh why, did they implement a checkpoint system in a PC exclusive shooter?
I'd be really tempted to pick it up otherwise since the consensus seems to be that it is a decent game.

[NecroKnight]

Why, oh why, did they implement a checkpoint system in a PC exclusive shooter?
I'd be really tempted to pick it up otherwise since the consensus seems to be that it is a decent game.

It's not that bad, if you're a skilled player getting from checkpoint to checkpoint without dying too much won't be a problem. You can always play it on easy if it's to hard.

[Nalano]

It's not that bad, if you're a skilled player getting from checkpoint to checkpoint without dying too much won't be a problem. You can always play it on easy if it's to hard.

The game is called Hard Reset. It's supposed to be a double entendre with reference to old-school shooters. Y'know, health packs and save scumming, not health regen and checkpoints.