Game Format (physical Format) Of (ahahahah!) Commercial Games?

[VRAndy]

Wouldn't it be really aggravating to have to disk-swap to play your games?

I suppose people put up with it on the DS. The DS is exclusively a gaming machine, though.

 

[Chip]

The chances of someone selling Pandora software preinstalled on SD cards are pretty much zero. There are plenty of options for copy protecting games - using the DRM hardware in the OMAP, on the SD cards, or strictly through software. Anybody capable of creating a game worth charging money for is well aware of their options. Anybody with half a brain knows that none of those options are completely effective.

I think it's important to clarify the definition of "commercial" games. Anybody who wants to charge money for their game has technically released a commercial title. I could hack together "Generic Breakout Clone #1384"
and charge $1 to download it, and that would technically be a commercial game. There are already several authors working on games for the Pandora who intend to charge for their programs. In that respect, there will be commercial games on the Pandora.

If you're thinking that these games will be anything like big budget titles from EA, Bungie or Rockstar, you're going to be disappointed. It is not possible to justify a 5 million dollar production for a system with only a few thousand units sold. There will never be any big budget games like on the PSP or DS for the Pandora. Ever.

 

[Creature XL]

If you're thinking that these games will be anything like big budget titles from EA, Bungie or Rockstar, you're going to be disappointed. It is not possible to justify a 5 million dollar production for a system with only a few thousand units sold. There will never be any big budget games like on the PSP or DS for the Pandora. Ever.

That is right, BUT...

There is always the possibility that commercial Linux games get ported to the P.
Doing this will cost (rough estimate) 1 month for one or two people. In some cases maybe much less.

Here is a list which was the first hit on google for "linux comercial games"
Link

 

[Squidge]

"This DRM has not been seen "in the wild" and few, if any, devices appear to provide support for it."

I got the GP2X to support it (People really should hide important PDFs from Google )

Anyway, I don't think even the Gizmondo had support for it. They used Microsoft certification signing (trusted executables) which is part of WinCE to run the executable, with some basic encryption.

 

[OrR]

While selling games on SD cards is possible, it's not really practical because it's expensive. The Pandora won't be in stores for a while so there would be no advantage in having physical game packages. I see piracy as a separate issue. Not sure physical media do anything to prevent piracy. The DS for example has very easy piracy. Even if you can prevent piracy through using physical media, you also prevent legitimate sales because of the increased price and it is probable that you lose more sales than you gain.

Yes, but my intresting in "physical game" is not for the prevention of the piracy.
What I want to say is that an X person won't be intrested in a system that is completely absent in his daily life... for example <<I, consumer, intrested in video games go everyweek to the game shop wher I can see the new games on sale: PSP, PS3, NDS but where is this famished "Pandora"?>>
I don't know if what I'm saying is clear but do you see the point?

It is very difficult to get shelf space. You have to sell millions, and at this point we are only selling thousands. Even if you get into stores, it's very expensive so it shrinks your profit margin a lot. Which is very problematic if you are selling low volume or if you have games that people will only buy at low prices because they are simple compared to AAA titles. A few years ago, an argument for physical games even if sold through internet stores was that people didn't trust digital downloads as much. With Steam, Live Arcade, Wii Ware etc., that point is now also moot.

About SD DRM: Did the physical Zodiac games use it?

 

[Phawx]

Digital distribution is the future. I think that's all that needs to be said right?

 

[benjiro]

A complicated copy protection scheme for a commercial game on the Pandora is a wast i'm afraid.

The market is rather small, so the amount of hackers/crackers whatever that will be drawn to hack/crack games will also be rather small. Also, take in account, this is more off a community product.

People are more willing to pay ( especially if its only a few euro's ) to developers, then the more "faceless corporations" that overcharge games.

Take a look at the PDA market for comparison. Sure, there is warez there, but for the most part, the market is not so over pirated like the other markets ( note: i'm not saying there is no piracy! ). But, most games / programs that you can buy also don't cost 45 euro or more...

The reason why you see strict or intrusive copy protections on games, is for the most part, to prevent the game from being warezed ( is that even a word? ), on the first month. Most off the sales happen during that first month when a game gets released ( especially for highly anticipated games ). After the needed complaints where the copy protection screws people's system up ( or is to restrictive ), the company's release a patch that removes the protection or removes some limitations ( but they will never! do it in the first month(/s) ).

Phawx: even digital distribution gets cracked! Look at Steam, and Valves games ( they all got cracked. But it took a while, just what the developers wanted ).

At best, you will see ports off Linux games, maybe a few windows games ( that have opengl backends ), and PDA game ports. New games will be limited to enthusiasts.

The big deal now is: If the pandora sell's well, for instants, a few 10.000's in 2009, it might draw the attention off the larger company's. In a few years down the road, and the sales figures keep up, some more professional ( aka bigger budget ) developers might join in for the Pandora 2. But don't expect to see big names like Sony, Microsoft, EA, etc start making games for the Pandora ( or P2 ).

 

[WizardStan]

Copy protection for a commercial game is always a waste

Seems you made some typos. I took the liberty of correcting them for you

 

[Username]

It would be preferable to have a physical copy but to also be able to just copy the game to a different SD card. I would prefer a downloading system except that they always seem to screw up for me.

 

[gruso]

At best, you will see ports off Linux games, maybe a few windows games ( that have opengl backends ), and PDA game ports. New games will be limited to enthusiasts.
This will be true of most Pandora content. I think it's a little premature to be writing off the idea of high quality commercial games from indie developers though.

 

[Zarneth]

I know, I know!!!!! Put the games on Bluray! You can plug in an external reader via USB!!!!!1111one!!1 =D

 

[OrR]

Digital distribution is the future. I think that's all that needs to be said right?

Not really. It's the present already.

 

[Bosbeetle]

You could always distribute the source code on paper with ink that doesnt last. that way the seller just has to type the code and tada


pretty save especially when you use a color ink that doesnt photocopy

 

[sterling976]

I get that SD cards are inherently more secure than many other rewritable media, but this snippet caught my eye:

You could even put the entire games executable into the protected section of the card (not readable by a PC) if you wanted to.

I've skimmed the article on on wikipedia, specifically the section on DRM, and I've also read the CPRM page, and I don't see the feature you're talking about here. My google-fu also fails me.

Plus, the concept of putting the entire game executable on section of the card that is unreadable by the target system seems a bit... self-defeating.

Could someone point me in the right direction, since I can't seem to find the documentation that explains this feature of an SD card on my own?


EDIT: Nevermind -- I think I've found it.
EDIT2: That link wasn't fruitful, but this one was. It explains the concept of a 'Protected Area' on the SD card pretty well.

 

[AireTamStorm]

Digital Distribution all the way. If I were developing a game, I'd open source the engine and sell the assets that way. Since I'm developing the delivery method as well I wouldn't really worry about piracy TBH. It will happen one way or another, and DRM will only hurt the legitimate users.

 

[Phawx]

I have to admit though, seeing a shelf with nothing but Pandora games would be awesome.

Just be SD cards with a game graphic sticker on it. I wonder what type of box would be appropriate for Pandora games.

Remember when Computer games had the most bizarre packaging to try and get attention at stores. And than one day they all had that "standard" PC game box that came out.

 

[Svartalf]

Just be SD cards with a game graphic sticker on it. I wonder what type of box would be appropriate for Pandora games.

DS boxes with a mod to the molding that accomodates an SD card instead of the DS card would probably be the format. That one makes the most sense and requires only minimal rethink on the part of retail stores.

 

[Prometheus]

DS boxes with a mod to the molding that accomodates an SD card instead of the DS card would probably be the format. That one makes the most sense and requires only minimal rethink on the part of retail stores.

I know it's pretty hypothetical and all, but hopefully that would be based upon the US/Japanese DS boxes, and not the incredibly bulky ones used in the UK. :lol:

 

[Tinnus]

...there are plastic cases for SD cards.