GDC: Steamworks update obsoletes DRM

By Robert Purchese Published 24 March, 2009

Valve's dev suite receives new features.

Valve claims to have rendered notorious DRM software obsolete with its brand new set of Steamworks features.

The key is the inclusion of the Custom Executable Generation technology, which gives each user unique copies of a game that can be easily accessed from multiple machines.

This does away with the need for any game-install limits, apparently, and therefore removes any reason to use third-party DRM software. Steam already handles online product activation and verification.

Steamworks now also supports in-game downloadable content and matchmaking. The former supports both free and paid-for extras; the latter uses the tried and tested Left 4 Dead lobby system.

Steamworks offers developers the complete set of Steam features for free. The initiative launched early last year and has already been used in games like Dawn of War II, Empire: Total War and F.E.A.R. 2.

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About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (27) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • dirtysteve #1 3 years ago

    A pox on Steam!

  • FogHeart #2 3 years ago

    ...the latter uses the tried and tested Left 4 Dead lobby system...

    /shudders

  • bluem4gic #3 3 years ago

    RIP GFWL

  • sneetch #4 3 years ago

    ...the latter uses the tried and tested Left 4 Dead lobby system...

    Did they mention how it had failed when it was tried and tested? I thought it was a clunky, feature-poor system that's a leap backwards over their previous ones. Unless they've drastically improved it in the last few hours.

    Sounds to me that they're planning on glorifying the idea of signing code. I fail to see how these custom executables couldn't be haxed the same way as current ones.

    Mind you, DRM didn't solve that problem either so, hey, job done.

  • Destrin #5 3 years ago

    Post deleted at 12:47:09 13-12-2011

  • rotmm #6 3 years ago

    I've not exactly been a fan or hater of Steam before. Originally I only got it because I had to with HL2, but since then I have bought a couple of titles over it and am happy enough.

    However, a friend of mine recently bought Empire (DVD Copy) and got home to install it. He already had Steam because of Football Manager, so no time spent setting up an account to worry about.

    However, he's only on a 1mb connection (2mb from Sky, but in reality only a single meg) and the install + authentication process took just over 45 mins. That, in all seriousness, is fucking rediculous.

    So, as dirtysteve said, a pox on Steam!

  • levitate #7 3 years ago

    The next step for Steamworks is to infiltrate your computer and randomly start your filthy collection of porn whenever your parents come down to your basement room with supper.

  • Ryuken #8 3 years ago

    The Steamworks matchmaking now includes the robust lobby system shipped and tested in Left 4 Dead.

    It's the biggest piece of crap I've ever come across, being linked up with servers that ban users from certain countries, servers that just don't have the right hardware or don't have proper connections... L4D is awesome but its matchmaking isn't, not even now.

  • makeamazing #9 3 years ago

    Steam is all very good, but PLEASE sort out game release day problems... activation and access issues, not able to run a game for two days are more of a problem for me than DRM (never had a problem with DRM).

  • Chufty #10 3 years ago

    As other people have already said... L4Ds lobby system is made of complete fail. Not something Valve should be screaming from the rooftops about.

  • Bleh #11 3 years ago

    "The next step for Steamworks is to infiltrate your computer and randomly start your filthy collection of porn whenever your parents come down to your basement room with supper."

    Hehe this really made me laugh :D

  • sneetch #12 3 years ago

    @rotmm
    However, he's only on a 1mb connection (2mb from Sky, but in reality only a single meg) and the install + authentication process took just over 45 mins. That, in all seriousness, is fucking rediculous.

    So, as dirtysteve said, a pox on Steam!

    Empire came on 2 DVDs (installing 15-20 GB) and had a patch at launch: it's not Steams fault that it took so long to install nor did it have all that much to do with his connection.

    Why do people just auto-blame whatever is in front of them?

  • albertofustinoni #13 3 years ago

    Am I the only one who has been put off from buying a game BECAUSE it came with Steam?
    Had been looking forward to Dawn of War 2 for a long time and was planning on buying it on day one until I realized the boxed version was essentially the same as the online one. If I am to pay full retail price I want to OWN the game, not just rent it for an undetermined period (until whoever runs the authentication servers decides I am no longer worthy), and be able to resell it if I so choose.

  • UncleLou #14 3 years ago

    If I am to pay full retail price I want to OWN the game, not just rent it for an undetermined period

    You need to stop buying games altogether then, because you never "own" them. You only own a per se worthless piece of plastic with the data on it, and are granted a license to use these data.

    Fair enough if you worry about resale value, but the dogmatic argument of ownership doesn't hold any water, because that's the same whether it's any digital download, Steam or a boxed copy even of a non-Steam game.
    Edited by 2 at 24/03/09 @ 18:59

  • thesombrerokid #15 3 years ago

    @UncleLou

    in the eyes of the law you are correct but accepted truth is far more powerful that unenforced law, VHS proved this 1 million times over.

  • makeamazing #16 3 years ago

    Empire came on 2 DVDs (installing 15-20 GB) and had a patch at launch: it's not Steams fault that it took so long to install nor did it have all that much to do with his connection.

    @Sneetch, your having a laugh arnt you? I had no problems installing the game, it was the 24 hour activation that caused me and many other people problems (Server too busy). Some people didnt have the game running after 48 hours because of this. This was all Steams fault, not the ISP (I have a 16MB connection by the way!).

  • dirtysteve #17 3 years ago

    forced patching is no fun either, if you want a quick game, and aren't bothered with whatever the patch is for, then steam's not for you!

  • VicViper #18 3 years ago

    @dirtysteve

    ...or the PS3 or the Xbox 360 or the PSP mmh not the DS though so other than standalone titles on the PC and the DS pretty much everything has enforced patching these days.

  • hiddenranbir #19 3 years ago

    Steamworks IS DRM.

  • rotmm #20 3 years ago

    @sneetch, "Empire came on 2 DVDs (installing 15-20 GB) and had a patch at launch: it's not Steams fault that it took so long to install nor did it have all that much to do with his connection.

    Why do people just auto-blame whatever is in front of them? "

    The DVD install took around 12 minutes (and as I'm sure you know, DVD2 had nowhere near as much data on it), so the 35+ minutes was either downloading and installing the "mandatory" patch before playing, or activation issues.

    Still, not as bad as when Football Manager was released. He picked up the game on Friday, installed it that evening and finally on Monday he was able to get it activated because of Steam server issues.

    Face it, Steam is a fucking disgrace. Any major release is a clusterfuck, note the recent Last Remnant PC release for the very latest example. Even the recent "free UT3" weekend was a debacle, with pretty much no one being able to download it over the course of the weekend (even with always on connections) and the rest of Steam was pretty much brought to a halt because of it.

  • Spence1115 #21 3 years ago

    @VicViper

    Well PS3 patching can be avoided if you want a quick game. Yeah you can't play online but that's fair enough, shouldn't be able to play online with people on different versions. 360 I think can do the same, DS doesn't have patching, and PSP... well yeah that one does, but not in the same way.

  • sneetch #22 3 years ago

    @makeamazing @rotmm

    You know what? I have to admit that I was talking out my arse; as I thought further on it I realised that recently I've bought these games that require Steam about 2-3 weeks after launch. So they've (of course) sorted out these issues by then. I apologise.

  • StooMonster #23 3 years ago

    This sounds like a pretty reasonable DRM regime to me; although shares the same "flaw" as all Steam titles (and all digital distribution) that you cannot resell the game once you've finished with it. I could care less about that, so it's not an issue for me; also got 20Mb/s broadband so could care even less about very large updates, and I have patience so wait if it's busy (or leave it going overnight, e.g. updated UT3).

    But the lobby system on L4D, my goodness that is just shit on stick.

  • jmg123 #24 3 years ago

    On the whole (and sidestepping the not being able to sell your games issue) I reckon steam is about the best implementation of DRM available. All DRM sucks and should be removed, but if you are going to do it, then a system that lets you have unlimited installs and plays anywhere is the next best thing. Personally i have never had any trouble with steam stuff.

  • Moz #25 3 years ago

    "Am I the only one who has been put off from buying a game BECAUSE it came with Steam?
    Had been looking forward to Dawn of War 2 for a long time and was planning on buying it on day one until I realized the boxed version was essentially the same as the online one. If I am to pay full retail price I want to OWN the game, not just rent it for an undetermined period (until whoever runs the authentication servers decides I am no longer worthy), and be able to resell it if I so choose. "


    You'll always be able to play the game, once you done the initial auth you can even play without being connect to the internet.
    Plus why would they every close an auth server? it's a tiny piece of software sat on their server there's really no reason for them to ever remove it. And i'm sure if they ever did they'd just create an archive of "hacks" on their website that would auth really old games.

  • hiddenranbir #26 3 years ago

    Goo is best. Not locked into any one distributor. And it allows RESALES!

    http://ww w.impulsedriven.com/news/1214_S...
    Edited by 2 at 25/03/09 @ 20:43

  • Bloodhunter #27 3 years ago

    you can turn off patches on steam you know...