Does this game require internet activation? Where will this game be in 10 years?

[Buttons840]

I'm currently enjoying the latest version of AIWar and it's expansion.  I don't worry to much about DRM.  I have no problems with Impulse or Steam.  (Steam has great community, and I like that Impulse doesn't have to run in the background at all times.)

A friend of mine on the other hand is quite eccentric in that he refused to play any game which requires internet activation.  I try to reason with him but he denies himself any game which he cannot use freely forever.  "What happens when I want to play ___ game in 10 years and the servers are shut down."

Does AI War require internet activation?


On a side note.  I was hoping the source code would be released for AI War in the distant future when the game is no longer profitable?  I doubt such things will be decided now; well just have to see what happens I guess.  Releasing the code might be the difference between a game which "was fun while it lasted" and one which was enjoyed for decades.  Most genres I don't get to worried about; there will always be another FPS, and generic C&C game, but we might never see another AI War.

[Trurl]

Does AI War require internet activation?

No, it does not require internet activation. The demo version of AI War can be freely downloaded from a number of places, and entering a "key" into the demo version turns it into the full version. Internet access on the computer running AI War is not required, although I'm pretty sure the only way to purchase a "key" is through an online retailer, but the "key" is just a series of letters and numbers that you could print out or write down, and then enter in manually on the offline computer. In fact, you can even purchase a key from an online retailer that typically has DRM (e.g. Steam) and then use it in a demo you downloaded from anywhere.

On a side note.  I was hoping the source code would be released for AI War in the distant future when the game is no longer profitable?  I doubt such things will be decided now; well just have to see what happens I guess.  Releasing the code might be the difference between a game which "was fun while it lasted" and one which was enjoyed for decades.  Most genres I don't get to worried about; there will always be another FPS, and generic C&C game, but we might never see another AI War.

x4000 has speculated that he may release the source code for AI War at some point in the distant future, and he has already released the 2.0 art resources for free on his blog site.

[dumpsterKEEPER]

No, the game does not require internet activation.  To register your game and get it out of demo mode, you merely enter your registration key within the game, but that process does not communicate online in any way.  As a side benefit, a valid AI War license key can activate (pretty much) any version of the game.  For example, if you purchase the base game from Impulse, you can download the client directly from Arcen Games and unlock it using the same key.

In terms of source code, Chris has said that he would consider releasing the source code sometime in the future when the game isn't profitable.  The timing would obviously depend on how popular it remains over time.

[Buttons840]

Great news.  x4000 (Chris I suppose his name is?) has a great vision for the game, and I have no problem paying the reasonable costs to help him continue development.  But when he gets tired of the game (heaven forbid) hopefully the community can take over.

[Excession]

A friend of mine on the other hand is quite eccentric in that he refused to play any game which requires internet activation.  I try to reason with him but he denies himself any game which he cannot use freely forever.  "What happens when I want to play ___ game in 10 years and the servers are shut down."

I can see how that might be an issue in an MMORPG - not wanting to grind up your character and pay $100's over a year or two and find the server is closed, but this game (including the expansion) costs £12.

That's about one visit to the movies these days...I have already had my money's worth after less than a week - if I can't play it in a year or two's time (even though it's likely that I will be able to) it's no real issue...

[Fiskbit]

Yep, as everyone else has already pointed out, it lacks any sort of DRM beyond the simple license key check. We agree that DRM is a terrible thing for gamers; those who pirate the software shouldn't have a better experience than those who don't. DRM simply doesn't work, assumes that everyone's a thief, and hinders the game's playability now and perhaps even more severely in the future. We trust that people will do the right thing and also acknowledge that we couldn't stop people from pirating our software even if we tried.

AI War's source is likely to be available in the distant future when the game isn't supported anymore, but that's surely a long way off. We have a lot of interest in this game and play it, ourselves; that, alone, is already a lot of incentive to keep adding more to it. You can expect free DLC for a long time and expansions every 10 months or so for as long as there's interest.