Ah we can't even give the game away!

I will post this in the chat as well and its the weekend.

At this point electronic delivery is a way of life, and with the proliferation of P2P software so is DRM. Having been playing games for many years we are all probably familiar with having to make sure that the cd is in the drive, or put in "word three form paragraph 2"

What we have an opportunity for know is a more transparent form of DRM through the internet. This seems like a wonderful thing on the surface, but what happens when your internet is down? Or your computer crashes and you reinstall only to find that the game servers are down?

As long as you are using an established service (say STEAM, or gamers gate) I don't think there is much of a problem, they will probably be around for the foreseeable future, and verification through an established client, as opposed to a company server, will at least allow users continued access to their purchases.

Bottom line is: DRM is here to stay, publishers just have to make sure it is as accessible to the user today, as five years from know.

(First of all, disclosure: I'm making a vaguely similar game, but with very little combat).

I'm really interested in seeing how the first person combat works in Ensign-1. In particular I'm hoping that there is scope for some microgravity in the FPS sections. It's been done before in Shattered Horizon, but that's hardly an exhaustive exploration of the concept. Maybe player manipulated gravity (such as being able to disable either your own personal gravity or maybe disable the station's gravity generator) would be fun too.

I am a little worried that the FPS sections will be too fast paced from the game videos. It all looks quite Quake 3 in terms of speed and weapon damage. Have you considered a slower paced more tactical FPS combat? I think it would make a nice contrast from the ship battles: ship combat being high speed battles of attrition, wearing the opponents shield down; FPS fights being more dangerous tactical engagements where a mistake could cost you your life.

That said, it's your game and I hope you remain true to your vision. I think we're going to see quite a number of mixed mode games like this over the coming years and it's important to make yours the way you want it.

Just one thing? Ok, I will try. As the game has both FPS and space combat bits, the game will need to load a new section when switching between the two. Instead of just a loading screen, why not have an airlock instead that slowly, with a little atmospheric bar showing progress, equalises the pressure (really loading the game <img src="' http://spacesimcentral.com/forum/public/style_emoticons//wink3.gi f"' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';)' /> ) between where you are and where your going. Sounds a small thing I know, but it will add to the immersion.

Just one more thing, please! In the space combat vids I have watched, I noticed you have an under utilised cockpit, some screens are doing nothing useful. Why not have those screens showing damage levels to your ship, or rear and or missile views. Again this will increase immersion by giving the gameplayer a real sense that they are flying a badass ship and at the same time give them a tactical advantage, for example if you have an easy to see rear view, you will know when to drop mines in the path of any perusers.

Just my thoughts <img src="' http://spacesimcentral.com/forum/public/style_emoticons//wink3.gi f"' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';)' />

I’ve been gaming for 30 years and I’ve never pirated a game. Sounds crazy doesn’t it?

In every case where DRM has been used, my gaming experience has been negatively impacted. So MY experience as a PAYING customer has paid the PRICE. But the Pirates don’t. A gaming company, especially a new independent one spends precious time and resources on DRM which could have been spent on content and passes that cost onto the paying customer. And the paying customer gets the hassles of DRM AND a lesser product because of it.

Putting DRM in is a challenge to those whose hobby is to crack these games. The crack is often done in a matter of hours. Compare that to the dev time used to create the DRM. Richard Stallman writes, “DRM is an example of a malicious feature – a feature designed to hurt the user of the software, and therefore, it’s something for which there can never be toleration” . Read any comments by Marcin Iwinski, CEO of CD Project Red on this topic. He went from being a proponent of DRM to an active and outspoken opponent of DRM stating that it has never protected games from piracy.

As an indie company, can you afford to be on the side of the big brother-like companies, or do you want to build a better relationship with your paying customer? To use or not to use DRM will determine which side of the fence you fall.

Ensign-1 isn't currently using DRM, but it's something I'd consider. It's not theft-proof by any means as you point out, but it is theft deterrent, and the issue of piracy is real.

Have you considered a minecraft-esque account system where an Ensign1 server checks a player's account status against a master server? It means that a pirate player needs a cracked server in addition to a copy of the game. Possibly enough to deter casual pirates. Also quite a significant overhead if that kind of thing is outside your usual field though.

Yea I mainly just can't be bothered. By the way DarkOne, Voxel should get a key.

Sorry, I will be sending out the keys via PM this evening when I get home. Shame there was almost 500 views but not many comments.

Any updates, DarkOne?

Keys were sent out, enjoy <img src="' http://spacesimcentral.com/forum/public/style_emoticons//icon_e_smile.gi f"' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />

BIG THANKS to Onionman and Darkone!! <img src="' http://spacesimcentral.com/forum/public/style_emoticons//gamer1.gi f"' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':gamer:' />

And your right Darkone, I too wondered on the lack of comments, I wish I had bumped this on the PC Gamer Forum now <img src="' http://spacesimcentral.com/forum/public/style_emoticons//dash1.gi f"' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':banghead:' /> <img src="' http://spacesimcentral.com/forum/public/style_emoticons//wacko.gi f"' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':wacko:' /> <img src="' http://spacesimcentral.com/forum/public/style_emoticons//fool.gi f"' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':fool:' />

Fun times. The ship battles are surprisingly fun, wish the radar had a bit more contrast on it though so I could see it while the ship is getting knocked around all over the place by enemy fire and my bad piloting

I bought the game before your giveaway so I didn't answer on purpose. I will comment on other Ensign-1 feedback topics.

I'd have left a post if I had known about the game! Steam Greenlight introduced me to it.

[background=rgb(33, 47, 58)]- If you could add one thing to Ensign-1, what would it be and how would you implemented it (be creative)?[/background]

[background=rgb(33, 47, 58)]Planets. Seamless space-atmospheric-terrestrial transitions if it were feasible.[/background]

[background=rgb(33, 47, 58)]- Ensign-1 has both Space and FPS style combat modes. Which combat mode do you prefer most and what could possibly be added to this combat mode to make it unique or different from most games?[/background]

[background=rgb(33, 47, 58)]I prefer FPS combat over space combat, but I prefer traversing space to traversing corridors. [/background]

I'm sure there will be variety in ships, why not bring a similar tactical variety to the FPS portion and introduce different classes?

[background=rgb(33, 47, 58)]- With digital downloads taking over the industry over the old boxed copies of games. What are your thoughts on DRM and is DRM good or bad for a indie developer to use?[/background]

[background=rgb(33, 47, 58)]I'm a huge advocate for Steam as the least terrible DRM, and with the advent of Greenlight... Luckily it seems you guys have gone for it! Awesome![/background]

as a matter of fact, enseign 1's efforts and heading remind me much of the cancelled "dark matter: the baryon project/supernova" project from late pixelcage, which is why I'm especially keen on seeing this one arrive into my greedy little clutches one day!