Petition: John Tiller - Remove DRM Kharkov 43

[Wolfgang]

I haven't purchased a gaming title on CD or DVD in about 3 years now.
I love not having to use a CD. To me, a CD is a tether i don't want. CD's wear out, fade, get lost. Readers breakdown, make noise, etc.
Most of the titles I have have DRM. And i haven't had a single issue in all that time with a single title.
I plan on purchasing an inexpensive memory chip to burn the downloads to for backup. But even if I dont - most of the titles I can easily re-download and re-activate.
I worked for a company that created DRM 10 yrs ago when it first emerged and I myself implemented DRM into software titles as a technician. Some DRM schemes did not work well for various reasons...
But by and large the DRM today works well from my experience (there is 1 type of DRM out there that is a bit cumbersome but thats about the worst of it). I would think its in the interest of DRM providers and developers to be responsive to the customer experience while balancing the needs for security. By and large thats pretty much what i see.

Another note: aside from digital downloads, even some 'store bought' software requires that initial internet connection to activate or even play.

So i actually have come to prefer Digital Downloads and by default DRM, which to date hasn't gotten in the way of me being a big fan of digital downloads.

I'm actually really excited that JT's games are gonna start to be available as digital downloads. I hope the entire HPS catalog goes digital.
Before SQB Modern War the last game I had that I think was JT's was Rising Sun by Talonsoft.

If HPS had made all the SQB titles available via digital download i probably would have tried the series a lot sooner instead of finally getting into it so late.

Here's how i came to purchase modern war:
I was looking for squad level grognard game - researching online i came to decide that squad battles was my answer. I was dismayed to find out though that the HPS site didn't offer it as a download... which after 3 years of purchasing only digital copies of games, i found kinda old-school and suprising (no offense HPS - i love your games!). But i was really bummed out because i wasn't going to pay for a box, shipping, nor was i in a mood to wait and plus the storefront looked kinda dated... i felt unsure if my order would get processed by someone on the other side. Maybe the site was out of date and no one had actually take it down?? (no offense)

So i actually gave up on HPS at that point and started looking for grognard game companies online that had digital dl's available.

Thats when i ran across JT's new site later that nite... and a game in the SQB series i didn't know about.

To quote a popular commerical "I jump in it"

It wasn't Vietnam, but it was a chance at $40 to check out a game system i was pretty sure i was gonna like a lot. Finally it was my chance so i got it!

And thats how I ended up finally getting into squad battles after all these years.

My point being - if JT didn't have that site there, I would still not be playing HPS type titles... I simply would not have gone through the process to order a mailed copy.
The site made taking a risk easier - the price made it easier, the digital download made it easier, and the impulse friendly online shopping environment made it easy to purchase. Thats life in the modern digital age i guess. I didn't used to be that way. But now i don't want my games on CD, i want em on a memory stick and my hard drive.