What Defines A Good Game Development Company?

[dragonbird]

This kind of DRM requires an online connection to remove it though which kinda defeats the purpose of “just install and play” (since that’s what they should be going for). Personally, I don’t even see what the big deal with pre-day-one cracks is. I doubt someone who pre-ordered the game is gonna cancel it just because he can play a ripped version a day early.

To a certain extent, I agree with you.
I don't have any problem with a games developer requiring a one-time online registration, but the big problem with this kind of DRM on retail copies is that it's Still There a year later, for someone who buys from a store with slow turnover, or just needs to reinstall from his own perfectly legal copy.

So yes, they need to find a better way of handling it if pre-release cracks really are that big a problem.

On "what makes a good development company".
tl;dr version. Make good games, respect your customers.

 

[Garrison72]

I'll list companies I think are good:


CDPR - they listen to fans and critics while maintaining their own creative identity. Insanely ambitious and think outside the box. Their post release support is unparalleled: the amount of free shit they patched into TW1 and TW2 was fucking crazy. They don't cater to the mainstream. Might be the only AAA dev that embraces a DRM free policy.

Larian - HUGE fan of these guys after playing Divine Divinity, and their old school return in the latest iteration shows they value creative integrity over profit.

Egosoft - the only AAA dev still making Space sims. PC only developer. They have an excellent website with great support by the community and the devs. DRM free policy as well.

Klei - excellent PC port in MOTN.

Arkane - another dev devoted to PC. Dishonored on PC was flawless.

RockSteady - although GFWL was a mistake, one of the few remaining devs focusing on lengthy SP campaigns in the action/adventure genre. They pack their titles with an insane amount of content and their PC ports are polished.

Flying Wild Hog - former vets from CDPR and People Can Fly. Very experienced. DRM free policy. Excellent post release support. Listened to fans about complaints with Hard Reset and had it patched within a couple weeks. Hard Reset is the most well optimized game I own - they deliberately targeted mid-range PC's when designing their engine. Can't wait to see what they do next.

Friction - they made Amnesia: Dark Descent. It's like two blokes in Sweden, and they made fucking Amnesia.

Eidos Montreal - not many people thought they could do Deus Ex justice, but they did. Solid PC port. Released a lengthy DLC mission. Listened to fan feedback about the game and made the augmented site feature optional.

Black Forest - Gianna Sisters is DRM free and a solid game. Look forward to more from them. Coming to XBLive for those interested.

Triumph - Age of Wonders has a dedicated community with tons of fan made modules and it's DRM free. It's like the Star Craft of the fantasy genre, been around forever.

 

[Aditya]

I would add Ubisoft in that list too slim.
Hate me for all one could, their put most other devs to shame with their games, just look at their record.
Which reminds me Watch Dogs, when the hell is that coming out? while waiting for CP77 that is the one we need right now.

 

[Demut]

I don't have any problem with a games developer requiring a one-time online registration[...]

Why not? It’s utterly superfluous and can be a real problem for people with slow Internet connections (or none at all). You might not know this but even in highly industrialized countries like the U.S.A. there are quite a number of people who still use modems. It’s even worse in Second World countries.

So yes, they need to find a better way of handling it if pre-release cracks really are that big a problem.

My question would be why you’d consider them a big problem in the first place. I don’t see a reason for doing so. They are a nuisance at best but not much more so than regular cracks.

 

[Overdosing]

I would add Ubisoft in that list too slim.
Hate me for all one could, their put most other devs to shame with their games, just look at their record.
Which reminds me Watch Dogs, when the hell is that coming out? while waiting for CP77 that is the one we need right now.

I think it's sometime late this year.

 

[dragonbird]

Why not? It’s utterly superfluous and can be a real problem for people with slow Internet connections (or none at all). You might not know this but even in highly industrialized countries like the U.S.A. there are quite a number of people who still use modems. It’s even worse in Second World countries.

And it can be pretty bad in Third World countries too, but I'm pretty sure that "NO internet connection available" is rare now. One-time? Why not? It's not restricted to games software, pretty much all commercial software expects this. If I expect to get support and patches from the company, I expect to get it delivered exclusively via the internet and not by disks received in the post or on the cover of magazines, and I don't have any problem with them wanting some kind of evidence that I'm a legal customer before providing that support.

My question would be why you’d consider them a big problem in the first place. I don’t see a reason for doing so. They are a nuisance at best but not much more so than regular cracks.

*I* don't consider it a problem. I said "if" and "they". It's their prerogative to decide if they think it's a problem, just as it's ours to tell them when we think certain ways of solving it are unacceptable. And I agree with you that DRM on retail disks isn't acceptable.

 

[Aditya]

I think it's sometime late this year.

yes, mostly E3 will reveal more info

 

[Demut]

And I agree with you that DRM on retail disks isn't acceptable.

Oh, alright, in that case we actually fully agree.

 

[braindancer12]

I'll list companies I think are good:


CDPR - they listen to fans and critics while maintaining their own creative identity. Insanely ambitious and think outside the box. Their post release support is unparalleled: the amount of free shit they patched into TW1 and TW2 was fucking crazy. They don't cater to the mainstream. Might be the only AAA dev that embraces a DRM free policy.

Larian - HUGE fan of these guys after playing Divine Divinity, and their old school return in the latest iteration shows they value creative integrity over profit.

Egosoft - the only AAA dev still making Space sims. PC only developer. They have an excellent website with great support by the community and the devs. DRM free policy as well.

Klei - excellent PC port in MOTN.

Arkane - another dev devoted to PC. Dishonored on PC was flawless.

RockSteady - although GFWL was a mistake, one of the few remaining devs focusing on lengthy SP campaigns in the action/adventure genre. They pack their titles with an insane amount of content and their PC ports are polished.

Flying Wild Hog - former vets from CDPR and People Can Fly. Very experienced. DRM free policy. Excellent post release support. Listened to fans about complaints with Hard Reset and had it patched within a couple weeks. Hard Reset is the most well optimized game I own - they deliberately targeted mid-range PC's when designing their engine. Can't wait to see what they do next.

Friction - they made Amnesia: Dark Descent. It's like two blokes in Sweden, and they made fucking Amnesia.

Eidos Montreal - not many people thought they could do Deus Ex justice, but they did. Solid PC port. Released a lengthy DLC mission. Listened to fan feedback about the game and made the augmented site feature optional.

Black Forest - Gianna Sisters is DRM free and a solid game. Look forward to more from them. Coming to XBLive for those interested.

Triumph - Age of Wonders has a dedicated community with tons of fan made modules and it's DRM free. It's like the Star Craft of the fantasy genre, been around forever.

add Quantic Dreams

and Kojima Productions