Stardock Reveals Impulse Reactor for Developers

[mindcycle]

At last year's GDC, publisher and developer Stardock revealed GOO, or Game Object Obfuscation, which would allow gamers to resell digital games. This year, Stardock revaled Impulse::Reactor, a toolset similar to Valve's Steamworks, for PC games.

Impulse::Reactor uses GOO as DRM, but requires no client to operate. Games utilizing Reactor wouldn't even need to be bundled with Impulse, Stardock's digital distribution platform. Furthermore, these games could be sold at retail or even on other digital distribution platforms like Steam, Direct2Drive, etc.

The tools are free to use and the only requirement is that any game utilizing the framework also be sold on Stardock's Impulse service, though not exclusively. This is in contrast to Valve's Steam exclusivity requirement to use Steamworks for features and DRM.

That's great, but what does Impulse::Reactor get you? Well, how about GOO for DRM, friends lists, Facebook and Twitter integration, in-game DLC, achievements, chat, matchmaking, rankings and ladders, server lists, and cloud storage for game saves.

Read the rest here: http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/62814

 

[lupi]

If there are no limits to rights transferabilities and no requirement for online connection, it sounds like an OK move.

 

[mindcycle]

If there are no limits to rights transferabilities and no requirement for online connection, it sounds like an OK move.

It's definitely a move towards giving more rights back to the consumer in the digital download realm. I highly doubt stardock would require an online connection beyond a one time authentication or something like that. They aren't trying to fight the un-winnable "battle against piracy" (like Ubisoft is), but instead attempting to give back to the community that supports them by providing greater incentives to buy games.

 

[DarkForceRising]

Sounds wonderful. I don't want to always need a client open, and I don't want to permanently lock games to my Steam account. I don't want to need to be online to play.

This sounds like what I want Steam to be.

 

[coloumb]

This is awesome - but the greedy corporates will avoid this like the plague simply because they won't see any profit from the resell.

STEAM could make an insane amount of money on top of what they already take in if they'd have a "resell" marketplace - games are bought/sold at a fixed price through steam.

 

[mindcycle]

Sounds wonderful. I don't want to always need a client open, and I don't want to permanently lock games to my Steam account. I don't want to need to be online to play.

This sounds like what I want Steam to be.

I agree. Now, hopefully some developers/publishers jump on board.

 

[mindcycle]

This is awesome - but the greedy corporates will avoid this like the plague simply because they won't see any profit from the resell.

Sadly you are most likely right here. Most large corporations would like to avoid the resale of DD content because they are more focused on maximizing profits and not consumer rights. However if this model is successful it may generate some interest from the big guys. Only time will tell I suppose.