How much of an issue was on-disc DRM for games in the 2000s? And what about cases like Half-Life 2, which needed online activation even when using a physical copy?
Honestly, back then it was a bigger issue than it is today for the most part. Star Force and SecuROM especially. The publishers just simply replaced key parts of the OS or your drivers with their own, had no way to remove their DRM, would intentionally interfere with your system, and would even block apps or refuse to run if specific apps were so much as installed on your system. It was so bad that the reason no SecuROM game works anymore on modern Windows is because Microsoft blacklisted the driver was malware. And StarForce was known to break optical drives.And that's all if it even worked on your system and didn't trigger it's protection erroneously or didn't like your specific hardware.There are some nasty ones today, such as Vanguard, but for the most part they fuck with your system a lot less, even if I am heavily against shit like Denuvo or anything kernel-level.
>>12019250It was as bad of an issue, that shit like ste am actually became preferable to deal with.
>>12019339>It was so bad that the reason no SecuROM game works anymore on modern WindowsSecuROM games work, you've probably meant SafeDisc.
>>12019250>>12019339Back then cracked executables were a must even if you owned the game legitimately.
It was annoying, but most every game had no-CD cracks. I don't remember much online activation nonsense.
>>12019561Thank God for the warez scene, honestly.
SecuROM was worse than a virus.There was one DRM where you had to call a number and they'd generate a code for you. Imagine installing a game during the night and no one picks the phone up.
>>12019250>How much of an issue was on-disc DRM for games in the 2000s?but tree fiddy
