Offline Mode In the Wild (We'll get it soon!)

You should publish a statemen like "Planetary Annihilation is not like the infamous City Builder or the infamous Hack & Slash. We´ve got plans to bring local matches, and we´ll like to bring them to you as soon as possible." This could be written down in every magazine review and the number of complains would be dramaticly cut down!

Not everyone is good at the game. A lot of people, matchmaking or not, find they are so bad, that games against other people, even if they are bad, are just funny double flops.

A vast majority in fact play mostly against AI. That is what half the posts in reddit, both PA players, non PA but RTS players, and people asking if PA is good, infer. That most people are looking for a very entertaining and entertaining for the long duration sort of RTS game.

I have no problem defending this game on reddit for singleplayer btw. The server is entirely designed to be given to the players soon so it is a mere technicality, the game plays well on singleplayer, and anyone saying it doesn't says the AI stands still a lot and I link the ten or more threads from these forums of newbies saying the AI is OP.

In general, this AccountDRM and as the name already says, it´s DRM.
Easy defintion: For a multiplayer game, everything that prohibates that two persons in one household (important! this rule cannot be extended on players outside the household!) are playing multiplayer against each others with only one copy of the game.
Yes, even DiskDRM is, again as the name already says, DRM!
This, for example, has to be achived if you want to get your game on GOG.com! (as GOG.com are advertising their games as 100% DRM-free!)

Idk, account DRM can be a seperate entity. For instance, you need an account to play anything on XBox Live, but you can play local and singleplayer with just the disk and don't even usually need an account to load an XBox disk without internet connection even.

That is DRM on the matchmaking online, but not DRM on the loading of the game itself.

Then, GOG I believe has some games with serials. That is a 90s drm, but is so weak people don't see it as one.

Really, Planetary Annihilation is ideally aimed to be non-drm to run and play the game. The Uber Entertainment and PlayFab services are Account DRM, they will be how you use the social bar and matchmake on the servers list. Those singular features are DRM via account, the singleplayer and local multiplayer and direct connect online multiplayer are aimed to be drm free.

I´m one of those. This doesn´t mean I´m not playing multiplayer in PA, but thats only because I like the game very much. I wouldn´t play multiplayer in 90% of all strategy games!
There are simply reasons: You cannot save in Multiplayer, you´ve got no idea on what "difficulty level" the game is set right now and you have to be already O.K. in a game to enter Multiplayer!
(have gained enough skill to not be trampled all the time)
In fact, I was only playing one single Multiplayer game at all time in SupCom...
...the simple thing why I´m still playing Multiplayer in PA are my friends! As the game features this incredibly nice idea of the "share army mode", it´s ultra-nice to play when teamed up and chatting over headset with them!

I wouldn´t be playing "isolted mutliplayer" in PA. Why?
Because it´s get boring if you aren´t trained. If you are talking with others while playing and lauthing about your mistakes, it´s lot of fun!

First of all, there are only a few console games that are 100% DRM-free as most of them require disk-check!
The only plattform that gives you truly DRM-free gaming is the PC. (although to be really truly DRM-free gaming you´d need a DRM free Os...)
And yes, you are right about the use of serial keys on GOG in general, but in sepcific they are used for some multiplayer games that already feature LanMode! You get the point?
Look at the definition: There isn´t a problem with it, is it?

Like GOG said it in this commercial: Sure, if you want to be playing online you need to be connected!

Well, if you don't have the serial, you can't install the game. So like you said, GOG isn't 100%, just no intrusive ones.

If PA had a public local server files included with the game, it would practically be as DRM free as anything else on GOG.

You can ALWAYS install GOGs games. The serial is never required to install the game, only to access the online features. And this will be obsolent once Galaxy is launched!
And yes, as soon as you can set up a local server (and on the same machine you running the PA-Client on...) it´s 100% DRM-free! This was never a point of discussion!

I am pretty sure GOG sells Slender: The Arrival. I bought it and had to enter a key upon installing it. Otherwise, the game asks for a serial, and if you don't have it the game closes.

That is DRM. It is mild DRM, you can use any ol' serial code you can find for it, I have mine in a notepad and saved to email so confident I will never lose mine, but I just know what I know is all.

Of course this DRM. This is also the reason why this isn´t included in the GOG version!
You defintivly don´t get a key and don´t need one in the GOGVersion!

Definitely? U sure? Because I find it hard to believe a small indie game has a special version bypassing that just to include on a game site? I would almost have to see it to believe it, but buying a game twice is derp.

Just installed it (bought it long ago, but haven´t installed it yet) and I can simply say that its like you´d expect it:
DoubleClick on the Icon, you get in menu. Click on StartGame and hit escape once and you are ingame!
(Oh, and there was a GammaSlider)
To get a game approved by GOG it has to be 100% DRM-free at launch or need a good timetable to reach this goal via a few weeks! (like AgeOfWonders III, which were Server-Only for the first few weeks, but has been changed after that---just like PA could be doing!)

Discuss how amazing it will be to be able to play massive AI battles with little to no lag, instead of DRM. I for one will welcome my home networks new overlord with glee and many planet smashes.

This is generally supportable, but why "instead"? Here´s place for two discussions!

I agree with you. I have played tons of RTS games with the major ones being Command & Conquer and Supreme Commander like I play now PA. The only times I go to multiplayer is to beat AIs together with friends, or spectate matches.

i am excited now, more than ever, now that offline is coming soon.

Your still saying to all the legit players "hey are you legit" every time. Its like piracy warnings on dvds, only the people that buy them see it. And if the game is checking only if you're legit when you start a game then it will be hacked pretty soon. So why bother, trust that your product is worth buying, some people will never buy but will happily pirate it, you can't base you business model on them.

I agree with this comment against intrusive drm.

Uber's online status is just a placeholder however. I believe there was a time where cubeworld had no player servers, and then a few updates later it did. Just like that.

Agreed, I really enjoy playing against the AI.
I don't like playing against people as a preference.
However the real issue here for everyone is the issue of, trust.
Has our trust been betrayed?
Does it start with the editing of the FAQ with no more of a mention of offline mode?
People are concerned, and that is reasonable.

https://forums.uberent.com/threads/offline-mode.63656/page-2#post-992667
I made a post here you should all check out.

I agree, and stress that we must remember that this is our entertainment.
It doesn't matter how people enjoy a product, it is why.
There is no democracy with ones entertainment, however some promises
have been made and as a result money exchanged hands. This will be interesting.
I hope that Uber Entertainment is chill about this and keeps the promises it made to its customers.

I totally understand there not being an offline mode from the get-go, that is tolerable.
However with the changing of the tone on the FAQ I'm uneasy.
Go to web dot archive dot org and use their waybackmachine to look at the changes.