LAN is example, but its not about LAN.
Its about this: when paradox server goes down, will it still be possible to play multiplayer? Or, can we traffic packets without being monitored by third party? These are the problems.

Then people should stop screaming LAN LAN LAN.

Why? Because actually some developers take it seriously and try to add a (deliberately) crippled "LAN" mode to please those who are afraid of losing access to the DRM-crippled online multiplayer. If you Google around, you'll find multiple examples.. such as game refusing to connect to any IP that isn't 192.168.X.Y or 10.X.Y.Z, or game refusing to connect to any IP that isn't on the same subnet as the network interface's IP.. the other thing is they add a LAN mode that does not actually allow you to specify the IP of the host you want to connect to, instead they use some stupid protocol (or hacks like probing hosts from ARP cache) that might be able to discover hosts on the same subnet if you have the right services configured and/or no firewalls intervening.

These days if a game advertises "LAN mode", you don't know what it is that you will get.

It's bullshit.

Unfortunately, while you are absolutely correct, I don't know if there is a more effective "phrase" for consumers to chant in hopes of getting their demands met. If consumers were to demand "DRM-free multiplayer", they would likely just run into excuses like "oh, don't worry, the multiplayer is DRM-free, you just have to activate your account first to verify the purchase". I myself like the phrase "offline multiplayer," which would include LAN but also splitscreen, local co-op, hotseat, et cetera.

I know, what about independent TCP/IP DRM-free server that comes with the game, deployable on all TCP/IP-based networks: LAN, MAN and WAN. Preferably with easily portable source code, so that it can run on your mainframe, bog-standard PC, Raspberry PI and your smart refrigerator. Sure that is not easily chantable ;-) , but that is i what we want, or not? Ganes that come to mind are Nox, Unreal Tournament 99-2004, Counter-Strike, Diablo 2, Neverwinter Nights, Doom, Quake (I-III) and so many, many more games from the late 90's to early 2000's. Earlier games might use IPX/SPX instead on DOS and earlier Windows versions.

...DRM-free game, DRM-free multiplayer. lol

Did you guys read the EULA ?


Paradox don't give a flying fook about you're privacy, DRM, and/or anything related to it.

Paradox don't give a flying fook about what you think on the matter.

The only thing Paradox give a fook about is your money!


If you value your privacy, don't support this greedy crooks!!!

Bullshit it is...
I didn't know about these practices. Its new for me. And it sounds scary.
Im oldschool gamer and LAN was always just classic (local area network) for me. Party like its 90s :)

Then as @rjbuffchix says "offline multiplayer" is best term.
But its hard to talk about it, when there are people who answer with: "you must be online to play multiplayer, its normal" or "who does LAN parties today anyway".
Its like telling: "who plays borad games today anyway" and "for the game of chess you must be online, its normal"

It's even harder to stomach for someone like me, since I'm "oldschool gamer" in a different sense.. I've never been to a LAN party and while there are a few games I played on LAN at home, I spent a significant chunk of my youth playing DRM-free online multiplayer games. Neither "LAN" nor "offline multiplayer" are an accurate description for what I played every day after school. (Games such as those that jorlin mentioned just a few posts above, although I don't agree they're all DRM-free since at least some of them use CD key checks)

Ah, did you ever get to play play snipes? It was not free software, but came with Netware as a showcase that their network tech. could be used for more than business. It was the first network enabled game I ever played. Doom is probably the best known game that could be played on a LAN through IPX/ SPX.

Nah. I'm not even sure what's my first anymore. I know I played a bunch of demos along with Age of Empires, Operation Flashpoint, and a self-made battleship clone on LAN. For me online gaming started with broadband, probably around 2000. Deus Ex was the first one I played for real, then Enemy Territory & mods (such as True Combat: Elite), GunZ: The Duel, Tremulous, Urban Terror, etc.

Yep, i played Snipes. But not in 80s but much later in around 99. For computer science project in high school, we put together few old 386's and installed Netware 2.x network. And played on them.
We also hosted on this computers our own BBS.

Those was fun times :)

I am playing through the tutorial so I can't really say much about the game, too early.
I like the attention to detail, I like the hyperlinks, etc.

When I started the game it asked me to create a Paradox account for multiplayer I assume plus cloud saves. Although I have a paradox account for many years, I really have no plan on playing this game online (As most games) and since I never cared AT ALL about cloud saves, I just clicked the skip icon.

So, as far as I am concerned, all is fine.
I am a bit surprised about people talking about LAN support. I am not against it, just surprised. Last time I played a game through lan was in the late 90s. I didn't know people still do that.

Requiring some form of authentication for online gaming is something that is around since...I guess late 90s again. Serial keys and all that. I never tried to play a cracked game online so it never bothered me. As long as I can play single player completely offline, I don't care.
Again, I am not in favor of online authentication for online/multiplayer games, but I do understand it when talking using servers of others. Requiring (if it is the case here) the same authentication for LAN play is of course stupid. I mean, even if it was used only by "pirates", and that's a big IF, how many gamers out there are dying to play this game on LAN and not pay for it? I mean, how many real free loaders do they stop with this? 100 in the world?
Stupid.
If you are going to give LAN support, make it right.

And guess what else has been around for a while? DRM. Therefore should we just eat it? Just because something "has been around" doesn't mean it's good or desirable. I don't know how Planetfall works but AoW3 appears to be a P2P game. Which means the game exists between the players. Then shouldn't it be between the players to decide who to include or exclude from the game? Yet they're still requiring you to authenticate with paradox's servers.

1. Nice of you to just ignore everything else I have said against DRM.

2. IF you don't know how planetfall works, and I don't know how planetfall works (servers etc) shouldn't you, since you care about multiplayer, first find out how it works before you say more on the subject?

No, we're not. I want to enjoy multiplayer only with my local folks and not online. I am NOT AT ALL happy with Internet-required multiplayer. Please stop ascribing traits to me. And please stop being an apologist for bad corporate behavior.
Right: Imperator Rome does not have cloud saves [as people think of it]. It has DRMed cloud saving as an optional feature for people who use an external account with tracking and spying and stuff.

The price difference between steam and gog version (when converted to my local currency) is about 3x more. What's wrong with the pricing for this game?

Edit : It's 3.5x more to be precise