Integrating SteamDRM into PCGamingWiki

[Andytizer 269]

Flibit tweet: https://twitter.com/steamdrm/status/320162770811228160

Thread on Steam forums: http://t.co/4eK8FCYPvp

Source of SteamDRM: https://github.com/SteamList/SteamDRM

 

Don't have time personally to look at this, might have a chance on Sunday or Monday. However I'd like to throw it out there to everyone to see what they think, how things could be best integrated.

[Pendragon 6]

I've looked at that list a few times, thought it was pretty impressive. I think it would be a good thing for the site.

 

I think it should be its own section, and linked to either the Steam page or the DRM table. I expect the information to be redundant, but I think that this section will be used differently.

[EdenCrow 0]

I agree that it should be done. The information for each game should be added to its respective game article (which would involve going through each game individually via the GitHub source) and the list itself could have its own page, linked to from the Steam and DRM pages as suggested by Pendragon (perhaps a script could be written to create a basic page quicker using the GitHub source?).

[Pridit 39]

Instead of going around modifying every article which I always try to recommend to avoid due to sheer amount of time it would take would it not instead be possible to put some connection to it in the availability table or such so then it pulls information elsewhere like a huge article.

[Garrett 214]

It's not viable to put a list that extensive in a switch, nor is there an easy way of automatically adjusting the template based on whether a page already has a Steam availability entry (since each availability row is a template rather than being parameters of the header). It could potentially be implemented as a transcluded template but that would still require inserting it on each page so the effort would not be hugely reduced. One way of handling it would be to put the list up on some temporary sandbox page and then have everyone remove entries as they deal with them bit by bit or whatever (there are only about 280 games on the list right now, many of which probably don't have wiki pages yet).

 

The GitHub page has changelogs for each list type so it would be easy enough to keep an eye on it and integrate the changes.

[EdenCrow 0]

I don't know how helpful it is, but I've copied the majority of the source up here to do with as you please: http://pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/User:EdenCrow/SteamDRM

Not included are descriptions of the DRM techniques and intert & removed DRM (please feel free to add these if you wish).

 

It might be an idea, if this page is helpful, to put the data into tables under "Game Name" and "Notes".

[Nicereddy 109]

I fixed some spelling errors and fixed a lot of links that were broken despite the pages existing (Borderlands DLC, for example). Hope it helps.

[Andytizer 269]

It's not viable to put a list that extensive in a switch, nor is there an easy way of automatically adjusting the template based on whether a page already has a Steam availability entry (since each availability row is a template rather than being parameters of the header). It could potentially be implemented as a transcluded template but that would still require inserting it on each page so the effort would not be hugely reduced. One way of handling it would be to put the list up on some temporary sandbox page and then have everyone remove entries as they deal with them bit by bit or whatever (there are only about 280 games on the list right now, many of which probably don't have wiki pages yet).

 

The GitHub page has changelogs for each list type so it would be easy enough to keep an eye on it and integrate the changes.

 

I like this idea the most, manually doing data entry and removing parts from the page. It's time consuming but the best option for the future.

 

It would also be helpful to just go and copy new templates based on the DRM definitions from SteamDRM, e.g.

 

Legacy method (should be renamed CD check)

Server side activation

Account-based (although maybe this is covered in the 'Store unlock' column of the Availability table?)

Inert (should be renamed 'removable')

 

We could use templates to make these consistent across pages.

 

We should be comprehensive in detailing which part of games require what DRM. e.g. BioShock 2 GFWL can be deactivated with a hack, but this removes the ability to use their DLC e.g. Minerva's Den. All this is useful information that might fit under the 'Availability table'.

 

Also I think it might be helpful to have mouseover popup definitions of items.

[Flibitijibibo 0]

Going to run through tonight and port the whole list as a clean set of tables. How that's used afterwards... :shrug:

[Flibitijibibo 0]

Account-based is ported: http://pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/User:EdenCrow/SteamDRM

 

Took a bit longer than I thought, I've got it automated though. Shouldn't take as long to do the rest.

[Flibitijibibo 0]

The full source port is done, categorized and table-fied: http://pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/User:EdenCrow/SteamDRM

 

This pretty much covers the data, I'll leave the PCGW-specific and "make pretty"ing stuff up to you guys, since I imagine you guys already have a format for this sort of thing.

[Flibitijibibo 0]

Turns out I'm absurdly ahead of schedule with my ports, so I've got time to work on this a bit more.

 

I'm a bit anxious to finalize this transfer, so if there's a specific list of things you want done before this gets cleared/made official, definitely let me know. The longer this port stays in progress, the more it'll be in a weird limboish state where people aren't entirely sure where to contribute... not good if something comes up during this transfer.

[EdenCrow 0]

Turns out I'm absurdly ahead of schedule with my ports, so I've got time to work on this a bit more.

 

I'm a bit anxious to finalize this transfer, so if there's a specific list of things you want done before this gets cleared/made official, definitely let me know. The longer this port stays in progress, the more it'll be in a weird limboish state where people aren't entirely sure where to contribute... not good if something comes up during this transfer.

 

So is the best plan of attack to go through and add the information to each game page, deleting each one from my user page as we go? If we did that then the general DRM information could be added onto the related DRM article on the wiki to complete integration.

[Flibitijibibo 0]

It sounds like the goal is to have the monolithic list while making sure that any DRM info in the game page is accurate (not strictly copypasting the SteamDRM info, but if a game's page makes note of Steam availability, adding the 3rd-party DRM note there as well). I dunno if that was the final decision, though.

[Special 0]

So here's a little suggestion/improvement I'd like to see for this "Big List of 3rd Party DRM on Steam" page, it needs a link to it linking from the Main page.

 

The way it is now, this page is pretty much hidden from anyone who doesn't already know about it, which isn't good, I want to see this page gain traffic and thrive with more contributes from others.

 

Currently it's completely hidden (unless I'm totally blind) and unless someone happens to makes an edit to this page at the right time and then some outsider just happens to look through the general history of the wiki's page edits, no one who doesn't already know about it will see it. There needs to be a link to it linking from the main page that people can see and click on, something with a header like "Known DRM" or "List of DRM on Steam". Probably a good Idea to also have relevant links to it from the DRM page and Steam page as well. Just my 2 cents.

 

I'd do it my self, but I've never really edited a wiki before and don't want to muck anything up, so I'll leave it in more capable hands.