I get the impression that buying from the site would give me a DRM free version of the game, but I'm not positive. Can anyone give me some clarification? Would it be the same for Penumbra?
DRM free was only the Humble Bundle versions of Amnesia (HB 5) and Penumbra Overture (HB 1). Everything else is not DRM-free.
AFAIK, the Steam version is the only one with DRM.
If a key is required, isn't it DRM?
The serial key isn't restricted to any one user, unlike the Steam version. Desura probably has DRM, too (forgot about Desura).
It has to be restricted otherwise every TPB copy would be considered legal after entering a specific cd key. It's not forced like Steam but I think it has the usual one user legal restrictions.
Steam has an offline mode you know if you get the game from there.
(06-23-2013, 12:00 AM)plutomaniac Wrote: [ -> ]It has to be restricted otherwise every TPB copy would be considered legal after entering a specific cd key. It's not forced like Steam but I think it has the usual one user legal restrictions.
It may not be legal, but there's nothing, as far i can tell, that prevents the same serial key from working for multiple users. In the case of Steam, even though a serial key is not required, the Steam application and its DRM policies are what decides whether or not you can play the game.
The Ubuntu Software Center version is DRM-free (but only works on Linux, preferably on Ubuntu).
Buy the game via Frictional Games Store. It will be DRM-free.
You will even need a key, but it's not checked by an online server, so it's not DRM.