Impulse (software)
Encyclopedia
Impulse is a digital distribution
and multiplayer platform. Originally developed by Stardock
to succeed Stardock Central
, it was purchased by GameStop
in March 2011.
Impulse facilitates the purchase, download and updating of software. The platform also provides blogging, friends-list, chat, game matchmaking, achievements
and ranking to certain games.
Impulse helps users purchase and download software. Purchases are tied to an account on GameStop's servers, and can be downloaded from anywhere that allows the use of the Impulse client.
, Atari
, Ubisoft
, Epic Games
, THQ
, AVG
, Iolo Technologies
, Gas Powered Games
, Hothead Games
, Ironclad Games
, Popcap Games
, and Meridian4.
Impulse can create archives of purchased software to be stored on a backup
medium, allowing users to revert to an older version if the latest version is not up to expectations.
/copy protection
, achievements, account
s, friends lists, chat, multiplayer lobbies, and cloud storage
.
Re-sales may be made possible with Game Object Obfuscation, or GOO for short. GOO is GameStop's client-free DRM solution which allows neutrality between competing digital stores.
0.99 was bundled with Impulse (requiring Internet Explorer
7 and Microsoft .NET) without notification on the product description or download page. Fences had previously been available as a stand-alone product. Stardock later informed customers of the additional software requirements on the Fences website.
(launched in 2001). While Steam is the largest and most well-known digital distribution platform since its launch in 2002, it was only in 2004 that ecommerce was added.
In March 2011, GameStop announced their intent to purchase Impulse, as well as Spawn Labs. GameStop president Tony Bartel said these acquisitions would "provide a customer-friendly and publisher-friendly way" to deliver "gaming in many locations and on many devices." The purchase was completed on May 2, 2011.
Digital distribution
Online distribution, digital distribution, or electronic software distribution is the practice of delivering content without the use of physical media, typically by downloading via the internet directly to a consumer's device. Online distribution bypasses conventional physical distribution media,...
and multiplayer platform. Originally developed by Stardock
Stardock
Stardock Corporation is a software development company founded in 1991 and incorporated in 1993 as Stardock Systems. Stardock initially developed for the OS/2 platform, but was forced to switch to Windows due to the collapse of the OS/2 software market between 1997 and 1998...
to succeed Stardock Central
Stardock Central
Stardock Central was a software content delivery and digital rights management system used by Stardock customers to access components of the Object Desktop, TotalGaming.net and ThinkDesk product lines, as well as products under the WinCustomize brand....
, it was purchased by GameStop
GameStop
GameStop Corporation is an American video game and entertainment software retailer. The company, whose headquarters is in Grapevine, Texas, United States, operates 6,500 retail stores throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New...
in March 2011.
Impulse facilitates the purchase, download and updating of software. The platform also provides blogging, friends-list, chat, game matchmaking, achievements
Achievement (video gaming)
In video gaming parlance, an achievement, also sometimes known as a trophy or challenge, is a meta-goal defined outside of a game's parameters...
and ranking to certain games.
Features
Storefront
Impulse provides a storefront that supports localized currencies, territory restrictions and a process for refunds. Publishers and developers using the Impulse storefront include ActivisionActivision
Activision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles...
, Atari
Atari
Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in...
, Ubisoft
Ubisoft
Ubisoft Entertainment S.A. is a major French video game publisher and developer, with headquarters in Montreuil, France. The company has a worldwide presence with 25 studios in 17 countries and subsidiaries in 26 countries....
, Epic Games
Epic Games
Epic Games, Inc., also known as Epic and formerly Epic MegaGames, is an American video game development company based in Cary, North Carolina. Its most recent success has been the Gears of War series of games, although it is also known for its Unreal Engine technology. It is the parent company of...
, THQ
THQ
THQ Inc. is an American developer and publisher of video games. Founded in 1989 in the United States, the company develops products for video game consoles, handheld game systems, as well as for personal computers and wireless devices...
, AVG
AVG
AVG may mean:* Albtal-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft, a public transport operator in the area of Karlsruhe, Germany* Ambulante Verslavingszorg Groningen, the main drug addiction treatment center in Groningen, Netherlands...
, Iolo Technologies
Iolo technologies
iolo technologies is a privately held American software company headquartered in Los Angeles, CA. iolo creates software designed to repair, optimize, and protect Windows PCs: its flagship product, System Mechanic, is a top-selling software product in the PC tune-up utility software category, and...
, Gas Powered Games
Gas Powered Games
Gas Powered Games is a video game developer located in Redmond, Washington. The development studio was started in May 1998 by Chris Taylor, creator of Total Annihilation, and several other ex-Cavedog Entertainment employees....
, Hothead Games
Hothead Games
Hothead Games is an independent video game developer and publisher based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Hothead is best known for its role-playing/adventure video game series, On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, based on the Penny Arcade webcomic...
, Ironclad Games
Ironclad Games
Ironclad Games is a Canadian PC game developer. The company was founded in 2003 by former employees of Barking Dog Studios/Rockstar Games. Ironclad is located in Burnaby, British Columbia.-Titles:...
, Popcap Games
PopCap Games
PopCap Games is an American video game developer and publisher, based in Seattle, Washington, United States. It was founded in 2000 by John Vechey, Brian Fiete and Jason Kapalka, and currently employs about 400 people...
, and Meridian4.
Software management
Impulse allows users to install, update (when desired) and uninstall the software tied to a user's account. Users who purchase Impulse-supported games at retail stores can download the client and install previously-purchased software on their computers without the original disc after registration of the game.Impulse can create archives of purchased software to be stored on a backup
Backup
In information technology, a backup or the process of backing up is making copies of data which may be used to restore the original after a data loss event. The verb form is back up in two words, whereas the noun is backup....
medium, allowing users to revert to an older version if the latest version is not up to expectations.
Impulse::Reactor
Game developers can make API calls and query information from the Impulse community infrastructure using Impulse::Reactor, a software library which provides DRMDigital rights management
Digital rights management is a class of access control technologies that are used by hardware manufacturers, publishers, copyright holders and individuals with the intent to limit the use of digital content and devices after sale. DRM is any technology that inhibits uses of digital content that...
/copy protection
Copy protection
Copy protection, also known as content protection, copy obstruction, copy prevention and copy restriction, refer to techniques used for preventing the reproduction of software, films, music, and other media, usually for copyright reasons.- Terminology :Media corporations have always used the term...
, achievements, account
Account
Accounting is a systematic way to record transactions.An Account refers to assets, liabilities, income, expenses, and equity, as represented by individual ledger pages, to which changes in value are chronologically recorded with debit and credit entries. These entries, referred to as postings,...
s, friends lists, chat, multiplayer lobbies, and cloud storage
Cloud storage
Cloud storage is a model of networked online storage where data is stored on virtualized pools of storage which are generally hosted by third parties. Hosting companies operate large data centers; and people who require their data to be hosted buy or lease storage capacity from them and use it for...
.
Exclusive patches
Impulse, used for delivering patches, has been criticised for causing the decline in availability of standalone patches. While it provides convenient and smaller updates for internet-connected users, users without availability of internet access face no other option to update their game via standalone patches. The only other way to update a game is to install Impulse on another connected computer, get an updated copy of the software or game before transferring it to an archive medium where it can be restored to the unconnected computer. However, the process is not feasible for people with limited access on public or corporate computers. The availability of these patches in the event that the company goes out of business is uncertain.Resale limitations
Impulse does not support the resale of games. The product is transferable only when a user is buying a second copy for another person, via the support system.Re-sales may be made possible with Game Object Obfuscation, or GOO for short. GOO is GameStop's client-free DRM solution which allows neutrality between competing digital stores.
Fences 0.99 controversy
Stardock attracted criticism in September 2009 when its desktop organizer FencesFences (software)
Fences is a software utility for Windows that helps to organize icons on the desktop. It is developed by Stardock and distributed as part of their Object Desktop suite. A freeware version is available.-Functionality:...
0.99 was bundled with Impulse (requiring Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer
Windows Internet Explorer is a series of graphical web browsers developed by Microsoft and included as part of the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems, starting in 1995. It was first released as part of the add-on package Plus! for Windows 95 that year...
7 and Microsoft .NET) without notification on the product description or download page. Fences had previously been available as a stand-alone product. Stardock later informed customers of the additional software requirements on the Fences website.
History
Impulse was launched on June 17, 2008 as a successor to Stardock CentralStardock Central
Stardock Central was a software content delivery and digital rights management system used by Stardock customers to access components of the Object Desktop, TotalGaming.net and ThinkDesk product lines, as well as products under the WinCustomize brand....
(launched in 2001). While Steam is the largest and most well-known digital distribution platform since its launch in 2002, it was only in 2004 that ecommerce was added.
In March 2011, GameStop announced their intent to purchase Impulse, as well as Spawn Labs. GameStop president Tony Bartel said these acquisitions would "provide a customer-friendly and publisher-friendly way" to deliver "gaming in many locations and on many devices." The purchase was completed on May 2, 2011.
External links
- Impulse Driven homepage
- Impulse white paper
- Impulse Guide
- Impulse Anywhere - helps to transfer software to disconnected computers
- Impulse on Twitter and Facebook