AfterDawn: Tech news

'Mass Effect' to have terrible DRM

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 07 May 2008 1:54 User comments (54)

'Mass Effect' to have terrible DRM According to a post in the Bioware's forums, upcoming PC game Mass Effect's producer Derek French has confirmed that the game will have rolling DRM, meaning every 10 days you will need to activate the game again over the internet.
"Mass Effect uses SecuROM and requires an online activation for the first time that you play it," French says. "After the first activation, SecuROM requires that it re-check with the server within ten days (in case the CD Key has become public/warez'd and gets banned). Just so that the 10 day thing doesn't become abrupt, SecuROM tries its first re-check with 5 days remaining in the 10 day window. If it can't contact the server before the 10 days are up, nothing bad happens and the game still runs. After 10 days a re-check is required before the game can run."

In case that didn't sink in, to play Mass Effect you will need to re-activate your copy every 10 days, until the end of time. This of course, will lead to problems, there is no doubt about that. Firstly, if you don't have internet you cannot play this game, plain and simple. That is probably not so big of a problem now that broadband prices are so cheap, but imagine moving into a new house and not having time to set up Internet for the first ten days. Say goodbye to your brand new $50 copy of Mass Effect.



The DRM gets even worse. You are only allowed to install the game on three machines before it locks up. If the activation servers go down, good luck trying to play your game at all. (Anyone remember Bioshock?) Thats not even mentioning if Bioware ever goes out of business, there will be no server to reactivate with every 10 days, effectively killing your game off.

The source article had a funny way of putting the situation saying that if you are really interested in the game you should "simply find a version of the game that is hacked to bypass activation" thus making it easier to play. Yes the pirated version will be easier to play then the legit copy.

Is this the future of DRM?

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54 user comments

17.5.2008 14:27

Wtf?, thats all i got to say.

27.5.2008 14:38

um... wow i personaly liek the way M$ does it, if you want updates they you must validate! i think the internet connection is a pain! what happens when you have an outage or maybe for kids suspended from using the www! & are they going to support this in 15 years when a handful of people may still be playing?

37.5.2008 14:41

If it is the future, the computer gaming market will drop worse than what it is. Pirating will increase. I personally wont purchase something that is going to be so much hassle to enjoy. Even though, I think steam is the future of distribution, they dont make you jump through hoops every 10 days....instead it just randomly crashes whatever you are playing.

47.5.2008 15:03

Ridiculous! I could (maybe) see a 30-day re-check, but 10 is a little slim. And if this is the future of DRM, then it is a sad day indeed. We already have a million programs checking the net for various reasons and eating our bandwidth. Do we really need games doing it (except to get updates)?

Seriously a load of Bull*hit. I played Neverwinter 1 & 2, but if this is the way Bioware is going to treat customers, then they won't make any money from me.

57.5.2008 15:09

tbh, one should buy the game so atleast it stops the pir8s,, but this hurts the consumer, who buys the game w.o internet.

if there was an online multiplayer aspect or patches etc that needed validating, that would be good, becuase you would have the internet to get it, but for SP, its s bit ridiculus

67.5.2008 15:19

also what if one goes on holiday leaving thier computer at home, or their laptop doesnt have internet connections?

infact, i will not give bioware my money this time.

this will be the first time in 3 years that i will ahve to pir8 a game. and i have a ds psp and ps2 and 360 and wii. i didnt get it for 360 seeing as it was coming out on the pc, and i still want it on the pc, and if this is what it will be like, i will pi8 with a cope that removes validation.

even MS have got it right with activation against pir8s, only validating for internet updates. this is just outrageous.

77.5.2008 16:47

Greed knows no bounds.

87.5.2008 16:52

Darwin awards, round 917236405....

97.5.2008 17:56

It'll fail. They'll blame piracy.

...and the cycle continues.

107.5.2008 18:02

now that´s one game I´ll never buy...

117.5.2008 18:13

Wow...I can see where this is going. No one will buy this DRM trash and they will have poor sales...they can then blame it on piracy.

127.5.2008 18:17
david89
Inactive

this suck guess i won't buy the game for sure.

137.5.2008 19:17

Originally posted by clamUp:
It'll fail. They'll blame piracy.

...and the cycle continues.

Ain't that the truth.

147.5.2008 19:19
oappi
Inactive

Wow... i can already see class action against this studio. This isn´t digitalrightsmanigment anymore this is something like screw_our_customers_software. No matter how good the game that uses this is, im sure as hell not going to buy one. 10 days isn´t even that long..

who keeps all the games installed anyway . I have many games that i play few days a year and wont install them everytime i reinstall windows. Atleast i would be mad as hell if i couldn´t return to old classics like might and magic VII once or twice in a year. if my windows avarege life span is between half a year to year most (have been using 2000,xp,vista) it would take a day more to install all the games... maybe in the future it will be easier since im starting to buy my games on steam <3 it still takes time to download games again, but atleast i dont have to search my room for the serial keys and watch when install is finnished to start another.

157.5.2008 22:30
drach
Inactive

Stupidest idea ever!!!

167.5.2008 22:35

Yeah, I haven't bought a PC game in a while but my distrobution venue of choice is Steam... I just enjoy it, and I know the company won't be going out of busniess any time soon...

177.5.2008 23:12

i just realised somthing, i and most others, who have computer that can actually play the game, have superb computers, and therefor have the net, and will play with nothing going wrong.

unless you loose ur net, your fine.

even if you go on holiday, when you get back, just let it validate for a few secs, and you done.

187.5.2008 23:30
fgamer
Inactive

Well in a sense this could force people to pirate more than they probably would have. People will be looking more and more for cracks now which in turn will probably make them wonder why pay for a game that uses such DRM. Just my thought on the situation.

198.5.2008 00:07
varnull
Inactive

Related thing.. and may interest people who play online..

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/200...yright-law.html

And all the time every little piece of non-news from sony gets reported, yet this gets missed..

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 08 May 2008 @ 12:09

208.5.2008 00:20

Didn't anyone pay attention to when Bioware sold out to EA a few months back? Everyone predicted this would happen the same way it happened to Origin Systems (Ultima series), Bullfrog, Westwood, etc.

Give it a couple of years, and all PC games will be "subscription" based online only games. F^&k that.

I still have my original discs from Baldurs Gate I and II, as well as both Icewind games. I also bought Planescape in 2003 when it was only 15 bucks at wal-mart. Not buying this one, that is for certain. I won't reward arse-packing by some mega-corporate sell-out company who treats customers like cattle.

Oh Bioware..how thee hath fallen!

218.5.2008 02:35
nobrainer
Inactive

Originally posted by ceja_11:
Wtf?, thats all i got to say.
another title i refuse to purchase as i am not going to fund anti-consumer.

secuROM is sony DRM and maybe this is a taste of things to come once blu-ray players all have net connections.

anti-consumer as always sony.


Originally posted by varnull:
Related thing.. and may interest people who play online..

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/200...yright-law.html

And all the time every little piece of non-news from sony gets reported, yet this gets missed..
did you submit it dude? http://www.afterdawn.com/news/submit.cfm

i thin that gold farming is very lame and is unwelcome in any mmorpg's it's cheating and there is a real problem with gold farmers ripping ppl off. saying that if the game makers could sell the gold themselves they would but you'd see their servers dry up very quickly other than a bunch of cheaters all cheating together.

i suppose with sonys home and selling extra content like guns and maps in games is a way to cash the same as gold sellers but its just money grabbing tactics that is targeting children.

the DMCA is constantly being abused, but that is why the RIAA/MPAA lobbied to make it law, just w8 for the Pro-IP act to pass if you think the DMCA is bad!

btw this is sony related as screwUrom is sony DRM.


BOYCOTT anti-consumer, its the only way to stop them ppl.

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 08 May 2008 @ 2:59

228.5.2008 04:29

Ahhh... There's nothing like being treated like a criminal to make ya feel like a criminal...

238.5.2008 09:18

So what'll happen with this? the non-criminals will rely on the criminals to crack the software. it'll happen, and be that much more rewarding when it does.

Mass Effect wasn't even that awesome of a game. Sure it was fun, but after two play-throughs I have never picked it up again.

248.5.2008 11:38
varnull
Inactive

I'm on a wait and see for the whole lot of it.

I am worried by this increasing trend to force compiliance with so called copyrights, especially when it only relates to code you have running in ram. Pretty pointless trying to do anything if that becomes the case.. as soon as you touch a key you have changed code and are breaking copyright... What blizzard are attempting is dangerous in the extreme.. and it should get railroaded out of court within minutes. Right or wrong.. the gold farmers have the right to modify code that runs on their ram in their computers.. They provide a service to the game in one way by keeping a flow of convertible currency flying about, in other ways they are seen as cheats. It's a matter of personal morals how you feel about them... Me?? I don't take it one way or another.. there are pros and cons to the situation. To stop everything of this nature and only allow "authorised" patches and hacks will most certainly just about finish off the next generation of game coders... unless that is.. they come over to the darkside, join the FSF and start writing open source games.

This is why I am a member of the FSF (see link in my sig) and why I believe in free software (not necessarily free of charge, but) Free to modify and use in any way you see fit, so long as you don't attempt to profit from the work of others without express permission.
I'm with Richard Stallman on this one, though to many he may seem a little extreme and cranky about it, he has a very valid point.. If it is free others can make it better, very often to the benefit of the sellers and at no cost to them.

Sharing becomes irrelevant, and drm pointless. As everybody has access to the source code, and can build any variant they want the inclination to steal goes away, and the makers can still sell their binaries or whatever with a clean conscience.

My take on all of this is.. If they want to use restrictive drm and other lockout tactics.. they find themselves locked out of my purse. Leave the crap on the shelves.. Nothing makes a business change it's ideas quicker than an unsold product.

As with the Daniel_K fracas a month ago.. these companies just end up paying a lot of money for the egg on their faces.. Expect cracks within days of release, if not before ;)

258.5.2008 12:13
emugamer
Inactive

Originally posted by shaffaaf:
i just realised somthing, i and most others, who have computer that can actually play the game, have superb computers, and therefor have the net, and will play with nothing going wrong.

unless you loose ur net, your fine.

even if you go on holiday, when you get back, just let it validate for a few secs, and you done.
It's the principle though. There are too many possibilities and "what-if's" that could render the game useless in the future for any number of people with varying circumstances.

The release groups are going to have a field day creating an executable crack for this one. And I agree with someone in this thread who said that people who have never pirated a game before may just do that in this case. I don't get much video game time - maybe an hour here and there, which is never enough to finish a game quickly. (I'm still dragging along in Half Life 2 Episode 2 :P) So I would get pretty annoyed by day 40 to have to dig up the serial key, realizing that since I don't get to play the game much, I may have to do it 10 or more times.
This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 08 May 2008 @ 3:15

268.5.2008 12:18

The entire entertainment industry needs to DIE.
And their IDIOTIC decisions are hastening that death nicely.
Maybe a group of people who don't have their heads up their chutes could rebuild on a realistic business model that doesn't piss off your customers.

278.5.2008 13:06

They want to kill the PC gaming industry once and for all. Boycott!

288.5.2008 16:02

I just wonder if the re id thing crashes at the server, how are they going to appease all the pissed off consumers. Also is the rolling DRM enough to kill off their sales and make this game one heck of a DUD?

298.5.2008 16:30

Quote:
Originally posted by shaffaaf:
i just realised somthing, i and most others, who have computer that can actually play the game, have superb computers, and therefor have the net, and will play with nothing going wrong.

unless you loose ur net, your fine.

even if you go on holiday, when you get back, just let it validate for a few secs, and you done.
It's the principle though. There are too many possibilities and "what-if's" that could render the game useless in the future for any number of people with varying circumstances.

The release groups are going to have a field day creating an executable crack for this one. And I agree with someone in this thread who said that people who have never pirated a game before may just do that in this case. I don't get much video game time - maybe an hour here and there, which is never enough to finish a game quickly. (I'm still dragging along in Half Life 2 Episode 2 :P) So I would get pretty annoyed by day 40 to have to dig up the serial key, realizing that since I don't get to play the game much, I may have to do it 10 or more times.
twas me who posted that after 3 years, i will return to pir8 this.

and you dont need your serial key everytime, just once, to install it. you will just need the physical DVD, which tbh is there to be used, unless your a nutter about usign them, and cracks them.

308.5.2008 18:57
emugamer
Inactive

Originally posted by shaffaaf:
Quote:
Originally posted by shaffaaf:
i just realised somthing, i and most others, who have computer that can actually play the game, have superb computers, and therefor have the net, and will play with nothing going wrong.

unless you loose ur net, your fine.

even if you go on holiday, when you get back, just let it validate for a few secs, and you done.
It's the principle though. There are too many possibilities and "what-if's" that could render the game useless in the future for any number of people with varying circumstances.

The release groups are going to have a field day creating an executable crack for this one. And I agree with someone in this thread who said that people who have never pirated a game before may just do that in this case. I don't get much video game time - maybe an hour here and there, which is never enough to finish a game quickly. (I'm still dragging along in Half Life 2 Episode 2 :P) So I would get pretty annoyed by day 40 to have to dig up the serial key, realizing that since I don't get to play the game much, I may have to do it 10 or more times.
twas me who posted that after 3 years, i will return to pir8 this.

and you dont need your serial key everytime, just once, to install it. you will just need the physical DVD, which tbh is there to be used, unless your a nutter about usign them, and cracks them.
I is nutter

319.5.2008 00:24

Bad news everyone, this isn't the only game that this is planned for. I'm not sure if anyone here is familiar with g4tv but there was a news update referring to this new drm on the pc version of mass effect. Apparently that game spore that's been delayed for close to two years will also have the 10 day rolling drm. They also mentioned that a number of new releases are going to have this crap on it.

If this doesn't get shot down right away I can see pc game developers suffering a whole lot more from their own drm than pirated copies. To think that drm has to get this bad in order for people to see that not only does drm not work; it can actually be more harmful than piracy. Oh the irony

329.5.2008 05:21
nobrainer
Inactive

Originally posted by redux79:
Bad news everyone, this isn't the only game that this is planned for. I'm not sure if anyone here is familiar with g4tv but there was a news update referring to this new drm on the pc version of mass effect. Apparently that game spore that's been delayed for close to two years will also have the 10 day rolling drm. They also mentioned that a number of new releases are going to have this crap on it.

If this doesn't get shot down right away I can see pc game developers suffering a whole lot more from their own drm than pirated copies. To think that drm has to get this bad in order for people to see that not only does drm not work; it can actually be more harmful than piracy. Oh the irony

it surely is but what do you expect from sony with their track record of anti-consumer, their secuROM DRM is just morphing a little more anti-consumer every week, but what is more worrying is this type of drm was a patent put forward for BD+ drm also locking media to one person was another, so expect this sort of anti-consumer measures on blu-ray films once profile 2.0 is released.



Sony to make it illegal to sell second hand PS3 games
Originally posted by link:
At the start of the year Sony filed a patent that could threaten the second hand games market and independent retailers alike.

The patent would allow Sony to lock a game to the first console that it was played on, meaning that if you sold the game or lent it to a friend they would be unable to play it on their console.

Sony stated at the time that the aim is to protect itself from counterfeit software, but were aware that the same technology would also prevent the re-sale of used games.

At the time many people shrugged it off not really thinking Sony would go through with the idea as it would kill the second hand games market, the games rental market and seriously hurt independent retailers. All of which could damage PS3 console and games sales.

However retail sources have revealed to GamesRadar that "high street games shops have been told by Sony that there will be no PS3 pre-owned sections in their stores as it will be illegal for customers to sell any next-gen PlayStation games that they've bought"

It seems that Sony intend to do this by adopting a licensing scheme which means that gamers won't actually own their games, instead they will merely be purchasing a licence to play them.

Will Sony use their patent? Will Sony make it illegal to re-sell PS3 games?
although sony to this date has not used this patent on physical media it is exactly what they did with the psn release of warhawk, where you only purchased a licence to play the game until sony tell you that you can't and you are also not allowed to re-sell, lend or even give it away, maybe a test of public opinion.
This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 09 May 2008 @ 5:42

339.5.2008 05:36
varnull
Inactive

Quote:
At the start of the year Sony filed a patent that could threaten the second hand games market and independent retailers alike.

The patent would allow Sony to lock a game to the first console that it was played on, meaning that if you sold the game or lent it to a friend they would be unable to play it on their console.

Sony stated at the time that the aim is to protect itself from counterfeit software, but were aware that the same technology would also prevent the re-sale of used games.

At the time many people shrugged it off not really thinking Sony would go through with the idea as it would kill the second hand games market, the games rental market and seriously hurt independent retailers. All of which could damage PS3 console and games sales.

However retail sources have revealed to GamesRadar that "high street games shops have been told by Sony that there will be no PS3 pre-owned sections in their stores as it will be illegal for customers to sell any next-gen PlayStation games that they've bought"
And there we have it... Now you can't even sell something you have bought and own.

The retailers should grow some bollocks and refuse to stock this junk from day 1, the consumers should boycott non-resellable items on principle.. But people are sheep and retailers are only interested in filling their shareholders pockets.

We should push our respective consumer organisations to make it clearly printed on the packaging that such an item will never be available for trade or resale.. A NICE BIG WARNING like they put on cigarettes...

these people don't want people to have general purpose devices, they want everybody to have a dumb terminal/console which only does exactly what manufactures, hollywood and sony want. Like a TV.. you can watch whatever you want, and play whatever you want.. AS LONG AS WE PROVIDE IT AND YOU CAN DO NOTHING ELSE WITH IT!!

Big Brother is here..

349.5.2008 12:30
emugamer
Inactive

Quote:
Originally posted by redux79:
Bad news everyone, this isn't the only game that this is planned for. I'm not sure if anyone here is familiar with g4tv but there was a news update referring to this new drm on the pc version of mass effect. Apparently that game spore that's been delayed for close to two years will also have the 10 day rolling drm. They also mentioned that a number of new releases are going to have this crap on it.

If this doesn't get shot down right away I can see pc game developers suffering a whole lot more from their own drm than pirated copies. To think that drm has to get this bad in order for people to see that not only does drm not work; it can actually be more harmful than piracy. Oh the irony

it surely is but what do you expect from sony with their track record of anti-consumer, their secuROM DRM is just morphing a little more anti-consumer every week, but what is more worrying is this type of drm was a patent put forward for BD+ drm also locking media to one person was another, so expect this sort of anti-consumer measures on blu-ray films once profile 2.0 is released.



Sony to make it illegal to sell second hand PS3 games
Originally posted by link:
At the start of the year Sony filed a patent that could threaten the second hand games market and independent retailers alike.

The patent would allow Sony to lock a game to the first console that it was played on, meaning that if you sold the game or lent it to a friend they would be unable to play it on their console.

Sony stated at the time that the aim is to protect itself from counterfeit software, but were aware that the same technology would also prevent the re-sale of used games.

At the time many people shrugged it off not really thinking Sony would go through with the idea as it would kill the second hand games market, the games rental market and seriously hurt independent retailers. All of which could damage PS3 console and games sales.

However retail sources have revealed to GamesRadar that "high street games shops have been told by Sony that there will be no PS3 pre-owned sections in their stores as it will be illegal for customers to sell any next-gen PlayStation games that they've bought"

It seems that Sony intend to do this by adopting a licensing scheme which means that gamers won't actually own their games, instead they will merely be purchasing a licence to play them.

Will Sony use their patent? Will Sony make it illegal to re-sell PS3 games?
although sony to this date has not used this patent on physical media it is exactly what they did with the psn release of warhawk, where you only purchased a licence to play the game until sony tell you that you can't and you are also not allowed to re-sell, lend or even give it away, maybe a test of public opinion.
Wow, great read nobrainer. If this ever happened, I would say goodbye to Sony for good. Consoles and electronics. I would switch to Nintendo or MS, and if they adopted these same extreme anti-consumer tactics as Sony, then I would just not bother with console video games anymore. I only buy used games because the $60 price tag is ridiculous IMO. And it pisses me off that even after a year, places like Best Buy, Target and even Amazon are still charging the release price. By shopping around online, I can usually find slightly older games for about $30. That is all I can afford. And it's nice to know that I can always re-sell the games that I keep in mint condition for $15-$20 and put that money toward the next-gen console or something like another game.

This has the potential to be a serious setback for them. And it would destroy small businesses. It would also leave an unpleasant dent in rental establishments. But what do you expect from a company who thought Liksang was a threat and wiped them out?

I hate DRM, but I don't complain about it and deal with it because these companies will get my money through one means or another, but on my terms. But if they adopt this, they've totally taken away control from me. They are laying claim to my wallet. I would turn completely anti-corporation and more specifically, anti-Sony. I would join your cause nobrainer. I would just go off the edge and burn everything Sony that I owned.
This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 09 May 2008 @ 12:31

359.5.2008 15:05

I like the point I read about it being a plot to kill PC gaming so that people go on to consoles and it's a lot harder to hack/mod those systems and games, so the companies have more control of how you play their game.
I never planned to buy this game, but I might end up buying a used copy of it for 360 if I can't get it for PC, that way the game company only got the money the first time it was bought, not from my purchase.
This is annoying, but hopefully someone will find a way around this.

369.5.2008 18:21

The greed has gotten to such a point, when people just quit buying these games with the rolling DRM, the companies will finall feel it in their pocketbooksand give up. It's a yin-yang thing, when the pendulum swings to far one side (greed), it will eventually will swing back the other way. After falling sales, of course the game companies will cry "piracy". Also cracks for the rolling DRM will abound.

379.5.2008 21:36
susieqbbb
Inactive

and this is going to stop people how!!

we have desecurom so why do we worry.

3810.5.2008 02:20

first off, varnul, this is EA doing this, not blizzard. but I digress, this is a load of bull and I hope that this game sells zero copies and forces EA to realize people don't like this kind of shit and they decide to stop putting it on games, use that money to make the games less buggy on release and you don't have to spend the next two months patching it when you could be making another game.

3910.5.2008 05:34

tbh i see what they are saying about the second hand market, becuase they get no sales from it, BUT at least they get the initial sale which will be bought at most 3 times secnd hand per copy, where as piracy gives them one sales from the group, and then a million no sales.

they shoudl be targeting those who pir8 rather than the paying customer.

4010.5.2008 07:03

SOME BRILLLIANT NEWS:

Quote:
When Mass Effect comes to the computer it will not use SecuROM's 10-day periodic re-authentication and instead will instead use a modification to do only a one-time online authentication, Bioware announced today.

The developer said the decision came after listening "very closely" to its fans and that the new system will also allow gamers to play the game without the DVD in the drive.

The system will allow gamers to authenticate their game on just three computers, but EA does have the ability to give additional authorizations if they are warranted.

Hit up the jump for the official FAQ and to let us know what you think about this change of heart.

Q: What is the difference between the old PC disc authentication solution and the new online model?

A: Two things have changed:

• First, authentication of discs has now gone from the physical format to the online format, freeing the need for consumers to have a disc in the drive at all times.

• Second, with online authentication consumers now connect to the Internet the first time the game is launched and are required only to reconnect if they are downloading new game content.


Q: Will EA or BioWare take any personal information from my computer during an authentication?

A: Absolutely not. We do not take any personal information from your computer. The system simply verifies that a valid CD key has been provided and assigns that activation to that PC.

Q: What happens when I’ve reached the maximum # of computers for my game and I need more, say due to theft of computer, computer crashes, etc?

A: EA customer service is on hand to supply any additional authorizations that are warranted. This will be done on a case-by-case basis by contacting customer support.

Q: Why are BioWare and EA implementing this new authentication process?

A: This serves to protect our software from piracy. It has the added benefit of allowing consumers to activate the game on multiple machines without needing the DVD in the drive when playing the game.

Q: Did BioWare and EA change their mind on requiring that the game be re-authorized every 10 days?

A: BioWare has always listened very closely to its fans and we made this decision to ensure we are delivering the best possible experience to them. To all the fans including our many friends in the armed services and internationally who expressed concerns that they would not be able re-authenticate as often as required, EA and BioWare want you to know that your feedback is important to us.

Q: If the game isn’t going to require an authentication every 10 days, will it ever require re-authentication?

A: Only if the player chooses to download new game content.


http://kotaku.com/5008452/bioware-backs-...-authentication

W0000P

time to stick my pre order one

EDIT

its on the official forums

http://masseffect.bioware.com/forums/vie...29059&forum=125
This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 10 May 2008 @ 7:05

4110.5.2008 17:00
nobrainer
Inactive

@ shaffaaf

great news, public opinion wins when serious sales are threatened its still been sony'd because of the inclusion secuROM which is still very anti consumer probabbly one of the most anti-consumer DRM's, but ea has obviously told sony to remove some code from the Orwellian DRM secuROM.


This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 10 May 2008 @ 5:05

4210.5.2008 17:08
varnull
Inactive

Quote:
A: Only if the player chooses to download new game content.
Or.. if every time you attempt to play online it updates and pushes new maps on you...

I still smell wriggling. They have f----- up and are trying to slide out of it.

It's still worth seing if this junk has any transfer/resell value, or if once it has been activated it is tied only to the 5 machines that are allowed...

You have bought the f------ thing... it isn't for them to say how many machines you can install it on.

I'm waiting for the cracked ones... because I don't run an "acceptable" drm filled OS.

4312.5.2008 14:50

Yeah, I don't find that good news.
Invasion of privacy is still invasion of privacy, no matter how often, or in this case, how seldom, it happens.
Charging people extra to cover your unworkable, greedy invasion scheme doesn't cut much ice with me. It just throws something else to go wrong into an already unstable design.

4412.5.2008 15:30

wat invasion of privacy, this will stop pir8s.

just becuase most of AD pir8s, doesnt make it right to do so. there are a lto of hard working folk (read non teens) that actually pay for it, becuase if it wernt for us, there would be no need to make games, and give them away for free

4512.5.2008 15:32

and you dont even need a CD for play anymore.

4714.5.2008 10:06

Originally posted by shaffaaf:
wat invasion of privacy, this will stop pir8s.

just becuase most of AD pir8s, doesnt make it right to do so. there are a lto of hard working folk (read non teens) that actually pay for it, becuase if it wernt for us, there would be no need to make games, and give them away for free
Alot of DRM has spyware in it that gathers and tracks data for them to sale, you see corporate mentality tries to get everything they can out of an angel, DRM dose 3 things

1.props up brothers in industry even if they themselfs need the money,after all tis a "family" business.

2.spies on user habits and hardware to sale the statistical data off

3.they think it raises sales by slowing piracy.

4818.6.2008 08:52

Any game that will require rolling authentication is a dead-duck as far as I am concerned.

All my PC games are on my new PC and I NEVER allow it to access the Internet. It is only for playing PC games & not for spyware/malware nor any other tracking cookies/applets.

Would you buy a new car that would only operate on Toll roads owned by the car manufacturer ... or a music CD (produced by Sony) that will only play on Sony machines?

This type of crap merely increases the cost of developing the game and thereby increasing the price to the customers. It worked so well for the security coding that was built-into the Blue-Ray software .. that was cracked within a week or so!!
A couple of million dollars of development money wasted.

It's as funny as when you buy a game here in Australia .. The box is sealed when you buy it (DVD/CD + manual + EULA inside the box).
The box has a nice sign on it informing you that "by breaking the seal on the box, you are accepting the EULA" .... but that agreement is inside the box & you don't know what is is in the EULA!!
What a bloody joke!

If I buy a game ... I own it, irrespective of whatever their EULA states. If this means downloading a "crack" or whatever ...

It's no wonder that developers are loosing to P2P piracy.

4918.6.2008 08:58

Just to clarify ...

I don't support piracy.

But if I bought the game, I'm going to make a back-up copy (in case the original gets damaged .. at $100 a game, I want to ensure that the installation disc is safe), I am not going to insert the disc every time I want to play it nor will I connect to the Internet for "authentication" every 10 days, 30 days or whatever.

It's bad enough you have to go thru this sort of crap with Microsoft for the OS disk when installing.

Thanks, but no thanks!

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 18 Jun 2008 @ 9:06

5018.6.2008 09:27

u lot havent heard the new news. firstly no CD needs to be there, the SP will be nocd.

secondly, it will only ask for verification when updateing the game via a patch when u download it from them. which IMO is perfectly acceptable.

5118.6.2008 11:08

Originally posted by shaffaaf:
u lot havent heard the new news. firstly no CD needs to be there, the SP will be nocd.

secondly, it will only ask for verification when updateing the game via a patch when u download it from them. which IMO is perfectly acceptable.
and has install tokens.

5218.6.2008 11:51

Quote:
Originally posted by shaffaaf:
u lot havent heard the new news. firstly no CD needs to be there, the SP will be nocd.

secondly, it will only ask for verification when updateing the game via a patch when u download it from them. which IMO is perfectly acceptable.
and has install tokens.
so long as its on the same machine, you have unlitmited, its only limited to different machines. which once again is fine

5318.6.2008 11:59

Quote:
Quote:
Originally posted by shaffaaf:
u lot havent heard the new news. firstly no CD needs to be there, the SP will be nocd.

secondly, it will only ask for verification when updateing the game via a patch when u download it from them. which IMO is perfectly acceptable.
and has install tokens.
so long as its on the same machine, you have unlitmited, its only limited to different machines. which once again is fine

Same machine...no.... same OS yes, because of windows instability and ease of corrupting data,drivers and the unreinstallable DX and the dulling bloat windoses creates when used for more than a couple months, I run my computer 24/7 and reinstall it about ocne every 2-6 months really depends on how bad it starts acting and you say install tokens do no matter?!
BALLOCKS!!!
Besides belittling the consumer it also infringes on the law, first sale doctrine is quite clear and install tokens are harmful to consumers rights and it will only take 1 court case to remove them from being used like the rootkits of old.
This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 18 Jun 2008 @ 3:07

5418.6.2008 12:13
nobrainer
Inactive

hmm, and SONY DRM (screwUrom) is back in the spotlight for being as anti-consumer as sony always seems to appear, when will these fecktards ever learn.

http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/06/17/1850222

Originally posted by link:
"There was some discussion last month about the proposed DRM for Mass Effect and Spore that required the game to phone home every ten days. They backed down from that, but have left in that a user is only allowed 3 activations per license key. A license key is burned up when the O/S is reinstalled, when certain hardware is upgraded (EA refuses to disclose specifics of what), and possibly when a new user is set up in Windows. Only in its first month, some users are already locked out of their games from trying troubleshooting techniques to get the game running."
or you can read about sony's drm here!

http://www.techspot.com/news/30497-Mass-...for-gamers.html
Originally posted by link:
Last month, many reports came out on the obscene DRM that Bioware and EA were planning to deploy on newer games, Mass Effect and Spore in particular. The outcry from the community led to a quick backtracking of their original goals. EA, for instance, opted to dispose of the “phone-home” functionality of the DRM and instead switched to a limited activation policy. In essence, the software would no longer phone home every 10 days but could only be installed 3 times.

That “friendlier” but still unfriendly method of authentication has now proven itself to be flawed, as it seems that people are burning through activations so quickly that they have used them up less than a month after purchasing the game. Something as simple as replacing a video card can use up an activation, and gamers who constantly upgrade would obviously be hit by this pretty quickly. Interestingly, the solution provided by EA was for someone to buy another copy of the game.

A single OS reinstall followed by a GPU replacement leading to someone being forced to buy another copy of a game or do without seems pretty ridiculous, and just goes to show how DRM is nothing more than companies punishing paying customers rather than punishing pirates.
remember this is a public announcement from sony "if you are not doing anything illegal, drm......"
This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 18 Jun 2008 @ 12:30

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