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[Mik2121]

Aren't the Phoenix Wright games like this too? Once you unlock a case, you can't reset the game to lock it again.

I might be wrong, there could be some hidden code to reset the game data and obviously Phoenix Wright doesn't have unlockable characters or anything that changes up the scenario, but it is a Capcom handheld game series.

As you already said, it's not the same. In Phoenix Wright you don't unlock anything, you just clear cases and that's it. It doesn't matter if someone already cleared it, you will get the exactly same experience as if you were playing for the first time.

But I'd guess in a game like this you probably unlock characters, weapons, extras, etc... Having all that already unlocked if you buy the game second hand is incredibly shitty, and something that would potentially stop me from ever enjoying the game (I know, weird perhaps, but I wouldn't mind if I could just erase all the data and start all over.. but having everything there and not being able to delete it just makes it feel... cheap).

Why should a person you loan the game to or someone who bought the game second hand get the full experience. I agree the move sucks, but I don't think Capcom owes them anything.

While Capcom doesn't owe them anything, pretty much every single game ever has had that option, unless not really needed (ie, nothing to unlock, etc..). They are doing this crap to prevent second hand sales and that's just low. It's more about Capcom trying to screw us over, rather than the game being more or less fun itself (I wasn't planning on buying it, either way).

 

[Carl]

So when you reach the end you may as well just throw it in the bin, because there is literally nothing else you can do with it.

Nice, Crapcom

 

[Clunker]

Aren't the Phoenix Wright games like this too? Once you unlock a case, you can't reset the game to lock it again.

I might be wrong, there could be some hidden code to reset the game data and obviously Phoenix Wright doesn't have unlockable characters or anything that changes up the scenario, but it is a Capcom handheld game series.

You can still replay the case from the beginning, though. And it's not like Phoenix gets better at pressing or presenting evidence in a linear character progression.

That's kind of apples to oranges, though, as RE: Mercs is a wildly different kind of game. An equivalent would be, say, if a shmup like Geometry Wars: Galaxies had non-resettable save data. You would have an unlocked game with all levels selectable (which is probably good), you'd have all of the subweapons at max power (potentially good, though it would take a while to figure out each one's strengths), and you'd have a bunch of high scores already on the boards. There's nothing stopping you from playing each level in sequence, as you would in a fresh, new game, but you just wouldn't have any in-game skill progression because you're already at the ceiling.

Ultimately it's not that bad for this specific type of game, but most people are (probably justifiably) upset at this over the principle of the matter, not the real ramifications on this specific game.

 

[Shiggy]

Does the 3DS still have that button combination to reset all game data on the cartridge? The DS had one.

 

[AdventureRacing]

Well then they can fuck off if they expect me to pay the regular price for a 3DS game.

It's already hard enough to justify buying games at full price, this just makes it a no brainer.

 

[-PXG-]

Again, it's as if some companies don't want our money.

I wasn't interested in this game at all. Now, I will go out of my way to inform others not to buy it.

Seriously. Sometimes I get the impression that some publishers are truly inept, out of touch and just want to piss off their customers and do everything possible to run themselves into the ground.

 

[MMaRsu]

It's a stealth troll. How many people will find out before the awful has already infected them and they have unintentionally supported and spread it?

If we make it known and send this news out to several websites most people will know.

 

[CorkyFromLifeGoesOn]

So if I loan a friend a book or dvd I should rip out random chapters or scratch the disc at strategic points so they dont get "the full experience"?

Just checking what your publisher overlords deem acceptable.

All I'm saying is that the friend or whoever gets the game second hand didn't pay Capcom anything and thus Capcom doesn't owe them a full experience.

While Capcom doesn't owe them anything, pretty much every single game ever has had that option, unless not really needed (ie, nothing to unlock, etc..). They are doing this crap to prevent second hand sales and that's just low. It's more about Capcom trying to screw us over, rather than the game being more or less fun itself (I wasn't planning on buying it, either way).

I totally agree that its all about them trying to make more money, but what do you expect? Capcom isn't a friend that betrayed you. Its a Multi-million dollar company. If you guys really have a problem with it just don't buy their games, but you can't blame them for trying to maximize profits.

Also: I don't work for Capcom lol

 

[Wazzim]

Chill out guys, maybe it's just a bug!

 

[Phoenix_Apollo]

Aren't the Phoenix Wright games like this too? Once you unlock a case, you can't reset the game to lock it again.

I might be wrong, there could be some hidden code to reset the game data and obviously Phoenix Wright doesn't have unlockable characters or anything that changes up the scenario, but it is a Capcom handheld game series.

Other than corrupting the data, nope.

 

[cvxfreak]

I find this inexcusable. I love to start my RE games from scratch on occasion. Thumbs down, Capcom.

 

[Data West]

Capcom with shady business practices? Whodathunkit

 

[Shiggy]

Does the 3DS still have that button combination to reset all game data on the cartridge? The DS had one.

"starting up press and hold L R A B X and Y"
Does this work? It should ask you, if you want to delete all game data.

 

[Yagharek]

All I'm saying is that the friend or whoever gets the game second hand didn't pay Capcom anything and thus Capcom doesn't owe them a full experience.

That is not a justifiable viewpoint whatsoever.

 

[Criminal Upper]

It affects you because you cannot resell it, you can't loan it out and somehow you are going to support this move.

That is how it affects you.

I don't plan to re-sell it, as it's an awesome game.

Sucks for people who do re-sell games all the time, I'm sure.

 

[Mik2121]

All I'm saying is that the friend or whoever gets the game second hand didn't pay Capcom anything and thus Capcom doesn't owe them a full experience.

If I buy a movie and lend it to a friend, he gets the full experience. If I buy a book and lend it to a friend, he gets the full experience. If I buy any single game except this one and lend it to a friend, he gets the full experience.

This is Capcom being shitty, however you look at it.

Just because they didn't pay it doesn't mean they can't enjoy the full experience of a game I bought and I decided to let them play.


Again, even "horrible" companies like Activision don't go this low. All companies are just trying to maximize sales, but the ones that care usually try not to fuck with their users.

 

[Zomba13]

If Capcom sees the backlash to this (like with the SSFIV AE PC offline DRM stuff) couldn't they patch it? I mean the 3DS allows for DLC and the like, they could release a patch that either adds a save slot or lets you delete the save or something.

This is a stupid move though. I'm not usually one to replay a game like this and re-unlock things so it wouldn't be something that would affect me but it's still shitty.

 

[grumpy]

Godammit... I really enjoyed Mercs on 4/5 and I was really looking forward to that Revelations demo :/

ugh, the next industry crash can't come soon enough.

 

[CorkyFromLifeGoesOn]

That is not a justifiable viewpoint whatsoever.

It is if you're a dev or publisher.

If I buy a movie and lend it to a friend, he gets the full experience. If I buy a book and lend it to a friend, he gets the full experience. If I buy any single game except this one and lend it to a friend, he gets the full experience.

This is Capcom being shitty, however you look at it.

Just because they didn't pay it doesn't mean they can't enjoy the full experience of a game I bought and I decided to let them play.

If they "and by they I mean everyone" had a way to stop people from reselling/lending out their stuff they would all do it in a heart beat.

 

[Cornbread78]

Wow, that is just plain garbage, I wasn't planning on buying it anyhow, but still. Why the hell would they do that? Makes no sense at all. Did they think people would just buy another copy if they wanted to play it again?

 

[flyinpiranha]

Call it a troll if you want, but in the real world, games are getting cheaper. The ipod/iphone, whether you like it or not, is a competitor for time/money.

Certain companies deciding they're not only going to ignore market trends, but make their stogy business model have even less value is mystifying.

And that's not even accounting for how Valve just made TF2 Free to Play and saw a massive jump in it's player base. The road to irrelevancy begins with ignoring market trends and deciding to punish your stalwart customers even more.

If you look at one part of the picture to paint your trends, you'll be misguided. While i don't want to argue the impact of $5 and under games on phones, I can argue that the top grossing and selling games of this generation have, on average been above $50 with COD and DLC packs, Guitar Hero bundles, Wii Fit, and various other $50 Nintendo franchises and $60 games.

I don't believe this can be a market trend for all, it's market growth IMO. Angry Birds is not dictating the pricing structure of the industry.

And of course there will be a massive jump in userbase for a free game ... I'm not sure what you are trying to state here, people like excellent free games?

And the whole "competitor for time/money" moniker describes every past time in the entire world. Eating is a competitor time/money.

I do think that the save thing is bullshit, I won't be buying it now and it was one of the games I was looking forward to. I usually will play the game and then let my girl or friends borrow them if they want. But this system sounds like bullshit so they can keep their game.

 

[Yagharek]

It is if you're a dev or publisher.

How is antagonising potential customers a justifiable viewpoint?

 

[Jocchan]

If you guys really have a problem with it just don't buy their games, but you can't blame them for trying to maximize profits.

Not talking about the specific case, but the "if you have a problem shut up" is the stupidest approach one can ever take about anything, because it accomplishes absolutely nothing. There's nothing wrong with voicing criticism when it's justified.

 

[Buzzati]

Terrible. Maybe their ears will perk up and they'll recant it like when they tried to pull some gimpy anti-piracy stuff on the PC version Street Fighter.

 

[Mik2121]

It is if you're a dev or publisher.

Are you a dev or a publisher?

I'd honestly would love to see some people like CliffyB, Carmak or Gabe Newell being asked what they think about having only one save file for your game and not being able to reset it in any way. I'd be surprised if they said it's a good system and they would like to do something similar with their titles.

It is if you're a dev or publisher.


If they "and by they I mean everyone" had a way to stop people from reselling/lending out their stuff they would all do it in a heart beat.

All companies have the option to link the game to your account via DRM and some sort of multiplayer code that a couple companies do (EA?), yet most companies actually don't. Why? Because they'd rather not fuck with their users and just spend time working on an actual good game that sells by itself, and not because people can't rent it nor buy it second hand in any way.

 

[ultron87]

ITT: People think this is a bigger deal than it really is because they don't know the structure of the Mercenaries mini game.

It's still stupid as hell, but not at the "I might as well throw this away once the credits roll" level.

At least maybe this will make even fewer people buy this stupid cash in release.

 

[LiquidMetal14]

I find this inexcusable. I love to start my RE games from scratch on occasion. Thumbs down, Capcom.

You finally made it!

It gets the thumbs down from cvx, sell the farm folks!

 

[Yagharek]

BTW just watch - this will end up being their "test game" and Revelations will get bumped to another system(s).

 

[GeekyDad]

It will be interesting to see how this all works out for companies like Gamefly and Blockbuster.

 

[DownLikeBCPowder]

All I'm saying is that the friend or whoever gets the game second hand didn't pay Capcom anything and thus Capcom doesn't owe them a full experience.

Lol, so when I "buy" something, I'm not really "buying" it right? Even though there's (at least for now) a physical property to it, I can hold it, I can touch it, but gosh darn I can't lend it to someone because that's disrespect to the developer or publisher, huh? I need to double check when I'm listening to music, just to be sure I don't offend the artist by allowing other non-paying (or are they? who knows) heathens from hearing my legally rented tunes. Because the kind of licensing you are encouraging is nothing more than a lease of a license until later revoked or rendered inaccessible. Sorry, but no thanks......

I own more games than anyone I know, I put more money in developer hands than anyone I know, but this (line of thinking) is horse shit.

 

[SolarPowered]

Gaming just becomes more and more unappealing by the day thanks to morons like these. In a just corporate atmosphere most of these publishers would be laughed out of the business for trying to screw their customers over.

The sad part is that so few people care at all about how companies are devaluing the games they are trying to resell. People won't give a shit about this kind of stuff until subscriptions and outright used sales bans are in effect and it'll be too late to do anything by then...

goddammit

BTW just watch - this will end up being their "test game" and Revelations will get bumped to another system(s).

I wouldn't know whether to laugh or cry anymore at that point.

 

[Sir_Crocodile]

If this is true I will not buy.

 

[Criminal Upper]

One thing that doesn't add up here, is that Capcom's previous PSN DRM was for Capcom USA produced and funded titles. Final Fight Double Impact and Bionic Re-Armed. Both those franchises are ones Capcom USA is at the reigns at.

It suddenly makes very little sense that Resident Evil games, which have always had multiple save files, ability to delete them, new game + modes, etc...etc...would suddenly lack all those options. I dunno, I tend to doubt Capcom USA would pressure the Japanese team to throw all that history away for DRM.

 

[Neo C.]

I find this inexcusable. I love to start my RE games from scratch on occasion. Thumbs down, Capcom.

Holy fucking crap, Capcom really hits a new low when even their hardcore RE fans rebel.

 

[CorkyFromLifeGoesOn]

How is antagonising potential customers a justifiable viewpoint?

Look DS piracy was insane last gen. I personally know someone who has 30 games, 2 he got legally "because I bought them as a present" and everything else he downloaded. What do you expect Capcom to do? Again I don't agree with what they are doing but I can understand why. I don't think Capcom owes people that didn't buy the game anything. If you bought the game second hand or got it for free from a friend then not resetting the game is something you should just deal with.

 

[Cow Mengde]

Well, it's Crapcom, what do you expect?

 

[DimmuBurgerKing]

I don't plan to re-sell it, as it's an awesome game.

Sucks for people who do re-sell games all the time, I'm sure.

What's the point of keeping it if you can't even replay it?

On the other hand, there's no point in selling it, either.

 

[Yagharek]

Look DS piracy was insane last gen. I personally know someone who has 30 games, 2 he got legally "because I bought them as a present" and everything else he downloaded. What do you expect Capcom to do? Again I don't agree with what they are doing but I can understand why. I don't think Capcom owes people that didn't buy the game anything. If you bought the game second hand or got it for free from a friend then not resetting the game is something you should just deal with.

How does a legit owner deleting their save and starting over equate to piracy? How is that even remotely related to DS piracy? Are you reading the same thread?

There is no link between save data and piracy. Capcom are certifiably insane in attacking their (potential) customers with this bullshit.

 

[darkside31337]

Look DS piracy was insane last gen. I personally know someone who has 30 games, 2 he got legally "because I bought them as a present" and everything else he downloaded. What do you expect Capcom to do? Again I don't agree with what they are doing but I can understand why. I don't think Capcom owes people that didn't buy the game anything. If you bought the game second hand or got it for free from a friend then not resetting the game is something you should just deal with.

I expect them to not dick over actual paying consumers which is what they're doing here.

The irony of course is if one wanted to play this game through illegal means they actually have a better version of the game. Since they have the ability to delete saves and all.

 

[Phoenix_Apollo]

Look DS piracy was insane last gen. I personally know someone who has 30 games, 2 he got legally "because I bought them as a present" and everything else he downloaded. What do you expect Capcom to do? Again I don't agree with what they are doing but I can understand why. I don't think Capcom owes people that didn't buy the game anything. If you bought the game second hand or got it for free from a friend then not resetting the game is something you should just deal with.

Because buying games second hand doesn't have any long term effects on anything. No potential sales, nope. Nothing. Nada.

 

[Mik2121]

Look DS piracy was insane last gen. I personally know someone who has 30 games, 2 he got legally "because I bought them as a present" and everything else he downloaded. What do you expect Capcom to do? Again I don't agree with what they are doing but I can understand why. I don't think Capcom owes people that didn't buy the game anything. If you bought the game second hand or got it for free from a friend then not resetting the game is something you should just deal with.

? Oh, wow. That actually makes sense.

It's actually better to just pirate this game, put it on a card, and if you wanna start all over, just delete all the data and put it in, again. There, data reset.

Capcom really thinking about it all!!.


Really, this crap won't stop piracy, only second hand market. And the people waiting for the second hand title will either wait for the game to become dirty cheap or just, er... pirate the game.

 

[TheExecutive]

It is if you're a dev or publisher.


If they "and by they I mean everyone" had a way to stop people from reselling/lending out their stuff they would all do it in a heart beat.

It's not a justifiable position no matter what. I have never resold a game. However, if I cannot restart a game brand new and experience all of the content again that I paid for that's bullshit. End of story. Games are fundamentally different than movies or books. They are interactive experiences and if a company takes away the ability to fully get the experience you paid for they are cheating you. There are ways to stop the second hand sale of games. Totally ripping your customers off in the process should be avoided at all times.

 

[Wallach]

What's the point of keeping it if you can't even replay it?

On the other hand, there's no point in selling it, either.

You really think you can't replay the game once you're finished?

 

[Diprosalic]

Look DS piracy was insane last gen.

.... I don't think Capcom owes people that didn't buy the game anything.

there is no 3DS piracy ATM and if their was they could hack the game so you could delete the save. or you could just download it again?!

well maybe but they do owe me. and i like to reset my save games from time to time. to have the challenge again and not just pushing highscores.

 

[GaimeGuy]

Look DS piracy was insane last gen. I personally know someone who has 30 games, 2 he got legally "because I bought them as a present" and everything else he downloaded. What do you expect Capcom to do? Again I don't agree with what they are doing but I can understand why. I don't think Capcom owes people that didn't buy the game anything. If you bought the game second hand or got it for free from a friend then not resetting the game is something you should just deal with.

Erm, how would this combat piracy?

Your friend, for example, surely owns a flash card. They have multi-save options. They also store game saves as their own files.

In other words, clearing all save data is a matter of opening up the SD card and deleting the 512KB save file.

 

[Evershade]

Is this something they could potentially remove with a patch? Can 3DS games even be patched?

Surely this is going to hurt them in the long run once people catch wind of it, especially if they intend to employ this in other, more story driven games.


Guess I better move this to the top of the rental queue and hope for a fresh copy.

 

[Londa]

really strange, sometimes you want to just start over. Why would they make a game do this?

 

[KevinCow]

Not talking about the specific case, but the "if you have a problem shut up" is the stupidest approach one can ever take about anything, because it accomplishes absolutely nothing. There's nothing wrong with voicing criticism when it's justified.

To add to that, simply not buying the game won't do anything. The publishers will just say, oh, I guess people don't want that kind of game.

If you actually want it to have any effect at all, you have to the publisher know why you're not buying it. Let them know that, hey, I do want this game, but I'm not going to buy it because I'm really not cool with these things that you're doing.

Of course, then you actually have to follow through.

 

[RPGamer92]

Capcom REALLY needs Kamiya, Mikami, and Inafune back

 

[Jocchan]

? Oh, wow. That actually makes sense.

It's actually better to just pirate this game, put it on a card, and if you wanna start all over, just delete all the data and put it in, again. There, data reset.

Capcom really thinking about it all!!.

And, once again, pirates will get a better experience than paying customers.
Disappointing.

To add to that, simply not buying the game won't do anything. The publishers will just say, oh, I guess people don't want that kind of game.

If you actually want it to have any effect at all, you have to the publisher know why you're not buying it. Let them know that, hey, I do want this game, but I'm not going to buy it because I'm really not cool with these things that you're doing.

Of course, then you actually have to follow through.

Exactly. Shutting up and not buying doesn't spread any message, and can (will) be misinterpreted.