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Mass Effect PC forces draconian copy protection - UPDATE, EA relents
- Thread starter Endless
- Start date
Blue Geezer
Member
Bog said:
Blue Geezer said:
.
PuppetSlave
Member
Fucking bullshit. I want this game and now I am going to feel guilty for supporting this lame copy protection with my money...
Fragamemnon
Member
I still fail to see what the huge fuss is.
Frag's MEPC experience:
A) Get Amazon.com MEPC preorder delivered after it comes out. I pay $20 less than the cost of the 360 version.
B) Install MEPC on my PC. Put away disc until a couple of years down the road for when I want to replay the game again before ME2 comes out. Not really feeling like a criminal or anything at this point, more focused on which hairstyle to choose for HotPants Shepard. I briefly evaluate my class choices while thumbing through the terrible black and white EA manual, peering up at the BG2 CE I have mounted on my wall and wondering how Bioware got to this point in the first place.
C) I run the game and do the activation thing. I think "sucks, but brave new world and all, and hey at least my DVD drive can keep the AOE3/DOW:Soulstorm/BF2142 disc in it, all games with far more annoying DRM than this is since I have to fucking pop the disc out, find the case in my bookcase against the wall (which is FULL of PC games), and put it away, then find the CD for the game I have to play.
D) Play MEPC, enjoy it. Come back to it 18-24 months later, download the EA patch that removes the check, and play it again.
Frag's MEPC experience:
A) Get Amazon.com MEPC preorder delivered after it comes out. I pay $20 less than the cost of the 360 version.
B) Install MEPC on my PC. Put away disc until a couple of years down the road for when I want to replay the game again before ME2 comes out. Not really feeling like a criminal or anything at this point, more focused on which hairstyle to choose for HotPants Shepard. I briefly evaluate my class choices while thumbing through the terrible black and white EA manual, peering up at the BG2 CE I have mounted on my wall and wondering how Bioware got to this point in the first place.
C) I run the game and do the activation thing. I think "sucks, but brave new world and all, and hey at least my DVD drive can keep the AOE3/DOW:Soulstorm/BF2142 disc in it, all games with far more annoying DRM than this is since I have to fucking pop the disc out, find the case in my bookcase against the wall (which is FULL of PC games), and put it away, then find the CD for the game I have to play.
D) Play MEPC, enjoy it. Come back to it 18-24 months later, download the EA patch that removes the check, and play it again.
â Narayan
Member
Then don't.PuppetSlave said:
Guled said:
Which actually lead to more legit customers pirating the game, etc.
People who would have paid for the game but end up pirating it because of this sort of DRM are not proving their point but proving the point that such DRM measures are ridiculous and should not be implemented.
I have no intention at all of buying ME for the PC since I already own and finished it on the 360. However, if I didn't have a 360 and had every intention of paying for ME on the PC, after reading this, I would have pirated it.
It's not as if PC gaming isn't shitty enough but publishers/developers coming up with such measures to save the industry (and their own profits) are being extremely myopic.
godhandiscen
There are millions of whiny 5-year olds on Earth, and I AM THEIR KING.
Fragamemnon said:
I agree.
tahrikmili said:
MMOs are different. You're buying a service which includes the product. ME is a single player offline experience.
Let's say you install the game, play for a couple of weeks and then go on a summer break or something. Theoratically, the game will lock up on you and won't work again unless you re-install. At least that's what I understand from all this so far.
Zaraki_Kenpachi
Member
"I still fail to see what the huge fuss is.
Frag's MEPC experience:
A) Get Amazon.com MEPC preorder delivered after it comes out. I pay $20 less than the cost of the 360 version.
B) Install MEPC on my PC. Put away disc until a couple of years down the road for when I want to replay the game again before ME2 comes out. Not really feeling like a criminal or anything at this point, more focused on which hairstyle to choose for HotPants Shepard. I briefly evaluate my class choices while thumbing through the terrible black and white EA manual, peering up at the BG2 CE I have mounted on my wall and wondering how Bioware got to this point in the first place.
C) I run the game and do the activation thing. I think "sucks, but brave new world and all, and hey at least my DVD drive can keep the AOE3/DOW:Soulstorm/BF2142 disc in it, all games with far more annoying DRM than this is since I have to fucking pop the disc out, find the case in my bookcase against the wall (which is FULL of PC games), and put it away, then find the CD for the game I have to play.
D) Play MEPC, enjoy it. Come back to it 18-24 months later, download the EA patch that removes the check, and play it again."
I redo my operating system and format my machine pretty regularly... and besides some of us like to go back and replay a game more than once if we enjoy instead of one shot and that's it like you say you do. Also, if it's going by the time in the mobo I don't always turn on my pc so for me to have to keep calling them to reset it so I can play since I decided not to turn on my desktop is pretty ridiculous. I don't always have my computers hooked up to the interent and so it won't always become a problem just yet but it's still a inconvenience that I have to make sure my computer is online just for a stupid DRM. It's bad enough I have to worry about installs with bioshock and have to play it less than I'd like due to me using up 3 install already and I don't want to be completely kicked out of my own game. I don't mind the install rule except that reinstalling it on the same computer counts against you. I could see if it was continually different setups but come the same computer? That's ridiculous. If you want to spend your money on it by all means but I'm not going to support the game if they're going to pull crap like that.
Frag's MEPC experience:
A) Get Amazon.com MEPC preorder delivered after it comes out. I pay $20 less than the cost of the 360 version.
B) Install MEPC on my PC. Put away disc until a couple of years down the road for when I want to replay the game again before ME2 comes out. Not really feeling like a criminal or anything at this point, more focused on which hairstyle to choose for HotPants Shepard. I briefly evaluate my class choices while thumbing through the terrible black and white EA manual, peering up at the BG2 CE I have mounted on my wall and wondering how Bioware got to this point in the first place.
C) I run the game and do the activation thing. I think "sucks, but brave new world and all, and hey at least my DVD drive can keep the AOE3/DOW:Soulstorm/BF2142 disc in it, all games with far more annoying DRM than this is since I have to fucking pop the disc out, find the case in my bookcase against the wall (which is FULL of PC games), and put it away, then find the CD for the game I have to play.
D) Play MEPC, enjoy it. Come back to it 18-24 months later, download the EA patch that removes the check, and play it again."
I redo my operating system and format my machine pretty regularly... and besides some of us like to go back and replay a game more than once if we enjoy instead of one shot and that's it like you say you do. Also, if it's going by the time in the mobo I don't always turn on my pc so for me to have to keep calling them to reset it so I can play since I decided not to turn on my desktop is pretty ridiculous. I don't always have my computers hooked up to the interent and so it won't always become a problem just yet but it's still a inconvenience that I have to make sure my computer is online just for a stupid DRM. It's bad enough I have to worry about installs with bioshock and have to play it less than I'd like due to me using up 3 install already and I don't want to be completely kicked out of my own game. I don't mind the install rule except that reinstalling it on the same computer counts against you. I could see if it was continually different setups but come the same computer? That's ridiculous. If you want to spend your money on it by all means but I'm not going to support the game if they're going to pull crap like that.
Didn't starforce used to cause some DVD-ROM drives to not work or something in the past sometimes?EviLore said:You wish draconian DRM affecting the usability of PC games and causing outrage and dismay among PC gamers had started sooner?
I probably won't. I also didn't buy Bioshock.Zilch said:
KingGraham
Member
Wow, this fucking sucks. I was going to buy Mass Effect PC, but not any more. Not going to pirate it, but I wouldn't blame anyone who did. I might consider buying it a year or so down the road when a patch is out to cut this activation shit out of the product.
What really upsets me is that Spore is going to use this. I can't avoid buying Spore. I've been waiting too long and I want it too badly.
So it annoys me that I can't firmly take a stand against this, since they're putting it in a product that I really fucking want.
What really upsets me is that Spore is going to use this. I can't avoid buying Spore. I've been waiting too long and I want it too badly.
So it annoys me that I can't firmly take a stand against this, since they're putting it in a product that I really fucking want.
Bog said:
:lol
I refuse to put up with this bullshit. I simply don't buy the game. There are enough other games on the PC that don't do this.
Doesn't even remotely compare. I keep my Console games next to the console. On the other hand I have a Laptop for PC games, which I move around the house. Besides I live in another place during the week, so if the game requires a disk I have to schlepp the disk along with me. If the game requires a CD it's reason enough not to buy it. Part of the reason I never upgraded from Dark Crusade to Soulstorm was because Soulstorm required a CD.
Oh and music CDs? :lol Do people still use those? The reason why mp3 is so popular is precisely that it's far more convenient.
I can't believe there are actually people who are fucking defend this shit or even think that it doesn't matter. It's just like the people defending mandatory installations on the PS3.
This shit is draconian and stupid and doesn't make any fucking sense at all for legitimate consumers and people are actually defending it? It blows my mind, really.
Un-fucking-believable.
This shit is draconian and stupid and doesn't make any fucking sense at all for legitimate consumers and people are actually defending it? It blows my mind, really.
Un-fucking-believable.
First, settle down?
It's kind of hard to pick out what someone means when they just write a question. Maybe I'm retarded, but I just had to reread yours and Frag's posts several times right now to understand what you're talking about.
And all the systems you mentioned don't apply, since they don't install to a hard drive. PC discs are basically an archive that extracts itself and changes some reg values. You need the hard copy in consoles, you don't for PCs. That's the difference.
Just finished watching The Pirate's Dilemma. Focuses mostly on music and movies, but a really interesting watch.
ZombieSupaStar
Member
in a way i wont really be that affected, ive been using steam for 5 years now and I have never ONCE used offline mode, but the problem I have is I change hardware a few times a year (new mobo, or 3d, or hell even a bigger HD) now there is no telling what amount of hardware "change" will spur the drm in needing to be activated again, so is there a way to refund the activations tokens?
I bought the game, I should be able to reinstall it more than 3 times (with differing hardware). Lord knows my copy of fallout 1 and 2 and diablo 2 have been on about 20 different pc "configurations" you could say, all owned by me over the last 10 years.
I bought the game, I should be able to reinstall it more than 3 times (with differing hardware). Lord knows my copy of fallout 1 and 2 and diablo 2 have been on about 20 different pc "configurations" you could say, all owned by me over the last 10 years.
Monsterland
Member
larvi said:
"hello, EA tech support, how may we help you?"
"hi, I seem to have a problem with autho..
"Sorry, you're going to have to call Securom"
"hello, Securom tech support, how may we help you?"
"hi, I seem to have a problem with autho..
"Sorry, you're going to have to call Bioware"
"hello, Bioware tech support, how may we help you?"
"hi, I seem to have a problem with autho..
"Sorry, you're going to have to call EA"
Doytch said:
I know. I'm sorry about that but I'm getting a bit worked up here over some of the stupid arguments in this thread.
And how doesn't it apply at all? So what if they don't install to a hard drive? You still need to put the disc in to play, isn't it? It's the same damn inconvenience as every one of those formats I listed.
To say that having to put a disc into a disc drive just to play a game is more annoying of an DRM as compared to all that crap ME PC has going for it is just fucking retarded and is one of the most stupid things I have ever read. And then there's this:
Xapati said:
I can't believe people can even come up with arguments like that.
So if he wants to play his consoles games during the week, he doesn't need to bring his disc along as well?
Seriously, the logic and argument there is mind-fucking-blowing.
"Doesn't even remotely compare", my ass.
ZombieSupaStar
Member
Onions said:Back in 2007:
Random fool @ Mass Effect and Bioshock:
"Definite, superior PC version for me"
There you go!
well they do run/look better have mods, just we have to pay the price for the dirty poor pirates.
ZombieSupaStar
Member
Onions said:
well to be fair diablo 3 will prolly be online crack anyway (cocaine, not warez), so I dont mind some drm check for that.
There's a distinction I have to make.
The inconvenience you describe is the same for both instances. But in one case, it's because it's a technical limitation. It wasn't Rare's fault that you couldn't tuck your Banjo cart away somewhere, that was just the design of the system.
The difference in DRM is that it's an arbitrary design choice by the pub/dev. The inconvenience in this case is a direct result of those people trying to prevent others from pirating.
That's why I think you can't directly compare the two platforms.
I don't agree with what Frag, though. I think ME's DRM is some of the worst I've ever seen.
I think what Xapati is trying to say is that you experience console and PC games in different ways. Console games require a TV, so it's not portable at all. PC games can be played on laptops that can be used anywhere. DRM makes this less convenient. I could just decide, huh, I feel like some SINS right now. And I can play it, because it's on my hard drive and it has no DRM. But you can't if there's DRM, unless you have the DVD. And with ME, you even need a internet connection.
I think making a comparison between consoles and PC is incorrect. A comparison between portables and PC would be closer, since you can load up a bunch of games onto a card and play any of them, without lugging along carts/umds.
The inconvenience you describe is the same for both instances. But in one case, it's because it's a technical limitation. It wasn't Rare's fault that you couldn't tuck your Banjo cart away somewhere, that was just the design of the system.
The difference in DRM is that it's an arbitrary design choice by the pub/dev. The inconvenience in this case is a direct result of those people trying to prevent others from pirating.
That's why I think you can't directly compare the two platforms.
I don't agree with what Frag, though. I think ME's DRM is some of the worst I've ever seen.
I think what Xapati is trying to say is that you experience console and PC games in different ways. Console games require a TV, so it's not portable at all. PC games can be played on laptops that can be used anywhere. DRM makes this less convenient. I could just decide, huh, I feel like some SINS right now. And I can play it, because it's on my hard drive and it has no DRM. But you can't if there's DRM, unless you have the DVD. And with ME, you even need a internet connection.
I think making a comparison between consoles and PC is incorrect. A comparison between portables and PC would be closer, since you can load up a bunch of games onto a card and play any of them, without lugging along carts/umds.
hydragonwarrior
Member
Doytch said:
So you're using this as an excuse to pirate the game?
"Blah blah blah draconian blah blah hurts consumers, begining of the end blah blah Stardock"
You people sound terribly naive. The only sad thing is that this shit will be cracked within days of release anyway.
Hey guess what, there are plenty of Steam games that can't be played UNLESS YOU'RE CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET. Also, for 360, no arcade games without the internet. Forza 2 can't be played without an internet connection either. Probably more but those were ones I personally experienced.
Calm the fuck down! This shit is not new!
Piracy is an issue and until some kind of advanced encyption method is developed, devs are going to do stuff like this. Who the hell can't get an internet connection? This is far less lame than the Bioshock three install restriction, that was just bullshit.
You people sound terribly naive. The only sad thing is that this shit will be cracked within days of release anyway.
Hey guess what, there are plenty of Steam games that can't be played UNLESS YOU'RE CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET. Also, for 360, no arcade games without the internet. Forza 2 can't be played without an internet connection either. Probably more but those were ones I personally experienced.
Calm the fuck down! This shit is not new!
Piracy is an issue and until some kind of advanced encyption method is developed, devs are going to do stuff like this. Who the hell can't get an internet connection? This is far less lame than the Bioshock three install restriction, that was just bullshit.
Confidence Man
Member
So will people not play Dragon Age too?