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| News Link » /news/newsarticle.asp?searchid=21860 |  Zezes (13) Jul 10, 2009 - 06:58 pm
| » DRM
For those who do not know EA plan to release C&C 4 as an internet only product. There is a game disc and you have to install it, but to ever play the game you have to have an active internet connection. Even to play solo single player and skirmish. Samuel Bass of EA LA stated there is no DRM after saying this. I know some of you don’t care and that’s fine but many people, like myself do. This is DRM flat out and makes this game only function like a rental. Because once EA is done supporting C&C 4 your game no longer functions at all. This is the equivalent of internet activation and limited installs. Hell this might be worse than an activation because it requires a constant server check. I haven’t bought a EA product since C&C 3 because it is about that time everything started coming with SecurRom, online activation, limited installs, server checks after installation, etc. I understand they want to prevent piracy but these measures steps on consumer’s rights and does not stop piracy in anyway. A week after release we all know there will be “clean” copies all over the internet. I will not download them because I do not support piracy but it will prove these types of DRM only hurt their sales and abuse consumers. Its also insulting that Mr. Bass thinks the public will not recognize “requires players to be online all the time” as DRM. This is a no buy for me as the game stands and will be as long as these DRM measures are present. I was a C&C fan from the beginning I have multiple copies of every C&C game (except RA 3 due to DRM), it’s a great series but I wont support it if it means supporting EA’s current policies.
Oh and there is responsible DRM like CD checks and no the online checks will not be any harder for pirates to get around. Flag this | Edit this post |
| News Link » /news/newsarticle.asp?searchid=21470 | Zezes (13) Apr 02, 2009 - 03:20 pm » Edited on Apr 02, 2009 - 03:21 pm
| » No invasive DRM
This measure is minimal at best. They create a problem and then offer solution months after the fact. I agree with the previous post, this is just more EA bull. I haven’t bought an EA game with DRM (or any company for that matter) that has online activation and/or limited installs. As I have said many time before this make a game purchase into a long-term rental. Because one-day activation servers will go down and that’s it for your game unless you find a crack for it and you should never have to crack a game you purchase. Not to mention the pain that DRM’s of that type put on the user during game use. From some checking with servers multiple times when running to make sure your activated copy is what it says it is, to having another program running in the background wasting system resources whether your online or not, and of course root kits which should illegal. I have no problem with CD checks and other reasonable protections but what EA and others have been doing is way over the line. I have heard that EA will release the next Sim’s game without DRM a nice gesture but hardly a dent in the years of BS they have inflicted on there consumer base. Until I see a significant game released from EA (The Sim’s #26 doesn’t count) without a invasive DRM, EA products along with Valve/Steam, Sony (makers of SecuROM), and any other company with invasive DRM will not get a dime of my money. Oh and I buy ALL my PC games because it’s an industry I want to do well. Flag this | Edit this post |
| News Link » /news/newsarticle.asp?searchid=21391 | Zezes (13) Mar 16, 2009 - 06:43 pm
| » No Steam
I never saw why Steam was so popular, from games checking on startup and multiple times while running with the steam client is redundant and annoying. If I buy a game I don’t want a DRM checking up on me. Plus most games on Steam need online activation which means if Steam ever goes down (and as popular as it may be it wont be there forever) your purchased games are gone or useless without a crack. And you should not have to get a crack for a game you purchased regardless if it developer / distributor is still in business. I have games, old as they are, from companies that are long gone and I can and do still play them because there is no insane DRM attached to them. I understand companies want to protect their games from piracy but the fact is that games on Steam and any other distribution platform (retail, other online, etc.) are cracked regularly. Steams constant checks of anything it distributes annoys and hurts the customers that pay for the games. While those who were never going to pay for these games just go to the pirates for a free product. I will give steam credit for distributing independent games but I have never purchased one because to install requires steam after initial download and most want steam running in the background, which I don’t need or want. Oh and Stardock never had any DRM schemes. For a matter of fact I can’t even remember a Stardock game with anything more than a CD check (which is more than fair). Think you might be thinking of Starforce which is and always has been a DRM for hell and a automatic no buy for any software its attached to. Flag this | Edit this post |
| News Link » /news/newsarticle.asp?searchid=21085 | Zezes (13) Dec 09, 2008 - 04:53 pm
| » FO3
Fantastic game. Period. Most of the random crash/NPC issues were fixed with the first patch (PC only obviously). And Bethesda has already said that when the first of three content add-ons are added you will be able to play on past the last quest, so don’t erase your saves. There is good power armor in the game its just hard to find. The Tesla (second type)/T-51b have no negative attributes.
The only real issue with the game was the ending video sequences they only address three parts of the game. Your karma, the FEV, who dies, I wont get more specific for those still playing through. The rest of the quests don’t really affect the ending though many do affect game play.
In the previous two games (not counting BoS) everything you did in every town was addressed at the ending of the game. Either you would get a positive, negative, or neutral ending depending on what you did during the game. Each being a fully narrated explanation of how you affected the world. That is the only thing missing from the game. While it was something I was looking forward to, the countless hours of game play, great in game story, and promise of future official content more than make up for its absence. Oh lets all give Bethesda a hand for responsible DRM a CD check is more than fair and shows that at least they respect there customers. Flag this | Edit this post |
| News Link » /news/newsarticle.asp?searchid=21068 | Zezes (13) Dec 06, 2008 - 10:06 pm
| » No GTA 4
GTA 4 is still a no buy cause of online activation. I understand some people do not mind online activation but I do. It makes a game into a long-term rental, because when the game is no longer supported and activation servers go down you cannot play the game again (with out cracks). Same reason I will NOT buy anything from steam (plenty of people don’t like steam) in addition to it always running when you play any game associated with it. Those who think that when a game is no longer supported that an official patch will be released removing the activation are betting on a long shot. When a game is no longer supported it is because the company has moved on both financially and creatively. They are not going to invest more money in to something they are not going to make it back on, this includes that one final patch. Oh yeah why should I have to update to service pack 3? I didn’t want service pack 2 either with the crap security center, now I have to do it again? No thanks my PC is exactly the way I want it. Flag this | Edit this post |
| News Link » /news/newsarticle.asp?searchid=21003 | Zezes (13) Nov 16, 2008 - 03:43 am
| | The iPhone is popular even with gamers but its not a gaming platform and I can not see it at this time becoming one. Besides bad/unresponsive controls you have to be tied to Apple (AT&T service) including your phone connection. Most of the games are mini games such as Tetris and the like. The more complicated games are average at best. Most people have games on their phone to kill time when they have a few minutes here and there. The iPhone is no exception. When someone wants to play anything but the most simple time sinks they look for a real mobile platform (DS, PSP, Laptop). Hell the iPhone is not even the most popular phone nevermind gaming platform. Flag this | Edit this post |
| News Link » /news/newsarticle.asp?searchid=20932 | Zezes (13) Oct 15, 2008 - 07:03 pm
| » SecuRom equal no purchase
SecuRom equal no purchase. There revoke system at least makes limited installs kind of possible. But combine that with the online activation and there claim “Ubisoft is committed to the long term support of our games: you’ll always be able to play Far Cry 2.” Is simply blowing smoke you know where. Should anything happen to Ubisoft either through buyout, bankruptcy, or simply to save money Farcry 2 becomes unplayable. Ubisoft cannot reasonably expect us to believe that they will support Farcry 2 perpetually. If they go out of business there activation servers go down and they are not going to keep a programmer on to write a patch to eliminate online activation as they are going bankrupt. If they get bought out its no longer there call what happens with Farcry 2. And they most likely reason of simply saving money, I seriously doubt they will take the time and effort to perpetually support online activation for a old game or get someone to write a no activation patch when they start penny pinching. While I recognize that the game is there intellectual property when I purchased a game I own it. So long as that disk is in usable condition I should be able to use it, I purchased a game I did not purchase a multi year rental. Because with this online activation and the additional aggravation of SecuRom it’s a rental not a purchase. Flag this | Edit this post |
| News Link » /news/newsarticle.asp?searchid=20912 | Zezes (13) Oct 10, 2008 - 06:00 pm
| » piracy
I love how everybody misses the point with piracy. People who pirate the games or download them ARE NOT GOING TO BUY THEM. Adding a hard to crack DRM to a game isn’t going to make them think, “aw this sucks I really want to play this game I guess I will buy it.” What it will do is make them wait an extra week till it is cracked like every PC game, Console game, and Blue Ray movie is. These are not lost sales they are non-sales, these people are cash developers were not going to see ever. What invasive DRM’s like limited installs, on-line activation (makes the game a future coaster once not supported), and validations on start up do is make the paying customer decide to take a pass on a game.
Bioshock is a great example, it was a great game that got hurt in sales because a lot of people did not want to have limited install or have to activate it online to play it. It was a great game that even after respectable sales admits that it could of sold better. And what did its DRM policy get it? It was cracked on warez sites within a week and a half of release (regardless of PC or console version) and its DRM policy turned away people more than willing to pay for the game.
Spore is a more recent example. While maybe not the super sim it was touted to be it is a solid game. But its DRM of limited installs, online activation, and SecurROM drove away more sales than mixed reviews. It was still cracked within a week of release and all EA got for its invasive DRM is lower sales.
How about an example of a game with minimal copy protection? Lets look at Sins of a Solar Empire. This game sold exceptionally well and shipped without even a single player campaign. Its only copy protection was a CD check and if you wanted to download patches directly from Stardock/Iron Clad you had to register it. But with patches made available through a variety of sources that was not even necessary. It sold over 100,000 copies in three weeks. Was it pirated? Unfortunately yes, but once again those were sales they were never going to get. What they did do is with reasonable copy protection is insure customers were willing to buy and install the game not only because it was quality but because its DRM didn’t install rootkits, invasive software, or make the software “check in” before and after installation.
There is nothing wrong with wanting to add some copy protection but invasive DRM crosses a line. Online activation, limited installs, Rootkits, hidden software, Repeat validation checks are far over the line.
Oh and the idea that consoles are a “safer” platform is complete crap. Mod chips are cheap and plentiful and it’s not a challenge to find a site hosting a cracked console game. I purchase all my games but it is not hard to find places where I wouldn’t have to. Flag this | Edit this post |
| News Link » /news/newsarticle.asp?searchid=20436 | Zezes (13) May 28, 2008 - 01:52 pm
| | Great ideas for builds, and the info page before the builds is very useful. One thing though, I would go crossfire over SLI every time. Yes I know that means ruling nvida out when running dual video cards. Crossfire over SLI simply because as far as I can research SLI is software dependent and proprietary. Where as crossfire is “always on” and because its architecture doesn’t need commands from crossfire per say it will run supposed “SLI only” software in crossfire anyways. A far better deal and more usefully in my mind while being just as effective. Flag this | Edit this post |
| News Link » /news/newsarticle.asp?searchid=18491 | Zezes (13) Dec 08, 2007 - 06:20 pm
| » HTPC article comment
Yeah this is for the HTPC article not COH.
First off your comment that gamers are going over to vista is something I think is unique to your experience. I am a big gamer and so are quite a few of my friends and the only time I have seen vista on there systems is as a dual boot (and only a few have bothered) for use with Direct X 10 only games and thankfully there are less than a handful of them. Even with the graphical improvements of DX10 most install new games on XP just to have games be more stable, more concise (as a operating system), and in one location. I have yet to hear any of them say anything good about vista and all have said vista will not be there main OS until DX10 is unavoidable. They will take DX9 just so they don’t have to deal with all the issues vista has and many are still pissed about Microsoft making it a forced upgrade to have access to DX10.
Anyways I agree that video on demand is a great medium for studios to screw over the average consumer but I just don't see it taking over completely. Just like On demand from many cable companies and online sites like Vongo these services add a new dimension to TV/Movie industry. Neither has destroyed DVD sales or rentals (store or online) and I do not think it ever will. Yes DVD's will be outdated eventually just like every format that has ever existed. But On Demand as discussed will always be limited due to the fact that not only does a individual have to have the equipment to watch it but they also have to have a service (outside of the "On Demand") to allow access to the internet or a network which then intern has to allow and have the capacity to transmit the On Demand service, whether it is a additional fee from cable/Phone companies or a separate entity from however someone receives TV/Internet/Movies etc. You can see this in broadcast TV. Broadcast TV quality, service, and selection it based around a consumers ability to receive it with bought equipment, a stations ability to transmit both with quality and strength, and of course not be obstructed. If you want more just look at the Internet. For most people in and around urban areas (major cities and there suburbs) Internet connections are clear and plentiful whether you’re on broadband or dial-up. But if you go only a hundred miles out many areas quality drops significantly and some area still can only get dial-up if even that. I think On Demand (as a one stop shop and not its current incarnation) will have parallel limitations. Which will make some form of physical media always available and not as a lesser incarnation in quality. First off just like VHS and Beta or DVD+ and DVD- there will be a settling between Blue-Ray and HD-DVD. Either one will win like VHS and Beta or like DVD+ and DVD- players will just be made that play both and leave it to studios and manufactures to work out which movie goes on what format. (And yes I realize productions DVD’s are made differently from DVD+/- but that is not the point.) Flag this | Edit this post |
| News Link » /news/newsarticle.asp?searchid=17054 | Zezes (13) Aug 22, 2007 - 06:50 pm
| » Disappointed
I posted this on the 2K Forums which I think sums up my view and probably others very nicely.
First I would like to say that this CD Key activation and limitation is useless, the only people you are preventing from running this game are the people that went out and bought it. Anyone who wants to illegally get this game has already found a way to copy it, and repack the exe so it will run/install without SecuROM check and CD key. First off if you want to even install this game you have to be connected to the Internet (Yes it was printed on the back of the box but I was so excited to get the damn game I did not bother to check). I realize when you buy a game your paying to play it that you do not really own anything. But when I slap down fifty dollars I expect to be able to play that game when and where I want not limited to two install and having to be connected to the internet (believe it or not everyone has a internet connection on every computer). It took six tries for your copy protection to even recognize your CD code included on the game. It is for this reason I stopped buying any game produced by valve (Half-life 2 and whatnot). I understand your system check is not as invasive as Valves (checks every time the game loads up) but the hassle is the same. As far as two CD keys being enough for a user that is not your call once some one buys the game they should be able to use it on as many PC’s as they like. You still need the CD in the drive to run it its not like someone is spawning copies. And what happens years from now when Bioshock is not supported anymore and I want to play it again? Will I be able to install it or will it stop at the CD check permanently because it cannot connect to your server or SecuROM’s? I understand Bioshock is your intellectual property but once I hand over money for your product I expect that I can use it where and when and as much as I want for as long as the CD it is on holds out. To finish up, you lost a customer I am returning the game (which I ran to get special the day it was released) and will not be purchasing any 2K games until Internet activation is removed from the installations. It’s a disappointment to me a person that bought multiple copies of system shock 2 just because I always wanted to have the ability to play a great game that I felt was a classic. Flag this | Edit this post |
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