RA3 to use SecuROM :|

[Sniperworm]

While they are complaints they are also moaning. It's possible to be more than one thing. For example I am both annoying and alive

I've been posting about this at various spots as well so I wasn't insulting everyone bar me, I'm an equal opportunities verbal sniper, I get everyone including myself

I've actually been urging people to download game even though they have it. Spore becoming the most pirated game of all time is something EA can't ignore. And if they blame it on anything but their rubbish logic and install limits then they will simply catch more flak with their next major release.

Their problem is simply they have become too large, other publishers have to listen to their customer base in order to survive but due to the cash pump that is casual sport games they can afford to ignore comments and reactions from certain parts of the market. Got to love this "new, caring EA" huh

Yikes, a rant and most likely full of typos due to the time in the morning, I'll step away from the pc for every ones sanity...

[Spidery Yoda]

Piracy isn't the answer.

[Legendary2]

EA is takeing these measures due to the fact they are pirateing their games Pirateing their games even more will just make them more paranoid so it does more harm

[MaydaX]

If I recall BF2142 used Safedisc protection not securom.

I would be more inclined to buy a game if it's cheaper then to buy it because it can't be pirated. The activation based securom can't be cheap and causes a lot of pain for legit customers so why not use a cheaper protection and lower the price of the game.

For example Crysis was not worth $49 for me so I never bought it however Warhead is listed at $29 which I may buy unless it comes out this securom DRM.

[Sniperworm]

Them becoming more paranoid is possible, but it's a slippery slope. The more limitations they place on the customer the more that will be driven to piracy. It mite be not be next year, or the year after but if this current trend continues EA will end up facing a piracy problem that won't go away regardless of what they do.

It's the limitations, not the drm.

[The KELRaTH]

It's a real shame as I was really looking forward to RA 3.

I've purchased and enjoyed every one of the EA/Westwood RTS titles since Dune II. Even though I play the C&C3 titles I still enjoy RA2 which under this 5 install limiter wouldn't have been possible.

Fortunately I found this info just in time as I was about to buy Spore from Game and had a pre-order for RA3.

Why is it publishers are always so eager to con their paying customers. This won't stop piracy and I wouldn't be surprised is it actually encourages it as the buying customer looks for a proper non install limited versions.


On the plus side maybe it will encourage small game publishers to spring up and more user game conversions from the modding sector.

..............

Wow been trying to find a bit more info when I came across this:

Q: Do I have to reauthenticate after the first time my game is launched?
A: Reauthentication is required only if you make significant changes to your PC's hardware, reformat your hard drive, or in some cases, upgrade your Operating System.

Even just reformatting a hard drive is used as part of the install limiter. Not exactly uncommon on a PC with Windows / Virus's.

[flatfroggerx]

Originally Posted by Spidery Yoda

Piracy isn't the answer.

Neither is draconian retarded DRM and inept support to deal with the problems the protection causes.

Originally Posted by Legendary2

EA is takeing these measures due to the fact they are pirateing their games Pirateing their games even more will just make them more paranoid so it does more harm

The protection doesn't work, bioshock proved it, mass effect proved it and EA finally got their asses beaten with spore. More paranoid they get and the heavier the protection gets the less people will buy it.

[flatfroggerx]

Originally Posted by MaydaX

If I recall BF2142 used Safedisc protection not securom.

I would be more inclined to buy a game if it's cheaper then to buy it because it can't be pirated. The activation based securom can't be cheap and causes a lot of pain for legit customers so why not use a cheaper protection and lower the price of the game.

For example Crysis was not worth $49 for me so I never bought it however Warhead is listed at $29 which I may buy unless it comes out this securom DRM.

I haven't heard what protection it uses yet, it likely is securom but whether its with or without activations is another question. If its with I won't be buying, even the steam version is likely to have them we'll have to see about that too, if its without and the retail copies are with then it looks like we have a good alternative to EA and their bull.

[MattLees]

Looks like this story just got posted to >Slashdot<

Not much love there for EA either.

[Refrenz]

I've been played RTS since Dune 2 and have purchased all the C&C RTS games and expansions so far (apart from Tiberian sun and firestorm). In anticipation of Red Alert 3, I pre-ordered the collectors edition from GAME and then I read about this 5 installs limit in the gaming press. I felt the need to register on the EA forums and post my feelings about this, in the hope that it will be passed on to the powers that be so they can see that by imposing such unreasonable limits, they are not just losing customers - they are losing long-term C&C fans like me who have really bought into the C&C franchise over the years.

I still play Red Alert 2 (my favourite of all the C&C games) to this day and must have installed it about a dozen times or more in the several years I have owned a copy. (The reasons vary from buying new PCs to reinstalling windows due to general slowness/system crashes/instability). This year alone I have re-installed Windows twice due a major hardware upgrade and system crash.

This new form of 'protection' with a 5 install limitation imposed in Red Alert 3 means that 5 years down the line my copy of Red Alert 3 won't work because the chances are I will have used up all my installs due to various PC upgrades/Windows re-installations that I will no doubt carry out during that time.

As a result, I'm sad to say that EA's unreasonable copy protection policy has forced me to cancel my collector's edition pre-order. Why can't EA just have something less intrusive for the paying customer, like online CD key/serial number validation? It works for Windows. I won't be downloading an illegal copy of RA3 as I would rather purchase the original. Maybe one day it will get re-released on budget without any of this install limit nonsense, and maybe then I will be able to buy a copy that I will be allowed to enjoy in 5 and 10 years time.

The way honest paying customers are being treated with unfair restrictions has left me feeling quite resentful towards EA, and I will be boycotting all its products until it starts treating customers with some respect.

[flatfroggerx]

Originally Posted by MattLees

Looks like this story just got posted to >Slashdot<

Not much love there for EA either.

Why should there be? you the customer are being treated like filth. They are eroding away PC gaming. They already stopped preowned sales now they're killing off owning whats on the disk. If activations happened on consoles people would go crazy and there would be bricks through peoples windows.

Might I add EA STILL hasn't made any address to what happens when the servers go down. So in a couple of years time what will you be doing with your copy of RA3? If EA has anything to do with probably using it as a coaster. I must of reinstalled CnC1/RA1+exp/TS+exp/RA2+exp/generals+exp/etc 100's of times over the years. Activations are ending this.

[Spidery Yoda]

Originally Posted by flatfroggerx

Neither is draconian retarded DRM and inept support to deal with the problems the protection causes.



The protection doesn't work, bioshock proved it, mass effect proved it and EA finally got their asses beaten with spore. More paranoid they get and the heavier the protection gets the less people will buy it.

I'm well aware of all that. However I feel that while the amazon reviews are brilliant, not buying the game in protest is also brilliant, pirating the game isn't going to help anybody. Knowing EA it will just make the copy protection even worse.

Just don't buy it and encourage others to do the same. Piracy is illegal and wrong.

[Sniperworm]

But if their limitations on the customer get worse, so will the pirating. Either we get a game with fewer limitations or a free one. We don't lose out in the deal, but EA can if they make the wrong choice.

They can use whatever drm they want, none of it works anyway. They just need to ditch the idiotic limits that do nothing at all to stop pirating anyway.

[The KELRaTH]

The only way I can see this type of protection working for both the buyer and the seller is if the protection is completely deactivated after a fixed set period (ie 1 -2 years).

This way the sellers gets the prime sales when the title is hot but the buyer knows that should he/she can still play it 10 years later should they want too.

[chickndipp]

Originally Posted by EAUK_Aurora

Just to let you guys know, I am passing on your concerns on this issue.

I've already brought this thread directly to the attention of the C&C developers. If Aurora can raise the profile of the issue futher within EA, great stuff

[MattLees]

Originally Posted by chickndipp

I've already brought this thread directly to the attention of the C&C developers. If Aurora can raise the profile of the issue futher within EA, great stuff

As a matter of interest from a developer perspective how do they feel about the adding of drm/ activation limits to Spore/ Red Alert?

[flatfroggerx]

Originally Posted by MattLees

As a matter of interest from a developer perspective how do they feel about the adding of drm/ activation limits to Spore/ Red Alert?

They can't say, EA has them gagged on the matter. But there are EA staff who aren't happy with it, it doesn't take anyone with a quarter of a brain to realise how dumb and wrong it is.

[chickndipp]

The matter is being taken very seriously by the developers, they obviously don't want their game slated (because it is a very good game) just because of DRM. I can't say what is being done unfortunately.

[lmimmfn]

Originally Posted by chickndipp

The matter is being taken very seriously by the developers, they obviously don't want their game slated (because it is a very good game) just because of DRM. I can't say what is being done unfortunately.

If EA actually released a deactivation tool( to give you your activation back if you uninstall it ) most of folks concerns over DRM would be resolved. Unfortunately its not going to happen as its also a method of curbing the sale of second hand games also( even though very few people sell on PC games, especially compared to 2nd hand console market )

[Shireknight]

I'm against the online activation part full stop, you should be able to buy a game from a shop, take it home and play it for as many years as you want -just like you can with the earlier C&C games.

The fact that you do or do not have internet access certainly should not be able to dictate wherever you can play a game on your pc or not.

[flatfroggerx]

So. Before I carry on with this post I would just like to say, for those who thought complaining was useless, making a stance was pointless, 1* rating on amazon is a waste of time etc. To stop and rethink about it.

And so here we go:
MTV Multiplayer » ‘Spore’ DRM Update - EA Loosening One Restriction In ‘Near Future,’ Offers Defense

I have my reply to it here:
Spore Copy Protection Q&A (The link is for the initial post where it was first mentioned, just scroll down a bit, there isn't much to read)

Long story short for those who can't care to click and read, its a start but by no means is it a proper solution or anywhere near a solution. (if you want why click and read)

[Markt75]

Wow, this quote from that MTV blog nearly had me choking on my Toast:

"The bottom line shared to me by EA spokesperson Mariam Sughayer today is that “EA has no intentions — nor will they ever — to make it easier for people to play a pirated game… than to play an authentic retail copy.”

How they can even have to brass widgets to say that is beyond me. If they honestly think that, then someone needs to explain to them that they have failed, lets take Spore as an example, it is already easier to download the cracked version, and you get less hassle than the retail version apparantly.

It's a good sign that EA are listening, but they have also shown that us customers do not have to put up with this, we can make EA take notice via direct action. They need to make sure they really address this issue for future titles including RA3 and uping the activations limit to 5 simply does not cut it.

It's a start EA, but you need to do a lot more to satisfy those who are angered by this situation.

[flatfroggerx]

And so crysis warhead is confirmed to join the list of casualties and its getting 1 star slammed on amazon. Even the steam version has it too. GG EA, GG.

They upped the count to 5 in line with RA3 and with the spore news it looks like my prediction is coming true that they will up the lot and act like heroes when they aren't. Fact of the matter is they probably can't force set limits across different games they have to use a unified limit.

Still doesn't make the situation any better.