Stupidest Anti Piracy yet or PC Mass Effect

[lmimmfn]

Jebus when are companies gonna learn, IF PEOPLE ARE PIRATING SOFTWARE THEY ARE NOT POTENTIAL COSTOMERS, THEY WONT BUY ANYWAY

Needs internet connection to phone home every 5 days of play and if phone home doesnt work you cant play the game until it does, so screw anyone who doesnt have a net connection or a permanent net connection

MAXCONSOLE - MaxConsole - PC Mass Effect will require internet connection

This is an absolute disgrace, and up there with the crap that 2K pulled for Bioshock making it unplayable for a lot of customers

And another thing, this should have been published here already to let customers/potential customers know what to expect

More EA awkwardness to try and get us all to switch to consoles and buy more expensive games, no thanks

Oh and my 'f' key doesnt work, hence the 'or' in the title instead of 'for'

*EDIT* Oh and only 3 activations in total, so harddrive dies +1 activation, OS reinstall +1 activation. 3 In total and youve gotta ring tech support

[SirCannonFodder]

Dear EA: Due to not owning a console but still being a fan of fine gaming, I was very much looking forward to buying Mass Effect for PC. However, due to the excessively draconian anti-piracy software you have seen fit to implement (as shown in this thread and on the official Bioware forums), I will not be purchasing it. Congratulations on losing a customer (and a cursory glance at literally hundreds of other gaming sites will show that you've lost many, many more).

[lmimmfn]

Originally Posted by SirCannonFodder

Dear EA: Due to not owning a console but still being a fan of fine gaming, I was very much looking forward to buying Mass Effect for PC. However, due to the excessively draconian anti-piracy software you have seen fit to implement (as shown in this thread and on the official Bioware forums), I will not be purchasing it. Congratulations on losing a customer (and a cursory glance at literally hundreds of other gaming sites will show that you've lost many, many more).

+1 lost sales from me also, just canceled play.com 41.99euro order, oh look theres Codemasters Grid coming out the same week, nice one

[Spidery Yoda]

I seriously don't understand why they do this. People who want to pirate it will just get a cracked copy, and like Bioshock, the cracked copy will be far more convenient and easy to use.

Get a grip EA. Stop making it more difficult for your customers for no reason whatsoever.

Edit: I just read the article.

That is the worst and most inconvenient system i've ever seen. You have to KEEP connecting to the internet or the game stops working? This is ridiculous. It's as if they're TRYING to get people to get a cracked copy.

Not only do people have the choice of a free copy vs a paid for copy, but on top of that they can have intrusive, inconvenient, and downright ridiculous anti piracy in their copy or none whatsoever.

Don't kid yourself Bioware/EA, people WILL find a way around it like they have with every single other anti piracy setup out there.

I'm not speaking from experience, i don't download pirated games. But I know people that do and i've read about them and there's nothing you can do to stop it.

This system is just going to cause unnecessary hassle for people who buy the game.

Edit: Just read the comments on the site and it seems most people agree with me.

[actruncale]

I agree with the OP.

I also started this thread in the Spore Forum because it is also effecting that game (which I was looking forward to but am now full of dread). I have ME on 360 so I won't get it on PC now that SecuROM is involved.

[actruncale]

JUST IN FOLKS!

There has been a lot of discussion in the past few days on how the security requirements for Mass Effect for PC will work. BioWare, a division of EA, wants to let fans know that Mass Effect will not require 10- day periodic re-authentication.

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.

The solution being implemented for Mass Effect for the PC changes copy protection from being key disc based, which requires authentication every time you play the game by requiring a disc in the drive, to a one time online authentication.

This system has an added benefit of allowing players to seamlessly play the game without needing the DVD in the drive.

Key points---

•This solution allows gamers to authenticate their game on three different computers with the purchase of one disc. 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.

• Games are authorized to the machine when the player installs and launches the software for the first time.

• We’ve all had those times when the discs get lost or scratched and you can’t play a game you’ve bought because you need a working disc in the drive. With the new system players will no longer need the disc to play the game, but can instead simply retain the disc as back up for re-installation.

[Braidedheadman]

^ It's worth noting that the worst of SecuROMs latest DRM maneuvering is still included as part of MEPC's so-called "anti-piracy" software - more like "anti-consumer rights" if you ask me. Do not be fooled into thinking that they are doing you any favors by dropping the 10-day online reauthentication requirement. Purchase this game, and you are still limited to 3, and only 3, total installations before you have to call EA's support line. And you can forget about dusting off and playing that game in the future when EA finally drops all support for the franchise (and they will, just look at BF2).

Verdict:

In its current form, I am decidedly uninterested in this game.

[lmimmfn]

Originally Posted by Braidedheadman

^ It's worth noting that the worst of SecuROMs latest DRM maneuvering is still included as part of MEPC's so-called "anti-piracy" software - more like "anti-consumer rights" if you ask me. Do not be fooled into thinking that they are doing you any favors by dropping the 10-day online reauthentication requirement. Purchase this game, and you are still limited to 3, and only 3, total installations before you have to call EA's support line. And you can forget about dusting off and playing that game in the future when EA finally drops all support for the franchise (and they will, just look at BF2).

Verdict:

In its current form, I am decidedly uninterested in this game.

I agree, not only is there an activation limit of 3 but its tied to the user account lol

[Spidery Yoda]

Originally Posted by Braidedheadman

And you can forget about dusting off and playing that game in the future when EA finally drops all support for the franchise (and they will, just look at BF2).

Verdict:

In its current form, I am decidedly uninterested in this game.

I'd just like to point out that EA have in no way dropped all support for BF2. Can you login to the master server and play online? Ranked matches? Check your stats online? Yes.

They're not working on the game, but they have in no way dropped all support for it.

[benqbiggis]

in 3 days the hackers will make a crack

[lmimmfn]

Originally Posted by benqbiggis

in 3 days the hackers will made a crack

ive stopped doing that, something thats inconveniencing me can be removed by those apparently supposed to be responsible for inconveniencing me in the first place. Its a mess it really is. Id really love to play this game, but the DRM is just far too extreme for a hobby that i enjoy

[Braidedheadman]

Originally Posted by Spidery Yoda

I'd just like to point out that EA have in no way dropped all support for BF2. Can you login to the master server and play online? Ranked matches? Check your stats online? Yes.

They're not working on the game, but they have in no way dropped all support for it.

Forgive me if that comes as little consolation seeing as how:

1. The game is so chalk full of bugs, that playing the stock game is a miserable experience.
2. The game is so chalk full of balance issues that playing the game is a miserable experience.
3. The game is so chalk full of balance issues (specifically on this line, the F25 vs J10) that the vast majority of people play on one, and only one map, being Strike at Karkand, making this game a dull, boring, and miserable experience.
4. There are so many stat padders, cheaters, and miscreants of every category that playing the game is a miserable experience.

To name just a few things. I could go on at great length but, apart from making a point here, I'll save the rest for another forum.

You may be able to log on and play the game or check your stats still, but the game has become about as much fun to play as watching paint dry, unless you're one of those masochist stat-ho's who enjoy the endless rain of nades at the Hotel CP on Spam at Karkand round after round, day after day. Not that being able to check one's stats means good support at the end of the day either when they are rendered utterly irrelevant by the cheaters, expoiters, and asshats who continue to play the game.

Operating the login servers here != continued support.
Continued support = the whole package, including ongoing patch development.
Steam has excellent ongoing support for their games.
EA does not.
Don't expect much from EA with either MEPC or Spore.

[fandango29]

You'd be pretty dumb to issue a disc with no copy protection, though! Sure it wont necessarily stop the pirates for long, but it could be a serious inconvenience for regular gamers so they just stump up and pay for the real deal. Much as I like something for nothing and dislike invasions of my privacy, I'm in favour of companies protecting their revenues and intellectual property. I just wish they wouldn't come up with such bad ways of doing it (like installing malware, or forcing you to have an internet connection).

[lmimmfn]

Originally Posted by fandango29

You'd be pretty dumb to issue a disc with no copy protection, though! Sure it wont necessarily stop the pirates for long, but it could be a serious inconvenience for regular gamers so they just stump up and pay for the real deal. Much as I like something for nothing and dislike invasions of my privacy, I'm in favour of companies protecting their revenues and intellectual property. I just wish they wouldn't come up with such bad ways of doing it (like installing malware, or forcing you to have an internet connection).

Exactly, im all for companies protecting their property, but the 3 activations with no deactivate tool is insane. Theres absolutely no reason to not provide a deactivate tool and to up the activation limit as 2K games have done for Bioshock

[Xorp]

Originally Posted by fandango29

You'd be pretty dumb to issue a disc with no copy protection, though! Sure it wont necessarily stop the pirates for long, but it could be a serious inconvenience for regular gamers so they just stump up and pay for the real deal. Much as I like something for nothing and dislike invasions of my privacy, I'm in favour of companies protecting their revenues and intellectual property. I just wish they wouldn't come up with such bad ways of doing it (like installing malware, or forcing you to have an internet connection).

But some games do release without any copy protection. Sins of a Solar Empire doesn't have any.
Actually I'd be more inclined to buy a game that doesn't have any copy protection. It tells me that the developer doesn't want to annoy paying customers with useless protection that doesn't even remotely curb piracy.

[Braidedheadman]

True. True. In fact, I bought SoaSE a couple days ago and am having tons of fun with it so far.