Bioware and EA back down on 10 day reauthentication antipiracy

[lmimmfn]

Excellent news:
Source - Mass Effect Community - Official BioWare/EA Response to DRM Discussion

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.

*EDIT* Pity its still crippled by worse that current Bioshock DRM

[oTRUTHo2]

shure not everyone can connect to the internet. but thay just need to come up with better security.

[Remora Wraith]

Why don't companies understand that these anti-piracy measures just encourage people to download cracked versions with all this stuff removed. Case in point my housemate downloaded a demo of a game which had the same nti-piracy measures as the full game, understandable it stops people using the demo executable to crack the full version. However it didn't like certain hardware and software on his PC and demanded he remove it. So he pirated the full game get around the anti-piracy stuff, really enjoyed it and never bought it on principle that software companies shouldn't dictate what you can and can't have on your computer.

Bottom line is it shouldn't be harder to own a legitimate copy of a game than an illegal one, if it's easier to pirate than it is to validate etc. then not many people will want to buy it. Why should I be inconvenienced by being legitimate customer when I can get as much enjoyment and none of the aggro from a pirate copy. Treat your customers like criminals and they'll become them.

[oTRUTHo2]

you might have a good point remora?

i went to game for lost planet. needless to say i was told that i needed internet connection to play this so i didnt buy it as i didnt hyave internet.

but hence the internet is crawling with it (free, all be it pirate) if i was a pirate then there you go a game where i dont need internet. or i could buy it from some pirate down the market.

[h4wkrapt0r]

Originally Posted by Remora Wraith

Why don't companies understand that these anti-piracy measures just encourage people to download cracked versions with all this stuff removed. Case in point my housemate downloaded a demo of a game which had the same nti-piracy measures as the full game, understandable it stops people using the demo executable to crack the full version. However it didn't like certain hardware and software on his PC and demanded he remove it. So he pirated the full game get around the anti-piracy stuff, really enjoyed it and never bought it on principle that software companies shouldn't dictate what you can and can't have on your computer.

Bottom line is it shouldn't be harder to own a legitimate copy of a game than an illegal one, if it's easier to pirate than it is to validate etc. then not many people will want to buy it. Why should I be inconvenienced by being legitimate customer when I can get as much enjoyment and none of the aggro from a pirate copy. Treat your customers like criminals and they'll become them.

There was/is a post on the official mass effect forums that some person in the games industry said that if the protection stops the pirates for a few days then the protection has done it's job...

[Remora Wraith]

But that's the point, what good is a few days if a few days later people can just crack it, I get that it stops pirates from playing the game early on it's release but it still doesn't make people buy it.