LinkBack URL
About LinkBacksTBH aside from the install limit - warhead is a bit of an improvement because it doesn't require me to stick the DVD in the drive to play it
Of course, if I reach the install limit I just pop the crack on anyway...
TBH aside from the install limit - warhead is a bit of an improvement because it doesn't require me to stick the DVD in the drive to play it
Of course, if I reach the install limit I just pop the crack on anyway...
Crosshair VIII Hero (WIFI), 3900x, 32GB DDR4, Many SSDs, EVGA FTW3 3090, Ethoo 719
I think the purpose of DRM is to cut out second hand game sales. They think they are losing out on sales income due to second hand copies being available, yet they are unable to persuade stop retailers or ebay sellers selling second hand games. So, bringing in DRM with limited activations does cut down on secnad hand sales. All this stuff about it being to do with fighting piracy is just a smokescreen so they can foist limited activations on us and reduce the value of the games we buy. Some evidence: http://techdirt.com/articles/20081006/1704472470.shtml ; http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...ical-situation
The fact is I think I should be paying less for a game on digital download or one with limited online activations, as it means I either can't sell the game on or I'll get less for it. I think I'll not buy spore or simliar DRM based games until they release a patch removing the DRM, as I'll only play the game a couple of weeks and then be wanting to sell it on.
So what about all DRM that doesn't limit activations? Why would they use that then?
Well DRM just devalued my crysis warhead to £0 and a fking waste of cash. Just did a format and reinstalled it, now im getting this message:
The game can not start
for security reasons, only a limited number of machines can ever be licensed by a single purchase. This limit has been reached. Please purchase another registration code, reinstall, and then try again.
Wow, so much for just ring up and get a new key that ea say because surely the message should say that? god this day just gets worse, 9800GTX wont let me use dvi on my 22" monitor(on bad old crt now) and now crysis is worthless.
Anyone know the number for ea? they are about to get a good kickin.
Originally Posted by snootyjim
To answer the original question - So much so that I'm seriously considering buying no more PC games and getting me's a Playstation 3.
In fact if it wasn't for me having to replace my car atm that's the route I would have taken.
And I don't even like Sony, I have been boycotting their products for a number of reasons but mostly because of that Trojan they put on their audio CD's a few years ago. But such is my dislike of some forms of Game DRM that I'm prepared to buy Sony as I think the PS3 is the best games console out there.
As mentioned here previously, I think Steam have it right, once activated they don't bother you anymore but what with Crysis Warhead being 'Five hits and you're out' I've got the pox with it. It's also hard to sell your games if you want to.
I don't pirate Games. I have done in the past but I figured that a decent PC Game is actually cheap, it's about thirty quid for hours of entertainment and I like to support the Games developers so we can look forward to some good new games.
I will keep my old collection of PC Games but when I've sorted out a car for myself and had some more work come in, it's a big telly and a PS3 for me.
The ironic thing is, most Game Publishers won't miss out if I stop buying PC Games cos they make games for consoles and PC, I just don't like their attitude with PC Games.
I think that was to stop people cranking out copies at home and selling them on. Not that relevant now.
That really does suck. It's supposed to be five installs isn't it? Did you reinstall four times before, is the game second hand?
from this thread: http://forums.hexus.net/hexus-gaming...aq-crytek.htmlWarhead uses online authentication and allows up to five activations. This gives you the opportunity to install the game as many times as you want on five different machines.
I consider DRM to devalue a game if it does far more than it should - when I heard about Starforce and its breaking of optical drives, and saw these effects first hand, I refused to buy anything with it point blank. If it's listed as having it, I don't even look up the details, simple as that.
However, given that most of the time DRM has not gotten in the way of my enjoyment or damaged my system, I've lived with it, even though CD checks seem a bit pointless in a market where everything is done by serials. This doesn't mean I haven't been frustrated by DRM, as I've seen what should be benign CD checks cause problems with games even starting, and that is annoying. It seems odd to me that a company would implement DRM that causes a known bug, and then leave that bug unpatched.
Online authentication seems another point of contention, but in most cases it goes hand in hand with online multiplayer, where your serial is your identity, and authentication is either an account log in or a silent background check. I have no problem with that.
Then of course there's authentication for a product that doesn't require any access to the internet. I'm unsure what to make of some of the probelms people have with this, for the following reasons:
- Steam is a system whereby you register a game online, and also download it directly if you have not bought a disc that installs a steam based copy.
- Steam will authenticate your account every time you log in, but you do not have to log in to play your games (offline mode).
- There are features of games that are not available when playing offline, purely because they need the internet (namely access to other people).
- Games are transferable, but it's a pain in the behind to do it.
And now the counterpoint:
- Spore works in exactly the same way, it just has an activation limit.
People say they like Steam, then they say they don't like the kind of DRM that Spore has, when an activation limit is really the only difference in the effects of the DRM. I say the effects of because I know Securom has its issues, such as in some cases files it generates will get in the way of hard drive data recovery, so as a result some of you may consider it a blacklist DRM.
Given the above I have to wonder - is what the DRM does the reason people dislike it, or is it that Securom has aquired the universal hate that Starforce has?
I will note that I have had the fortune of not being hit by an activation limit...yet.
Last edited by Main; 11-10-2008 at 10:03 PM. Reason: spelling
No the game was brand new from play, emailed ea but i doubt they will do **** all. I like steam now, just found out ea downloader has an install limit(3 a year) onmost games so id say steam=win, its the best DRM because you can get it in physical form and in digital.
One of the problems is that these days the trade in or sale second hand assists the purchase of full price new games at £40+. Ford at least understand that the stopping of used car sales would negatively impact the sale of new. An extreme example, but you get the gist. You want comparatively little 2nd hand sales (ala DVD) you need to sell new cheaper in higher quantity or at lower over cost to the publisher (£30,000 per game Vs £1,000,000)
As for PS3/360 sales being safe, just don't buy PES 08 second hand as the copy my have already being registered for Konami ID (stupid idea) and you only get one registration per copy. So my friend's friend can't play online with his second hand copy :/ Admitted thats a Konami ID specific issue.
Surly they will still do this with a pirate copy instead of buying a copy and doing it.
Answer to the topic question "Does DRM devalue a PC gaming purchases to you?" - yes
I will not buy games for me or my kids for the PC even though they each have a PC.
I will buy console games when they are a few months old and cheaper as when they are finished with I still have a physical disk that can be sold / given away.
My buisness partner will be reluctant to get another PC or EA game after he got Spore for his kids.
Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.
IM still waiting for a reply from ea and tbh its bad since there is no indication that DRM is used(or securerom, is installed) only that there is an online activiation and it states no amount in manual/license agreement so that isnt really valid, everyone should attack ea(money wise/court) because that isnt allowed, you didnt agree on a certain install.
It's not in the EULA at all?
It says somethign like a limit, no definitive amount though. Its like saying to a taxi, drive me to this place how much is it gunna cost? dunno, wait till you get out.
So annoying really.
I've been put off buying Spore because of its enormous DRM issues - 3 installs is ridiculous, I like to reinstall windows about twice a year for a clean out, and that would be me stuffed. Also worrying that the background software they install wastes resources and can act as an entry point for malware
lol, still waiting for ea to reply. This is beyond a joke, im goin to contact crytek shortly.
A vaguely relevant xkcd (I'm stealing it, as it requests):
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
