Far cry 2(bad news for pc)

[acrobat]

Steam is decent I suppose, but it's not massively different and it's just something most companies don't have access to. And it's also not especially secure because I've heard of people downloading steam games. I dread to think of how many hundreds of thousands of people illegally downloaded Halflife 2 and Portal.

I don't have a big problem with online registering per se but my problem is the need to uininstall the game whenever I reinstall Windows.

I do that usually about every six months or so. Either because of upgrades or just because I like having a nice fresh install every now and then.

Now I buy probably half a dozen games each year. Not all that much, but if all games used this form of protection after 3 years I would have to uninstall 18 games every time I want to do a rebuild.

I frequently play games older than that so that is going to add a significant time to my job of reinstalling Windows.

Where is the incentive to not use a crack when I buy the game?

Well it's 'something' you have to do that you wouldn't otherwise, but come on, is it really that big a deal? Most of my games uninstall in about 3 seconds. And even with a 320gig main disk, I only ever have about a dozen games installed on my computer at one time at the absolute most. At the moment I've got about 5 installed. But even for say 12, that's only about a minute and it's all gone. And even if there were some that take a few minutes, it would be what 5 minutes total? That's surely not much of an imposition once every 6 months.

It's not a perfect situation because the whole thing is an inconvenience to begin with, and I hate having to put disks in to play games etc. But it's not that big a deal and if it converts a good percentage of illegal downloads in to actual sales instead, then surely we should just put up with it? I'd much rather lose a few seconds here and there than have PC gaming just die.

[mediaboy]

You can unistall things quickly!

Takes me much longer than that to uninstall things... What's the secret?

[2Cold Scorpio]

Looks pretty similar to Warhead and Mass Effect. Not great, but could be worse, really. If its like WH/ME, then its unlimited installs on a machine, up to five machines.

Still, I run Warhead and ME cracked even though I bought 'em, mainly because I usually like to play offline and don't have to keep the disk in the drive. Of course, it becomes a pain again when a patch comes out and no updated crack is available... Ah well, everything has its prizes and perils... ^_^

Edit: Ack, post count = 666! Must post elsewhere quickly...

[kopite]

Jsut a little aside on the whole issue.

Far cry 2 license allows u to install the game up 5 times on 3 pcs.

Now before all the kick up lately about DRM and the security steps on games wasnt it the fact that when you bought a copy of the game u could only install that game on 1 computer ?

[cleaverlch]

You could install it on as many computer as you wanted, but when playing it you needed the cd/dvd in the drive. At least that's what I think.

[j.o.s.h.1408]

Read this everyone

You're right, except that every version of SecuROM is different, hence the steps for removing it are different for every version, which is already a ridiculously difficult process. There's also the chance that it will not be completely removed either, which has happened in the past. It's only more invasive now, which would probably make it yet even more difficult.

I have to say, though... on a personal note regarding the whole situation, I'm getting tired of the whole issue.

I'm one of very strong principal, and am intensely against the issue of forced online activations, install limits etc. and SecuROM in general is very much based on principal. I have also always been an extremely intense defender of consumer rights.

However, my perspectives have begun to change a bit as of late. It's from more of a "personal perspective", than one of technology itself. Might seem like I'm getting a little "existential" or "philosophical" here, but I am about to make some valid points.

I'm 34 years old, married (and my wife is gamer as well, which makes spending twice the money on games) and a life-long hardcore gamer. While I'm thoroughly against the practices and methods that companies are employing more and more, the bottom line is: if gaming is a passion and large enjoyment/part of your personal life, being a martyr to the cause, even out of principal, is nothing more than cutting of your nose to spite your face in this particular situation. You're the one who loses out in the end.

I've personally spoken out at length against the issues regarding SecuROM/DRMs from literally every perspective possible, and while public outcries have had some effect, don't think that it's going to have any massive or permanent change on the perspective of corporate assholes who feel it wise for their wallets to infest their games with an invasive DRM.

Life is just too damn short, and there are more important things to use one's principal to fight for/against, then to continue this losing battle with "Corporate America".

In the end, are you going to look back fifty years and really give a **** that you "stood up against" corporations by not purchasing games utilizing SecuROM?
Or are you more likely to regret the fact that it was one more potentially enjoyable experience you missed out on?

I have a $2k+ system that I'm not going to just let sit and "look pretty", when the whole reason I/we sink thousands into building high-end gaming rigs is to do what we have a strong personal affinity for: gaming.

I don't condone what they do, nor do I want to send that message, but keeping yourself from experiencing things in life goes against what living is all about, so you have two choices:

- Feel like you have a leash shoved up your ass, by being made to feel like you don't own the games you buy.

- Eat a **** sandwich, and refuse to buy a game out of principal and miss out on a potentially personally enjoyable experience.

Neither option seems particularly attractive.

Or, you can take a third path, and speak out against such things, but still do what you enjoy, regardless of the small hassle that might come with it in this particular situation.

I've never had SecuROM mess with any of my systems, personally, though I know it has for some. But the bottom line is: there are more important things to worry about in life, so if there's a game that I or my wife are interested in, it will be purchased.

Hopefully there will be no problems in the future with SecuROM messing with my system and/or other games also using the same or similar DRM, and though I'm highly displeased at even having to be faced with such situations, I've come to realize it's just not worth cutting yourself off from something you enjoy.

Just do what you enjoy, which is gaming, and put things in perspective. Even one such as myself who is very strong in personal principal, has to realize that there are far more important things in life than this, and at least you're able to have the experience. There could be no games at all...

I do still hope, however (of course), that the insanity stops and they at least reach some resolve in terms of giving us something that will allow us to play these games indefinitely; a patch to kill the DRM activation bull**** etc., especially since us enthusiasts could burn up five installs in under a year, easy.

Only time will tell, but in the meanwhile, though I will continue to speak out vehemently about SecuROM and install limits, I'm going to do what I enjoy, because frankly, folks... that's what life is all about, and we could all be ****ing dead tomorrow.

[kalniel]

You could install it on as many computer as you wanted, but when playing it you needed the cd/dvd in the drive. At least that's what I think.

No you couldn't - do make sure to read the EULA as you are legally bound to it. In most cases you could only install it on one computer at a time.

[2Cold Scorpio]

No you couldn't - do make sure to read the EULA as you are legally bound to it. In most cases you could only install it on one computer at a time.

I never totally agreed with that, either. That's akin to me buying a DVD and Warner Bros. telling me I can only watch it on one DVD player. The disk check was enough to keep you from running a whole LAN party on one disk (granted there were still cracks back then, but their existance wasn't as widely known. Heck, the reason I found about them in the first place was when I was trying to find a way to play games on my old laptop while traveling, and conserve battery power; I actually had a legit reason for using them! lol).

Now us legitimate, paying customers must jump through hoops while the pirates just have to wait on a new crack and an .iso upload.

[acrobat]

You can unistall things quickly!

Takes me much longer than that to uninstall things... What's the secret?

It depends on the individual game. I have some which take up to a couple of minutes, but some which are gone in just a couple of seconds. (Older games go almost instantly). I think defragging regularly also helps.

[jamesy305]

least its an improvement on the DRM for spore!

[Platinum]

Steam games do have DRM. crysis warhead is a perfect example.

But steam games are installed once then thats it so theres no issue? unless you download 50gb+ worth of games each reinstall rather than backup before reisntall?

[educatedfool]

I'll buy it in 2 years when the DRM has gone and I have a PC that can run it properly.


And for those who say 'just don't buy the bloody thing': Doesn't matter what you do other than buy it as the company will still blame poor sales on piracy.

[Platinum]

That still doesn't justify stealing it.

[j.o.s.h.1408]

That still doesn't justify stealing it.

i'l steal it and i will send u a first class post containing it!! LOL jokes!! next friday i will be playing my fc2 game while u pc guys will be scratching your head wondering why the game wont install hehe na serious hope u pc guys dont have any issues with it

[finlay666]

i'l steal it and i will send u a first class post containing it!! LOL jokes!! next friday i will be playing my fc2 game while u pc guys will be scratching your head wondering why the game wont install hehe na serious hope u pc guys dont have any issues with it

On your PS3?

Probably posted using one due to horrendous spelling and abbreviation

I might get it on the 360, haven't decided yet but will leave it a bit as I still have a load of games to play first

[Hicks12]

I had it pre-ordered a bit ago while i was drunk xD but dont know if it really is worth £25, might just cancel. What do you guys think?