Looks like Mass Effect (and Spore?) will have some really aggravating anti-piracy measures. Basically it activates the code when you install it. Then it checks it again every 5 days. So, basically, your game phones home every 5 days. If you don't have an internet connection then you can't play them for more than 20 days. What a load of BS. When pirating a game results in a better gaming experience, someone is being stupid.

I may have misread these posts a bit. It may only phone home a total of twice... once when you install it and once again after 5-10 days. Still, christ. You don't need annoying copy protection to make money. We all know it doesn't stop pirating.

http://masseffect.bioware.com/forums/vi ... &forum=125

Oh God...LAME. You're right, copy protection doesn't stop piracy. I recall one of the most 'unexpected' market hits of last year (Galactic Civilizations) didn't have copy protection at all, and still proved to be a major sales success. In a genre that doesn't exactly equal 'ching-ching' (space strategy sim).


I mean I understand that they don't want their shit pirated, but this isn't helping. You know what this shit does? It makes people who actually WANT to buy the game reconsider/frustrated. And that's the money they will see - not the money that the pirates bring to the table (cos they don't).

Retarded, really.

Indeed. The people that pirate the game would probably not buy it anyway, even if piracy wasn't an option. They're just alienating the people that do give them money. Morons.

So, anyway, I may not be buying Spore after all. Too bad, it looks cool. But I hate DRM.

Yea, looks like I was right... every 5-10 days it phones home. Here's a story on techdirt.

http://techdirt.com/articles/20080507/1353061058.shtml

wow, I didn't think I could actually find EA any more repulsive. Really won't be buying Spore now! 3 installs? that's total crap

Yea, if it ships with this copy protection, I'm not buying it. I already have mass effect on console so I wouldn't buy that anyway. Not that I've even played it.

Restrictive DRM is one of the things that's killed the music industry and is killing the movie industry. Now games too. Idiots. You'd think someone with half a brain would realize what they're doing is absolutely idiotic.

lol, very good. At least EA's managed to stir up a shitstorm. Not like they care what their customers think.

Well, I stand corrected. Never underestimated the power of a lot of pissed off gamers. EA has decided to dump the periodic checkups from Spore and Mass Effect. That's actually pretty damned cool. Hopefully gamers will be less and less willing to put up with annoying copy protection. Maybe all that annoying shit will finally go away eventually.

http://blog.wired.com/games/2008/05/ea- ... -spor.html

Validation will still occur, but only when downloading new content.

did they dump the install limit too? coz tbh that's the more annoying thing (to me at least)

I'm willing to bet they did not. They got away with it for Bioshock (barely), so I guess they're gonna keep at it.

Maybe that's the plan... put something really irritating (like the install limit) in, then put in something insanely invasive like the phone home stuff. People get pissed, everyone screams, you remove the invasive thing, and everyone smiles. And forgets about the irritating install limit. Sneaky bastards.

Heh...I think it's just the beginning of a 'brave new world' for games. Steam and the likes will become an integral part of installing and playing games. Sucks but whatchagonnado.

Gotta love the Penny Arcade ownage though.

Music industry's coming around, slowly. Maybe movies and games will get the hint that DRM is bad. Probably not until after they've killed hte PC game market. cock gobblers.

bleh, according to this article the removal of the annoying aspect is only verified for Mass Effect. No comment on whether it will be in Spore or not.

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3167762

to dredge up an old post, though the extremely annoying facets of the Mass Effect DRM were removed, it's still causing issues. You're only allowed 3 licenses, and reinstalling Windows, changing out some hardware (no clue WHAT hardware) or even creating new Windows users may chew up your licenses. Some people are pissed.

http://www.simprograms.com/?p=692



It disables my cd burning software? To hell with EA. If I want to burn videos I filmed onto a DVD I damn well have that freakin' write.