The PC version of Mass Effect is going to include some fairly serious security measures that may prove to be more of a threat to the game's popularity than they are to piracy.
According to Derek French, Mass Effect's technical producer at BioWare, the game's security begins with the same SecuROM online activation that aggravated so many owners of BioShock for PC. The system allows the user to activate the game three times before being required to contact a customer service rep to have it reactivated.
Mass Effect's security goes one step further, however, by dialing in every five to ten days to double check that your current CD Key and computer info matches the data that was submitted when you first activated the game.
Does that mean you won't be able to play your perfectly legitimate copy of the game if you fire it up on day 11, only to find that your 'net connection is down? According to a post from French, yes, actually, it does
I know we've all got different stances on piracy, so I'd like to know what you guys think about this. Is this overkill? Has piracy become the white whale for BioWare? Futhermore, how many of you would be purchasing Mass Effect with this knowledge? Also, honestly, how many of you would pirate it because of this security, and how many of you would have just pirated it anyway?
I personally would have done my usual "try it, then buy it" method that some of you have come to detest, but at this point I don't think I'd even pirate this game with the way they plan on treating their customers, because I obviously wouldn't ever intend on being one
I didnt get the game on my 360 because I wanted to see it in all of its glory at better frames on my PC, but now I may just borrow my friends copy for the 360 who has already beatin it several times. I will not support companies products that do things like this. I understand that piracy is an issue, but this is alil to much for me. I dont intent for other people so share my opinion and not buy it, because it really is a good game from what I have seen and deserves to be bought, but I just wont be getting it now because of this.
I was very happy when I heard this. If this goes well, it could be the best thing to happen to PC gaming in along time. Get used to it, or buy a console.
Oh, I do have one question though; how do you see this effecting your experience playing Mass Effect or Spore?
I understand that piracy is an issue, but this is alil to much for me. I dont intent for other people so share my opinion and not buy it, because it really is a good game from what I have seen and deserves to be bought, but I just wont be getting it now because of this.
What? Were you planning on stealing this game? What's your problem with this, I'm really more curious then anything as to why a PC gamer who claims that they waited, as I did, to play this game on their PC. Why this would now change your mind.
I'm sorry for asking if you are planning on stealing...that is if you don't pirate PC games.
I understand that piracy is an issue, but this is alil to much for me. I dont intent for other people so share my opinion and not buy it, because it really is a good game from what I have seen and deserves to be bought, but I just wont be getting it now because of this.
What? Were you planning on stealing this game? What's your problem with this, I'm really more curious then anything as to why a PC gamer who claims that they waited, as I did, to play this game on their PC. Why this would now change your mind.
I'm sorry for asking if you are planning on stealing...that is if you don't pirate PC games.
I think a lot of people would find this new security measure to be insulting and intrusive, almost as if you walked into a store, bought a monitor, checked out at the exit (to make sure it wasn't stolen), and then one of the employees from the store stops by your house every 10 days to make sure the monitor still isn't stolen. Some people can be put off enough by the way a company does business that regardless of how good their product might be, they don't want anything to do with them anymore.
I hate processes that start up that are not needed/wanted. This sounds like it's going to be yet another one. ok so it might not be a resource hog and stay running all the time but still...
It's like buying a house and the previous owner coming round and using your phone once a week.
From time to time i install old games on a recent machine or one of the older ones that i have, like to do fresh installs of OF a couple of times a year. How annoying is that 3 times and you need to contact them going to get. I wasn't going to get this game but i'd not be in a rush to buy any game that uses this meausure of security.
At least bioshock developers have said that the final game patch will disable the protection that everybody gave off about... but then it could be 2010 by then who would be playing it lol
Does that mean you won't be able to play your perfectly legitimate copy of the game if you fire it up on day 11, only to find that your 'net connection is down? According to a post from French, yes, actually, it does[/quote]
I know we've all got different stances on piracy, so I'd like to know what you guys think about this. Is this overkill? Has piracy become the white whale for BioWare? Futhermore, how many of you would be purchasing Mass Effect with this knowledge? Also, honestly, how many of you would pirate it because of this security, and how many of you would have just pirated it anyway?
I feel inclined to pirate it (now, but I won't) (how am I gonna run it on my BF's new 40" monitor HTPC w/o internet?)
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hmm white chocolate, dark chocolate or expensive chocolate? I'll take them all!- me (unfortunately I'm vegan now and can't eat it)
White board copying is a form of supported plagiarism -BF Tennis:1 wins 0 losses 2 ties
I'm starting to question their real motivations here.
According to the Bioware forums, the securom code is all within the MassEffect.exe, how would circumventing the internet authorization check in the program be any more difficult (for the purpose of helping curb piracy) than that of circumventing a cd check?
It almost seems the true advantage of this protection system is to exercise greater control over the legitimate copies, especially via the limited activations (3). This could help close the door on casual borrowing, or buying/selling the game used, etc.
Hopefully this isn't the case, if there really is some advantage to this system that promotes a healthier market for PC gaming by reducing piracy, the vast majority of gamers (I'd think) would be willing to overlook the annoyances/burdens. I still haven't canceled my preorder.
^ Come on! How am I gonna play on the 40" then. CD copy protection is fine and so is disc verification, this is going too far!
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hmm white chocolate, dark chocolate or expensive chocolate? I'll take them all!- me (unfortunately I'm vegan now and can't eat it)
White board copying is a form of supported plagiarism -BF Tennis:1 wins 0 losses 2 ties
Won't buy due to security (possibly wouldn't by anyhow, not sure I'm interested in the game itself. Also didn't buy Bioshock for the same reason. So far as I'm concerned, when I buy a game IT IS MINE. I should be able to keep the disk for 20 years, when the company who made the game is long-gone, have a nostalgia fit, and install it on any machine I bloody well like. I should be able to install it and uninstall it at-will, without anyone's permission to do so.
i wont buy this game strangley i was looking forward to it, but i dont want to my computer to send out information about its self to another server, and a almost weekly basis.
if its going to send out hardware stuff that means it will probably transmit mac address and i.p's, and the hardware im using, do you have any idea how easy it is for someone to get that information if its being sent out every 11 days?! and how much damage they could do.
tbh there retards, at best ill pirate this game now, but then i be bambarded because im adding to the problem, so ill not pirate the game, no matter how much i feel like sticking it to them... i might just buy it and crack it myself, but then there sales will go up and there heads will say that they made a good game and that people dont mind DRM....
if the company goes down the pan because of this then we will be told its because of pirates...
we cant win either way, its the companys fault if it goes down hill especially when using such measures described above.
I understand how many of you feel...that it infringes on the customers privacy and these measures may be going "too far".
What I disagree with is the analogies given above. How can you compare videogames to monitors? Are monitors being pirated? Store clerks don't go to your home simply because they don't need to. People don't buy monitors to replicate it and redistribute world wide for free. Intelectual property on software is simply a different story.
I think the subject is ironic. The same people who complain about DRM and other security measures are the same who pirated older titles. If it wasn't for those "id10ts", there wouldn't be DRM in the first place. I know some people take pride in pirating games but thanks to those "id10ts", companies have to take serious measures to protect their investments. And you blame them?
If you're so irritated about security measures then perhaps you can post potential solutions instead of turning around and go download illegal torrents...because that is not the solution.
So, what would YOU recommend publishers implement to stop e-piracy?
Will I buy the game anyway? Yeah, I love CRPGs and I heard this was a good one. Honestly, stuff like this doesn't bother me -- but I'm one of those people who didn't mind CD/DVD checks either, I have all my normal games conveniently located next to my computer so I just reach out and grab the one I want to play.
Frankly, I know too many people who do a lot of computer pirating to complain about attempts to make their lives more difficult, though like everyone else I'd prefer methods that actually work.
you know every bought copy of a game is recorded through the barcode, why not put the cd-key info on the barcode, so when a game is scanned in the barcode gets sent to a master server which then activates that key. ok stay with me when you come to install the game it contacts the master server to see if the key has been activated, if yes the game installs, if no the game does not install. - one check everytime you reinstall the game, and before a online multiplayer match.
ok this doesnt stop you from making a copy of the disk and using the same cd-key, but then you just need to run a check to make sure the cd-key isnt being used more than say 4 times, if it is then de-activate the cd-key on the server. Stopping the person playing online, or installing the game. you could extend it to stop it playing singleplayer.
p.s
would stop a cd-key generator because the key would not work unless it generated an already bought key. however i believe it would still be hacked, but this is as simple as protection needs to be.
Message edited by Flakes on 05-07-2008 at 05:16:33 PM
