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[Cthulhu]

After I curb-stomped my hard-drive with repeated unpluggings(World of Warcraft was having an issue where it would crash and the computer would become unresponsive to even holding down the power button.  Naturally the unplugging only made this worse) I've become much more careful.  I don't think I'll have to worry about install limits, especially since the game itself is like 6 gigs.  I can permanently devote 6 gigabytes to a game I can't delete, I think.  Also, have you guys tried the prototypes yet?  They're weird little programs the developers used to test stuff.  At first they were either really hard to figure out or just not fun, but they're getting into the good stuff now.  They have a 2d prototype of the space phase, and it's awesome.

[Soulwynd]

Securom used to be a lot worse in the earlier versions. You can get a securom uninstaller at their site and right now, it doesn't run all the time, it only runs once when you run the securom protected program. So it became pretty mild. Starforce on the other hand, is still a huge bitch and should be avoided at all costs.

Sadly, we can't just tell big companies, "Copy protection doesn't protect your game/program against being copied, it only pisses off legit users. Who's in his sane mind wants to put in his game DVD whenever he wants to play the game he bought, specially when having the DVD in there does nothing for the game and is unnecessary."

Dumbasses really fail at thinking.

[Tormy]

I heard Starforce is even worse than Securom.  It's been compared to a virus.

Correct. 

[kcwong]

I don't think I'll have to worry about install limits, especially since the game itself is like 6 gigs.  I can permanently devote 6 gigabytes to a game I can't delete, I think.

It's not that simple.

All your hardware has a unique serial ID in them, which can be queried by software. During the installation process, they will collect serial IDs from a number of hardware in your computer and create a hash value. The hash value is unique (since your serial IDs are unique), and cannot be converted back to the serial IDs, so they can't track you down or anything.

That hash value is sent to their activation servers.

Then each time you start the game, it will calculate a new hash value with your current hardware, and send it to server to check. Match, and the game can be started. Not match, and the new hash value is sent to the activation server and your install limit is reduced by one.

That means not only you cannot uninstall Spore, you also cannot upgrade some hardware. And pray that you don't need to reinstall Windows, since tests have been done (with Bioshock) that your Windows installation is part of the equation.

People have asked on the official forums about what hardware is used in the hash calculation, but EA won't disclose it, afraid of compromising the DRM.


And this whole DRM won't do anyone any good.

For hackers, it's just the usual routine to find the place to insert a NOP in the game executable.

For paying customers, they will be annoyed by the need to go online every time they start the game, and eventually, the install limit. You can read about BioShock to see how troublesome that could be - due to the game's bug, some people have used up the install limit (reinstalling, upgrade hardware) without playing the game once. Then they spent two weeks sending email with several parties (EA, Bioware, SecureROM) to beg for their install limit to be reset.

For EA, it's pure cost for maintaining activation servers. In the first few years, when the game is still being sold, it could be factored into the equation (cost of servers vs stopped piracy and potentially boosted sales). But after a few years? It's no longer generating profit. And as EA publishes more and more games, the activation servers need to continue to expand. Think they will maintain the activation for Spore for many years? Since they have Spore 2 now, why not pull the activation servers for Spore?

And EA has already done that... they pulled the plugs of many servers for playing their console sports game online. And those games are just 2 years old.

[Soulwynd]

You can uninstall. It removes the installation count.

Uninstall before you format, if your hd breaks, then you lose an install.

If you lose them all, you either email whining or crack. Both ways work.

[kcwong]

If you lose them all, you either email whining or crack. Both ways work.

I'd rather stop this stupid trend right now before it becomes mainstream. This DRM is a lose-lose situation.

[Cthulhu]

I wonder what's worse, DRM or EA's embracing of microtransactions?

[Keiseth]

This is all very silly. Anyone who wants to legitimately use their product has to ... pirate it? Break the DRM? Very silly. I miss when games only required a CD-Key*.

*Or to look through your manual to answer in-game trivia to continue to play. That's a pain. I'd take it over this EA-DRM any day, though.

[Cthulhu]

I think it's fun.

[Soulwynd]

If you lose them all, you either email whining or crack. Both ways work.

I'd rather stop this stupid trend right now before it becomes mainstream. This DRM is a lose-lose situation.

Feel free to tell them that. It doesn't matter to me, as long as it doesn't screw with my computer. Like starforce, or old securom. I don't think I ever bought any game with starforce in it, and never will.

[Ioric Kittencuddler]

So... you're fine with it screwing other people over until it gives you a problem.

[wallish]

Yeah, it's been compared to a virus. Securom has, in turn, been compared to a rootkit. Any kind of such software will have to install something the user isn't aware of, just so that the said user can't just go and pluck it out.

Umm.. isn't that exactly what Starforce does?  You even need to download a special removal tool to get it off your computer...

Ah, I see that only in the recent version did they include the tool needed to remove the protection.  In the past only a third part tool could remove it.

[Soulwynd]

So... you're fine with it screwing other people over until it gives you a problem.

Like with most things in life, yes. If there was another way around, that would be great. But unless we manage to get a million people or more who will protest and say "We're not going to buy this game because it has Securom." and get enough publicity with it, the stupid game companies wont look twice are your complains.

We'd need a sticker that goes like, "I pirated your game because it had DRM." And another that goes, "No, I will not put your dvd in my drive to play your game."

[Tormy]

Either way I dont understand that why this game needs to have securom protection at all.
You will have to validate the game online in order to play. That should be totally enough.
Pirates will crack the online validation + securom also, so basically EA is just f*cking with the players who will actually buy the game...

[Sean Mirrsen]

GPG made a smart move there with Supreme Commander - they just killed Securom with one of the first patches, since the game went multiplayer anyway, and you need a unique serial for that.