Mass Effect DRM goes too far

I usually buy the game (for the CD key) then use the cracked version and install it with my CD key. No more DRM and CD checks (that btw can ruin an original disk really fast) and I can play online.
I use this method since I had a Plextor DVD burner die on me because of starforce "protection". If I want to install a rootkit driver on my pc I'll go ask Sony thank you, no need to include it with my games.

And is that going to help stop piracy? no! its going to stop sales! (at least prevent people with half a brain buying games like these).

Honestly, attitudes like this put me off even downloading hacked torrent versions of the games. Do you think I’ll buy one? (and i actually like buying games).

It seems like there is an increasingly concerted effort among Big Content to make sure the answer is "no".

We've already seen the debacle over the shutdown of MSN Music, which is just the latest in a long line of DRM'd services to leave their customers in the lurch. Will people learn the lesson and stay from crap like this?

"Just to re-iterate that point, you will need to re-activate your copy with the publisher every 10 days. Forever."

Spinning it a tad don’t you think? I don’t like this ridicules copy protection method either, but Bioware made it pretty clear that a removal patch will be released one day.

Once again, it'll get cracked and all the dodgy BitTorrent versions will be activation and DRM free. The worse these so-called protections get, the more I struggle to convince myself that such nasty DRM is worth being lumbered with when buying a game.

I really do see outrageous protections like these resulting in /more/ people using the pirated versions rather than less. I may end up being one of those people. I like to buy games and support game development, but I'm getting sick of being increasingly rogered up the arse by them every time I do so whilst pirates end up with a pleasant and hassle-free gaming experience.

broad band is not that ubiquitous. gonna spend my good money elsewhere (as a side effects of anti-piracy and market stagnation, games are starting to cost 70€ apiece, here)

I for one will be buying this game, and will most likely queue up to buy it as soon as it's released.

After activation though, i will be actively looking for a modified .exe to stop the game from activating every 10 days.

Steam activate and verify my game EVERY time I run it.

.... really is the Better Choice (TM)(C)(R).

When are these idiots going to get a clue?

The whole argument for game makers going console was to prevent piracy, but I notice that the Xbox 360 GTA IV was available through torrents a WEEK before being released to the public. How secure is that?

I was somewhat interested in Mass Effect given the console hype, but not any more.

I am a HUGE GTA fan, and I am feeling the urge to buy a console just to play GTA IV now, but I am resisting it and waiting for the PC version; the platform of MY choice. 
If there is no PC version, then I'll be missing out and Take-Two will lose my money.

Looks like they closed the topic after 13 pages of really pissed off customer complaints.

I was really looking forward to Spore, shame I won't be buying it now.

I cannot stand the way PC games now treat legitimate users like criminals, and this will do absolutely nothing to stop the game being cracked. I'd expect to see it on the filesharing networks within days of release and it will probably play a lot better thanks to all the DRM being removed. And they wonder why PC gaming is dying...

You've got to allow the PC game makers the chance to make money or they won't bother making games for PC users. Some of the biggest PC game brands are moving their emphasis to the consoles for this very reason: Crytek, CoD and Unreal!
If Half-Life 3 comes out on a console first, I'll buy a PS4 and consider PC gaming dead!
DRM in PC games should be as draconian as it needs to be to stop piracy. I'd go further and say that DRM should be built into the GPU!

The only games we were looking forward with my wife was Spore (since the age of Thief Deadly Shadows). 

Apparently now we will not buy it (planning for 2 boxes since we wanted to play it in parallel). I don't want DRM on my computer. 

Windows provide enough personal security breach. 

Why they punish the legal users, while the pirated copy will be free of these infestations??

I just can't imagine what possesses people to think up this sort of rubbish, I really can't.

Stardock, Bethesda and Valve have shown the way forward with this. Either use no DRM at all, but make it worthwhile to purchase the game, or use Steam and bolt on some extra value. Take Two shot themselves in the foot with Bioshock's stupid Securom protection, EA seem determined to blow their own heads off.

... "Piracy. The Better Way."

If only someone has miffed about this and start craking it. Then they success and the pirated one can play without activation (like many other case, orginal / genuine owner is worst than pirated one) then long life pirated game!

The big problem is that the PC platform is rampant with piracy - something that used to accessible to the few elite - is now open to everyone! What must not be forgotten here is that A) Games are not (usually legally) free. B) If something isn't done to stem the piracy - the PC as a platform will become unviable. As it is, you can pretty much see it in the fact the PC receives hardly any exclusives any more - and on-top-of-that, 'multiplatform titles' that the PC receives as 'ports' from its console brethren usually emerge 6months to a year later! 

I don't advocate piracy, but if it's going to happen it should at least be difficult, and make the pirate work for the end product (Remember Starforce? Remember having to disconnect the DVD Drive to get the game to work?) - it's a step too far for most - and it's that level of enforcement that should ultimately appear on the PC, preventing the 'great unwashed' getting something for nothing ... with little or no effort. 

So if this gets the games companies there, frankly - I'm all for it.

All the more reason to use NoDVD hacks on the programs. The sad thing for them is that if the person is going through the trouble to fix their game, why even bother buying it in the first place?

… I am sure this is not going to deter me from enjoying what is arguably one of the best RPGs since Baldur’s Gate.

Know what would be great, if the various industries took all that money they put into littigation, advertising, snooping and DRM systems to stop copyright pirates into the police departments to hire more cops to stop real crimes.

Just use steam please instead of all these weird and (not so) wonderful 3rd party "solutions"! Steam's been doing this, very very well for years. You register the serial and just open steam up to play. All your games are nicely in one central hub with steam friends to communicate, and you can join their games, and they can join you online with a single click, and you have the option to play them offline once registered.

P.S not a steam salesman, honest!

How about you (developers/publishers) save some of that money you are pissing off on DRM and half-baked activation schemes that don't work and pass along some savings to the consumer (and maybe make some good games while you're at it too). If it's not worth the time and hassle to pirate software, then people won't do it. They have bought into this stupid content protection idea sold to them by the console makers. The PC version should be cheaper, because there is no "tax" to pay to the console maker, also the development of the game should have been paid for with the release of the console version a year earlier. I pay for my games, and I'd much rather play games on my beloved PC rather than the horrible excuse for hardware they call consoles (RRODs, read errors, etc... I have a purchased copy of God of War with no scratches that I got for Christmas that won't play on my PS2 because it can't read the disc). If pc gaming dies, it won't be because of piracy (though it will be a symptom), it will be because the developers and publishers and content owners killed it.

I said in another story that I wouldn't hesitate to buy a copy of GTA, and I wouldn't. I'm sure Rockstar is smarter than this...I hope...

These two games are another story. I'll download them to try them, but regardless of whether I like Spore and Mass Effect or not I will not buy them ever. Of course, the devs will chalk it up to "I pirated it because I could."

People are stupid and greedy, and will always be stupid and greedy. It's just how the human race is.

Really, PC gamers are amongst the worst copy-right infringers on the planet. It's been going on since the days of the floppy. I remember when working at a retail computer store a number of years ago and people would look at games available in store, then you'd here them say to each other, $40 dollars for that?! I can download it for free from usenet. Which that turned into Kazaa, BitTorrent, EDonkey, etc. 

While I enjoy the fact that I can find old games on BitTorrent, I look at comments on sites for new games and they're often posted by the hundreds for users thanking the 'cracking' team for bringing a great release to the 'stealing' community. I would guess that 1 person in 10 buys a PC game and the rest download pirated versions. For consoles probably 6 in 10 buy a legit copy. It's no wonder that game company's want to develop for consoles exclusively.

What attitude drives downloading pirated games? I think people often think, "I wouldn't buy the game anyhow even if I couldn't download it. So if I download a cracked version it's not hurting the developer because he never would have received money from me. Then the spirit permeates other games. Perhaps one you really enjoy but it had no DRM or it was a really easy one to crack. So why not buy it? Once you start stealing it becomes easier and easier to keep doing it. So why the DRM infested warez? We've done it to ourselves.

oh damn!...i here i was thinking about buying this game for PC, now, ill just wait for the hacked version, it should be alot simpler than the DRM filled ORIGINAL game.

...bastards.

with HalfLife 2 and pretty much people buyed their crap, so i think there will be two groups of Gamers:
The First, who gives a sh!t about online-activation.
The Second, who gives a sh!t about online-activation because they use a crack.

(Most of) Us users want to stay legal. I personally see nothing wrong with buying a software title and installing it on the five computers that I routinely use during the course of a week; especially if I am the only person using it and I can only use one copy at a time. 

If DRM gets in the way of fair use then piracy could be the answer; but it's not the whole answer. Buy the software title from a vendor; let it sit on the shelf unopened; now go and download the cracked version. The software company gets their money and you get to use it as you damn well please. Everybody wins.

Companies should just folow Bethesda's example. They didnt even have a cd key for oblivion, and gamers bought it out of pure respect for the series. Companies should trust its customers to go above the pirate scum and buy their games.

I am not a huge fan of DRM, but I would take a little of that to keep PC gaming going forward. People are always crying and moaning. Figure out a better way and patent it. Then see how good you feel when someone steals your idea and sells it out to other game companies. This is not apples to apples, but a theft is a theft and someone making money/benefiting from your hard work with out you receiving due compensation sucks. If that was years of your hard work being played by people who did not buy it, you would be putting DRM up the arse in it. Don't try to convince me otherwise. Good friends of mine try to convince me that they only download a pirated copy to "try" before they buy. However, they are only trying to convince themselves that they are not criminals. They finish the game and never buy it unless it sucks. They only seem to buy online MMO's only. 

I think the Steam model will be the way PC games are distributed in the future. I think they could do all the controls and checks with a central program etc and change encryptions on key files or some other non-sense.

My only other beef, now that I am in a bad mood. Hey Steam. I thought we were supposed to see big savings buying online instead of buying in the store. Prices seem about equal to me at release.


Companies should promise to release a patch one year after launching these games that shuts off the DRM. This way the games last forever. Also this is EA, why don't they have a steam like service? At least with Steam there is a trade-off, yes I have to log in, but I can also re-download my games again, great for when you have to reinstall Windows.

This protection scheme will be cracked and disabled anywhere from day 0 to a couple of weeks out, and from then on, anyone with a decent internet connection will be able to get the game completely free, just as always. 

Soon there will be two kinds of players of this game:

1.) The people who never even entertained the thought of actually buying it anyway.

2.) Those that legitimately buy it.

And those from camp 2 will probably increasingly drift over into camp 1 once activation snafus start treating them worse than like pirates anyway.

As long as companies insist on treating their own customers like scum or worse and continue to put out products that are markedly inferior to the pirated version, they will continue to lose, and they'll spend millions finding new ways to lose.

Of course piracy is rife within PC realm and publishers do lose money on those dodgy cracked copies but you would have to be a cretin to follow big brands' line of reasoning. All you folks who say "DRM should be built into GPU" are obviously not very well read, ivasion of privacy and invigilation in the name of profit? Yeah, right...

Ridiculous money is spent and made on DRM and this is down to absolute lack of technical knowledge amongst fat cats of gaming industry - they all seem to believe that SecuROM will protect they're games from piracy. IT WON'T, get it? IT WON'T.

Instead of trying to crack down on paying customers someone should perhaps explain that it'm much beter an idea to include some incentive with legal copy of the game. Corny as it sounds - perhaps a soundtrack CD, and stuff normally found in collectors' editions, a mug etc... anything that would make a game worth buying. Besides - I truly believe that a good game will defend itself - look at Stardock's Sins (...) which is currently a bestseller, sold on good reviews.

Wake up you dozy idiots, you're butchering the industry with obsessive control!

I'll be buying mass effect any way since, well, you know what? One can overlook the dodgy DRM when it comes from a Bioware game.

I know, i know.. it'll kick me in the precious when i do install it on my laptop and go hide under some rock precisely so i could play it uninterrupted but at least now i don't need to buy a volestation360 to play it.

On a plus side, i -want- these two games to succeed and the sales to be fantastic so the good gaming generes will finally be revived.

Aren't you people tried of the same-old fps/racing/safe game crap? Remember the good old RPG generes? Space games? Well they died because they -did not sell- and that.. that i blame on piracy.

Piracy is -usually- the better choice but please try and keep such games alive by actually buying them, mmmmkay?

This is incredibly retarded in that it now feels like I have a parent hovering over my shoulder constantly as I play the game. This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen a game developer do since Half-Life 2's slower-than-molasses install time. 

Why should I have to report to some big asscock DRM server when I damn game fair and square? It's how the economy works. We buy something, it's ours. Period. Regardless if Mass Effect really does satisfy or exceeds my expectations in gaming, it's going to be like eating baby back ribs that have been shat on. All of this is still ruined in that I feel like I have no control over what I JUST BOUGHT WITH MY OWN MONEY.

Way to fail, BioWare. To ThePirateBay I go!

Ebby, stop failing.

This only keeps away the noobs like LtChambers from playing. My life mate Madgouki and I have all the sweet hookups.

I really wanted to play spore, but if they're going to use SecureROM I will not buy it. -$50 for that choice, good job guys

Steam already limits users from playing games to some extent if there is no internet connection available.

When we'll really get problems with it is when Valve decide they're closing Steam down as a platform altogether - suddenly none of the games you've bought will be usable unless they re-release the game binaries in a format that don't rely on Steam at all to authenticate your purchases.

The point that software makers have yet to accept is that all software becomes available as hacked versions sooner or later. Usually sooner if its a popular product.

Consequently payment for software is almost always optional, and at the whim of the consumer. They need to update their business model to deal with this new reality.

The things that make people choose to pay and not download a free hacked version are largely because they want to support and encourage the developers to make more of the same.

The bottom line is adding DRM makes a product less appealing, and the majority of the PC gaming community aren't stupid enough to not know when a product has it any more.

I would have paid for Spore, but not with such stupidly intrusive DRM, so in my case they have lost a sale.

I still will play it though, just that I will just prefer a hacked version as hackers usually remove all that nasty phone home crap. My choice has nothing to do with the fact that the hacked version saves me $40 or whatever. Its all about the fact that I just don't like people using my computer for purposes other than what I want it to be doing without my permission. Nor do I like the thought of having to keep asking for permission to use something I paid for, so therefore (in my mind at least) I already own.

As for pulling numbers out of the air... all these numbers are from this year.

Claims 92% piracy on one of their games - http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=17350

Claims between 70% and 80% piracy - http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/news/37151/PC-Piracy-Rates-Lots-of-Cheap-Mofos

Discusses two reports on the Chinese market where one says 82% piracy and the other says 24% - http://www.danwei.org/intellectual_property/software_piracy_plummets_to_in.php

Claims the 75% to 80% piracy numbers - http://www.gamepro.com/news.cfm?article_id=165488

And... the forum that started the recent number throwing in the first place - http://www.quartertothree.com/game-talk/showthread.php?t=42663

So 90% is a little high, but not by much.

For the record, I haven't cracked a game since the original Quake though I have been known to hunt down NoCD / NoDVD hacks for games I legitimately own.

So looks like the game industry idiots are going to take as long as the audio/video idiots to realize DRM doesn't improve sales, and it's a costly measure that in the end only stops customers that would respect the concept in the first place (but might want to install a copy on their laptop and desktop).

This doesn't stop pirates, but it's definitely going to hurt sales. I now wouldn't buy either title even in a bargain bin ($5 for malware essentially then). 

Once companies stop focusing on the sale they think they could've gotten (from people who would never buy), and focus on delivering a good experience to those that do fork over the $50+ then they'll be thinking the right way, as someone mentioned, like Bethesda rather open setup for example.

Stop letting the accountants tell you how much money you're missing out on and focus on the bankers telling you how much money you're making.

Any DRM that stays after the game is gone/played is malware and essentially should be treated like a trojan, and avoid it more than eastern Euro porn sites with all their Seksy Babes.

I buy the games I play. I make enough money to afford them. But I no longer buy PC games with Securom or the other ill-behaved "copy protection" systems. They don't work to stop copying, but they do work to destabilize and damage the honest user's PC. This new scheme is ridiculous... and for the first time I plan to actually go seek out a cracked version of a game, because I really would like to play Spore. If I can find a cracked version, and it runs stably for a decent amount of time, I may go buy the game... but probably not. Not really much incentive, is there? Good job promoting "piracy", EA.

I was looking forward to getting this game but I am not buying it now. That's why I never bought the DRM infected Bioshock.
Bioware has sunk to a new low and their new boss EA can kiss my arse.
Glenn

Advert Online Interactivate Only Or Sue. Sue the whole bloody lot of them. Come on EUFeds. Does the package clearly state that one must become Online Interactive with a third party? Activation requires an inconvenient invasion of privacy. Who's to re-imburse me of the ISP cost? TELL ME. If COMCAST can't traffic cop, how can any "phone home" action be required? Was I mislead with a ring/ping thru my nose by some b!tch named Eula?

I can't understand how a buyer can defend not to be the owner of their stuff. With Steam, as with any DRM, you only buy the promise to be able to play... as long as the DRM maker sees fit.

If Steam goes south, goodbye to future installs, If Bioware servers go south, goodbye to playing you payed game.

I can see the next newsflash: "Bioware claims that piracy killed the PC version of Mass Effect". :-S.

And you know what? That's OK to me. There are a lot of great games DRM-free (from Bethesda, from Stardock, etc).

PIRATING:

Pros:
- Game runs faster
- No DRM or other bullshit

Cons:
- Can't play online

BUYING:

Pros:
- You can play online. Considering what the average "gamer" is like, I really should have put this under a Con. 

Cons:
- Game runs slower
- Requires installation of DRM that can slow down your entire system, and even in some cases destroy hardware

It's the same way with movies. Buy a movie and you have to sit through commercials and FBI warning, and it probably won't play at all on your computer. Pirate it, and you can do with it as you please. Hello?

Honestly, if you buy the game, what do you care if this phones home every now and then? If this works seamlessly in the background, it's not like you have to do a lot of extra suff and wait 30mins extra to be able to play. Those few secs it takes to authenticate the game and start it up, you won't even notice it.

And keep telling yourself that pirating is legal, just because game companies are using desperate measures to protect them.

Yeah, I was sceptical of steam at first, but then my ISP told me they have their own steam content server, and that any data from it is free (here in aus we have max limits per month... oh wait, you got those in usa as well) I don't mind leaving it going in the background.

As for the games being cheaper, here in aus they are about 1/2 to 1/4 what the shelf prices for the same game are, however there is one bad trend a few makers are following, only allowing usa people to buy their games via steam.

The best form of online checking imho was company of heroes expansion, when game starts it tries to verify code with head office, if it can't reach them, it asks for the CD/DVD, neat and importantly doesn't rely on the company always being there.

Wow, there are a lot of hypocrits in this thread! 

Exactly who's fault do you think it is that measures like this are required?

Thats right, every one of you that is whining that your so offended that your going to pirate the game instead.

If something like this will "make you" pirate the game then you are a pirate already. Your the ones killing the PC as a gaming platform, not the game makers. In fact they continue to make games in spite of idiots like you but how much longer that will go on for isn't looking good.

To set up a Bittorrent tracker and charge £5 to access it which goes directly to the games creators ?

The people that are making the big money in PC gaming are the Publishers and the end POS (point of sale - GAME, Game Station etc...), not the actual makers which is a shame.

As soon as they make it easier to obtain a game legally than illegally, people will flock to it. Just look at Steams income....

I'm sick of having to rebuild my PC because DRM has screwed it up somehow.

Fact:
SecuROM and MediaMax will NEVER EVER reside on my hard drive ever again if I am aware that it is there.

If a developer chooses to use them then I'm not buying the product.

It's just that simple.

I wonder why I have absolutely no problem shelling out all of my hard-earned money to buy anything Blizzard is creating, but when it comes to Electronic Arts, paying feels like getting stolen from. (Maybe because paying for a lightshow or a graphic show as gotten old?)

Like for music, DRM are a fiasco for computer games. The easiest it will be for your customers to get your content and to use it broadly, the more you will sell copies. Piracy is not a problem, it is a symptom of the idiocy of the industry led by over-the-hill baby boomers operating like we are in 1975.

The whole EA NHL series, is the perfect example of such mentality that wouldn't fly 10 meters in my industry. Since 2005, EA as more or less botched the PC release of NHL into a single cut & paste with new rosters. Customers CAN detect that and sells for the game went down fast.(As it should be expected.) This year EA announced that they would not be producing any PC version, the first time in 15 years. 

It's too bad that you have forgotten your roots Electronic Arts.

A big thank you to all the creators of modern drm systems. I used to like to buy at least one game a month, maybe two. But thanks to the fact that your copy protection schemes make it more trouble than its worth to play your unimaginative copy of a copy of a plot pedantic games. I now find that I save hundreds of dollars a year and spend a lot more time out in the shop making things, motorcycling, being mad scientist, etc.

Again, Thanks. I was looking forward to checking out Spore. Now I can go back to finding a gixxer motor for the sand rail I'm making instead.

I've loved playing games since the trs-80 days. But drm has cured my need to have the latest and greatest. I wonder how many more like me are out there. I'm guessing the number is getting larger.

And piracy is not the better alternative. A much better alternative is to raise a middle digit, say no thanks, no sale. You'll find out you don't really need anything they sell. They however DO need you. Most movies, music, and games coming out now are crap anyway. Go read a book, ride your motorcycle, or mow the lawn. You'll be glad you did.

cheers to the inq crowd...
roomtemp.

Supporters of this are just as myopic as the software developers. Stop piracy! What rubbish. Explain how a large amount of "Sofaware" is cracked even before its released. Its not the end users who are the pirates in all of this.

Standard operating procedure:

1. Game is released.
2. Check metacritic score.
3. Conclude that user review sites are largely a waste of time, after reading the 99th review to give BioShock 10/10.
4. Download pirated version (arrrr!).
5. Realise that it is over-hyped and does not deliver.
6. Uninstall.
7. Wait for next big thing to come along.

There's nothing clever about pirating quality software. But equally there's nothing clever about being suckered into buying rubbish either.

Used to be that all games had playable demos before release. Not so much these days. Wonder why that is.

Maybe it's because quality software is few and far between?

Windows is bad enough as to where you have to activate it after installation, but at least after that it leaves you alone. Phoning home every 10 days is nuts. Yep, I'm definatley going to pirate this one. F*ck EA and f*ck Bioware. Reasons like this are why PC gaming is dying.

Are ya'll serious? Play the game and have fun, who cares and if you are worried about DRM this...DRM that you have a really slow computer and you obviously dont want to play the game, because that (with DRM) is the only way to play. Get over it, who cares. Jeebus.

i was looking forward to spore and mass effect but not anymore. if they come out on steam without that ridiculous crap i will get them but otherwise i'll be downloading it as well.

of recent times i've been buying most of my games because i like the shiny tins sitting on my shelf and i also want them more for the multi-player. my next purchase was to be UT3 on steam because its much cheaper than the $89 that EB wants (i'm in Australia) but i didn't want to pirate it because the series is quite frankly worth paying for.

pirating games might be wrong but putting ridiculous copy protections on them is just as bad. they talk about piracy for their sales but they should be ignoring the pirates as part of their target market because they never have been and probably never will be their customers. 

Oh and i don't deny that i'm a pirate.

Share Ze Wealth!!

It's morphed into MMORPGs. We have Secure Rom issues with HOMM V not always recognizing our DVD drives, so we don't play it as often as older HOMM titles without Secure Rom.

What my wife and I do play over 20 hours a week is LOTR Online. We can enjoy a great CRPG and avoid the hassles that publishers inflict upon legal software owners through DRM.

I wanted both Mass Effect and Spore, but I'll just wait till they're available used for a price reduced PS3 years from now. I don't pirate games, hollywood movies or music, and I buy commercial versions of unlicensed fansubs when they become available, but I'm tired of half baked security software not acknowledging drives or having problems after upgrades as simple as switching to a different DVD drive.

Piracy is not the better choice. Not at all. The better choice is to pass on DRM heavy titles and to enjoy games that don't hassle legal players.

Since there are many of us who do not have our computer connected to the internet most of the time, how would that work? Would we have to call the support number every 10 days to get a manual override code from a tech support person? Or would the game be rendered useless until I took my desktop machine somewhere that had an internet connection?

I think it's the game publishers whom are the ones required to face reality.

There's a reason I haven't purchased a single game this year nor last year, and I absolutely refuse to purchase anything which controls the way I use my PC. (I don't pirate as well by the way since I've got a very heavy no-warez policy in place for security reasons… so it simply means I don’t really play any new games anymore, and I’m perfectly fine with that, since it’s the older games which are more fun anyway (DOSBOX for the win)).

I for one have Process Explorer (amongst a good number of other monitoring and logging utilities) running as long as my PC is up, and I have many reasons for running it, and SecuROB doesn't seem to like that fact.

I want to know in full detail what processes are running on my system which I have purchased and I own. I want to be able to see what handles are associated with each process. I want to be able to see if any process is accessing any portion of the registry or system it shouldn't be. I want to see if any processes have any active connections to the outside world when they shouldn't have.

Call me paranoid, but I need my system to be secure, and have a good lot of monitoring and logging utilities running in the background.

I do not buy into the idea that SecuROB needs me to quit some of my monitoring applications just because it thinks I'll be using them to debug the games executable for illegal practices. Bullscheiße.

How would SecuROB feel if Microsoft implemented a Windows fix which churns out an error "Windows will require any SecuROB-infected application to terminate before your Windows session may resume".

for the console version. omg, teh hassle, system requirements, draconian protection, teh pc is dead! anyway, they dont want you to play the game on your pc, they want 2 suck 60$ $$$ and then finish you off with horrible microtrasnaction / rraping sessions, with your pc you have mods, and free community content, they want to close and control the game (r) they want to do lees, charge more, and provide no support, answer to no one. EA and petete more> choke on my balls

All commercial software, so long as it's popular enough, will be pirated, regardless of how many copy-protection methods there are in play. Full stop.

Therefore it stands to reason that the more difficult, convoluted, awkward, lengthy or annoying you make "activation" or whatever, the more people will get their hands on pirated copies instead simply for ease (or to make a statement to the manufacturers) - never even mind the money. 

It's a classic case of shooting yourself in the foot. I want the software I use to have FUNCTIONALITY built in, not ANTI-FUNCTIONALITY.

One big problem is that 80 to 90 percent of top PC games get pirated, and that this lame sucking hell breed takes every lame excuse to justify their theft. The problem for honest people like me is completely exaggerated protection schemes that gets circumvented anyway. Basic problem: A profound amount of lack of insight (a.k.a. idiocy) on both sides. I didn't buy (nor play) Bioshock, nor will I buy (or play) any other Bioware title for that reason. Let them move to consoles and kiss PC gaming bye bye. Most PC gamers haven't deserved it any better.

I guess thats what ye' call an MMODRM... aye?

Arrg Mateyyy! :D

To steal a comment from the credits of Shameless and modify it a touch:

"Make Piracy history, cheaper games now!"

I don't mind shelling out £20 for a game, popping in my CD key and playing it. I do object to paying £35 for a game, installing its DRM malware, entering my CD key, then activating it online and having to look for a patch just so i can play it - out of the box...
So I miss out on a few titles, they miss out on all my hard earned cash... 
Who is missing hurt more, me or them?

I find it funny that I'm going to be moving to another city, to go back to school, and won't have any guarantee of a dedicated internet connection, any time in the near future...

This game and Fallout were going to be my stress-killers for the year... ...except that, well, on top of a full course-load, in order to kill stress, I'll need to go get a job to pay for a year of high-speed, just to play this single-player game...

I'd hate to say that I won't have a life - there are other things to do than play videogames, but I don't watch TV at all, DVDs are watched from my PC, I'm not about to take a bookshelf of previously1 read books into rez/rented room/bachelor (especially not given that reading will already be compulsory, and not much fun in the interim), I don't play MMOs, and I was going to use an iPod Touch to check e-mail, at one of hundreds of hotspots in the city...

Single-player games are what I have left, as far as relaxation time.
...except, apparently, not really...
Apparently, I need to have a cable bill to play them now, too.
To get around this and actually play the game, I have four options, come summer:

Get a job, on top of school, study, co-op and other obligations.
Download a neutered version of the game, to go along with the version that I purchase.
Pirate wireless internet from nearby sources, through rangeboosters, just to activate this game, every 10 days.
Unplug my desktop, and take a bus to the subway, to the train, to a bus, to walk to my mother's house, to borrow her internet... ...every weekend... ...for two years of school...

That this is like it is wonder if EA has anything to do with it since they own BioWare now. Was it on the cards when BioWare was independant hmmmmm we'll never know now.

It wont be long before someone cracks the dam thing look at BioShock thats been done.

With all this talk about PC game development or lack thereof going on, what will happen to all the hardware manufactures and small computer shops?

I mean no need for ASUS or BFG or anyone other major brand to release OC super fast expensive hardware every few weeks to keep the enthusiasts satisfied.

Nvidia and ATI/AMD only need to release graphic cards every 3-5 years really, based on console life cycles anyways.

just a thought

Why is no goverment have not acted yet on the ILLEGAL DRM problems. when i buy a game i pay for the right to play it FOREVER on any computer that i OWN PERIOD. I have a legal right to make a copy of the medium on witch the game is delivered to me, as DVD and cd can easly get damaged jutst by playing them. I enjoyed Bioshock, but the criminal company who put on the market never saw a penny and never will, because it is just stupid to install something on your computer that you know contains virus and other maleware. Company like biocrap should be punish and fined multi-bilions for volontery infecting peoples with maleware. Bioware is not a legitimate business and should be shutdown right now.

What do you expect after EA decided to prevent savegames from the Simpson game on the PS3 to be copied ? They have all right, they are gods.

The only goal of this new system is to spy on everyone's computer with the integrated trojan because you cannot block the IP addres to which it will connect after installation with your hardware firewall (Windows Firewall is bypassed by babies automatically when it's coming from the inside).

Steam is very different because after installation and patching, you can put the Steam client in Offline mode and play for 6 months while blocking a whole range of IP to prevent it from phoning home, I know, I did! 6 Months and Portal still work great, I just lack achievements.

Let's say the truth, EA is dyingly jalous of Blizzard Wow's "Guardian" that allow them at any time they choose to inspect the process, the bookmarks and other thing running on the computer (on the pretext of catching cheaters which might very well be true) but nothing prevent them from taking your tax return PDF files because you cannot check what it is doing and you are even banned if you try!).

It's interesting to see because I was sure the Offline mode was on Steam because of laws issues. Now EA is going all the way, I'm wondering how they will be sued...

If the game developers sold games cheaper instead of making the end user pay for all this expensive and totally useless DRM everyone would be a lot happier. Online music retailers have realised the futility of DRM when will other industries realise the same?

Pirating is no solution to the ideas drought in current commercial games development. Buy a game for 50 Euros, and watch more than 30 Euros go to stuff you never wanted (adverts, DRM ...), giving you a luke-warm idea that surely existed elsewhere before.
Look at glest and wesnoth - open source games with great gameplay. Surely, "it has been done before" and "it has been done better", but given enough enthusiasts, we can get a gaming idea that evolves from good to better, without the artificial speed bumps you get from companies that have to create revenue by reinventing the wheel.
I wouldn't mind playing "doomquake" version 7.4, with all the original maps still accessible, but gently updated to the latest eye-candy hardware has to offer...

Oh NOW I get it!

The real reason might not be to get information but to push information! EA already said their business model was unsustainable in the PC market (because nobody buy crap except in December). So the new 10 days activation is probably to allow their spam (eh, ads-based income) to be pushed to our PC. Problem is, in Canada, we pay for our bandwith so if they send us something, we pay for them (around 1$/gig). That’s one of the reason I block any unauthorized transfer at the hardware level.

Now with update each 10 days, they can assure their shareholder that the ads income will be steady even from people like me that block their IP ranges 24/7.

http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/5/9/

If they want to include desperate-grade DRM, they can use Steam. There needs to be ONE universal platform to ensure DRM servers' immortality.

This is the only way of not getting your customers sodomised, EA. And I don't like the idea of being sodomised. Especially not by the likes of you.

i don't play games. it's a waste of time and money.

Yes a removal patch will be release under a week from launch date. But it is not openly criminal bioware that will provide it.

DRM, by its very nature is illegal
DRM NEVER worked and never will
Why will i pay 60$ for a game full of maleware when i can get a clean version for free?
Consoles are not cash cow, you can easly can any console "Fix" easly and any console game is as easly download from the net then a PC game.

The only solution to piracy is making your product more attractive then the "free" version. LOWER PRICE, NO DRM and physical extra should do it. But this won;t happen until goverments arround the world put they pants on and OUTLAW DRM.

I just bought Mass Effect and it cant find the drive; bet any money this is part of the problem; now I read all this...

I read in the forums over there however that 10-day reactivation is not happening; dunno....

Now Spore????

Oh sure a client program that only needs to come online long enough for advertizing hits to my computer????????????????

I really liked the Idea of Spore - I am 50 and think its kind of cute.

If this game requires 10-day reactivation to keep it going just to ensure ads and MALEAWARE getting installed onto my Windows dirs without my knowledge and permission that is an invasion of privacy.......

So basically now the law is that when we use the internet, we are NOW totaly in the public domain, and release ourselves to information hell, voluntarily.

Half the Spyware programs infiltrate us to ad more spyware; this is getting worse and gamers are going to get slammed; we are paying enough for games; WE DONT NEED ADS AND MALEWARE.

This sucks.

And BTFW gaming helps with memory and eye-hand coordination; and I still mow the lawn and ride horses.

MB

Im not a young gamer
i grew up with a c64
all our games were cracked - 'cept the really old skool cartridges 

but those c64 games were really good. i lost interest when 'graphics' became preferred over gameplay, and systems had to be consistently upgraded.

My first game re-entry on a modern PC was a firaxis release. it was crap. constant probloems with hardware and software.

so i look isnt it..
seems i am a dinosaur for expecting a product sold will work!
new lingo like 'patches' and upgrades are the norm. WTF 

now im a working adult im AM ready to PAY for a good gaming experience. yeah got the CC at the hilt.
but i realise theres nothing worth buying now!

what you get for free can be worth more than what you can buy. i wish it werent, im actually able to buy now
but i wont , not until this garbage gest sorted out

Limited activations has nothing at all to do with piracy. EA is obviously looking to "cleanse" its customer base. All the smart customers won't buy the game and will find other ways to entertain themselves. The dumb ones will religiously dispense money from their credit cards every time they want to play. You know that comes next ........ pay for every minute of play ... because EA says so!