Mass Effect PC Includes Serious Security Measures (http://blog.wired.com/games/2008/05/mass-effect-pc.html)

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:That is correct. And I would suggest that you contact EA Support the moment this happens (once you get your internet back) to report the issue. If there are people having problems with the system as designed, then Support needs to hear about it so they can help us evaluate it for the next game title.To the PC gamers in the crowd, would these kind of security protocols prevent you from buying a game you were excited about?

Copy Protection/Activation (http://masseffect.bioware.com/forums/viewtopic.html?topic=628375&forum=125&sp=15) [Mass Effect Forums, via The Angry Pixel (http://theangrypixel.com/blog/2008/05/06/mass-effect-pc-cd-protection/)]

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Great game and I recommend you guys play it but this is just overboard.

At this point it's easier to pirate the game than it is to play it legally. Something is very wrong with that.

Sounds like a pain in the ass for anyone who actually buys the game. How many days is it gonna take to crack this one?

Sounds like a pain in the ass for anyone who actually buys the game. How many days is it gonna take to crack this one?

I give it 3-4 weeks tops. It took only 2 for Bioshock. But looks like I'll have to wait to play this one because I don't intend on paying for it since I'm not really big into RPG's. I'll play it for a little bit if I can get a cracked version but I doubt this is going to impede into my GTA playing time.

Looks more like EA requirement than Bioware

Online check is already stupid (User might be at a location without Internet or access to EA server) ...follow by 5 to 10 days to recheck is even worse.

How does this affect ownership transferring.

Sad to see game publisher hasn't seen the light of MP3 DRM problem.

Treating your customer like criminal and forcing some to seek "alternative" to play their games when it doesn't work.


You got to be kidding me
Quote: Posted 05/03/08 21:28 (GMT) by Kevin Lynch

Sure, I have an always-on net connection but what happens if I don't play for 11 days and the moment I want to play my connection is down? Are you saying I'm not going to be able to play my perfectly legitimate purchased copy of the game, even the retail version, until I get permission?

That is correct. And I would suggest that you contact EA Support the moment this happens (once you get your internet back) to report the issue. If there are people having problems with the system as designed, then Support needs to hear about it so they can help us evaluate it for the next game title.

LOL!! Foot meet bullet, bullet meet own foot!

Funny that the crack will just bypass the CD code anyways, so this is really a burden on the legit consumer.

Funny that the crack will just bypass the CD code anyways, so this is really a burden on the legit consumer.

Yep...

And I went in bioware forum site and voice my displeasure.

If they insist on sticking with these measures then instead of buying Mass Effect, just ignore it. Don't buy it, don't pirate it (so you don't give them something to complain about), just ignore it.

Instead, buy Sins of a Solar Empire, which has no DRM whatsoever and is also highly rated/recommended.

If they insist on sticking with these measures then instead of buying Mass Effect, just ignore it. Don't buy it, don't pirate it (so you don't give them something to complain about), just ignore it.

Instead, buy Sins of a Solar Empire, which has no DRM whatsoever and is also highly rated/recommended.

:iagree:

Or Galatic Civilizations II.

Wow one interesting post...if EA were to take over Take-Two you will be seeing it on GTA IV for PC :eek:

Yikes Bioware is being called a sellout. I guess they will be going down the road of studio getting shutdown.

If they insist on sticking with these measures then instead of buying Mass Effect, just ignore it. Don't buy it, don't pirate it (so you don't give them something to complain about), just ignore it.

Instead, buy Sins of a Solar Empire, which has no DRM whatsoever and is also highly rated/recommended.

I second that. The developers of Sins of a Solar Empire have really put a lot of trust into their customers with no DRM at all. They also patch the game very well and often so I feel like they should be commended for that. It's a great game and I suggest downloading the demo to see if you'd like it. It's also only $40 now I think.

Yep...

And I went in bioware forum site and voice my displeasure.

Have they voiced their lack of interest in what the consumers have to say yet?

I don't understand why they keep doing this. It's a given that someone will crack this DRM. All you're doing is pissing off your legitimate consumers.

Even worst SPORE might have same security check depending how this turns out.

The funny thing is the more they do this, the more it excites some people, because they kinda see it as a 2-for-1 deal. They get the game it self, but they also get to play the even more exclusive game of being one of the first people to crack the game. The stronger the protection, the more challenging (and I'd assume) fun for the hackers.

I go months without anything but tethering to my phone...looks like games like this or atleast with the protection are now off limits....

Wow somebody already hit 3 activation limits
http://www.simprograms.com/?p=692
This is proven to be true by a guy over at the Mass Effect forums. He registered and started to play the game (Activation #1). Well, when he tried to play the game he had strange artifacts on his screen. Thinking it was an OS-related issue, he reinstalled XP and reinstalled the game (Activation #2). Finding out that it didn’t help the problem, he soon figured out it was his graphics card struggling. Well, he bought a brand new card and that solved the problem (this triggers Activation #3). Game ran fine for a short period of time (2 days) and he played thru it and completed the game. Well, a week after that, he decided he wanted to run thru the game again. This is where he stumbles upon this error:

“The game can not start. For security reasons, only a limited number of machines can ever be licensed by a single purchase. This limit has been reached. Please purchase another registration code, reinstall, and then try again.”

There is no doubt that EA will try to include this new version of SecuROM on Spore and possibly The Sims 3….and if it is, we are going to encounter some very serious problems. Heck, I can’t even count the times I had to reinstall the games, upgrade my hardware and reformat…

You know, come to think of it…EA is doing this to prevent piracy of their games, but it’s only hurting us legal customers. Look at this:

If you are a Pirate:

* BAD: You do have the same bugs that those with legal copies have, plus new ones depending on how the cracked copy was programmed.
* GOOD: Unlimited Activations!
* GOOD: No SecuROM to deal with
* GOOD & BAD: It’s free, but illegal

If you are a Legal Customer:

* BAD: Limited to 3 Activations
* BAD: Your computer is plaqued with SecuROM
* BAD: Game contains errors and bugs
* GOOD & BAD: You support Maxis by purchasing the game, but you are also supporting EA, and if you support them, you support SecuROM

Honestly…what looks better to you?


Also they are running in the same problem as Bioshock...uninstall doesn't remove activation token. So if you had to go through 3 activation...you are screwed.