DRM:1, Legit Consumer:2, Dev: ∞ - Yet another story. (Updated: Happy endings for all)

[SunnyD]

Still haven't heard a peep from Runic.

[power_hour]

Originally Posted by SunnyD

Still haven't heard a peep from Runic.

bummer

[ZeroRift]

Dang, this game was on my list to purchase, but if Runic won't help you (and others like you) then they won't receive a dime from me.

[jimrawr]

OP, thanks for the information. I will avoid this game like the plague. Sick of buying a game and having issues playing it with no response from the developer. The Walking Dead was my latest frustration literally could not get a save game to work (i am one of MANY people) and the company does nothing about it.

Avoiding this game even if it goes down to $1.00

[AyashiKaibutsu]

I'm glad this came up actually. I was thinking of getting it when it's cheap, and I wouldn't have guessed it had full retard DRM until it was too late.

[ImpulsE69]

This is one of my bigger concerns about companies these days. They just don't seem to care. You would think that with the way bad news travels on the internet today, companies would want to head off bad press as fast as they could.

The Walking Dead is a prime example. It's VERY well documented all over about the save game issues, (which do have fixes figured out by the community), but they have YET to put out a patch that addresses it.

I do not like the "we got your money and you can't get a refund or resell it so f u" attitude that seems to be so prevalent.

[Dark Shroud]

This is why I tend to wait now to buy PC games. I wait for the Gold, Game of the Year, or similar version that has the patches and and DLC in one pack.

There are plenty of other games for me to play out there instead of fiddling to no end having to call tech support from the company because of DRM issues.

[tbaldree]

Hey guys, sorry for the trouble!

Our current operating theory is that this is Windows 8 or Win 8 upgrade related.
We've done tests and haven't reproduced it yet on Windows 8 (even with the preview before it was officially released). We are assuming right now that it is somehow account/folder related, and that the license has gone sideways as a result.

Normally you shouldn't have to do ANYTHING really for reactivation to work - it just does it on the next restart.

From the screenshot, it looks like you're Win8 too.

The support team is going back through the tickets now looking for any that are overlooked or dangling related to this.

For anybody stuck while we try to figure out what's going on, we should be able to give you a Steam key so you can keep playing in the interim.

Again, very sorry for the difficulty. We'll do our best to figure it out quickly.

[Sable]

Serves them right for installing that tablet garbage.

[ZeroRift]

Originally Posted by tbaldree

For anybody stuck while we try to figure out what's going on, we should be able to give you a Steam key so you can keep playing in the interim.

This would go a long way to mending fences for me, even though I haven't purchased TL2 (yet?).

However, we have no way of knowing if you actually work for Runic. Is there an official announcement on Runic's site you can reference? How should affected players go about obtaining said steam key?

[SunnyD]

Originally Posted by tbaldree

Hey guys, sorry for the trouble!

Our current operating theory is that this is Windows 8 or Win 8 upgrade related.
We've done tests and haven't reproduced it yet on Windows 8 (even with the preview before it was officially released). We are assuming right now that it is somehow account/folder related, and that the license has gone sideways as a result.

Normally you shouldn't have to do ANYTHING really for reactivation to work - it just does it on the next restart.

From the screenshot, it looks like you're Win8 too.

The support team is going back through the tickets now looking for any that are overlooked or dangling related to this.

For anybody stuck while we try to figure out what's going on, we should be able to give you a Steam key so you can keep playing in the interim.

Again, very sorry for the difficulty. We'll do our best to figure it out quickly.

Thanks Travis for jumping on AnandTech and welcome to our humble abode. We love you here (which is why I personally haven't raised holy hell - I know you guys are going to work on it, and in fact I finally got a reply from Ben on my ticket so thanks).

But one thing - and I hope you guys keep an eye on this thread - as my original post mentions, my issue has NOTHING to do with Windows 8. I run Windows 7. My issues happened after a motherboard/CPU upgrade on the same existing OS.

I am more than happy to help you guys iron this one out. Feel free to use me as a guinea pig.

I have a hypothesis, given you have a tool to "clean" the license on the machine and it's not working. Given I am responsible for software licensing for the company I work for, I'm thinking you might be doing something similar to what we do. But anyway... like I said, you guys are more than welcome to use me as a test bed should you see fit.

Originally Posted by ZeroRift

This would go a long way to mending fences for me, even though I haven't purchased TL2 (yet?).

However, we have no way of knowing if you actually work for Runic. Is there an official announcement on Runic's site you can reference? How should affected players go about obtaining said steam key?

Good enough for me. Pretty sure random people won't go signing up pretending to be Travis Baldree and telling people Runic will be happy to offer up a free steam key for Torchlight 2 to get people up and running for "in the meantime".

[BrightCandle]

Yikes what a fiasco. Days on days for a response and no idea why its broken. That is terrible service so far and its a terrible response to a game that simply won't work. I don't see why you are so happy, they have misdiagnosed your problem, and not fixed it.

DRM, the reason games companies are alive and the reason the pirate bay is so busy. DRM is truly the double thinkers choice.

[BrightCandle]

Looks like you might get your resolution soon now its international news: http://www.pcgamer.com/2013/01/09/to...ws-8-as-cause/

Its certainly not just Windows 8 though.

[lupi]

So only non-steam versions are effected?

[Pr0d1gy]

hmmmm, maybe I should try out my copy of this...

[WT]

Similar thing happened to me recently with Popcap's 'Plants Vs. Zombies' game. My AMD 780G board blew up so I replaced it with an AMD 880G board and the game reported that my hardware had changed significantly and would not run.
Popcap support led me to a thread to delete two files from the PC and reinstall, but it never worked. And thus ended my interest in playing games on my HTPC after that.

[JediFreeman]

This is only for non-steam versions, and we are actively investigating things - if you are experiencing this problem and have not yet contacted support, send an email to support@runicgames.com and I will personally be taking care of your ticket.

Ben Evans
Runic Webmaster

[SunnyD]

Originally Posted by JediFreeman

This is only for non-steam versions, and we are actively investigating things - if you are experiencing this problem and have not yet contacted support, send an email to support@runicgames.com and I will personally be taking care of your ticket.

Ben Evans
Runic Webmaster

You're already handling my ticket, Ben. I'm awaiting the next step in this process.

[TJCS]

Originally Posted by SunnyD

Good enough for me. Pretty sure random people won't go signing up pretending to be Travis Baldree and telling people Runic will be happy to offer up a free steam key for Torchlight 2 to get people up and running for "in the meantime".

My first thoughts exactly as ZeroRift. Some guy goes on an open forum with no title, name, and doesn't state that he is even associated with Runic says he will provide free steam keys(in exchange for your runic one i suppose). This could have been an opportunity for further ownage.

Glad to see that your issue is finally being addressed by Runic support. Having to post on AT in order to play a game you bought and paid for is no way to enjoy a game.

[BrightCandle]

Originally Posted by TJCS

Glad to see that your issue is finally being addressed by Runic support. Having to post on AT in order to play a game you bought and paid for is no way to enjoy a game.

I don't think its resolved yet, the op has at least got an initial response but last update says nothing about being able to play the game.

OP do you have your steam key yet?

[JediFreeman]

SunnyD - can you send a reply into your support ticket so I can note which one is yours? Thanks.

[ZeroRift]

Originally Posted by SunnyD

Good enough for me. Pretty sure random people won't go signing up pretending to be Travis Baldree and telling people Runic will be happy to offer up a free steam key for Torchlight 2 to get people up and running for "in the meantime".

I concede that it sounds implausible, but my own experience makes me cynical. Ultimately, it's not who he's claiming to be, it's what he's claiming to offer. It doesn't matter who it actually is, but a forum post by a random member is not a legally binding response to your issue.

I'll believe it when I see it: When you and the other affected people in this thread report back that you have a steam key. Until then, all this is, is lipservice.

Until now, Runic has had a very good reputation both for execution and customer service. If they do follow through with a steam key work-around (or something similar) in the interim, that reputation will be maintained in my perspective.

[BrightCandle]

Originally Posted by ZeroRift

Until now, Runic has had a very good reputation both for execution and customer service. If they do follow through with a steam key work-around (or something similar) in the interim, that reputation will be maintained in my perspective.

I would not call 7 days from non working to working "very good" customer service. Its actually pretty poor. But its not there yet, that day counter keeps going up and up as this saga continues.

[Tweak155]

Originally Posted by JediFreeman

SunnyD - can you send a reply into your support ticket so I can note which one is yours? Thanks.

Can't you provide SunnyD a steam key in the meantime as suggested above? Not exactly doubting tbaldree's post, just hoping this actually takes place.

[JediFreeman]

Originally Posted by Tweak155

Can't you provide SunnyD a steam key in the meantime as suggested above? Not exactly doubting tbaldree's post, just hoping this actually takes place.

I have already replied to several support tickets regarding this issue, both doing further investigation and providing Steam keys.

Unfortunately I cannot confirm I have given SunnyD a key until I know which support ticket belongs to SunnyD, hence why I asked for a quick message to be sent by SunnyD so I know which ticket is theirs.

I cannot send PMs on this forum as I am too "new" a member, so I can only ask SunnyD via this post to let me know which ticket is theirs.

Meanwhile, I am replying to all of the tickets with this issue personally and going through the steps to get everyone working as quickly as possible.