EA = SecureRom

[Maximilian]

Originally posted by: irishScott
If I like a game, I will buy it. Period. If in the future there is enough support to effectively boycott EA I'll gladly join in, however, doing so now would do nothing productive.

Right now everyone on internet forums screaming OMG SECUROM BOYCOTT!!!1 is about as effective as the DRM in question.

Yeah because when there was a big outrage about bioshocks DRM and they did absolutely nothing about that, not a damn thing happened... :roll:

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
:thumbsup: I bought the PC Mass Effect despite the DRM because it runs much better on a good PC than on the 360. I figure the first 3 activations will last 4-6 years before I have to call EA support.

As a big plus, I can play without the DVD disc. Very nice since I'm often juggling several games at once and swapping discs is a pain.

Now that I finally installed Steam for Orange Box, digital downloads also seem more appealing.

DRM may be evil, but it currently makes business sense to the publishers so I'll live with it. Especially if they offer positive features like running without a disc.

So you think that DRM is fine because EA told you so and because you dont have to push a button twice and put a cd in a tray.... christ.... you are a very easily pleased customer :roll:

 

[coloumb]

Originally posted by: natebigdawg
I have yet to have dealt with the latest SecureRom DRM protection but it sure appears to be very flawed. The only hope I can guess is that with EA being exlusive with SecureRom, they will have funding to improve their product and service. I think that it is fair for the expectation to be that most people with a computer are expected to be connected to the internet in some form or another especially the gaming community. It is similiar to Digital signal deadline with the TV industry. People will have to upgrade get a TV signal.

I don't see why SecureRom does not have a similiar system in place much like steam where you can play games in offline mode for people who just dont wanted to be connected at all time. I think that it is reasonable to say that all people with a computer that game atleast know someone that has internet that they could atleast bring their computer over and connect to register their game and then go home and play in offline mode. That is a little bit of a hassle but that is what technology is sometimes.

In the end, I think this just presents yet one more obstacle for crackers to circumvent the security which challenge they love to have.

Steam has DRM ..in a different mutation.

Your account is linked to every game you buy from STEAM. You have to "activate" [purchase] the game on-line in order to download [install] it onto your computer - which you can then play off-line if you wanted to.

 

[AlgaeEater]

The funny thing is, I've never had a problem with EA games. (Yet of of course, but so far no issues)

BUT.....

I really don't like how they treat other people with legit problems. It's like shopping at your favorite store with low prices. You shop there without a hitch for years, but the moment you run into a problem and need to return something, they say "Screw you, you're on your own. NO RETURNS".

I guess that's just my two cents on the entire issue.

 

[EvilComputer92]

For anyone who thinks that boycotting EA games will actually lead to something, one only needs to look at the recent NPD data

Top selling console games

360 Madden NFL 09--1M
PS3 Madden NFL 09--643K
PS2 Madden NFL 09--424.5K

There is no way EA is going anywhere with sales like that for a title that is practically a carbon copy of the previous year. There is a huge market for EA games, and they are not going out of business anytime soon.

 

[GundamSonicZeroX]

Originally posted by: EvilComputer92
For anyone who thinks that boycotting EA games will actually lead to something, one only needs to look at the recent NPD data

There is no way EA is going anywhere with sales like that for a title that is practically a carbon copy of the previous year.

It's the best a customer can do. I do agree with you that EA isn't going anywhere in the near future. Unless the average Joe gets tired of the same game with different rosters, I think the best we can hope for is for EA to buy out too many devs and run itself to the ground.

 

[Maximilian]

Originally posted by: AlgaeEater
The funny thing is, I've never had a problem with EA games. (Yet of of course, but so far no issues)

BUT.....

I really don't like how they treat other people with legit problems. It's like shopping at your favorite store with low prices. You shop there without a hitch for years, but the moment you run into a problem and need to return something, they say "Screw you, you're on your own. NO RETURNS".

I guess that's just my two cents on the entire issue.

If only more people cared about their fellow gamer. Thats what ticks me off about some of these people who claim EA is great and they have never had a problem, very selfish. I cant stand EA because they wrecked two of my favourite franchises, but i also dont like them any because of what i read about them on wikipedia and what people are telling me about their sports franchises being copy/paste jobs (i dont even like sports games but as a gamer i think those that do like them should be treated better), i also couldnt give a toss about half of the companys they take over... but i know what they did to westwood and maxis, companys i did give a toss about so i feel for the gamers who are actually fans of dice or bioware etc so it just gives me more reasons to boycott them. Just have a look at this as well:

http://forums.electronicarts.c...s-server-problems.html

Thats just on the UK site alone, theres plenty of other complaints over at the .com site. EA is the skoda of the gaming industry and i will never support such a bad company. For those of you who just dont give a rats ass about gaming in general and are happy because you have had no problems (yet) dont come back here crying when you do encounter them, because i can almost guarantee that you will encounter a problem and there wont be a patch for it or any decent support at all!

 

[JackBurton]

Originally posted by: coloumb
Nothing short of a mass boycott of ALL EA's games [including console games] will make them take notice. PC games of late seem to be console ports - so most gamers probably don't care. Why put up with all the crap installing a PC game when you can just buy a $300.00 console and not have to worry about it?

Exactly. And that's one of the main reasons I stopped gaming on my PC.

 

[videogames101]

Originally posted by: novasatori
steam doesn't solve anything cause you can't share or resell games

steam is good, yes, if you're the only one playing it...

what if my wife wants to play tf2 or something, and I want to play cs:s? we can't without 2 accounts, which is ridiculous

Lol, make 2 different accounts then, but steam is the best DRM scheme currently in use, in fact it makes games MORE convenient for solo gamers. Like, i'd rather download a game on steam, because I can download the game on any computer and play, and I don't have to go to eb games or something to buy the game.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: Maximilian

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
:thumbsup: I bought the PC Mass Effect despite the DRM because it runs much better on a good PC than on the 360. I figure the first 3 activations will last 4-6 years before I have to call EA support.

As a big plus, I can play without the DVD disc. Very nice since I'm often juggling several games at once and swapping discs is a pain.

Now that I finally installed Steam for Orange Box, digital downloads also seem more appealing.

DRM may be evil, but it currently makes business sense to the publishers so I'll live with it. Especially if they offer positive features like running without a disc.

So you think that DRM is fine because EA told you so and because you dont have to push a button twice and put a cd in a tray.... christ.... you are a very easily pleased customer :roll:

Not that simplistic. I accept DRM as a necessary evil for game publishers to keep supporting the PC and not going console exclusive.

If I have to live with DRM, I'm pleased by a form that only requires effort every 4-5 years while saving me a small bit of effort every time I start the game. Once I've stopped needing the manual I can put the game away until I need to install it on a new PC.

 

[mindcycle]

Originally posted by: EvilComputer92
For anyone who thinks that boycotting EA games will actually lead to something, one only needs to look at the recent NPD data

Top selling console games

360 Madden NFL 09--1M
PS3 Madden NFL 09--643K
PS2 Madden NFL 09--424.5K

There is no way EA is going anywhere with sales like that for a title that is practically a carbon copy of the previous year. There is a huge market for EA games, and they are not going out of business anytime soon.

Sure they're not going anywhere anytime soon, but if no one buys their SecuROM infested titles then they might reconsider using it. That's the whole reason i'm boycotting them, not to put them under as a company..

 

[Canai]

My thoughts? EA games aren't even worth pirating, much less purchasing.

 

[mrblotto]

d'oh...nm

 

[coloumb]

Originally posted by: AlgaeEater
The funny thing is, I've never had a problem with EA games. (Yet of of course, but so far no issues)

BUT.....

I really don't like how they treat other people with legit problems. It's like shopping at your favorite store with low prices. You shop there without a hitch for years, but the moment you run into a problem and need to return something, they say "Screw you, you're on your own. NO RETURNS".

I guess that's just my two cents on the entire issue.

Hey - that reminds me of when I had to deal with the Bay Area Fry's stores. They love you if you buy stuff... but man.. if you try to return something - they'd treat you like you were the scum of the earth...

 

[HannibalX]

I won't buy any game with a limited number of activations.

I reload my PC to often to deal with that nonsense.

 

[bullbert]

The software industry has been working toward perpetual software rentals since the mid-1990s. Even Bill Gates went all turged over the thought of being able to bill you for each boot or reboot of Windows or Office, until the thought of hiring quality designers to specify and implement flew in direct opposition to his new L1 policy. EA is just late to the game, but closing the gap quickly.

I am surprised it has taken the publishers this long to get this close. They have yet to fully realize $50 game rentals, with no option to resell, but they are getting closer and closer to that goal.

 

[AlgaeEater]

Originally posted by: coloumb

Originally posted by: AlgaeEater
The funny thing is, I've never had a problem with EA games. (Yet of of course, but so far no issues)

BUT.....

I really don't like how they treat other people with legit problems. It's like shopping at your favorite store with low prices. You shop there without a hitch for years, but the moment you run into a problem and need to return something, they say "Screw you, you're on your own. NO RETURNS".

I guess that's just my two cents on the entire issue.

Hey - that reminds me of when I had to deal with the Bay Area Fry's stores. They love you if you buy stuff... but man.. if you try to return something - they'd treat you like you were the scum of the earth...

Hahaha, small world. I was thinking of Fry's in my head when I made the analogy.

I never had an issue returning stuff to the City of Industry Fry's. They give me the usual run-around inspection, but I always got my refund/store credit.

 

[IEC]

SecureROM is a bitch.

When you have to download hacked up files to play the game you BOUGHT... don't even get me started about activations being equivalent to renting...