EA takes the cake and eats it too

The 'install three times' thing is terrible. I often uninstall/reinstall games after periods of not playing it.

Does this mean 3 installes on a max of 3 different machines?

I wrote about this in my Gamedev Journal today. I'm not at all pleased Spore's going to be lumped with this kind of thing.

The bit that really bugs me is that this kind of protection is basically sending the message that these companies don't trust their players (hence the need for re-occurring key checks). But we should trust them when it comes to all the potential problems with server crashes, CD key dupes, license renewals and future patches when the server get shut down.

They just won't learn.. oh well better go warm up utorrent for this one!

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Original post by Dave Does this mean 3 installes on a max of 3 different machines?

Probably not. A lot of the software industry seems to believe that fair use doesn't apply to games and so that you're "not allowed" to install your games on more than one machine.

This is the kind of crap that makes me want to pirate games just so I don't have to install rootkits on my machine. It's funny... I took a security class last semester and one of the first thing they taught us was how you had to draw the line somewhere between ignorance towards possible threats and paranoia. They are way beyond paranoia.

edit: I wouldn't actually crack a game but I probably would attempt what Yann L mentioned below.

Personally, I wouldn't see any ethical issues with buying the game and then cracking it for your own exclusive use. Of course this is still illegal, at least in the US (and probably in a few other jurisdictions as well).

Also, I'm pretty sure that the three times install limitation is illegal under EU consumer protection law.

What a great way to force even legit users into considering piracy.

Sorry but I don't see a problem with this as long as it doesn't give people much problems (see steam) . What I find REALLY amusing to say the least is reading the comments here from people calling or "considering" (assuming they don't do it already) pirating the game because they "feel offended" and don't like this new system of ensuring, or reducing if you want, pirated copies.

So according to some of you, you are in your right to pirate the game because you don't like this kind of DRM protection ? right. It's funny that after all these years people, and even game developers (they should know best), still see software as something different from a car or tv, that you must pay before using it. Maybe it's the untangible nature of software that somehow makes people think they can have it without paying.

You don't have a problem with publishers treating their customers like they were pirates? The security they are setting up won't keep their game from being pirated; all it will do is annoy their legimate users by forcing them to validate their copy constantly.

I don't think you can call modifying your own copy to protect your privacy "piracy" since you legally purchased a copy of the game.

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Original post by Gazillion I don't think you can call modifying your own copy to protect your privacy "piracy" since you legally purchased a copy of the game.

You didn't legally purchace a copy of the game. You purchased a license to play the game as long as you follow all of their rules for it's use.

Obligatory link from Stardock guy.

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Original post by tstrimp You didn't legally purchace a copy of the game. You purchased a license to play the game as long as you follow all of their rules for it's use.

PotatO PotAto. I gave them money to play, I have a legit copy, I shouldn't have to worry about my copy not being useable so they can have a false sense of security.

Legitimate users will have to get their copy validated every ten days. Pirated copies won't.

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Original post by Gazillion Quote: Original post by tstrimp You didn't legally purchace a copy of the game. You purchased a license to play the game as long as you follow all of their rules for it's use. PotatO PotAto. I gave them money to play, I have a legit copy, I shouldn't have to worry about my copy not being useable so they can have a false sense of security. Legitimate users will have to get their copy validated every ten days. Pirated copies won't.

Doesn't change the legality of cracking your "copy" of the game.

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Original post by ndatxcod So according to some of you, you are in your right to pirate the game because you don't like this kind of DRM protection ? right. It's funny that after all these years people, and even game developers (they should know best), still see software as something different from a car or tv, that you must pay before using it. Maybe it's the untangible nature of software that somehow makes people think they can have it without paying.

If your car had some electronic lock that meant you had to take it to the dealership every 10 days to get reset as a measure to prevent people stealing the car, I'm sure you'd consider removing the electronic lock too.
That's effectively what this is. Your game has to be unlocked every 10 days after you've already bought it.

If there was a simple way to deactivate this sort of check, on my own personal copy of the game (Whether by running it as a disc image, or patching it, or whatever), there's a strong probability that I'd do that in order to make the game easier for me to use - it all depends how intrusive the copy protection is for me.

Also, if you change hardware configs 3 times and get locked out of the game, can't you get a new copy of the game? Or take some sort of legal action? They're preventing you from using a product that you've paid for, which - as Yann L said - I'm pretty sure is against EU laws.

First of all, I'm an EA employee (not with the Mass Effect or Spore teams though), so make of that what you will.

I don't agree with limiting the install to three times; I hope that's reconsidered and removed. I don't know whether it's against the law, but I wouldn't be surprised. Valve were lambasted for requiring an internet connection with Steam products, but that's worked out pretty well. I am not, in principal, against some form of DRM on games, but this protection shouldn't include nasty hacks like root-kits, for reasons that should be obvious to everyone (including dev teams). I believe it's important (nay, very important) to ensure that people's hard work isn't being distributed for free, and having games touch base occasionally to make sure that they're still on the machine they were installed on, and that the person who paid to play the game is still the one playing it, is justified in my eyes.

The phrase "you've nothing to worry about if you're not doing anything wrong" is a dangerous one, and opens the door to potential loss of liberties, but there's a line, and I don't think this necessarily crosses it. Depends how intrusive it is, I guess.

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Original post by ndatxcod Sorry but I don't see a problem with this as long as it doesn't give people much problems (see steam) . What I find REALLY amusing to say the least is reading the comments here from people calling or "considering" (assuming they don't do it already) pirating the game because they "feel offended" and don't like this new system of ensuring, or reducing if you want, pirated copies. So according to some of you, you are in your right to pirate the game because you don't like this kind of DRM protection ? right. It's funny that after all these years people, and even game developers (they should know best), still see software as something different from a car or tv, that you must pay before using it. Maybe it's the untangible nature of software that somehow makes people think they can have it without paying.

Software is different than a car, if I came into your house without you knowing and burned a few of your discs and put them back in the same place you would have no idea. If I stole your car you'd probably notice.

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Original post by iNsAn1tY and that the person who paid to play the game is still the one playing it, is justified in my eyes.

So what's the next step then ? Mandatory fingerprint scan that is cross checked with the publishers DB before you can launch the game ? Or entry of your SSN/passport number during installation, such as the Chinese do it with webhosts ? Where do you draw the line ?

As I've said twice before now, I'll still be buying Spore but not for the PC and not first hand either; I picked up Mass Effect 2nd hand as well infact and the quality of the game is fine.

Consider that my protest; I get the game, for less, and EA doesn't get to see my money [smile]
At some point I'll probably pick up Bioshock 2nd hand as well for the 360 for the same reason, I disagree with the draconian measures being put forward.

I think Evil Steve covered it nicely with his post regarding cars. End of the PC games publishers have been making every increasingly complex and 'looking at what you are doing' methods of copy right protection, causing legimate users problems and in fact driving people towards piracy rather than stopping it.

Of course, as I said when the Bioshock thing was going down, it'll only be a matter of time until games are locked to consoles as well and the 2nd hand industry dies. At which point I guess I'll either give up gaming or just buy games where I'm not assumsed to be a criminal and have to prove I'm not every X days.

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Original post by phantom As I've said twice before now, I'll still be buying Spore but not for the PC and not first hand either; I picked up Mass Effect 2nd hand as well infact and the quality of the game is fine. Consider that my protest; I get the game, for less, and EA doesn't get to see my money [smile] At some point I'll probably pick up Bioshock 2nd hand as well for the 360 for the same reason, I disagree with the draconian measures being put forward. I think Evil Steve covered it nicely with his post regarding cars. End of the PC games publishers have been making every increasingly complex and 'looking at what you are doing' methods of copy right protection, causing legimate users problems and in fact driving people towards piracy rather than stopping it. Of course, as I said when the Bioshock thing was going down, it'll only be a matter of time until games are locked to consoles as well and the 2nd hand industry dies. At which point I guess I'll either give up gaming or just buy games where I'm not assumsed to be a criminal and have to prove I'm not every X days.

From the 2nd hand sales statistics ive been reading thats going to be the next jump for consoles next generation. I imagine they'll try pushing digital distribution via a steam like program pretty hard.

If its loaded to someones computer its going to be hacked, even MMOs are hacked and played on private servers. The only people who are effected are those who don't pirate.