New copy protection comming for Spore and Mass Effect (EA)

requires activation every 10 days

http://masseffect.bioware.com/forums/viewtopic.html?topic=628375&forum=125
from Sins Forums
let me quote from Source


Mass Effect uses SecuROM and requires an online activation for the first time that you play it. Each copy of Mass Effect comes with a CD Key which is used for this activation and for registration here at the BioWare Community. Mass Effect does not require the DVD to be in the drive in order to play, it is only for installation.

After the first activation, SecuROM requires that it re-check with the server within ten days (in case the CD Key has become public/warez'd and gets banned). Just so that the 10 day thing doesn't become abrupt, SecuROM tries its first re-check with 5 days remaining in the 10 day window. If it can't contact the server before the 10 days are up, nothing bad happens and the game still runs. After 10 days a re-check is required before the game can run.
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on page 2 he says:

Yes, EA is ready for us and getting ready for Spore, which will use the same system.
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They made a FAQ about the copy protection, heres a quote of the most relevant stuff

Q: Why does MEPC need to reactivate every 10 days?

A: MEPC needs to authenticate every 10 days to ensure that the CD key used for the game is valid. This is designed to reduce piracy and protect valid CD keys.


Q: What happens if I want to play MEPC but do not have an internet connection?

A: You cannot play MEPC without an internet connection. MEPC must authenticate when it is initially run and every 10 days thereafter.


Q: What happens if I install and activate MEPC with an internet connection, but then do not have an internet connection after 10 days? Can I still play MEPC?

A: No. After 10 days the system needs to re-authenticate via the internet. If you do not have an internet connection you will not be able to play until you are reconnected to the internet and able to re-authenticate.


Q: Does the game re-authenticate every 10 game play days or every 10 calendar days?

A: It re-authenticates based on calendar days, not game play days.
End of quote


WTH is this all about?? :( ha, they seem to be asking for people to pirate there game so they can play without an internet connection.

And whats with the every 10 day activation?? so if your internet is gone for more then 10 days, you CANT play your legal bought game... :(

worst copy protection in history
786,272 views 313 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
Not buying anything that uses Securom. Oh well, I wasn't that interested in Spore.
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I couldn't believe it until I ran through the posts. Yes, every 10 days it requires the Internet so you can continue to play your SINGLE PLAYER GAME.

I mean hell, even with Steam, after the first on-line authentication, you can put Steam in offline mode and play it without the 'net forever.

I thought the Bioshock fiasco on week of release with the servers going down was bad. This is beyond worse.

-HM
Galactic Civilizations IV
Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top
Stupid for two reasons:

1. Beat game within 10 days (it's SP after all)
2. Just make a crack that says "oh hey i communicated with the server"
3. 'Private' server ala Audiosurf

This sort of thing has been defeated so many times.
Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top
Err, that should be three :p
Reply #5 from Sins Forums Top
Well I *was* looking forward to Mass Effect.. now I don't know. Not that I'd have problems authenticating it every 10 days, but it's still the stupidest copy protection method.

Meh. I'll probably suck it up and get it, anyway. Maybe it'll end up on Steam.
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Honestly, how often is you internet down? How about for entire days? It might be slow at times, but how often is it downright down?

Not directed at anyone except pirates: You are the reason we have to deal with this crap. Purchase the damn game and have some honor. Should we be angry at companies who take necessary action? Should we be mad at soldiers for taking necessary action in times of war? Dire circumstances require dire actions.

Next time your friend pirates software report him/her to authorities.

If people weren't a bunch of chicken s@$%@# gutless coward thieves, we could all enjoy the games we buy with hard bought money.

Reply #7 from Sins Forums Top
There could be a lawsuit coming here pretty quick.
Reply #8 from Sins Forums Top
Believe it or not, there are pc gamers out there that don't have internet. It's a dumb move.

Besides, I don't do phone home software, end of story. I tolerate steam since it gives useful functionality in return for being a nanny. It runs off-line till I check for updates as well. Until it's cracked or they give up on the latest idiocy, spore's out for anal retentive bastards that dislike nanny software.
Reply #9 from Sins Forums Top
Wow...every 10 days? I wanted to get Mass Effect, but this is a deal breaker and the exact reason why I passed on Bioshock in favor of another game. However, I'm much more interested in Mass Effect than what I was Bioshock (I thought Bioshock was another run-of-the-mill FPS game even after playing the demo). Perhaps I'll do to Mass Effect what I did to Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 Wild (yes me, a grown man, plays roller coaster tycoon, or used to at least). RCT3 Wild had a really nasty version of Securom that checked for the cd so often that it slowed the game down to less than 5 FPS for the first 3 or 4 months it was released (it took them that long to fix the problem). It was so abysmal people had to run the pirated version or a working no-cd patch (a couple of early versions didn't work) and lots of people got banned or ban warnings from the official forums. Personally, I had bought the legal copy but ran the pirated version because Securom was so bad. I might end up doing the same with Mass Effect. Ironic isn't it? I didn't play the copy I legally paid for--I played a pirated version while the boxed copy sat collecting dust.

I really absolutely despise these online activation things because I have a tendency to play really old games every so often. What happens a decade or two from now when I try to go back to play a game like this? Will I still be able to activate it and play? I doubt it and that's the problem.

Btw, I'm a laptop gamer. It's common that I'm somewhere without an internet connection or that I don't want to pay to connect to that internet connection. I also could be out in the woods, up an office tower, on vacation on a remote beach, or some other random location where internet is not available.
Reply #10 from Sins Forums Top
This sucks hard core. I was really psyched about Mass Effect. Now... not so much. And yes, I know my internet connection is rarely down, but it's the principle of the thing.

Phone home every ten days? Reactivate after 3 installs (and it's possible that some hardware changes could eat up one of your three free installs)? Bite me, is what I say to that. Bloody hell.
Reply #11 from Sins Forums Top
Honestly, how often is you internet down? How about for entire days? It might be slow at times, but how often is it downright down?Not directed at anyone except pirates: You are the reason we have to deal with this crap. Purchase the damn game and have some honor. Should we be angry at companies who take necessary action? Should we be mad at soldiers for taking necessary action in times of war? Dire circumstances require dire actions. Next time your friend pirates software report him/her to authorities.If people weren't a bunch of chicken s@$%@# gutless coward thieves, we could all enjoy the games we buy with hard bought money.
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Honestly, this made me laugh. Did you even read the SD/IC policy on DRM? Do you really think it's necessary for them to put idiotic bullcrap like this on their games? Here, do yourself a favor, read this: https://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/post.aspx?postid=303512.

DRM isn't necessary for anything, everything gets cracked eventually, this might slow it down, but it won't help a game sell legal copies any more, infact, as this thread shows, games would probably do better without DRM, because, taking this instance for example, the gamers who don't have an internet connection would be able to play it. By putting this on the game, they have, in effect, discriminated against those without an internet connection, the very people who CAN'T get an illegal copy (not on their own at least). Do you see the irony here?
Reply #12 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
When will these companies learn that they are just punishing their customers. Adding ridiculous copy protection keeps the game from getting pirated for what, 10 days? Is the benefit of that really enough to justify alienating your market?

In my opinion, the correct course of action is the one Stardock is taking. I'd expect 90% of the people who pirate games aren't resulting in lost sales for companies. It's more likely they're downloading the game just to check it out. If it's not available online they simply wont download it, and they definably won't buy it.

There's also the argument to be made that pirated games might increase sales. If someone downloads a game thinking he/she wont like it much, but it turns out they love it, there might be a chance of them deciding to buy the game.
Reply #13 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
They have a right to protect their software. I'm personally more pissed at those who pirate software than the companies who try to implement measures to defend against it.

There could be a lawsuit coming here pretty quick.
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Huh? What grounds could there possibly be for a lawsuit?

If someone downloads a game thinking he/she wont like it much, but it turns out they love it, there might be a chance of them deciding to buy the game.
End of quote


Shenanigans. There are very few people in the world who will pay for something they've already got for free.
Reply #14 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
No need to pirate the game, there will be cracks out.

At least support the people who made the game. If you don't like something they did, crack it.

Was actually thinking about spore even though my stance against EA has been strong :P

I guess lets think of the bright side of this.

Its not StarForce lol
Reply #15 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
This sounds as bad as the activation scheme for Earth 2160. Think I'll be passing on the above mentioned titles.
Reply #16 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Honestly, this made me laugh. Did you even read the SD/IC policy on DRM? Do you really think it's necessary for them to put idiotic bullcrap like this on their games? Here, do yourself a favor, read this: https://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/post.aspx?postid=303512.DRM isn't necessary for anything, everything gets cracked eventually, this might slow it down, but it won't help a game sell legal copies any more, infact, as this thread shows, games would probably do better without DRM, because, taking this instance for example, the gamers who don't have an internet connection would be able to play it. By putting this on the game, they have, in effect, discriminated against those without an internet connection, the very people who CAN'T get an illegal copy (not on their own at least). Do you see the irony here?
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And did you not read the post from frogboy saying in the end, those that do something will win out? Oh, but frogboy is an idiot who doesn't know what he is talking about, apparently.

I mean what should these companies do? Nothing while there games are being stolen?

You guys are mad at the companies, when you should be MAD at the pathetic theives out there who can't pay a tank's worth of gas for a game.

Of course some of you guys think putting lots of copy right protection on a game isn't nearly as bad as pirating games.

Thats the way are society is. The criminals have more rights and freedoms than the righteous.
Reply #17 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Not directed at anyone except pirates: You are the reason we have to deal with this crap.
End of quote


This is such utter misinformed horsecrap. Copy protection DOES NOT STOP PIRACY! Most games are online for download on or before release date. The software companies are not stupid. They know this. In fact someone I know who works for a well known software company has said that these days it's more and more about control (just what else will this Securom check be doing?) and also that stores like WalMart prefer product with copy protection.

In fact you should THANK the pirates actually, since if you ever encounter a game, as I have on many occasions, that WILL NOT RUN due to the copy protection not liking your system (Neverwinter Nights for example), you can thank PIRATES for enabling you to actually run the software you've paid for. After all, you won't be able to return it for a refund as you've opened it and could copied this COPY PROTECTED PRODUCT.

If pirates were REALLY to blame, Gal Civ II wouldn't have sold a zillion copies. In my experience, Gal Civ II is one of the most pirated games I've ever seen. I see it pop up all over the place. And yet it still sold by the bucket load.

I am so sick of this overly simplistic antipiracy nonsense. There is far more too it than just "GRRR! PIRATES!"

Be nice if Valve could get Spore on Steam. About the only games I buy anymore are electronically purchased. I don't pirate the games that you only get in the stores. I simply don't bother with them.

The key to beating piracy is just make it less hassle to BUY the games. With Steam it's now EASIER to BUY a game than pirate it. You have to download anyway, but you don't have to muck about with cracks etc... I've bought a lot of games on Steam that I simply wouldn't have bought had it been on disk only, because I prefer not to have drivers secretly installed system.

But yeah, far easier to blame the pirates than criticize the blinkered thinking of an entire industry.
Reply #18 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
[quote]Of course some of you guys think putting lots of copy right protection on a game isn't nearly as bad as pirating games.[quote]

Ok my bad. I meant to say that some of you guys think pirating games isn't nearly as bad as excessive copy right protection.

Reply #19 from Demigod Forums Top
It might be slow at times, but how often is it downright down?
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Depends -- do I actually have internet wherever I happen to be living?

I "got along" fine for 3 years with my only internet being through the school. Alas, I can hardly take my desktop to school with me, unlike a thumb drive.
Reply #20 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Not directed at anyone except pirates: You are the reason we have to deal with this crap. This is such utter misinformed horsecrap. Copy protection DOES NOT STOP PIRACY! Most games are online for download on or before release date. The software companies are not stupid. They know this. In fact someone I know who works for a well known software company has said that these days it's more and more about control (just what else will this Securom check be doing?) and also that stores like WalMart prefer product with copy protection. In fact you should THANK the pirates actually, since if you ever encounter a game, as I have on many occasions, that WILL NOT RUN due to the copy protection not liking your system (Neverwinter Nights for example), you can thank PIRATES for enabling you to actually run the software you've paid for. After all, you won't be able to return it for a refund as you've opened it and could copied this COPY PROTECTED PRODUCT.If pirates were REALLY to blame, Gal Civ II wouldn't have sold a zillion copies. In my experience, Gal Civ II is one of the most pirated games I've ever seen. I see it pop up all over the place. And yet it still sold by the bucket load. I am so sick of this overly simplistic antipiracy nonsense. There is far more too it than just "GRRR! PIRATES!"Be nice if Valve could get Spore on Steam. About the only games I buy anymore are electronically purchased. I don't pirate the games that you only get in the stores. I simply don't bother with them. The key to beating piracy is just make it less hassle to BUY the games. With Steam it's now EASIER to BUY a game than pirate it. You have to download anyway, but you don't have to muck about with cracks etc... I've bought a lot of games on Steam that I simply wouldn't have bought had it been on disk only, because I prefer not to have drivers secretly installed system.But yeah, far easier to blame the pirates than criticize the blinkered thinking of an entire industry.
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Pay for your damn games. You filthy pirate. You act like piracy isn't wrong. Its stealing. You are a theif if you download a game for free that a programmer slaved to produce hour after hour to make. Its no different than stealing someone's lunch, stealing someone's wallet, etc.

Also, has it dawned on you that galcivs sold a ton of games because its good? Not because it had minimal to no anti piracy in it?

"OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Spore is awesome BUT I WILL NOT BUY THIS GAME BECAUSE HEAVEN FORBID I HAVE TO CONNECT TO THE INTERNET EVERY 10 DAYS!!!! Never mind the fact that you would almost certainly want to connect to the internet anyway to download the inevitable patches for it. Fine don't buy it. Your loss.
Reply #21 from Sins Forums Top
Comparing piracy to stealing a physical item is a horrible comparasion.

Piracy is more like finding something you need (headphones, a tool, ect) on the ground, but wouldn't pay for in a store.
Basically, most people who pirate things would never have bought them.

Most people I know pirate music. Do they go screaming down the halls "YOUR HURTING THE ARTISTS!!"?


There's 2 types of arguments for piracy on the Internet.
Piracy is good and the current business model for buying games is outdated.
Piracy is bad and anyone who pirates deserves to burn in hell.

I pirate alot of stuff, I'll be honest about that. If I play the game alot, I'll buy it. Alot of people are like that.
Reply #22 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
"OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Spore is awesome BUT I WILL NOT BUY THIS GAME BECAUSE HEAVEN FORBID I HAVE TO CONNECT TO THE INTERNET EVERY 10 DAYS!!!! Never mind the fact that you would almost certainly want to connect to the internet anyway to download the inevitable patches for it. Fine don't buy it. Your loss.
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Hahaha, all 1 patch to be released...
Hold on a second...

The second will come out a year later and fix maybe 1/4 the bugs. All the while new worse ones shall arise!
Reply #23 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
"OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Spore is awesome BUT I WILL NOT BUY THIS GAME BECAUSE HEAVEN FORBID I HAVE TO CONNECT TO THE INTERNET EVERY 10 DAYS!!!! Never mind the fact that you would almost certainly want to connect to the internet anyway to download the inevitable patches for it. Fine don't buy it. Your loss.Hahaha, all 1 patch to be released...Hold on a second...The second will come out a year later and fix maybe 1/4 the bugs. All the while new worse ones shall arise!
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And whats your basis for assumming this? The company?
Reply #24 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Comparing piracy to stealing a physical item is a horrible comparasion.Piracy is more like finding something you need (headphones, a tool, ect) on the ground, but wouldn't pay for in a store. Basically, most people who pirate things would never have bought them. Most people I know pirate music. Do they go screaming down the halls "YOUR HURTING THE ARTISTS!!"? There's 2 types of arguments for piracy on the Internet.Piracy is good and the current business model for buying games is outdated.Piracy is bad and anyone who pirates deserves to burn in hell.I pirate alot of stuff, I'll be honest about that. If I play the game alot, I'll buy it. Alot of people are like that.
End of quote


Horrible comparison. Maybe someone accidently dropped their headphones, tool, etc. on the ground and doesn't realize it until later? They rush back to see if its still there, then shake their head as they realized some idiot stole it.

You are enjoying for free what programmers and others have slaved over for months, maybe years. You are offering no compensation for their efforts. How is this different from me taking milk from the cow farmer who worked months to get the cows fat so they can produce milk? Please provide detailed, reasoned arguments why piracy in any form is perfectly ok and how it is different from stealing..
Reply #25 from Sins Forums Top
I find this very disappointing. I was really looking forward to Spore. I hate going through all the DRM BS when I legally bought the game. It only hurts the consumer, and the pirates just break the DRM. At least it doesn't add any background programs. Hopefully it doesn't collect any info either.