C&C: Red Alert 3 Copy Protection Plans

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Chris Cory, producer of Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 made a post on the official forums (thanks VE) revealing the game's copy-protection plans:
I've been hearing your concerns about the DRM situation and wanted to get back to you with some information about our plans. In the case of Red Alert 3 (and all PC titles coming out of EA), we will use SecuROM – the same copy protection that the EALA RTS group has used on our last three titles. This time around, however, the copy protection will be configured to be more lenient than we've supported in the past.

I know this can be somewhat of a polarizing topic, and I thought it would be best to open the lines of communication with some facts:

- We will authenticate your game online when you install and launch it the first time.

- We will never re-authenticate an installation online after the first launch. In other words, no reaching out to a central server post-install to see if you're “allowed” to play.

- You will be able to install and play on up to five computers.

- This system means you don't have to play with the disc in your computer. Personally, I think this is a huge improvement over our previous copy protection requirements, which have always required a disk to play.

- Life happens. I know it's unlikely, but for those unlucky few who install the game and have their machines nuked (virus, OS reinstall, major hardware upgrade, etc.) five times, EA Customer Service will be on hand to supply any additional authorizations that are warranted. This will be done on a case-by-case basis by contacting customer support.

-You can, of course, play offline without impediment or penalty.

Red Alert 3 is shaping up to be a world-class RTS game that will give you many hours of enjoyment. I think it would be a shame if people decided to not play a great game simply because it came with DRM, but I understand that this is a very personal decision for many of you and I respect that. As you might imagine, I'm a lot less respectful of those people who take the position that they will illegally download a game simply because it has DRM.

Either way, we' re very proud of the hard work our team has put into this game and we hope you will all enjoy it when it launches.​
 
If you uninstall and reinstall 5 times, you won't lose any of your installs, you'll get them back after uninstalling. You just have to be connected to the internet, that's it.​

From their forums.
 
Sounds like the same **** system everybody hates on Spore to me, 5 activations and then you get to enjoy EA's "support" system...
 
- This system means you don't have to play with the disc in your computer. Personally, I think this is a huge improvement over our previous copy protection requirements, which have always required a disk to play.

About damn time developers started doing this.

All looks good, seems just like Windows activation which is fine by me - if it won't "activate" then you just give them a call.
 
I dont see the big prob here you activate it, you can then play without the disc without the need for a no cd crack. you can install 5 times at any one point on 5 different machines if you uninstall you get one of your installs back.
Why is is like renting a game ?
 
If you uninstall and reinstall 5 times, you won't lose any of your installs, you'll get them back after uninstalling. You just have to be connected to the internet, that's it.​

From their forums.

I was going to say this was the beginning of the end for a second hand pc games market but if they are doing the above then it should still be alright. Infact, couldn't this be used to install the game, sell it on, and still be able to play the game without the dvd?
 
I was going to say this was the beginning of the end for a second hand pc games market but if they are doing the above then it should still be alright. Infact, couldn't this be used to install the game, sell it on, and still be able to play the game without the dvd?
Bingo. I was going to moan about this, but from what I read so far it means we can share this game between all our flat mates. I will still moan though, I'm not a fan of having to activate everything just to play offline you install whilst a pirate can just crack the game for single player and be done with it. What's wrong with sending your CDKey to a central server if you play online, and leaving it at that?
 
Sounds like the same **** system everybody hates on Spore to me, 5 activations and then you get to enjoy EA's "support" system...

It doesn't sound like that? You get the installs back if you uninstall correctly, which isn't that bad.
It seems far more reasonable than many other games.
 
No, it sounds rubbish. Years ago you used to buy a game, install and not need the dvd. Take it to a friends, if they liked it, they bought it. Nobody complained about piracy then...
 
Bingo. I was going to moan about this, but from what I read so far it means we can share this game between all our flat mates. {snip}

Fine for LAN and solo play games but its unlikely that you'll all be able to play on-line together with the same CD key.
 
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