Chronicles of Riddick:Assault on Dark Athena (or DRM - when will they learn?)

[FlukeRogi]

A couple of site have posted the news that Dark Athena has a 3 limit install with no revoke tool (the information appears to have originated in the latest PC Gamer which scored it 80%).

Thread on the Atari forums.

If verified, then my preorder is toast. I can live with some forms of DRM (I'd miss too many games if I couldn't), but not that.

 

[FlukeRogi]

There are always ways around these things. If you buy the game then I dont see any reason why you cant use whats available to you on the internet.

True, but it begs the question - why should I have to? If everyone roles over and just buys games with ridiculous limits like this, it'll never end. I'll stop there though - this has been discussed so many times with other games, we all know the arguments by now.

Still, should be amusing to watch the backlash against Atari today that will no doubt develop.

 

[FlukeRogi]

so does this mean then that if I reformat and reinstall Windows and the game, I lose a life so to speak? With no way of phoning up and explaining? I reinstall my OS quite often so don't want to get stumped by this. I thought the same policy was in place in Mass Effect but I've reinstalled that over a dozen times and it's never complained??
I loved the last Riddick game and really wanted to get this.
Have posted a 1 star review on Amazon based on this info. This cannot be allowed to continue. I bet it'll be on the bay cracked within hours of release

Basically yes. 3 installs and that's it. Mass Effect copy protection was toned down due to the backlash that happened after Bioware first announced what protection it would use.

 

[FlukeRogi]

Pretty much looks confirmed - posted by SBZ_QA_MANAGER on the Starbreeze forums:

I WISH we could go DRM free ... but unfortunately, as I'm sure you have realised, it is not up to us at all.

...

And yes, in my personal opinion, 3 installs is as crazy as getting the Send The Little Guy Into Space achievement in Half Life 2 Episode 2.

So, looks like even the devs know it's stupid.

 

[FlukeRogi]

only 3 installs? thats Riddickulous (sorry! lol)

Laugh or cry.... Will have to get back to you with my decision

 

[FlukeRogi]

It isn't only 3 installs.



http://www.pcgameshardware.com/aid,681360/Riddick-Assault-on-Dark-Athena-Misinformationen-about-copy-protection-resolved/News/

And does it still class my PC as the same machine if I change any hardware? Within the past year I've had three different gfx cards (2900XT, 8800GTS, now a GTX280) in my system, not to mention any HD, soundcard, network card changes. Why should I have to phone them up if I want to reinstall a game I have spent my money on? Sorry, not acceptable. Give 'em an inch, etc.