Game Activation Uproar

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If the copy protection bothers you that much just download the cracked version.

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Designers definitely need to get their head around this. If you code protection in, it can be coded out. The only games that will never have their protection broken are online only MMORPG's (even these have issues with private servers but I doubt its really much of an issue due to tech expertise needed). A cd-key+cd check isnt too instrusive and will protect them against casual pirating amongst friends (which I doubt is much of an issue?). Your never going to stop the cracked downloads until its in a client/server setup.
 
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intresting read from www.pcgamer.com

From PCGamer.com:


Quote:
8/22/07 - DRMShock

By Dan Stapleton, Senior Associate Editor

Yesterday began as a joyous day. By the whim of the mailroom gods, my copy of BioShock was the first to arrive at my desk. After I finished dancing around the room rubbing it in everyone's face, we needed to install it on a DX9 and a DX10 machine to compare.

"But wait," I said. "This product requires activation. What if, by installing it here, I cripple my copy and am unable to play from home? "So Greg called the 2K support line and talked to a support rep, who told him that it would be fine as long as we uninstalled the game before installing it on another machine. Ok, that's fine... a little annoying considering the game also has a DVD check to make sure the disc is in the drive, but I can handle that.

So we installed on one machine, then uninstalled and installed on another with no problems. So far, so good. I got in about an hour of play time, but I do the majority of my game playing at home, where I've got my heavy-duty gaming rig set up, so I was really looking forward to bringing it home with me. I uninstalled the game from my work machine and happily headed home...but when I got there and went to activate, I was stopped dead by a failure message that informed me I'd installed with this code one time too many. What... the... $%~&!

Ok, still not a disaster. I've had this happen with Windows XP before—all I have to do is call the number in the manual, read off the reactivation request code supplied by the activation wizard, and they'll give me an unlock code. Well, not so simple in this case—the support number for the US listed in the manual didn't work, giving me a "We cannot connect your call at this time" message. So I called the Canadian number, which went through. After four minutes on hold, I was told that the only way they'd unlock it is if I take a photo of the disc and the manual and email it to them. Wow… even Microsoft doesn’t make you do that.

Having now jumped through all their hoops hours ago, I’m currently waiting for 2K to get around to allowing me to play my legitimate copy of the game on the system of my choosing. Meanwhile, the pirates who cracked Windows Vista’s activation in a matter of days are already at work on the game, and I sincerely doubt that the BioShock copy protection wall will still be standing a week from today. And while those pirates play their ill-gotten games without a care, those of us who came by our copies legally will have to put up with draconian obstacles that will then serve no purpose whatsoever.

Well done 2K, well done indeed.
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That just sumes it up then

In practice the system is nowhere near as foolproof and you are screwed if you loose the activations for whatever reason/

Not buying this game until the dust settles.

sid
 
lowrider007 said:
intresting read from www.pcgamer.com
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See, the pirates win and they didn't even have to fire a shot. 2K annoyed people in advance.

PC Gamer said:
while those pirates play their ill-gotten games without a care, those of us who came by our copies legally will have to put up with draconian obstacles that will then serve no purpose whatsoever
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Bottom line. Copy protection is not the answer, stop hassling your customers.
 
That quote from PCGamer just about answers everybody's questions. 2K are screwing everybody who buys this game!!!!!!!!!! The same thing will happen if you have a hdd failure. You buy a game legitimately and are unable to play it. This sort of bull encourages piracy instead of stopping it.

I actually downloaded the demo last night and played it. I was able to play it completely maxxed out and it looked amazing. It played very well too. I was going to buy this as i thought it was definately one of the best games to come out in a long time. Now i will be waiting to see if this draconian DRM is removed. Actually it may be:-

http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showpost.php?p=133756&postcount=4 part of this thread.

http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showpost.php?p=134030&postcount=35 part of this thread.

It would be nice to think that they have sat up and taken notice of this issue.

The demo does leave a key thing (rootkit?) on the pc after uninstall. :mad:
 
Teki187 said:
Put it simple without getting my self into trouble, you name me a game that has trouble being pirated and i'll tell you its the person using the pirate software.
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Operation Flashpoint for definite, mostly because people didnt know if they'd succesfully cracked it or not until half way through the game. One of the later spliter cell games, and one of the prince of persia games both caused many people to have to unplug their DVD drives to be able to play this game. Although this appeared to depend on what motherboards they had.
 
Teki187 said:
copy protection just stops you from copy and pasting the CD and or creating the ISO.

Cracked .exe's are used to not only speed up loading times but to stop you using the CD/DVD all the time. Since your not circumventing the Copy protection, its not illegal.
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It is modification/reverse engineering of the program code. As far as im aware, that is illegal.
 
procrastinator said:
It is modification/reverse engineering of the program code. As far as im aware, that is illegal.
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But is it actually illegal to use one or is it illegal for the person who made the thing. As far as i see you download a cracked .exe and paste it into the game folder and your done. At no point do you reverse engineer or modify the code.
 
procrastinator said:
It is modification/reverse engineering of the program code. As far as im aware, that is illegal.
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Yup, for precisely that reason (and for reasons of "circumventing copy-protection"), cracks are illegal. Seriously, anyone who says otherwise doesn't know what they're talking about.

Cracks are not a one, but a two-edged sword when it comes to being illegal.
 
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