Games with online activation (ie, BIOSHOCK) SUCK...

[Shamikebab]

Or, like in the cases of games like Oblivion and Company Of Heroes, just remove the copy protection. If the game isn't turd then it will still sell extremely well and even pirates will go out and buy it simply because it's a good game.

Thats very naive, you really think if a games very good people who would normally pirate it would go and buy it? Producers have a right to try out methods of protecting there games from piracy. if you dont like it then just dont buy the game.

 

[Chaos]

That might get them a lot more sales though. In the end every game will be pirated. if they've managed to stop the piraters for a week then they'll have got sales of people who would normally pirate the game but are desperate to play it.

They have probably lost more sales due to the whole activation issue, put me off buying it.

 

[Shamikebab]

They have probably lost more sales due to the whole activation issue, put me off buying it.

well we'd have to see some figures before we can say that. if that is the case though im sure they'll try something different next time. in the end producers have to try something or the pc gaming industry will just die. If not through loss of sales then through profit margins being far higher on consoles.

 

[Dutch Guy]

well we'd have to see some figures before we can say that. if that is the case though im sure they'll try something different next time. in the end producers have to try something or the pc gaming industry will just die. If not through loss of sales then through profit margins being far higher on consoles.

We will never see those figures as they will never admit that and they have to try something else next time as the pirates know how to get round this protection/activation.

 

[agnes]

tbh, i dont see why they dont do like a automated key request telephone system, for each time you install the game, and instead of te basic serial, it could be 4 or even 25 chars long each time. that to me would be hard to crack, how can you predict what code your going to get, and maybe like type in a 6-10 digit number given to your game.

that could work tbh

ags

 

[Tripnologist]

They have probably lost more sales due to the whole activation issue, put me off buying it.

I had full intention of buying the game but in the end, I was put off as well.
I normally buy ALL of my games but when it becomes more of a hassle to try and play a legit copy than a pirated one, there's something wrong.

 

[agnes]

I had full intention of buying the game but in the end, I was put off as well.
I normally buy ALL of my games but when it becomes more of a hassle to try and play a legit copy than a pirated one, there's something wrong.

amen, well said tbh.

ags

 

[snowdog]

So you think that someone playing a pirated version will go out and buy a copy of the game which is exactly the same?

I seriously doubt that tbh.

Yes, because cracked games won't allow ya on public mp, you need a legal cd key for online gaming.

 

[Shamikebab]

Yes, because cracked games won't allow ya on public mp, you need a legal cd key for online gaming.

and how does that affect bioshock?

 

[Souness]

Just go take a dump or whatever while the patch downloads. No big deal. I think people are grasping for reasons to hate the game because they can't accept that a game that had loads of hype is actually good.

i remember a time when hyped games were worshipped (i.e. Doom 3), now i think we live in a very anti-hype community.

 

[Dutch Guy]

Yes, because cracked games won't allow ya on public mp, you need a legal cd key for online gaming.

For MP I can understand that but Bioshock is SP only so there is no need to buy a copy to play if you take the trouble of getting a pirated copy.

 

[Darkwave]

So you think that someone playing a pirated version will go out and buy a copy of the game which is exactly the same?

I seriously doubt that tbh.

I pirated Oblivion because there was no demo, then I bought it almost immediately.

Hell, I pirated S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and hated its guts, and I still ended up buying it (worst purchase ever.)

In fact, I've done that with pretty much every game I own if there was no demo available. There will always be people who will pirate games purely to be a cheapskate or whatever, but unfortunately there's nothing that can be done to stop them, and it's unfair to paint everyone with the same brush by assuming people who pirate never buy games.

Thats very naive, you really think if a games very good people who would normally pirate it would go and buy it? Producers have a right to try out methods of protecting there games from piracy. if you dont like it then just dont buy the game.

How is it naive? Oblivion and Company Of Heroes are arguably two of the best games to grace the PC in the last few years and had no copy protection, they also sold (and continue to sell) exceedingly well.

If a product isn't crap, it will make money. It's a simple formula and it's how capitalism works.

 

[Shamikebab]

I pirated Oblivion because there was no demo, then I bought it almost immediately.

In fact, I've done that with pretty much every game I own if there was no demo available.

How is it naive? Oblivion and Company Of Heroes are arguably two of the best games to grace the PC in the last few years and had no copy protection, they also sold (and continue to sell) exceedingly well.

If a product isn't crap, it will make money. It's a simple formula and it's how capitalism works.

then you are in a serious minority. i seriously doubt any more than 1 or 2% of the people who pirate new games will ever go and buy them.

How is it naive? Oblivion and Company Of Heroes are arguably two of the best games to grace the PC in the last few years and had no copy protection, they also sold (and continue to sell) exceedingly well.

If a product isn't crap, it will make money. It's a simple formula and it's how capitalism works.

But how can you say that has anything to do with the lack of copy protection? for all you know it might have sold an extra million copies on release because people couldn't pirate it immediately. The fact is you're just guessing.

 

[agnes]

i download a fair amount of pirated games (im not proud, but im not scared to hide it) but i buy games that genuinly want or would like to own, such as said above, oblivion, doom 3, call of duty 2. i onl buy games that are going to be worth the money.

ags

 

[Darkwave]

then you are in a serious minority. i seriously doubt any more than 1 or 2% of the people who pirate new games will ever go and buy them.

To take a page from your book; "We'd need to see some figures before you can say that."

But how can you say that has anything to do with the lack of copy protection? for all you know it might have sold an extra million copies on release because people couldn't pirate it immediately. The fact is you're just guessing.

All I said was that good games will sell well, it's a fact. I didn't say they sold well because they had no copy protection, I wouldn't assume such a thing. I bet Bioshock sales have been hurt by it though.

Good games don't need copy protection to make money, and copy protection in itself is a waste of money that comes back to the customer when idiots like Starforce license their junk out.

 

[snowdog]

To take a page from your book; "We'd need to see some figures before you can say that."

I agree, mate got a new rig, and I copied him some games to try out, a few days after he told me on msn he had bought half of them and deleted the rest ( he bougth company of heroes, oblivion and CoD2 ).

 

[stoofa]

<Snip Rant and self justification for software piracy>

When will you realise that pirating the software is not the way you should be showing how much you hate this system.
It tells you on the box that activation etc is required - so really you've got no complaint, except you don't think it should require any activation.
Anyway, you should not buy the game and then write to the software house in question and tell them they have lost a sale and then explain why.

Will it fix the problem?
No, but you've made your point clear to them.

However you've decided to go one step further.
Because you are not in a position to run the game you refuse to buy it and instead feel the need to thieve it.
It really doesn't matter how easy it is for a game to be copied/pirated/stolen that really isn't the point.
You don't "tick all the boxes" in the "this game requires" list so because of that you feel the best way forward is to steal it.

Well done - hope you're feeling proud of yourself.

 

[Ascendancy]

I Pirated oblivion too, then bought it because I wanted the cool collector's edition. Was going to buy Bioshock on day of release either way due to the Big Daddy figurine

 

[Darkwave]

I Pirated oblivion too, then bought it because I wanted the cool collector's edition. Was going to buy Bioshock on day of release either way due to the Big Daddy figurine

So actually, I was wrong. It's not just good games that sell, it's games with awesome bonuses in the box.

(I agree BTW. )

 

[agnes]

another thing people buy games for is the simple fact they always have it, its nice to own something materialistic that is good, when i download games, im no where near as excited to play them because i know i did nothing to get them, wher as if i buy a game it just feels a lot better...

ags