Some Mass Effect News

[doomjockey]

For anyone (like Doom) considering Mass Effect for the PC:

 

Mass Effect Requires Constant Online Registration

You must routinely register this singel player game online.

by Jimmy Thang

 

May 6, 2008 - Chris Priestly, BioWare's community communications coordinator, confirmed that if players do not register Mass Effect online on a consistent basis they will not be able to play this single player game. This will "massively affect" enthusiasts with no internet connection looking to play BioWare's critically acclaimed action RPG. Mandatory online registration has seen its fair share of outrage in the past with fans crying foul over Half-Life 2 forcing users to register the single player game online back in 2004... [more]

 

This sounds like a crap idea to me.

 

Thoughts? Compliments? Critiques?

[WoogieMonster]

This is exactly why I do not own any Valve games. They require you to be constantly connected to Steams even for offline single-player games. There's no nice way to say it, it's ******* retarded.

[PaulEmil]

What's the big deal? I would have thought that it wouldn't be too much trouble just to authenticate every 10 days, given that broadband is so prevalent in this day and age. And FYI WoogieMonster, Steam is not retarded. It _is_ flawed, and the release of HL2 was a shambles, but Steam has since picked up the slack with aplomb. Flawed, but still the best free download ever.

 

I can hardly see MEPC getting 0/10 reviews and no-one buying it (instead going for massed "AARR! SPLICE TEH DRM!") because " :verymad: OMG TEH DRM SUX :yucky: LOLOLOL". Sadly, that seems to be the main response I've seen from others on the internet, but why should a small case of stupid DRM put you off a good game?

[Povuholo]

Some people play their games on their laptop, and people don't always have internet access on those, especially when they're not at home. Being unable to play the game after 10 days just because you don't have an internet connection (We're talking about a offline single player game here after all!) is just ridiculous.

 

Apparently your hardware is checked as well, to see if the game is installed on the same computer the second time it is installed. It shouldn't be a problem to upgrade a part or two, but if you get a new computer or upgrade a lot of parts you'll have to contact tech support to prove that it is still your computer and that you own a legal copy...

 

And the protection it's not going to help. By giving fair customers such a hard time with the verifying every 10 days they are kinda encouraging people to get a pirated version, which is much more convenient because it will certainly get rid of that verifying stuff somehow. Nothing is unhackable.

 

Spore is going to use this protection thing as well...

 

I don't support piracy, but this type of copy protection is bad.

[PaulEmil]

Eh. I guess you're right in that respect.

I wonder which maniac decided to put SecuROM and this <expletive> stupid authentication on MEPC, anyway? Someone at EA? Or mabye <shock, horror> somone at Bioware, betraying their oldest fans?

[WoogieMonster]

... And FYI WoogieMonster, Steam is not retarded...

 

I did not say Steam is retarded. I said having to be constantly connected to it for an offline single-player game is ******* retarded.

 

@ Povuholo, I think you are correct, this is going to encourage piracy.

[WrathOfDeadguy]

To be fair, Steam does have an offline mode that doesn't require an active internet connection- even though it isn't activated by default. I use it all the time to play my singleplayer Steam games without having to be connected to the service. I'm not too fond of the fact that the games I install with Steam are locked to my account and my account only, but I do like that I can install them to any computer I want to as many times as I want to and never need a disc to reinstall. That, and games tend to be somewhat cheaper over Steam than at retail. Yes, the service has its flaws, but it is far, far better than any other method anybody's come up with to "protect" their software (aside from, y'know, just releasing it DRM-free.

 

THIS, on the other hand, is absolutely ridiculous. Worse even than Bioshock's version of SecuROM, which required the software to phone home in order to activate, and worse than Half-Life 2's 'validation' of all its files back in 04. I was giving a little thought to buying MEPC for the possibility of mod content later, but I think I'll just be sticking with the 360 version now. Microsoft and Bioware win First Prize for Worst, Most Draconian DRM Since Sony's Rootkits.

[TheTerminator2004]

I totally agree with Wrath - in fact, I couldn't have put it any better myself. It is an outrage, imo.

[Storm Raven]

I think the real question is how will it affect their sales over the long run.

 

 

If it doesn't then they will continue the practice, and other company's will follow suit.

 

If the gamers really pitch a fit and it hurts sales they will probably take note.

 

And the other company's will take note of that too.

 

 

Sadly, I don't think anyone is going to wipe out the pirates any time soon.

 

But these paranoid measures that invade our privacy could hurt sales.

 

 

And thats the bottom line. Money.

 

In my opinion anyway.

 

Storm Raven

 

8)

 

PS - As if we had any privacy in the first place.

[doomjockey]

Hm.

 

Honestly, I wouldn't go as far as outrage. No, I don't like the idea of having these kind of restrictions imposed on my entertainment, but I understand software developers must do what they must do to protect a profit. Neither will I pass judgement on so-called pirates (who're probably itching to crack MEPC's protection). Rather I mourn how entertainment grows more and more like airport security: paranoid and grossly ineffective, all the while forcing the average consumer to jump through myriad hoops to enjoy her/his purchase.