Games DRM-Fail

[nath]

Gears of War DRM screwup makes PC version unplayable - Ars Technica

I would like to think that they'd use this as a reason to rethink the whole DRM debacle, but I expect they'll come up with some reason as to why this benefits the paying customer.

 

[Tom]

Piracy ftw tbh.

 

[Kryten]

Aye, yet again DRM promoting piracy and doing a good job of it. Fair enough it's a bug like any other but if they're leaving in code that stops an entire game working for *anyone* after a certain date, they're asking for trouble - especially when the only known workaround is the oldest piracy trick in the book, setting your system clock back

 

[chipper]

yup i did the right thing by buying GTA IV and what did i get for my trouble? a game that wont work thanks to shitty coding there support answer? oh your hardware must not meet the spec. piracy FTW

 

[RandomBastard]

shoulda woulda coulda bought gears of war on xbox 360, the correct platform for gearism

 

[TdC]

rofl what a fuck up :/

 

[Nate]

Was sure I read somewhere that theres a review currently going on that DRM is breaking the law by being part of installs in games as theres no mention of it, anyone read about that? http://arstechnica.com/old/content/2007/09/ican-has-headline.ars There it is, the Canadians!!! WOO

 

[Roo Stercogburn]

Hehe thats some seriously wank code

 

[Jeros]

shoulda woulda coulda bought gears of war on xbox 360, the correct platform for gearism

no cos PCs are superior in every single way

 

[Raven]

Lucky the game isn't really that good

This whole DRM business is ruining PC gaming to the point that I will only play pirated games from certain software houses in future. I am more than happy to pay £25-£35 for a decent title, so long as I know it will work. I think everyone should buy the games without DRM to encourage the industry as much as possible to remove it. They must realise that all it does is fuck off honest gamers when all DRM does is delay the pirate version by 24 hours.

I personally don't mind online checks to make sure my game is legit, that's something that the game itself can do, indeed isn't that something HL2 did? Its all this related bullshit. It took me longer to set up all the crappy programs to get GTA4 to run than it did to install the damn thing which can't be right.

If they are going to put invasive DRM on games then it should be made absolutely clear on the box that they will install malware on your PC when you want to install it. They should also include the tools to remove the software.

Its been done to death anyway. The simple logical thing to do is remove all DRM until they can come up with a workable alternative, it doesn't do what they want it to do because it does not stop piracy, I just can't understand the reasoning to include it as it actually promotes piracy.

Obviously software houses want to protect their investment and as a gamer I want to pay for it to encourage them to make more (assuming the game is good) but I will not buy a single DRM infested game in the future, I will just wait a few more days and get a DRM free version. This disappoints me as I made a conscious decision to buy all my games some time ago.

 

[Ctuchik]

aye. i aint buying DRM games either.

why cant they understand that DRM is probably one of the biggest causes OF piracy, not the solution for it.

 

[old.Tohtori]

PC-boxism is always a bit...meh...the game is a fun FPS on the console, pick up and kill, but on PC you're used to having something with the pretty cake. Like a layer of whipped cream, or filling...or cake.

Only game that was even an option between the box and PC was fallout, due to "not being arsed with the graphics settings", but PC ofcourse it was

NOW then, piracy, f*ck it. Drop all these systems, let people copy to their hearts content 'cause;

A: We've got more gamers then before.
B: Same amount of people still buy a game.(more infact)
C: It stops nothing, except the product working it seems :lol:
D: Did the guys back in the 80s die out due to piratism running wild, or get stinky rich?

Use the money used in anti-piracy to lower the cost of the game and voila, piracy goes down too. Win win.

By the wya, game-house peeps(aka sofware developers), don't give a f*ck about piracy and i'd say about 80% of them are pirates themselves.

They be gamers afterall.

The problem is the producers who's sole mission is to make money.

 

[Ctuchik]

Did the guys back in the 80s die out due to piratism running wild,

no, but that was because piracy werent running wild, sure it still happened, but not as much as stuff are copied now because internet werent available to most ppl.

you had to actually know the person that had what you wanted to copy.

but yes, ppl that buy their games now will most likely keep doing it even if trheres no DRM on the games, and the ppl that isnt, well they still wont.

DRM for most pirates is just a easy excuse to keep pirating. they just want it for free.

 

[old.Tohtori]

no, but that was because piracy werent running wild, sure it still happened, but not as much as stuff are copied now because internet werent available to most ppl.

you had to actually know the person that had what you wanted to copy.

but yes, ppl that buy their games now will most likely keep doing it even if trheres no DRM on the games, and the ppl that isnt, well they still wont.

DRM for most pirates is just a easy excuse to keep pirating. they just want it for free.

Fair point, though would have to check how many more gamers we got also. Not a "nerdy subculture" anymore. Shame

Yes, if you're going to buy a game you are going to buy a game, DRM is a bit of a cop-out.

"I'm not buying this game and am loading it 'cause it has DRM!"
"Would you buy it if it didn't?"
"Not the point!"

 

[Chilly]

its not the code as such, its a one year digital certificate expiring that fucked it. so the system was sound but they didnt know how to use it properly after they bought it from xyz drm makers.

 

[nath]

"I'm not buying this game and am loading it 'cause it has DRM!"
"Would you buy it if it didn't?"
"Not the point!"

I just "got" Dead Space, and I definitely would have paid for it if it didn't have shitty DRM on it. I *did* just buy Fallout 3 simply because I found out that there's a way to install it without even touching the SecuROM on it. Incidentally I'd already downloaded a copy of it but never bothered to install it.

That said, I'm happy to admit I may not be representative of a many people.

 

[old.Tohtori]

Yes but for example;

Person A doesn't like total war. Atleast not enough to fork dough.
Person A loads total war.
PErson B asks "why not buy?"
Person A uses cop-out.

 

[nath]

Well yeah there are situations like that. Mirrors Edge, Gears of War and Mass Effect PC versions all had nasty DRM, but even if they hadn't I wouldn't have bought them as I already did on the Xbox.

 

[Sar]

I buy (or rent) all my PC and 360 games.

Being completely honest I think I can count the number of pirated PC games on my thumbs. I much prefer buying games and getting the manuals etc, although they don't come with the rentals for the 360, which can be a pain at times.

Music otoh...


But I tend to avoid games with nasty DRM, although there aren't that many with fatally bad protection. Most of the DRM negativity is hyperbole, as most DRM is passive.

Obv GoW PC (which I bought and have installed ATM) fucked up bigtime, but then again Epic have turned into right dicks over recent years anyway.

 

[nath]

But I tend to avoid games with nasty DRM, although there aren't that many with fatally bad protection. Most of the DRM negativity is hyperbole, as most DRM is passive.

Well, it's hyperbole until SecuROM damages your DVD drive, or stops you installing the game because you use Daemon Tools or any other completely legit programs. Also, installation limits is completely unacceptable in a computer game if you ask me. These things are fairly common with recent games.

 

[Rulke]

Well, it's hyperbole until SecuROM damages your DVD drive, or stops you installing the game because you use Daemon Tools or any other completely legit programs. Also, installation limits is completely unacceptable in a computer game if you ask me. These things are fairly common with recent games.

It can damage your CD drive? Erk

I suppose it nearly broke mine - that is, I nearly through it out the window after 3 hours unsuccessfully trying to install Spore.

 

[Roo Stercogburn]

Spore is a fairly classic example of why not to buy the original - you can re-install 3 times or you need to telephone EA in the USA to ask their permission to install again.

So basically if you kak your PC or upgrade 3 times you're not getting to play this again.

DRM in principle is fine. DRM in practice is generally 'flawed' if I'm being kind about my choice of words.

 

[old.Tohtori]

Well to be honest the securom etc thing is what CAN happen, not what will happen.

But all it takes is one system to keel over to get the pitchforks out.

 

[taB]

Spore is a fairly classic example of why not to buy the original - you can re-install 3 times or you need to telephone EA in the USA to ask their permission to install again.

So basically if you kak your PC or upgrade 3 times you're not getting to play this again.

DRM in principle is fine. DRM in practice is generally 'flawed' if I'm being kind about my choice of words.

Spore's DRM is fine, I installed it once and played for a bit. I won't be installing it again

 

[nath]

But then why should we pay for products that have the potential to fuck up when the DRM doesn't actually prevent piracy. Plus limited activations? Fuuuuuck that.

 

[Sar]

Securom damages drives?

It's a myth tbh. Or if it has happened then what are the chances that the drive would have failed at that time anyway without Securom being a factor?

I disagree 100% with installation limits, be it for Spore (who the fuck would want to install that shit more than 3 times anyway?) or Windows.

 

[nath]

I'm willing to accept that it could be a myth but it does seem to be out there quite a bit that SecuROM can fuck up drives. Plus I read something about there being a ruling whereby Sony had to pay $150 per customer who had this problem. That said I've no links to back this up so could well be talking out of my arse.

 

[old.Tohtori]

be it for Spore (who the fuck would want to install that shit more than 3 times anyway?) or Windows.

I think they removed the limit anyway.

 

[Raven]

What are they doing about the DRM fuck up with gears then?

 

[old.Tohtori]

Update.

Guess i gotta eat some words and say that this time the devs did f*ck up