Spore

Tyrant^

Fanny Cradock wrote: »

Actually, does anyone know what HMV's policy on returning PC games (opened) is?

Anyone know Gamestops policy ?
This game seems to be ALL about the creator tool. Not enough depth to the game. Feels like a expensive tamagotchi ...

Zillah

Fanny Cradock wrote: »

Here's hoping the 3rd stage will blow my mind.

Prepare to be disappointed.

thelordofcheese

Fanny Cradock wrote: »

Actually, does anyone know what HMV's policy on returning PC games (opened) is?

I'm pretty sure it something along the lines of

"Go fuck yourself"

I'm almost certain nowhere accepts returns of opened PC games, hence why you get interrogated at the counter when you're buying stuff.

papu

thelordofcheese wrote: »

I'm pretty sure it something along the lines of

"Go fuck yourself"

I'm almost certain nowhere accepts returns of opened PC games, hence why you get interrogated at the counter when you're buying stuff.

doubt it , one of the 3 activations are gone so...

SeantheMan

Was great at the start

Now a good bit into the Space stage and ,,,,meh

Its just

- Go here get me Item
- Go here eradicate 5 animals
- Trade and get money
- HELP we're being attacked
- Go here eradicate 5 animals
- HELP we're being attacked
- Go here get more stuff
- HELP we're being attacked
- Trade stuff
- HELP we're being attacked
- Maybe terraform somewhere if ye manage to avoid getting attacked and having to trade endlessly

Getting tired of it now :P

Fanny Cradock

papu wrote: »

doubt it , one of the 3 activations are gone so...

Yes, good point.

Aghhh, €50 down the jax, so. It's times like this that I wish I still downloaded games illegally.

papu

Fanny Cradock wrote: »

Yes, good point.

Aghhh, €50 down the jax, so. It's times like this that I wish I still downloaded games illegally.

maybe a friend would be interested...? you could always try gamestop , and say that it didnt install/didnt work/ kept crashing out , usually the gamestop here is pretty sound about things , depending on whos at the till..

Zillah

Fanny Cradock wrote: »

It's times like this that I wish I still downloaded games illegally.

Heh. Don't forget, he sees you when you're sleeping.

Fanny Cradock

Damn double posts

Zillah wrote: »

Heh. Don't forget, he sees you when you're sleeping.

You too, Zillah!

TheDoc

returning the HMV i was faced with a " we dont take pc games back" comment

which i replied " well you didnt tell me id three chances to install my game before it bricked itself"

after a chat with a manager i left with cash in my hand

I have to say i was roped in by the hype, and it was more pants then halo3..

Totally dissapointed...really really was.

Even the selling points of " creature creator" didnt do me any use, i thought having different designs would give you benefits, but its all generic really

atleast ive got money to buy forc eunleashed...a proper game

thebman

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

Out of curiosity, is the DRM actually an issue for people? Do you really need to install it on three machines within a week of purchase? When I installed the game it seemed fine, no hassle at all. The only thing I can think of is when you return to play it in five or six years on your brand new floating PC with 50Gb of RAM.

and by this time any such DRM will have been hacked.

thelordofcheese

[DM]-TheDOC- wrote: »

returning the HMV i was faced with a " we dont take pc games back" comment

which i replied " well you didnt tell me id three chances to install my game before it bricked itself"

after a chat with a manager i left with cash in my hand

I have to say i was roped in by the hype, and it was more pants then halo3..

Totally dissapointed...really really was.

Even the selling points of " creature creator" didnt do me any use, i thought having different designs would give you benefits, but its all generic really

The game delivered exactly what it promised, it's hardly the games fault you imagined a feature set and then they didn't implement what was in your imagination.
I mean fair enough if you don't think its as proper a game as "the force unleashed", but jesus...

Ciaran500

brim4brim wrote: »

and by this time any such DRM will have been hacked.

It was hacked a week ago 3 days before release.

Pete4779

[DM]-TheDOC- wrote: »

which i replied " well you didnt tell me id three chances to install my game before it bricked itself"

well done. I bought in Game and likewise got no warning of the restriction, and it's not on the box either.

If there are enough returns due to it, it might make retailers pressure EA.

Azza

Your right about the DRM not being clearly explained..its nowhere mentioned on the box that your limited to 3 activations on the box and EA really need to make it clear as to avoid confussions so people can make an informed decision when buying it. Apparantly Red Alert 3 will see the same DRM but with 5 activations instead of 3.


Hate to break it you theDOC, but Force Unleashed is getting very average reviews. You might be trading that back too, much to my dissapointment

papu

thelordofcheese wrote: »

The game delivered exactly what it promised, it's hardly the games fault you imagined a feature set and then they didn't implement what was in your imagination.
I mean fair enough if you don't think its as proper a game as "the force unleashed", but jesus...

no-where on the 54 euro box does it say , install three times only , then Fo and buy a new copy..

SecuRom Root kit Included...

AlmightyCushion

Ciaran500 wrote: »

It was hacked a week ago 3 days before release.

This is the biggest problem I have with drm. What the hell is the point when it gets cracked so quickly and easily. If people want to crack it they can, the only people it screws over is the people who actually buy the game.

Zillah

Yes, I find it quite amusing that these days not only are pirates providing the product faster and cheaper, the product itself is actually superior due to the lack of DRM.

thebman

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

Out of curiosity, is the DRM actually an issue for people? Do you really need to install it on three machines within a week of purchase? When I installed the game it seemed fine, no hassle at all. The only thing I can think of is when you return to play it in five or six years on your brand new floating PC with 50Gb of RAM.

Would you buy a music CD that you could only use on 3 CD Players?

Or a DVD movie you could only use on 3 DVD players?

Its ludicrious to suggest this is acceptable especially when the limitation that this isn't a full product but a limited use product isn't stated on the front of the box.

In fact, anyone up for report this to the CAI and ASAI? I have submitted a complaint to ASAI for misleading boxart by EA as this isn't stated on the box and everyone else should do the same.

kenyard

wow...thats pretty crappy! WTF LIKE?

what is installing it more than 3 times gonna do anyway?
can you run it without the disk even?

that totally ruins replayability. imagine you have to wipe your computer caus of a virus, buy a new better pc, or even have it on a laptop an pc maybe.

how does it work anywas?drm that is? im gonna see earlier threads to see if it is explained but how do they know u have used it 3 times or is it the online reg thing?

papu

kenyard wrote: »

wow...thats pretty crappy! WTF LIKE?

what is installing it more than 3 times gonna do anyway?
can you run it without the disk even?

that totally ruins replayability. imagine you have to wipe your computer caus of a virus, buy a new better pc, or even have it on a laptop an pc maybe.

how does it work anywas?drm that is? im gonna see earlier threads to see if it is explained but how do they know u have used it 3 times or is it the online reg thing?

when you enter the code , it phones home to servers , if it can't phone home it will wait a max of 10 days , after that if it has not activated with their servers the game will not boot up , from what i've heard , so an internet connection is basically needed to play the game....

kenyard

yeah its on previous page.
for this reason im not gonna buy it. im upgrading soon and was ognna put it on laptop aswell. plus reviews are crappy too.

cant believe theyre targeting second hand games! WTF like! yet playstation, nintendo and xbox made all their new systems compatible with old games instaeda of not doing so and rereleasing.

just goes to show some companies arent with it when it comes to what the consumer wants

mayordenis

I bought a new PC about 4/5 months ago - build myself and with these things there are often teething issues. Most notably installing the OS 4/5 times over the first week, now each time I would also install alot of games each time before everything would go belly-up again.
If at the time I owned spore I would of been fuxored, It's a shambles in my eyes - and so are EA - I bought a digital copy of the creature creator when that came out of their website - you can only download it for 6 months - now I understand there being a limit on how long you can d/l a game for with this type of service but 6 months is ripping the piss.

Azza

Guys its on the Bioware forums that Mass Effect can be installed as many times as you like on up to 3 machines and thats coming from Bioware itself. The Spore developers have said the same. Which is not a surpise as its the same system. It has a limit of 3 activations, not 3 installations.

Don't believe me look at the third post down in this thread and the 7th question and answer. This was before they removed the 10 online recheckign system.
http://masseffect.bioware.com/forums/viewtopic.html?topic=628724&forum=125&sp=0

After 153 pages on the subject of DRM they started another thread which reaffirms what I just said.
http://masseffect.bioware.com/forums/viewtopic.html?forum=125&topic=629227

The only difference between Mass Effect and Spore is that Spore requires the disc in the drive while Mass Effect does not.

Its still a bad copyright protection system proven not to work and can harm a small minority of legit users but the vast majority will be fine. Those users who do have difficulty will probably be able to get there issues resloved by calling tech support. Its already been implied that the activation system will be removed on Mass Effect at a later date like it was with Bioshock's install limit.

All games with any type of DRM should come with a detailed description of what the DRM does.

But I still think people are gonna off the deep end here just trying to make a point. I can't belive any company would be so stupid as to allow only 3 installs ever.

johnny_ultimate

Azza wrote: »

But I still think people are gonna off the deep end here just trying to make a point. I can't belive any company would be so stupid as to allow only 3 installs ever.

Agreed. This is my major issue with the whole arguement: while annoying and a flawed system (I'm not disputing that for a second), I just feel its a little counterproductive to be arguing so passionately about what in the end is a relatively minor complaint. For me, it doesn't detract from the game in the slightest, and I find it a bit disapointing that any discussion on the merits of the game itself - which the more I play, the more I become engrossed, and the more I feel the game is a remarkable creative and artistic achievement - is being replaced by these complaints which as of now are of little concern to the vast majority of users. When theres people actually considering not buying the game because if it, it just seems like a shame that they are missing out.

Zillah

What I don't understand is what they think they're achieving with such DRM efforts? I'd love if the people who make the decisions to institute such measures could answer the following questions:

1 - Do you think such DRM efforts will prevent your game from being pirated?
If yes, you're an ignorant fool.

2 - Do you think such DRM efforts will do anything more than slow down the pirates by a few hours?
If yes, you're a jackass.

3 - Who do you think will suffer more from DRM, your legitimate customers or people who pirate your games?
If the latter, you're a moron.

4 - Do you think such DRM will achieve anything at all for yourselves or your paying customers?
If yes, you have some bloody good explaining to do.

Azza

I know what your saying Zillah. Its a idoitc system and should be replaced but its not as terrible as its being made out to be. There is a drastic difference from the perception of what the current DRM is on these games and the actually truth.

If anyone feels really strongly against a particular DRM then they have of course the right not to purchase the product and the right to tell other people about these DRM systems. But if you do so make sure you have all the correct facts and not just what the bandwagon is saying.

I personally don't feel that games should be judged for the DRM systems they use but on the quaility of the game itself and that comerical success should depend on the latter not the former.

madrab

On a more game related note, i got to the space stage last night & while the missions are quite simple i actually like it (i like messing about with the planets & there are lots of new tools to unlock)

PogMoThoin

3 Activations, so basically your just renting the game, meh :mad:
I'l just priate a copy instead

thelordofcheese

papu wrote: »

no-where on the 54 euro box does it say , install three times only , then Fo and buy a new copy..

SecuRom Root kit Included...

Yes, because *that* is what i was talking about.
Also, your grasp of how the DRM works is flawed.

*facepalm*

Azza wrote: »

Hate to break it you theDOC, but Force Unleashed is getting very average reviews. You might be trading that back too, much to my dissapointment

I had a feeling that might be the case, the ironing is delicious

PogMoThoin wrote:

3 Activations, so basically your just renting the game, meh

You've never read an EULA, have you?
You're essentially only ever 'renting' the software, all your money is doing is allowing you to buy a licence to install said software, you never really actually own it.