News BioShock copy protection to go?

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2007/08/24/bioshock_copy_protection_to_go_/1

I hate Securom. You hate Securom. 2K now looks like it may finally be joining the crowd after Ken Levine promises to get the issue sorted out. Meanwhile, Steam claims to have already done so.

 

I hope so too, some games have released patches that remove the copy protection - Supreme Commander is a recent example.

Short answer, no. Almost every method used to date disadvantages the paying customer, and in most cases infringes their legal rights, and still doesn't stop the protection being broken.

 

I know it wasn't unbreakable but I did like the copy protection Operation Flashpoint used, where copied versions degraded over time, with no problems for legitimate users.

 

Maybe i'm being a bit thick but i don't see how this is any better than the previous method.

 

i think the way to go to protect games from pirateing would prolly be to have an account system like mmorpgs....
tie the cdkey to an account, have a db of the acounts, you can login to your account only if the account is not currently online.

sure, it would require an internet connection for the full time you want to play...
but i think that would be an acceptable trade off in return for no rootkit, no install nr. limits and so on.

 

Or just go the simple option, don't bother with copy protection. Its defeated with in days, can't be cheap and upsets the people who are actually supporting your business with out affecting those who are, arguably, undermining it.

 

what are you smoking? that's not how it works.

 

im sure i read somewhere the steam update was to fix problems with not all the bioshock files being unlocked when you activate through steam (not the securom activation)

 

Steam ?

 

basicaly yes...
sure, steam has some flaws...
but some of them where fixed, and some of them could be fixed...

but i think its the best way to protect games from being pirated without having to deal with such crap as we have now with bioshock.

 

Fod is right, thats not how it works. You can re-install as many times as you like, as long as you uninstal it first.

For example: You have 5 PC's, you can install it on all 5. If you buy a 6th PC, you can't install it unless you un-install it on one of your other 5 PC's first.

Alternatively; if you only have 1 pc with Bioshock installed, and you do a significant hardware upgrade it counts as the second install. However, if you un-install the game before upgrading and then install it afterwards it doesn't use up the install.

This article seems a bit like all the fearmongering that's all over digg right now. Bad bit-tech, no treats for you!

 

Didn't that take less than a month of bitching in the forums and talk of the no-cd cracked exe? All i remember was that it was bloody quick and appreciated by all.

I personally wont be buying Bioshock until there's a fix, i dont care if its legitimate or not because i want this game but i dont want to be limited by hardware faults or forgetting to uninstall before a wipe.

 

You're talking theoretical. Have you checked the threads on 2K forums? Uninstalling doesn't give the installation activation 'credits' back in 90% of cases - it doesn't work.

I still won't be buying until it's completely removed, preferably with an official no-cd patch available.

 

And if it doesn't work, email them.

Basically, yes its a pain, but I'd not want people to nick my work either so I'm happy to put up with it.

 

When activations failed, 2k said to email SecuROM and SecuROM said to email 2k... go figure.

 

the way it is meant to work is annoying but can be put up with
but the system is broken and it doesnt work, http://www.pcgamer.com/ see the latest 2 entries in the pcgamer blog

you honestly think thats acceptable?

edit: also you're incredibly naive if you think this will stop a pirated version of the game being available within a week or so
all its done is piss off a LOT of paying customers and give the warez groups a challenge

 

The blind leading the blind.

 

Did I say that? Or are you reading my thoughts?

Your really weird because all you think about is dog testicles.

Of course it will get pirated, but it's never going to stop companies from trying to foil their efforts. And sure the whole thing is a bit messed up at the moment. But doesn't anyone remember how messed up HL2's release was? That got sorted pretty sharpish. I think its damn amazing how quick 2K are trying to deal with this.

 

I cant say i've had any issues. I dislike the idea of extra software doing something I have no care for i.e. starforce. But I would say for every issue I did have I would probably be inspired to go seed a few torrents. Companies need to learn they cant disadvantage the genuine consumer in the war on piracy!

 

The only ones that are happy with copy protections are the crackers. Or else they would be out of a job and cannot pride themselfs anymore in the warezscenes. Its a challenge for them to crack the code, its an challenge for us to make the game work with the annoying copy protection, wich in many cases are doomed to fail. The consumer on the search for a better way. will then soon fall over a dozen cracks that actually make the copy protected game work the way the consumer wanted in the first place.

So did the copy protection of bioshock actually prevented a copy? Hell no! The game was released fully cracked in the warezscene a few days before the official release, and available through "different sources". So did the evil me download a copy? No, because i am a strong supporter of good quality games. And i pay for a good game out of respect for the creators of the game.

Would i use a crack for nocd/dvd? If i would needed it, or it would make the game work on my system, yes i will...