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Spore, Mass Effect DRM Phone Home For Single-Player Gaming
Tridus writes "The PC version of Mass Effect is going to require Internet access to play (despite being a single-player game), as its DRM system requires that it phone home every 10 days. Sadly, Spore will use the same system. This will do nothing to stop piracy of course, but it will do a heck of a good job of stopping EA's new arch-enemy: people playing their single player games offline." Is this better or worse than requiring a CD in the drive to play? Update: 05/07 17:17 GMT by T : According to a message from Technical Producer Derek French (may require a scroll-down) on the Bioware forums, there is indeed an internet connection required, but only for activation, not for all future play. Update: 05/08 04:10 GMT by T : Mea culpa. As reader David Houk points out, the 10-day window is in fact correct as initially described, so don't count on playing this on any machine without at least some Internet connectivity.
Because so many people do not respect the rights of others, specifically the copy rights of others.
Copyright is a legal right granted by the government. Making an unauthorized copy is a violation of the copyright holders rights.
There is no "-1 offended" or "-1 you don't agree with me" mod options for a reason.
Their worry is people like you violating their rights.
There is no "-1 offended" or "-1 you don't agree with me" mod options for a reason.
You'll not have internet access for 10 days? Sorry I live in a first world country with pretty strong competition in the internet market, I didn't realise it there were still countries with government enforced monopolies that destroy competition and provide crappy service... are you in Soviet Russia ;)
My last experience was moved in, plugged in, phoned up.... "it will be 24 hours before you are connected".... hung up... looked at flashing lights on the box... connected.... got shouted at for not helping unpack.
An Eye for an Eye will make the whole world blind - Gandhi
Just FYI, "gnutoo" is a sockpuppet account of twitter. He's posted on this article with three accounts already.
The twitter monologues. Click on my homepage and be amazed.
Hi, you are a dumb-ass.
Fair use is one of the limits on the right built into the law that granted the right.
Now please, shut the fuck up before you make an even bigger fool out of yourself.
There is no "-1 offended" or "-1 you don't agree with me" mod options for a reason.
If my budget is so thight that I can't afford my internet (which is also my TV and phone bill by the way) then i can't afford the game, let alone the $1400 rig to play it on...
Not to mention, your internet is likely under contract. Wether you pay your bill or not, you STILL HAVE TO PAY THEM. Skipping that bill? Eat Ramen Noodles for a few days insteak of BK burgers and you'll make the difference up.
I have had internet non-stop since 1994. I've had the TV turned off (9 months straight at one point, but I was playing so many games I didn't need beyond what rabbit ears could catch), my cell phones turned off, even rode the bus to avoid buying gas for a few weeks, and NEVER ONCE have I let my internet connection lapse. You can get DSL for $9.99 per month, by court action they're required to offer that if you ask for it. $19.99 is the going rate for basic internet. The speed is very low, but more than fast enough to stream music, play an MMO, or activate a game....
Also, there WILL be an override. You have been able to activate Windows by phone since windows 2000 came out. Why not a game? All it needs is a text message option or a 1-800 number and an IVR plug-in for their phone system and database. Cheap. Cheaper than helpdesk people... Cheaper than loss revenue from DRM cracks.
Your just pissed because you won't be able to steal games anymore. WAAAH! Boo fucking hoo. If you can't afford to buy a game that you want, then you should have gone to college like your mommy told you, sucked it up, worked hard, and got a good job. I have no sympathy for the lazy or the weak minded. Natural Selection is a law that should be protected at all costs.
There is no contest in life for which the unprepared have the advantage.
Your post is so full of fail it almost made my screen explode!
Well "dickhead", let's see. Why don't you log in, I'll create four more accounts and then we can have a discussion where I agree with myself and you take a karma hit because the moderators fell for my shilling. Game? Let me know.
The twitter monologues. Click on my homepage and be amazed.
People use cars to drive faster than the speed limit on roads. Does that mean we need to ban cars or roads? Have fun walking to work.
Oh, that's right - you don't work, you just sit in your parents' basement all day drinking mountain dew and jerking off to badly photoshopped Seven of Nine porn.
Playing games on a LAN, and setting up a ladder system that will equitably work for months of play? Two entirely different things. We enjoyed having a ladder system, thanks.
so someone openly and plainly selling you a game which needs to connect to the web every TEN DAYS is 'buttfucking' you?
Get some fucking perspective.
This is why devs move to consoles, PC gamers treat any attempt to prevent piracy as the end of the world, so why even bother with the platform if this is th mentality of the potential 'customer'?
DRM-free indie games for the PC and Mac: Positech Games