Because Bioshock protection was a WINNER. Right?

[Thanakil]

Since Bioshock protection (against THE BIG BAD PIRATES WHO KILL SALES OF VIDEO GAMES, OH NOES) worked so well (you know, even tho it got cracked fairly easily...), it seems like it inspired other people to do the same thing... But worse.
Mainly : Mass Effect and Spores...
(Yeah, wish I was joking.)

"Mass Effect uses SecuROM and requires an online activation for the first time that you play it," French says. "After the first activation, SecuROM requires that it re-check with the server within ten days (in case the CD Key has become public/warez'd and gets banned). Just so that the 10 day thing doesn't become abrupt, SecuROM tries its first re-check with 5 days remaining in the 10 day window. If it can't contact the server before the 10 days are up, nothing bad happens and the game still runs. After 10 days a re-check is required before the game can run."
"Just to re-iterate that point, you will need to re-activate your copy with the publisher every 10 days. Forever."

I think "Forever" is not exactly right since it'll most likely be patched out at one point. But anyway, it's still seriously WAY TOO MUCH protection. I wanna play a game, not deposit 5000$.

"The DRM will let you install the game on three different machines before having a paddy. Bioshock, last year's standout PC title, allowed up to five activations and only one online check at installation. And, of course, as with that title last year, if the activation servers go down you can kiss goodbye to playing your nice new game on launch day."
"It's also significantly more onerous than the DRM even on Windows installations - which, given that the OS costs around five times the cost of a PC game, seems strange. It's another reason to simply find a version of the game that is hacked to bypass activation - common sense dictates that using legit software shouldn't be more hassle than pirated software."

Original Source :
Mass Effect DRM goes too far - The INQUIRER

[Dynamo]

I'll pass just out of sheer inconvenience. Don't really care about any aspect of the game with a system like that.

[BigIg]

In other news, projected piracy rates of Mass Effect raise an astounding 4000%.

[Cheesus]

The last one was understandable, really, I mean, it kept people from copying it and it gave them about 2 weeks so that the people who were dying to get the game would buy it not warez it. Fair enough (to a certain extent).

But this is just insane! Its like they're encouraging cracks and warez...
"Go illegal, and not only will it be free, but I won't **** you over every 10 days!"

[John Aiton]

yeah, it'll be cracked even faster and better by the release teams just to spite them

[SCHUMI-4-EVA]

Marvellous.

I agree with everything that has been said...this is just sheer stupidity...for the first time I feel like just straight out pirating something....not that I will...but still...

[PCXL-Fan]

Thank you EA.

[Hard core Rikki]

Now I've seen everything (in the gaming DRM field ;p ).
No wonders nocds and similar 'workarounds' pop up like crazy.

Hell's bells, where has gone the respect due to paying customers?? The arrogance and greed of these publishers will never cease to amaze me.

[Mad]

Thats good for my pocket, one less game to buy...

[Hard core Rikki]

one less game to buy...

Seconded. Mass Effect added to my blacklist.

[mudlord]

yeah, it'll be cracked even faster and better by the release teams just to spite them

Oh yes. Thank you ViTALiTY/RELOADED/HATRED/Razor1911 for removing evil protections like SecuROM. Who knows what happens if they start using Starforce.....

[Mad]

Then people will stop buying their games.

[Thanakil]

I'm just waiting for sales to go down like the Titanic, and for the blame to be casted on piracy and PC gaming being DEAD.

(or they may surprise and admit the protection being stupid and patch it out earlier than expected, which I could see happen... I'll keep dreaming I suppose )

[Paratech]

Great, I preordered this game. I don't want to buy a 360 to play it, but I have three weeks to decide, I guess...

Frag...

[cottonvibes]

well i believe bioshock was cracked, so i'm sure these games will be cracked as well.

i wish developers would quit with the damn copyprotection, as it almost always gets cracked by skilled hax0rs given enough time.

and gamers still have to buy games if they want to play online, since they ban warez'd cd-keys.

[Paratech]

Yeah, imagine your CD Key is stolen off your computer, buh bye game...

[Project Epsilon]

this is why even after building a new pc, i'm still playing and buying older games for it... this stuff is getting out of hand...

[makotech222]

dont worry. the protection will be cracked and you wont need a valid cd anymore. thats what always happens. just a matter of time.

[Thanakil]

Originally Posted by makotech222

dont worry. the protection will be cracked and you wont need a valid cd anymore. thats what always happens. just a matter of time.

Pretty much, the problem is seeing this becoming more and more common. It just means they would rather ignore the customer and make it a pain in the ass for people who actually pay.

They actually punish the honest customer, while the guy who pirates the game won't be bothered at all. Max the pirate will have to wait like a week or two for the game to be cracked (which was about the time it took for bioshock? Dunno. I know starforce games were more of a pain in the ass but securom...).

[cottonvibes]

Originally Posted by Thanakil

Pretty much, the problem is seeing this becoming more and more common. It just means they would rather ignore the customer and make it a pain in the ass for people who actually pay.

They actually punish the honest customer, while the guy who pirates the game won't be bothered at all. Max the pirate will have to wait like a week or two for the game to be cracked (which was about the time it took for bioshock? Dunno. I know starforce games were more of a pain in the ass but securom...).

as a future game programmer, i'm pretty sure the actual developers don't really care about the piracy, since they generally don't make any dividends off the sales, and just get paid by salaries.

probably their employers just force them to keep increasing copyright protection.

i wouldn't be suprised if the developers are the same people that release the cracks of the games