Anti-DRM Spore action on Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Spore-Mac/dp/B000FKBCX4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1221407455&sr=1-1
from GalCiv2 Forums

 

 

- people in masses give this game 1 point to protest over Spore DRM

(you have activate it first time after install and only 3 activations totaly allowed).

 

I do not kbnow about you but even with activation I like StarDoc's aproach more, this is really funny that the game was cracked even before release and now legal customers find themselves in much worse position than "pirates", most of them just simply use cracked version to avoid the trobbles ...

 

Anyway I am too gave it 1 star ...

 

38,882 views 8 replies
Reply #1 from Demigod Forums Top


(you have activate it first time after install and only 3 activations totaly allowed).
End of quote

Don't forget that replacing any piece of hardware requires reinstall.

For instance:

 

  • install the game (1/3 activations spent)
  • buy a new graphics card (2/3 activations spent)
  • new graphics card broken?  send it back to the manufacturer and put back in the old one (all 3 activations spent)
  • get new graphics card from the manufacturer?  Game stops working.
After that, EA promises they may grant you one new activation if you contact them and prove you're not a lying thief.

 

Reply #2 from Demigod Forums Top

(dammit, "edit" seems to be broken)

I meant to say "requires re-activation" in my first sentence there.

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Reply #3 from PolMach Forums Top

Really?  Changing the hardware and it counts against you?

This game only mildly interesting me in the first place, but that does it.  If they're going to punish me for fiddling with my computer's insides, I ain't buying it.  Ever.

Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top

Yes, the activation is tied to your hardware ID. You may be able to change video cards or other components without troubles. Problem is EA won't tell you how much hardware change is toerated by the DRM, so it's a complete crap shoot if you change/add hardware as to whether or not you'll burn an activation.

Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Red Alert will allow at least one. So I think Spore has either one or non.

Reply #6 from Sins Forums Top

I'm skeptical. The BioWare devs said they changed video cards when testing Mass Effect and didn't run into any activation problems. However, after it was released, I saw more than one report on their boards where poepl found that changing a video card burned an activation.

 

My own experience with BioShock was that adding a hard drive (not a new one for the OS, but just another internal HDD for more storage) triggered an activation (in fact it locked me out of the game).

 

So, while they say you'll be able to change one component, I wouldn't count on it. Quite frankly, I;m not confident anyone but SonyDADC realy know what will tirgger an activation - and I wouldn't be surprised if even they didn't know for sure.

Reply #7 from Demigod Forums Top

Copy protection, the current big scam industry.  That industry says they are needed, afterall, look at all the pirates!  "Oh no, they are right!  We need this!"  And the industry laughs and laughs all the way to the bank.

 

I am having trouble thinking of any other product that punishes the customer while letting the criminal go free.

Reply #8 from Sins Forums Top

I promised myself never to buy another EA game until the changed big-time. Then they soemhow accquired BW. Now I often have a hard time sleeping at night... I want to reward BW but at the same time I dont want to support EA in anyway. Short of pirating DA:O and sending a donation to BW directly I'm at a loss of what to do.