Olegdr
Joined: 03 May 2008 |
 Posted: Saturday, 03 May 2008 02:40PM |
Hello everybody,
I'm really excited about Mass Effect coming to the PC, and i plan to buy it the moment it is released here, but first I would like to know what kind of copy protection MEPC will use and if it will require any kind of online activation to play? I have no plan or desire to copy the game DVD(s), but i refuse to buy the game if it will have any kind of activation system in place.
Last year i didn't buy Bioshock for that very reason.
I don't need to ask permission to play my own legally purchased games! |
|
Meta7
Joined: 31 Mar 2008 |
Posted: Saturday, 03 May 2008 03:03PM |
|
EA is the publisher, so it wont be as bad as Bioshock or anything like that. Probably your standard CD check by Securom. |
|
|
thegrommit
Game Owner
 SW: KotOR PC
Joined: 18 Dec 2004 |
Posted: Saturday, 03 May 2008 03:19PM |
It's a good question as there's supposedly a "Internet connection required for gameplay" disclaimer being discussed in the system requirements thread.
Quote: Posted 05/03/08 15:03 (GMT) by Meta7
Probably your standard CD check by Securom.
FYI, the Bioshock activation system was provided by Securom.Edited By thegrommit on 05/03/08 15:20 |
|
|
Derek French
Technical Producer
Joined: 16 Oct 2001
From: Euphoria |
Posted: Saturday, 03 May 2008 04:20PM |
Mass Effect uses SecuROM and requires an online activation for the first time that you play it. Each copy of Mass Effect comes with a CD Key which is used for this activation and for registration here at the BioWare Community. Mass Effect does not require the DVD to be in the drive in order to play, it is only for installation.
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.
Please feel free to ask any follow up questions in this thread and I will try and answer them when I can.
_________________
DISCLAIMER: The above statement was made with the currently available information. Its true right now (check the time stamp on the post) but may not be in the future. Relax. Chill. Enjoy life. Thanks! |
|
|
Olegdr
Joined: 03 May 2008 |
Posted: Saturday, 03 May 2008 04:35PM |
Well, i guess i won't be buying Mass Effect then.
When playing your legally purchased game is more troublesome than playing a pirated copy, somebody somewhere should realise the system is fraked. |
|
|
thegrommit
Game Owner
SW: KotOR PC
Joined: 18 Dec 2004 |
Posted: Saturday, 03 May 2008 04:41PM |
Quote: Posted 05/03/08 16:20 (GMT) by Derek French
Mass Effect does not require the DVD to be in the drive in order to play, it is only for installation.
That's good to hear. Bioshock required the CD even after online activation  |
|
|
Olegdr
Joined: 03 May 2008 |
Posted: Saturday, 03 May 2008 04:51PM |
|
Pray-tell what is exactly deemed public? To how many friends am i allowed to borrow my legally purchased copy, before you ban me from playing it? |
|
|
thegrommit
Game Owner
SW: KotOR PC
Joined: 18 Dec 2004 |
Posted: Saturday, 03 May 2008 04:53PM |
Quote: Posted 05/03/08 16:51 (GMT) by Olegdr
Pray-tell what is exactly deemed public?
In the case of Bioshock, five simultaneously active activations were allowed. If you wanted to loan it to a sixth friend  , you'd have to deactivate one of the first five. |
|
|
Derek French
Technical Producer
Joined: 16 Oct 2001
From: Euphoria |
Posted: Saturday, 03 May 2008 05:28PM |
Quote: Posted 05/03/08 16:51 (GMT) by Olegdr
Pray-tell what is exactly deemed public?
When we find a CD Key on a warez site or publicly posted somewhere. Like if you posted your CD Key for public consumption here on our forums.
Quote: To how many friends am i allowed to borrow my legally purchased copy, before you ban me from playing it?
I believe that the SecuROM settings are for up to 3 activations.
There is no banning or such if you go beyond the 3 activations, it just won't activate. If you run into any issues with this, you will be able to contact EA tech support and they will help you resolve any problems you have getting your game to run, including issues with SecuROM.
_________________
DISCLAIMER: The above statement was made with the currently available information. Its true right now (check the time stamp on the post) but may not be in the future. Relax. Chill. Enjoy life. Thanks! |
|
|
Olegdr
Joined: 03 May 2008 |
Posted: Saturday, 03 May 2008 05:31PM |
|
Nope, won't be buying Mass Effect... |
|
|
Althernai
Game Owner
 NWN
NWN: SoU
NWN: HotU
SW: KotOR PC
Jade Empire
NWN 2
NWN 2: MotB
Mass Effect PC
Joined: 25 Feb 2002
From: St. Genis |
Posted: Saturday, 03 May 2008 05:56PM |
Quote: Posted 05/03/08 16:20 (GMT) by Derek French
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.
How is the check initiated? Does it occur when the user starts up the game or is it automatic? Basically, am I installing a program that will run in the background and contact the server every 5 days even if I had not played Mass Effect for a month? |
|
|
aries1001
Game Owner
 NWN
NWN: SoU
NWN: HotU
SW: KotOR PC
Jade Empire:SE
NWN 2
NWN 2: MotB
NWN 2: SoZ
Mass Effect PC
Joined: 23 May 2004
From: Denmark, Europe |
Posted: Saturday, 03 May 2008 06:04PM |
I certainly hope your or the EA servers are readu for the massive influx of people trying to activate the game all at once.
I can remember the Bioshock incident last august and september (2007) when the servers at 2K actually went down since so many people wanted to activate the game all at once.
And what did these people do? Sensibly, they did what they have been told to years ago; install the game a second and a third time.
And thus using up their two activations (at that time). I hope that the EA servers are better equipped (if that's the correct word?) to handle this situation?
As for the online activation, I'm sorry, but I don't understand the need for this. Many people, especially in third world countries or even in some eastern European countries like the Ukraine or Bulgaria or Romania still only have dial-up modems. Some students have internet connections but are behind a college firewall that will block any attempt of them downloading anything that is not approved by the tech and IT department of the college.
I also happen to know that even in the Northern parts of Europe, like small towns in Sweden or Norway, you can only get dial-up connections.
Again, if we talk about being afraid of people copying or pirating the game (trust me, I won't as I do think that Bioware and other devs. should get their money's worth), let me again remind that Bioshock did get -ehm- pirated within hours or days after its initial release.
I understand the needs for copy protection, but I much prefer Starforce. I know people have had problems with Starforce, but as I understand it you can download a removal tool for Starforce.
At least I hope the *this game requires internet activation to install* to install will be clearly marked on the box and in bigger letter than on Bioshock's box.
edit:
It sounds like there is only a limited amount of cd keys ? available?
_________________
for all your parenting needs when it comes to games, please visit: http://www.gamingwithchildren.com/Edited By aries1001 on 05/03/08 18:11 |
|
|
Terror_K
Game Owner
 NWN
NWN: SoU
NWN: HotU
SW: KotOR PC
Jade Empire:SE
NWN 2
NWN 2: MotB
NWN 2: SoZ
Mass Effect PC
Joined: 04 Feb 2008
From: New Zealand |
Posted: Saturday, 03 May 2008 06:21PM |
If it works well, I certainly think it's a fair price to pay for not needing the DVD-ROM in the drive. I personally hate that, and end up finding no-CD/no-DVD hacks and patches for my legit games just because it's annoying. Glad I'll never have to do that with MEPC  |
|
|
Derek French
Technical Producer
Joined: 16 Oct 2001
From: Euphoria |
Posted: Saturday, 03 May 2008 06:27PM |
Quote: Posted 05/03/08 17:56 (GMT) by Althernai Quote: Posted 05/03/08 16:20 (GMT) by Derek French
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.
How is the check initiated?
When you run MassEffect.exe.
Quote: Basically, am I installing a program that will run in the background and contact the server every 5 days even if I had not played Mass Effect for a month?
There are no external programs with SecuROM. It is completely contained in the wrap of the executable. There are no other programs or processes that run, other than was is with MassEffect.exe
Quote: Posted 05/03/08 18:21 (GMT) by Terror_K If it works well, I certainly think it's a fair price to pay for not needing the DVD-ROM in the drive. I personally hate that, and end up finding no-CD/no-DVD hacks and patches for my legit games just because it's annoying. Glad I'll never have to do that with MEPC
We have been running the system both internally and at EA for the past 3 months. It is very nice not having SecuROM key disks in order to test our own game.
_________________
I'M IN YER BLOGZ, KILLING YER MARKETINGZ! |
|
|
Terror_K
Game Owner
NWN
NWN: SoU
NWN: HotU
SW: KotOR PC
Jade Empire:SE
NWN 2
NWN 2: MotB
NWN 2: SoZ
Mass Effect PC
Joined: 04 Feb 2008
From: New Zealand |
Posted: Saturday, 03 May 2008 06:32PM |
|
Somewhat OT, but does one have to be online to get their achievments recorded, or if you are offline will they simply update on the servers as soon as you go on? |
|
|
