Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 30 of 38

Thread: Spore's DRM being protested on Amazon

  1. #1
    Camel Lord Senior Member Capture The Flag Champion Martok's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2002
    Location
    In my own little world....but it's okay, they know me there.
    Posts
    8,257

    Exclamation Spore's DRM being protested on Amazon

    Just read this on Gamespy, although I remember seeing a mention of it earlier in the day as well. For those who are interested, here's a direct link to Amazon's Spore review page.


    All I can say is: Good. I sincerely hope EA and other PC game publishers sit up and take notice of what's happening. Clearly the carrot hasn't been working thus far -- e.g., getting publishers to realize on their own that there's actually more profit in *not* having draconian protection schemes -- so perhaps it's time to try the stick.
    Last edited by Martok; 09-09-2008 at 05:06.
    "MTW is not a game, it's a way of life." -- drone

  2. #2

    Default Re: Spore's DRM being protested on Amazon

    That's a good step, but what really needs to happen is a class action lawsuit against EA and/or SecuROM regarding the 'install limits'.

  3. #3
    Just another Member rajpoot's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Neverland
    Posts
    2,810

    Default Re: Spore's DRM being protested on Amazon

    The masses are rising


    The horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight.

  4. #4
    is not a senior Member Meneldil's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    France
    Posts
    3,074

    Default Re : Spore's DRM being protested on Amazon

    I think Bakunin couldn't have guessed that the first large-scale revolution in the 21th century would occur because of some crappy videogame.

  5. #5
    Just another Member rajpoot's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Neverland
    Posts
    2,810

    Default Re: Re : Spore's DRM being protested on Amazon

    Quote Originally Posted by Meneldil View Post
    the first large-scale revolution in the 21th century would occur because of some crappy videogame.

    Don't say that, remember Marie Antoinette, who just said that "let them eat cake insted." and found herself in for a chop soon after.
    Someone has got to get chopped now, I just hope this thing gets large enough to make them listen; I mean copy protection opposition seems to be at its peak right now; with Stardock's Bill of Rights for Gamers and all........


    The horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight.

  6. #6
    Senior Member Senior Member naut's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Posts
    9,103

    Default Re: Re : Spore's DRM being protested on Amazon

    Bless 'em. Viva la revolution.
    #Hillary4prism

    BD:TW

    Some piously affirm: "The truth is such and such. I know! I see!"
    And hold that everything depends upon having the “right” religion.
    But when one really knows, one has no need of religion. - Mahavyuha Sutra

    Freedom necessarily involves risk. - Alan Watts

  7. #7
    Member Member TB666's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Malmö, Sweden
    Posts
    1,519

    Default Sv: Spore's DRM being protested on Amazon

    May the gaming gods(I heard Thor is awesome at CS:S) bless everyone of them.
    Now if only I could be productive and create an account at Amazon and join them.

  8. #8
    Prince of Maldonia Member Toby and Kiki Champion, Goo Slasher Champion, Frogger Champion woad&fangs's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Wisconsin
    Posts
    2,884

    Default Re: Spore's DRM being protested on Amazon

    Good

    I'm one of those thousands of people who were drooling in anticipation of this game. However, I'm not paying $50 for a rental.
    Why did the chicken cross the road?

    So that its subjects will view it with admiration, as a chicken which has the daring and courage to boldly cross the road,
    but also with fear, for whom among them has the strength to contend with such a paragon of avian virtue? In such a manner is the princely
    chicken's dominion maintained. ~Machiavelli

  9. #9
    Urwendur Ûrîbêl Senior Member Mouzafphaerre's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Mikligarðr
    Posts
    6,899

    Default Re: Re : Spore's DRM being protested on Amazon

    Quote Originally Posted by india View Post
    Don't say that, remember Marie Antoinette, who just said that "let them eat cake insted." and found herself in for a chop soon after.
    Someone has got to get chopped now, I just hope this thing gets large enough to make them listen; I mean copy protection opposition seems to be at its peak right now; with Stardock's Bill of Rights for Gamers and all........
    .
    Poor Marie-Antoinette having never uttered those words being a side issue, let's all hail

    VIVE LA REVOLUTION! VIVE STARDOCK!
    .
    Ja mata Tosa Inu-sama, Hore Tore, Adrian II, Sigurd, Fragony

    Mouzafphaerre is known elsewhere as Urwendil/Urwendur/Kibilturg...
    .

  10. #10
    Amphibious Trebuchet Salesman Member Whacker's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    in ur city killin ur militias
    Posts
    2,934

    Default Re: Spore's DRM being protested on Amazon

    What really needs to happen is people need to VOTE WITH THEIR DOLLARS/EUROS/POUNDS/etc. Do NOT buy the game if it comes with this kind of crap! Research before you buy. Etc etc etc.

    Vive Stardock! indeed!

    "Justice is the firm and continuous desire to render to everyone
    that which is his due."
    - Justinian I

  11. #11
    Poll Smoker Senior Member CountArach's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Sydney, Australia
    Posts
    9,029

    Default Re: Spore's DRM being protested on Amazon

    I wish I knew about the DRM before I bought it
    Rest in Peace TosaInu, the Org will be your legacy
    Quote Originally Posted by Leon Blum - For All Mankind
    Nothing established by violence and maintained by force, nothing that degrades humanity and is based on contempt for human personality, can endure.

  12. #12
    Time Lord Member The_Doctor's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    The TARDIS
    Posts
    2,040

    Default Re: Spore's DRM being protested on Amazon

    I wish I knew about the DRM before I bought it
    So do I.

  13. #13
    the G-Diffuser Senior Member pevergreen's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Brisbane, Australia
    Posts
    11,585
    Blog Entries
    2

    Default Re: Spore's DRM being protested on Amazon

    Thirded. Already done two installs. Oh well, at least one is perma-backed up.
    Quote Originally Posted by TosaInu
    The org will be org until everyone calls it a day.

    Quote Originally Posted by KukriKhan View Post
    but I joke. Some of my best friends are Vietnamese villages.
    Quote Originally Posted by Lemur
    Anyone who wishes to refer to me as peverlemur is free to do so.

  14. #14
    Member Member TB666's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Malmö, Sweden
    Posts
    1,519

    Default Sv: Re: Spore's DRM being protested on Amazon

    Quote Originally Posted by Whacker View Post
    What really needs to happen is people need to VOTE WITH THEIR DOLLARS/EUROS/POUNDS/etc.
    Well the 1 star reviews will no doubt stop some people from buying it.

  15. #15
    Member Member PBI's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    1,176

    Default Re: Spore's DRM being protested on Amazon

    Agreed, this sort of thing must surely be actually starting to make a dent in their sales. I know for a fact if I'm going on Amazon to buy a game, and see it has 700 1-star reviews all saying "DO NOT BUY THIS GAME" it would put me off.

    Vive la revolution!

    Edit: It's made the BBC website.
    Last edited by PBI; 09-10-2008 at 10:58.

  16. #16
    Could be your God Member Abokasee's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    N/A
    Posts
    1,487

    Default Re: Spore's DRM being protested on Amazon

    Less watered down games!!! more steaks!!!!

    BURN THE DRM OPPRESSERS!!! IMPALE THE SECRUROM ON THE SPIKES!!!
    Last edited by Abokasee; 09-12-2008 at 19:19.
    Now with transparent layers!

    Lost on the Internet? Go back to start.

  17. #17
    Needs more flowers Moderator drone's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Moral High Grounds
    Posts
    9,286

    Default Re: Spore's DRM being protested on Amazon

    Don't forget that SecuRom is a Sony product, and I assume that for every purchase of Spore, Sony gets a license fee/royalty of some kind. For me, that's reason enough to protest/boycott, apart from the distinct possibility that Sony's programmers are morons that will leave your system open to teh 0wnage.
    The .Org's MTW Reference Guide Wiki - now taking comments, corrections, suggestions, and submissions

    If I werent playing games Id be killing small animals at a higher rate than I am now - SFTS
    Si je n'étais pas jouer à des jeux que je serais mort de petits animaux à un taux plus élevé que je suis maintenant - Louis VI The Fat

    "Why do you hate the extremely limited Spartan version of freedom?" - Lemur

  18. #18
    Undercover Lurker Member Mailman653's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Mansfield, TX
    Posts
    1,309

    Default Re: Spore's DRM being protested on Amazon

    Wonder how those holiday sales are going to go when you got a 1 star rated game on Amazon. If I knew almost nothing about games and went online sometime in Dec to buy a kid a game and saw Spore, I would say "oh this looks cute.....oh...one star...well that can't be good, maybe I should look for something else".

    And the saga continues.....
    EA Limiting Spore Owners to One Account Per Copy
    Last edited by Mailman653; 09-13-2008 at 05:39.

  19. #19
    Camel Lord Senior Member Capture The Flag Champion Martok's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2002
    Location
    In my own little world....but it's okay, they know me there.
    Posts
    8,257

    Default Re: Spore's DRM being protested on Amazon

    Okay, now that's just flat-out inane. Why on earth would EA place such an absurd restriction on the game? That makes even less sense than including SecuROM.
    "MTW is not a game, it's a way of life." -- drone

  20. #20
    Member Member Decker's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    This place called Mars... do you know of it?
    Posts
    1,673

    Default Re: Spore's DRM being protested on Amazon

    brings you about the same amount of excitement as dressing up a plastic doll.
    Ouch man ouch. This just had me cracking up. Oh well... looks like EA won't be getting anymore of my mulah. I haven't bought a game from them in a while anyhoo.

    Not to mention that it seems they are going to do it to their entire line of game

    oh well...

    VIVE LA REVOLUTION!
    "No one said it was gonna be easy! If it was, everyone would do it..that's who you know who really wants it."

    All us men suffer in equal parts, it's our lot in life, and no man goes without a broken heart or a lost love. Like holding your dog as he takes his last breath and dies in your arms, it's a rite of passage. Unavoidable. And honestly, I can't imagine life without that depth of feeling.-Bierut

  21. #21
    Just another Member rajpoot's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Neverland
    Posts
    2,810

    Default Re: Spore's DRM being protested on Amazon

    Maybe some aliens have taken over the bodies of the EA people, you know like they had in Freelancer, the Nomads took over many high positioned people to put in action their evil plan ...........maybe these people have some plan to fire up gamers and then do something......hard to believe they still don't see the writing on the wall.
    Last edited by rajpoot; 09-13-2008 at 11:09.


    The horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight.

  22. #22
    Senior Member Senior Member naut's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Posts
    9,103

    Default Re: Spore's DRM being protested on Amazon

    Quote Originally Posted by Mailman653
    And the saga continues.....
    EA Limiting Spore Owners to One Account Per Copy
    I can understand the logic behind doing that, but for me that's the last nail in the coffin for this "game". Having multiple accounts would have been the only way for my brother and I to track individual creations, etc. But since that's not the case, I'll not bother at all, there's no point buying two DRM infested rental copies. Glad that I found that out sooner, rather than later.
    #Hillary4prism

    BD:TW

    Some piously affirm: "The truth is such and such. I know! I see!"
    And hold that everything depends upon having the “right” religion.
    But when one really knows, one has no need of religion. - Mahavyuha Sutra

    Freedom necessarily involves risk. - Alan Watts

  23. #23
    Nobody expects the Senior Member Lemur's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Wisconsin Death Trip
    Posts
    15,754

    Default Re: Spore's DRM being protested on Amazon

    The anti-DRM rage is reaching the mainstream media. Forbes has a great piece:

    How do you measure the failure of the copy protections that software companies place on their media products? In the case of Electronic Arts' highly-anticipated game "Spore," just count the pirates.

    As of Thursday afternoon, "Spore" had been illegally downloaded on file-sharing networks using BitTorrent peer-to-peer transfer 171,402 times since Sept. 1, according to Big Champagne, a peer-to-peer research firm. That's hardly a record: a popular game often hits those kinds of six-figure piracy numbers, says Big Champagne Chief Executive Eric Garland. But not usually so quickly [...]

    Electronic Arts calls those criticisms unfair. "EA has not changed our basic DRM copy protection system," says corporate communications manager Mariam Sughayer. "We simply changed the copy protection method from using the physical media, which requires authentication every time you play the game by requiring a disc in the drive, to one which uses a one-time online authentication."

    Electronic Arts compares its DRM solution to systems in place on services like iTunes that similarly limits the number of computers that can play a particular song. Sughayer also points out that less than 25% of EA users attempt to install the company's games on more than one computer, and less than 1% attempt to install it on more than three.

    Liars. EA, that is.

  24. #24
    Backordered Member CrossLOPER's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Brass heart.
    Posts
    2,414

    Default Re: Spore's DRM being protested on Amazon

    Quote Originally Posted by Lemur View Post
    The anti-DRM rage is reaching the mainstream media....
    The DRM will prevent piracy, they said.
    Requesting suggestions for new sig.

    -><- GOGOGO GOGOGO WINLAND WINLAND ALL HAIL TECHNOVIKING!SCHUMACHER!
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    WHY AM I NOT BEING PAID FOR THIS???

  25. #25
    Undercover Lurker Member Mailman653's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Mansfield, TX
    Posts
    1,309

    Default Re: Spore's DRM being protested on Amazon

    Another dose of Spore news:
    Amazon Pulls Negative Reviews Of 'Spore,' Then Reinstates Them

    All those compalints don't seem to be working very well since the ad states the game is ranked #5 in sales.

  26. #26
    Nobody expects the Senior Member Lemur's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Wisconsin Death Trip
    Posts
    15,754

    Default Re: Spore's DRM being protested on Amazon

    I was browsing the Spore forum threads this morning, just to see how angry the user base was and what EA is or isn't doing to address the problem. Anyway, I ran across a brilliant post that deserves reprinting. After a user compared the DRM to a lock on a house, a user responded:

    Since you obviously like the "locking your house" analogy let's take it further.

    Consider that when you buy your house you are forced by someone to use a super high tech lock to that house. It has eye scanners and finger print scanners and requires a key to use also. You've bought this house like say 100 000 others. out of those 100 000 there's a certain percentage that will not be able to enter their house because of faulty locks. Will that be you?

    The lock is also integrated into the house so that should it ever have a hiccup you will be ejected from the house.

    Should you in the future ever have to move to another house you are obligated to take the lock with you, but you will not be allowed to move more than 3 times. If you do the lock will stop working and you will be locked out of your house. Should the house ever burn down the lock will miraculously survive and this will count as if you moved once.

    Should you have to move more than 3 times you will have to contact the company that built your house to activate more moves. This is an extensive process that can take weeks, and during that time you are locked out of your house.

    Meanwhile, there are some people who move into houses and have locksmiths successfully remove the locks so that they will not be affected by any of the above procedures. It's quite easy even for you to do the same and it doesn't cost anything.

    The only problem with the above description really is that the house is both representing your computer and the game itself.

    Is this the way you would want your house to work? Then DRM is perfect for you.
    Last edited by Lemur; 09-14-2008 at 15:04.

  27. #27
    Master Procrastinator Member TevashSzat's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    University of Pennsylvania
    Posts
    2,367

    Default Re: Spore's DRM being protested on Amazon

    Quote Originally Posted by Lemur View Post
    I was browsing the Spore forum threads this morning, just to see how angry the user base was and what EA is or isn't doing to address the problem. Anyway, I ran across a brilliant post that deserves reprinting. After a user compared the DRM to a lock on a house, a user responded:

    Since you obviously like the "locking your house" analogy let's take it further.

    Consider that when you buy your house you are forced by someone to use a super high tech lock to that house. It has eye scanners and finger print scanners and requires a key to use also. You've bought this house like say 100 000 others. out of those 100 000 there's a certain percentage that will not be able to enter their house because of faulty locks. Will that be you?

    The lock is also integrated into the house so that should it ever have a hiccup you will be ejected from the house.

    Should you in the future ever have to move to another house you are obligated to take the lock with you, but you will not be allowed to move more than 3 times. If you do the lock will stop working and you will be locked out of your house. Should the house ever burn down the lock will miraculously survive and this will count as if you moved once.

    Should you have to move more than 3 times you will have to contact the company that built your house to activate more moves. This is an extensive process that can take weeks, and during that time you are locked out of your house.

    Meanwhile, there are some people who move into houses and have locksmiths successfully remove the locks so that they will not be affected by any of the above procedures. It's quite easy even for you to do the same and it doesn't cost anything.

    The only problem with the above description really is that the house is both representing your computer and the game itself.

    Is this the way you would want your house to work? Then DRM is perfect for you.
    Wow....just an awesome analogy there
    "I do not know what I may appear to the world; but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the seashore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me." - Issac Newton

  28. #28
    Nobody expects the Senior Member Lemur's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Wisconsin Death Trip
    Posts
    15,754

    Default Re: Spore's DRM being protested on Amazon

    Good article over at Ars Technica — to bring a little empiricism to the table, they deliberately installed the game on four machines to see how bad it would be getting a new authentication key.

    While the issue of the install limit is a touchy one, it doesn't look like a normal install will do much to use up your limit, and in fact we surpassed the install limit by a few times before running into an issue. Even after being told that we were "renting" the game, EA was happy to give us a new key to run the game. In this case, customer service wins, and we left wondering if the DRM controversy might be more philosophical in nature than rooted in any real-world inconveniences.

    Last edited by Lemur; 09-16-2008 at 19:49.

  29. #29
    Needs more flowers Moderator drone's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Moral High Grounds
    Posts
    9,286

    Default Re: Spore's DRM being protested on Amazon

    I'm kind of surprised Ars didn't run the experiment under real-life conditions. Install the game on machine A. Install the game on machine B. Update graphics card on machine A. Add memory to machine B. Change hard drive on machine A and install. Downgrade B from XP to Vista and install. Upgrade A from Vista to XP and install.

    These are the types of things that gamers do over the lifecycle of their PCs.


    The fact that your ability to play the game is slaved to the activation server, which may or may not be running 5 years down the line when you dust off the disk, is the main "philosophical" controversy in my mind.
    The .Org's MTW Reference Guide Wiki - now taking comments, corrections, suggestions, and submissions

    If I werent playing games Id be killing small animals at a higher rate than I am now - SFTS
    Si je n'étais pas jouer à des jeux que je serais mort de petits animaux à un taux plus élevé que je suis maintenant - Louis VI The Fat

    "Why do you hate the extremely limited Spartan version of freedom?" - Lemur

  30. #30
    The very model of a modern Moderator Xiahou's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    in the cloud.
    Posts
    9,007

    Default Re: Spore's DRM being protested on Amazon

    Quote Originally Posted by drone View Post
    I'm kind of surprised Ars didn't run the experiment under real-life conditions. Install the game on machine A. Install the game on machine B. Update graphics card on machine A. Add memory to machine B. Change hard drive on machine A and install. Downgrade B from XP to Vista and install. Upgrade A from Vista to XP and install.

    These are the types of things that gamers do over the lifecycle of their PCs.


    The fact that your ability to play the game is slaved to the activation server, which may or may not be running 5 years down the line when you dust off the disk, is the main "philosophical" controversy in my mind.
    Yeah, I skimmed the article and the author came off as a bit dense. Everyone who is at all "techie" should know that reinstalling the game on the same machine without any other changes does not use up an installation allotment. I thought the best line was the one that they made so little of:
    he quickly determined that there was a network issue on their side; Spore's authentication servers were down.
    Having a single-player game installed and not being able to play it due to remote server problems is completely outrageous imo. That was what soured me on the online activation approach to DRM way back at HL2's release.
    Last edited by Xiahou; 09-16-2008 at 22:55.
    "Don't believe everything you read online."
    -Abraham Lincoln

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Single Sign On provided by vBSSO