Copy Protection, etcetera

[Bijo]

Will security measures be installed for Empire: Total War (such as Safedisc, SecuROM, CD keys, etc.)? If yes, what kind(s) of measures and how will these affect customers?

[Galapagos]

Well copy protection will only affect customers.They will not affect the ones who just take the game ilegally so i think there should not be copy protection..

[Mikeus Caesar]

As i've seen over the last year or so, copy protection is useless. It doesn't stop games being copied, and inconveniences honest customers. Companies should just give up caring about pirates and start caring about making sure the games they deliver are good quality.

[Caius]

No Starforce.

[Omanes Alexandrapolites]

Obviously, no copying system is going to stop the pirates - if they want to bypass it, eventually they will. Despite this, I have no preference as to whether copy protection is included, as long as it isn't intrusive - after all, not having any wish to copy or pirate games, it doesn't really effect me.

FactionHeir posted some simple, but potentially effective ways of providing extra incentives for customers to buy the game at the bottom of this post. I don't really mind whether they do this or not - I buy the game, not additional materialistic accessories for it.

[Caius]

FactionHeir posted some simple, but potentially effective ways of providing extra incentives for customers to buy the game at the bottom of this post.

Those are good incentives.
Some games come with useful guides for newbie players, as C&C Renegade, and I found it very useful when I was a newbie at that game. I think CA should do this.

[Zenicetus]

I voted "yes, but not too invasive." Any CP at all is only harming paying customers, not pirates. So in the abstract, I'm totally against it, and I preferentially support developers like Stardock (Galactic Civilizations 2) who have abandoned it. However, being practical about this, I know it's easier for a small, independent outfit that self-publishes like Stardock to take the high ground, and it's less likely with a behemoth like Sega.

So I'll settle for non-invasive, non-arrogant methods that don't leave behind potential security risks and hidden files after the game is un-installed, like the current SecureRom installation for M2TW:Kingdoms does.

[Trax]

No, because it's absolutely useless.

[sapi]

Bethesda didn't go broke without it on Oblivion.

It will have very little effect on sales, but perhaps a negative one on community, if harsh measures are included.

[alpaca]

Bethesda didn't go broke without it on Oblivion.

It will have very little effect on sales, but perhaps a negative one on community, if harsh measures are included.

In fact I'd argue that removing it would even have a positive influence. Ok, the DRM lobby would like to bash you over the head but a lot of players would hail you for it, including me. From a PR point of view I believe it's the way to go before everyone does it
And I'm almost 100% sure that it won't affect sales negatively. Practically all people buy the game because they think it'll be good and want to do the right thing not because they can't pirate it.
I'd even argue that of all the players who buy TW games the number of people who'd rather pirate it than buy it but are deterred from that by copy protection is definitely negligible (that is I believe it's lower than 0.1%)

[sapi]

If someone was going to pirate the game, copy protection would make absolutely no difference...well, it might waste ten more seconds of their life finding a copy that has it bypassed, but that would be it.

I agree that the smart PR thing to do would be to ditch it; but I wouldn't like to be the one to have to sell that to the execs

[Dhampir]

While I wholeheartedly agree that copy protection is quite useless for stopping piracy, it does serve a purpose.

It's good PR. More copy-protection- the less chance that the government will feel the need to step in and screw things up completely.

So to save the game industry from being ruined by government regulation- let's just be patient. Take a deep breath and accept a small burden for a great reward.












Disclaimer: This post was fueled by a lack of sleep and four bottles of a really decent pils.

[Mikeus Caesar]

Dhampir - all i can say to that is this - eh?

Why would lack of copy-protection be bad pr that would lead to government regulation?

[Vuk]

While I wholeheartedly agree that copy protection is quite useless for stopping piracy, it does serve a purpose.

It's good PR. More copy-protection- the less chance that the government will feel the need to step in and screw things up completely.

So to save the game industry from being ruined by government regulation- let's just be patient. Take a deep breath and accept a small burden for a great reward.

The government would not step in. It cannot force people to include certain types of copy-protection, etc. (If they don't want to, that is their own risk...we all know how well copy-protection works anyway. )

let's just be patient

Tell that to the three DVD drives I've had to buy in the last few years. Various games' copy protection software has messed with my computer so bad that it is not funny. I use different computers to do business on because of that crap. CD keys and all that other stuff is great (a bit annoying, but I dare say we will all get over it) if they want to protect their stuff, but it has gotten to the point where if you install the game you may have to start worrying about protecting YOUR stuff. That is ridiculous. As much as love the Splinter Cell series I have started boycotting UbiSoft (and will continue to do so unless whatever they replace StarForce with isn't invasing or destructive) and don't want to do that with Sega. (as I love the TW games) I got SecuRom infected Kingdoms because I learned that I already had been infected by another game, but am going to be buying a leet new gaming rig soon and am not going to install anything with that crap on it. I hope that doesn't mean that I won't be able to install Empire:TW.

Down with copyprotection!
Long live the US!!!



Vuk

[The Foolish Horseman]

Ah Copy Protection! Or should it be called 10 second delay for honest customers. Ever since daemon tools was realesed (google or wiki it) Copy protection has not been a problem for pirates. In fact it never really was.


I admit on the off hand to dabbling in Pirate Copys of other games not worth paying for like Alpha Centauri, But never with total war.



CA: Putting Copy protection on would just be a waste of time, disk space and work

[Neoncat]

I say nay. Copy protection is only annoyance for honest customers and no problem for pirates. Sometimes it even can be major annoyance for honest customers and still no problem for pirates. It won't even stop casual copying, because all those cracks are available on net.

With programs its not even like in war, you build walls to get it more costly to conquer your lands, because theres no cost on other side. Most people just crack games for fun. Its like youre building a fine wall that cracker will crush with his hammer and have fun with it. I just can't see reason in copy protections.

[Daveybaby]

I admit on the off hand to dabbling in Pirate Copys of other games not worth paying for like Alpha Centauri, But never with total war.

I take offense to this. Not the piracy thing - but saying AC is not worth paying for!??!?!??!?!?!?

Dude, that's so wrong it's not even funny. One of the best TBS of all time (still better than Civ4 IMO).

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

Piracy is a real problem for many developers, some very talented companies had to close the books in recent years because of the high investments and development costs to produce good games. When a big part of the revenue is flowing away due to illegal copies and piracy, I can understand protection is required and desired by many developers.

Although it will always be a cat and mouse game. I wished it should not be a necessity in the future, but game protection is something we should better get used to as piracy will never be halted.

LZ

[Fallen Angel]

I'd perfer ome system where to register the game, you need the CD in the drive (if you bought the game in a store. This would keep employees from copying down registration keys from other Jewel Cases and handing them out to friends like party favors*.)

If you bought it off online direct distro then you should get a key via email/smailmail.



*I bought GalCivII twice from and both times my key (just written on the back of the jewel case) didn't work. takes the CD's out of the cases.... so ya, I'm paranoid about stealing half my purchased product.

[caravel]

Unfortunately those that care about copy protection and would boycott a game because of it are in the minority. Most people are entirely oblivious to it and this is what devlopers such as CA count on.

Personally I hate any kind of copy protection, even that which requires me to keep a CDROM in the drive. Also it is wrong to prevent legitimate licenced users from making a backup copy.

A license key based system with an authentication code that can be verified by an automated phone service would be the best option. Having to be online in order to get a game registered and working is also undesirable, especially for those without an internet connection.

[Vuk]

especially for those without an internet connection.

It can also be a pain in the bottom if you have a 56k. What I really hate is having to buy RTW 3 times.