Topic: Fuck EA...some more
started by: Leisher
Posted by Leisher on Oct. 27 2008,13:26
Spore. Red Alert 3. Dead Space.All games I would have purchased until I discovered that each has SecureROM anti-piracy software that installs on your PC along with the game, and remains after the game is gone. Worse yet, SecureRom has been known to cause issues for users, even breaking their PCs. These games also come with a limit on the number of times one can install them. (Stuff we've covered in other threads.)
All three games were pirated within hours of their release. One of them...I believe Spore was already available on pirating sites before the game was released.
Is it true that SecureRom was even attached to the demo of these games?
I think someone needs to start a mass email campaign first to the gamers advocacy group that fights people like Jack Thompson. Then we need to write the cock suckers we call politicians. (Not that it'll do much good...)
Posted by Malcolm on Oct. 27 2008,13:49
Well shit, even I planned to check out Dead Space once I got a machine up & running.
Posted by GORDON on Oct. 27 2008,14:26
Just be sure to Spore it on the amazon reviews.
Posted by TheCatt on Oct. 27 2008,15:04
(Malcolm @ Oct. 27 2008,16:49)
QUOTE
Well shit, even I planned to check out Dead Space once I got a machine up & running.
It should be in the bargain bin by 2015.
Posted by Malcolm on Oct. 27 2008,21:27
(TheCatt @ Oct. 27 2008,17:04)
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(Malcolm @ Oct. 27 2008,16:49)
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Well shit, even I planned to check out Dead Space once I got a machine up & running.
It should be in the bargain bin by 2015.
I'm gainfully employed. A few other things on the list first (new mp3 player, new external hard disk). It'll happen eventually.
Posted by TheCatt on Oct. 28 2008,04:59
By new mp3 player you dont mean a new iPod Classic 120GB in Silver, or a 32GB iPod Touch, do you?
Posted by Leisher on Oct. 28 2008,05:07
Go with the Zune.
Posted by TheCatt on Oct. 28 2008,05:25
Zune sucks. Buy one of those two iPods.... from me 
Posted by Leisher on Oct. 28 2008,05:47
I have an 80GB Zune and it's pretty awesome. Easy to use, great picture for video, and no iTunes.But, if one is going to buy an iPod, buy it from Catt.
Back to the subject of the thread...I just noticed Mirror's Edge is also an EA game. I've been interested in that one for the visuals alone, but if it has SecureRom, it'll be yet another game I don't purchase.
Posted by WSGrundy on Oct. 28 2008,10:50
(Leisher @ Oct. 28 2008,03:47)
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Back to the subject of the thread...I just noticed Mirror's Edge is also an EA game. I've been interested in that one for the visuals alone, but if it has SecureRom, it'll be yet another game I don't purchase.
It will. EA has already said that all future releases will have SecureRom. I guess if there is a big enough uproar then things can change but as of now they are putting it in.
Posted by Malcolm on Oct. 28 2008,10:56
(TheCatt @ Oct. 28 2008,06:59)
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By new mp3 player you dont mean a new iPod Classic 120GB in Silver, or a 32GB iPod Touch, do you?
Gotta check into things. I'd like one w\ some type of radio transmitter so I can beam songs to the car radio. In addition, I need to get one w\ a mic for real-time voice recording.
Posted by Leisher on Oct. 28 2008,11:06
(WSGrundy @ Oct. 28 2008,13:50)
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(Leisher @ Oct. 28 2008,03:47)
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Back to the subject of the thread...I just noticed Mirror's Edge is also an EA game. I've been interested in that one for the visuals alone, but if it has SecureRom, it'll be yet another game I don't purchase.
It will. EA has already said that all future releases will have SecureRom. I guess if there is a big enough uproar then things can change but as of now they are putting it in.
The NFL, ABC, NBC, MLB, HBO, etc. doesn't require me to install a camera in my home so they can watch to ensure I'm not recording their stuff illegally (making profit off the recordings).
Blockbusters and the MPAA don't send a worker home with me to ensure that I can't copy a rented movie.
And that's where I think a lawyer could argue for consumers. What gives EA the right to install a piece of spyware onto your PC? Granted, they could argue that you allow it when you agree to the EULA. The problem for them is that SecureRom doesn't uninstall when you remove the game.
The biggest question, however, is why they keep shoving this SecureRom garbage down their legitimate consumers' throats despite the FACT that their games are still being pirated. It has been speculated that SecureRom is doing much more than just "preventing piracy".
Posted by TPRJones on Oct. 28 2008,11:19
I don't think the purpose of SecureROM has anything to do with piracy. I think it's specifically intended to target the secondary and used markets. Yes, I know that's illegal under current case law, but I still think that is the goal and they probably think "really who is going to sue us over not being able to effectively resell their game for $10 when they are done?"Of course they underestimate how eager some people are to give them a good solid whacking.
Posted by GORDON on Oct. 28 2008,11:29
(TPRJones @ Oct. 28 2008,12:19)
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...but I still think that is the goal and they probably think "really who is going to sue us over not being able to effectively resell their game for $10 when they are done?"
The ACLU, and possibly any state's attorney general.
The end result being a class action lawsuit where we will all receive a settlement check for $1.50 and EA will continue using securerom under a different name.
Posted by WSGrundy on Oct. 28 2008,12:15
Make sure you go out and buy fallout 3. They seem to be only using a disk check when the game starts and say they won't be going to securerom route.
Posted by TheCatt on Oct. 28 2008,12:57
(Malcolm @ Oct. 28 2008,13:56)
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(TheCatt @ Oct. 28 2008,06:59)
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By new mp3 player you dont mean a new iPod Classic 120GB in Silver, or a 32GB iPod Touch, do you?
Gotta check into things. I'd like one w\ some type of radio transmitter so I can beam songs to the car radio. In addition, I need to get one w\ a mic for real-time voice recording.
I dont think either iPod model has those. We use a FM transmitter dock to beam the music from iPod to car in our car.
And you can get a microphone via some < new headphone > and there will prolly be other accessories.
I have them up on eBay right now, but if you (or anyone else) are interested, I can prolly do $210 on the 120GB Classic and $350 on a 32GB iPod Touch.
< iPod Classic >
< iPod Touch >
Posted by TPRJones on Oct. 28 2008,13:28
(Malcolm @ Oct. 28 2008,08:56)
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Gotta check into things. I'd like one w\ some type of radio transmitter so I can beam songs to the car radio. In addition, I need to get one w\ a mic for real-time voice recording.
If you end up going off-brand for it, given the features you seek I would recommend either Sanyo or iRiver brand products. They've both been very solid brands in my experience and tend to have those sorts of extra features.
Except the FM transmitter, I don't know of any brand of MP3 player that does that internally. You can get docks or things to plug in and the like, though.
Posted by Leisher on Oct. 29 2008,07:52
Oh joy, FarCry2 has SecureRom too!!!I had it pre-ordered and I'm canceling it.
I truly think I'm just going to pirate these games so I can play them DRM free and, more importantly, protect my system from SecureRom's spying and vulnerabilities.
Anyone know the name and/or website of the special interest group for gamers? (The people who went after Jack Thompson and all the state laws banning video games...)
Posted by Cakedaddy on Oct. 29 2008,08:10
Boycotting them has never been easier.
Posted by Leisher on Oct. 29 2008,08:11
Farcry 2 is Ubisoft, not EA.Boycotting the entire industry is going to suck.
Posted by TheCatt on Oct. 29 2008,08:12
That's what newsgroups and torrents are for.
Posted by Cakedaddy on Oct. 29 2008,08:35
(Leisher @ Oct. 28 2008,23:11)
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Farcry 2 is Ubisoft, not EA.
Boycotting the entire industry is going to suck.
Boycotting the entire industry is going to suck.
Ahh, well, it was posted in an EA thread, so, your fault. :-)
I don't like some of the stuff people are doing with their games. But, they haven't personaly attacked or hurt me yet. So, I'm not boycotting yet. EA laughed at me on the phone and dared me to stop giving them money. So, I did.
As far as Securom. I don't know much/anything about it. So, can't pass judgement.
But out of curiousity. What is hitting up a special interest group going to do? As long as people buy this shit, they won't stop using it. EA fucks people over on a daily basis. Yet, they still give EA money. What is their motivation to stop being dicks?
I dunno. I don't know the industry as deep as you do. But I sleep well at night knowing I'm not contributing to companies thinking it's ok to be assholes. So, I have that at least.
Posted by Leisher on Oct. 29 2008,08:45
EA Sales have taken a hit due to their use of SecureRom as have other developers. There is also already a class action lawsuit regarding its use in Spore. The industry has already lost similar lawsuits related to StarDock (which I believe was what SecureRom used to be known as...).The problem is that the industry continues to do it despite losing sales and losing lawsuits because they apparently are still making money by limiting what their consumers can do with their purchased products.
As TPR points out one of the beliefs is that SecureRom is being used to squash the market for used games. That is a great concern as you having paid for the product should be allowed to do whatever you want with it, including re-selling or gifting it to someone else.
A bigger problem is the fact that SecureRom continues to be installed and running on your system even after you've uninstalled the game it came with. It is spying on your PC and you.
Writing the special interest group is simply a means of asking what they're doing about the issue. It needs to go away. Game publishers are using piracy as an excuse to take advantage of their legit consumers and trying to use strong arm tactics to drive their sales up.
Posted by GORDON on Jan. 06 2010,08:47
EA shutting down multi servers for a lot of games, including ones released in '09.< http://www.playstationuniversity.com/ea-shut....ly-1846 >
I guess they want you to rebuy the game if you want to keep doing multi.
Posted by WSGrundy on Jan. 06 2010,10:46
This is where MS should step in on the 360 side of things. What exactly are these people paying for if they aren't paying for servers to be up and running for their gold accounts.
Posted by Leisher on Jan. 06 2010,13:14
The article implies that they probably will be able to continue to play, just not on the EA servers...? I'm a bit lost Also, in EA's defense, and I hate EA, they are shutting down servers on older, and probably less played games.
And that's probably mostly true...although, it'd be silly not to point out that this probably helps drives sales of the newer versions of these titles too...
Posted by GORDON on Jan. 06 2010,14:48
And hurts the used games market.