nephroth

Devil's Advocate

Actually since about two patches ago all versions of DoW are CD check free. There are a couple of CD keys in your registry and that's all. If something goes awry you can just add them back in manually.

liquidnumb

Legality and ease of use, combined.

On another note - something that's always bothered me about Steam and the like - what happens on the day they shut the servers down?

Khab

also, i still dunno why companies spend millions on copy protection. games get cracked in days... its not even worth it. the only people who see the protection are the paying customers. when you get a rip, it works fine, no protection at all.

the real customers are punished, the company spends tons of money... its just a lose lose situation.

kwant

MugiMugi

ludwigk

Shijirou

zombiefrank

PurpleMonkey

upstart

Zantagor

My thoughts exactly on the Gal Civ II bit. Go Stardock.

DrcAnjel

He's not even talking about the copy protection itself, he's talking about how when you go to get support, 2K refers you to Securom and Securom refers you to 2K.

MechaTama31

"I won't be able to play Bioshock 5 years after I buy it!"
Yes you will.

"The DRM restricts my access to the game!"
No it doesn't.

"I reformat my hard drive every two weeks, it would be a HUGE hassle uninstalling Bioshock every time even though I would need to reinstall it afterwards anyway!"
Oh no! You wasted 30 PRECIOUS seconds hitting start, control panel, add/remove programs, remove Bioshock! While taking the time to reformat windows because it became unstable.

"I and constantly uninstalling/installing, copying, deleting, moving files to make space and improve performance and the DRM will lock Bioshock in a safe and throw it to the bottom of the ocean when I do this!"
No it won't.

Devil's Advocate

LionheartAce

umcloud

I wonder how many more games are going to feature this kind of copy protection..

spate

If there isn't, which I suspect is the case, then this is downright underhand tactics by 2K to attempt to "bury" this, and leave it to the customer discover it, and figure it out for themselves.

Jakey2.0

Tei

Why couldn't they use a code wheel or ask questions about the manual like they did in the olden days? You know, a deterrent...not a flat-out iron curtain!

boopadoo

hansamurai

dacrunch

Zantagor

About the time it goes Platinum or whatever. 2K will have a deal with securom to wrap copy protection for a run of discs, beyond which there won't be much point anyway because the pirates are always about 24 hours away from cracking it.

It usually gets done as a bullet point at the bottom of the list in some point release six months from now.

In other words: Unless it gets some awesome mods or something, just buy the 360 version, and get the PC version later when they've sorted it out.

The game is too good to dump completely because of this.

splines

dacrunch

Astralmind

Candlejack

fnc

I see no reason in this day and age that they couldn't implement some kind of registration using a CD key over the internet / phone or in-store that does not require your CD to be copy protected or even installed in the drive to play the game.

So there might be attrition due to piracy... Guess what, there is any way. Bioshock was already on the torrents even before its release. Clearly anti-piracy measures don't and only inconvenience people who actually bought it. I expect that Securom don't give their code away for free either so I would not be surprised if the anti-piracy measures cost as much to implement as they save from piracy.

DrXym

Chris Taran

If the law tells us to jump off a bridge, by George we better do it!
/sarcasm

;)

Sparkamus

Don't worry, folks, my wife already bought the 360 version for me (for whenever my 360 gets back from the shop,) so my download was for pure intellectual reasons.

Conclusion:

DRM - 0
Legitamite Paying Customers - 0
Pirate community - 448,242,876 and counting.

PapaBear434

Levine said that what sucks is the fact that SecuROM isn't doing what it's supposed to do, which is roll back the amount of times you can install, after you have uninstalled.

No Kenny, old boy, sweetheart, jem-jewel, what sucks IS THE FACT THAT SECUROM IS ACTUALLY BEING BUNDLED WITH THE GAME.

Time to switch publishers, kthxbai. What a shame. Game of the year, ruined by this crap.

BlackDove

p.s. what's your address so I can break into your house and steal your pc.

@crashlanding: If I recall correctly (it's been a while now since I've installed or played it) but HalfLife 2 required an active internet connection to install as well as do tons of other PC games.

It's all perfectly legal considering that it's printed right on the box of my PC copy of BioShock: "Important Note: Game requires Internet connection for activation." Yep, right on the box and people still bought it.

Sardu

Toasticus

Well see thats just the problem, they are not protecting the game, they are only inconveniencing the customer who already handed them money. I assure you, a pirate was not inconvenienced for more than about 30 minutes or less.

I recommend you don't buy this game until ALL companies learn that DRM in any form is bad bad bad. Sorry Bioshock Dev's but DRM is not the answer.

The answer is to fix the legal system (tall order... I know) and punish the people you catch stealing.

DON'T PUNISH YOUR PAYING CUSTOMER BECAUSE THEY WON'T PAY YOU AGAIN IF YOU KEEP THIS UP.

I lost a hard drive to Sonys rootkit removal tool. I have not bought an RIAA CD since.

axiomatic

P.S. I don't consider the widescreen thing to actually be a problem.

slacker164

Has anyone checked to see if you're guaranteed to get to run this game as long as the disc is in the drive. That's far less of an inconvenience to me than not getting to play because the damned internet is down.

fnc

Judging from your comment here, I'd guess you have an internet connection on your computer that you can use at least once a day, so congratulations! You are capable of playing Bioshock!

Toasticus

pfive81

liquidnumb

TheOtherBarber

El Patricko

Shumina

I know, the fine print says that you don't actually own the software but are buying a license to use it. Let us use it then! Copy protection can be done without all the problems- see DVD films.

Q: What would happen if movie DVD's had a similar requirement?
A: There wouldn't be many DVD movie sales.

crashlanding

execrationist

Gabexmosh

Gabexmosh

Kenoji

I've played Bioshock for 7 hours and haven't there are any problems with the view yet. It's not a bug! The ony bug is up the fetid arses of the bored crybabies!

DirkBelig

Agies

Candlejack

I may just end up buying on the 360, but why should I have to settle for buying a game on a system I would rather not have it on because they feel it's necessary to punish their legal customers when the people who don't want to buy it, still won't. Cracks come out all the time for new games, which means that if anyone wants to download it, instead of buying it, they can. I keep trying to stay the path of legal gaming but companies like this make it very hard.

Darkest Daze

The biggest problem is that this method was not advertised. Not anywhere by anyone.

The reason? Call me a conspiracy nut but if they had put this on the box (like they should have done) then many people would never have bought it. I wouldn't have bought the game. I wouldn't have a problem with this whole mess if they had been transparent but they tried to fool all of us and (like Sony's CD rootkit) they got terribly burned.

It should be mandatory that any requirements like this are advertised in plain language on the internet where the game is available for purchase and on the box. Whether i'm against DRM or not (and believe me i am) this issue stems from an act of deception.

Duoae

Take a quick gander at the "yarr me hearties" release sites, there's no validated release of the PC version from what I can tell. However, a multilanguage PC Euro version was uploaded via standard peer-to-peer means as of 48 hours ago and is currently trafficking quite vigorously. Whether this is Bioshock or six gigabytes of lesbian porn I can't say, but there it is.

Hagglegaggle

mikeluisortega

1.people dont want hassle, im not a pcgamer, but you know those that are love to reinstall windows/ add remove hardware as often as a baby shits its pants.

2.if bioshock was a dinosaur, it would definitely be called a radasauras rex because the game is fucking awesome.

3.widescreen debacle is bullshit, and 2k knows it.

4. in case you didnt see the [www.widescreengamingforum.com], that is some funny stuff, kids.

ronnsprocket

K0MMIE

CheechWizz

I mean, common sense would tell you that most [all] would not give two flips about this issue if the game was a steaming pile of crap, like..oh I dunno, say that Left Behind game.

Hopefully the weight of it's own popularity will be the deciding factor in swaying 2k to pull the plug on this nasty SecuROM debacle.

JTindahouse

If that's the case just pass on the game, or wait for it to hit the bargin bin. Pirating games doesn't help anyone. If you liked the game buy it, and then download it like most other people do.

@baberg:

1. I was only semi-interested to begin with.

2. I have to not only crack it, but likely have to patch much more code to make it run on my OS. I'm running shorter on free time now work is starting back up.

3. I have canceled orders and subscriptions over this kind of thing before. I buy a game for entertainment, and that's not my idea of entertainment.

Given this it's not worth wasting my free time over. Hell, posting on kotaku is a better way to spend free time than writing patches for free as I see it. I might pick it up in a bargin bin next year, since I normally give games like this a second chance when they hit $20. Like I said before some college kid will do the work instead of me at some point. It's time for the next generation to step up.

Mongoosekun

Cell9song

Yeah the securom thing sucks, but its not crippling to the point where it affects your enjoyment of the game.

cadekun

I want to buy your game.
I will wait for the CP to be removed.

I don't have internet at home because
I have too much internet at work already.
Your game poses some problems for me.

Help out someone who wants
very badly to give you money.

Sullyville

number8888

TaggarT6

fatbaldnet

I almost wish I had held out for a pirate copy now. Unfortunately I had made the purchase before I knew about the 2x install limit bullshit.

Kruel

ca$h

Hardcore

umcloud

dolo54

Why? Do you need to install it on 15 machines at once to play through and enjoy it?

gils0n

Zantagor

Amsterdaam

Hint: definition of a rootkit: [en.wikipedia.org]

Melting_snowman

Don't. Bioshock is the front runner for Game of the Year. If you deny yourself this game because of some silly copyright protection nonsense, you're only cheating yourself.

And it's not like this is preventing anybody from playing the game. It's just preventing you from installing it on more than 2 PCs at once.

baberg

'good form, so far'

I suspect that the game maker is worried about this issue. But dont expect anything but the worst form from the big business people. I dont want this game to be another phyconauts. But at this rate. i dunno. maybe.

Just a heads up.

dsvella

I'm super glad he agrees on that.

Alalu

The funniest part of all of this is that this is more encouragment to pirates to crack the game. All they are stopping at this point is my installing it on both of the computers in my house.

VoidMunashii

homernoy

ya know, i dl a lotta ripped games. i PAID for this game (and oblivion, and half life2, and a few others) and im being treated to this securom crap. i shouldve just dl the pirated version. it woulda costed less, and i wouldnt have to have the securom police monitoring my every move.

the game works great for me, i have no reason to install it on multiple computers... but just seeing my firewall pop up requesting access for securom pissed me off. sadly ive already given them my money, so i cant vote against the ridiculous "protection".

kwant

That's. Well, that's respect for sure. Game's still fucked because of the rootkit, but man, you'd expect a PR team to stuff smelly roses of evasion techniques up your ass.

Good form, so far.

BlackDove

evilkoala

At least Epic and id still know better.

Mongoosekun

Amsterdaam

fdisk

Just a guess of course.

danecy

Atleast they are looking into it and he had a timely response last time. What more do you want

huginn

FelixLighter

Hoagie_one

demonwolf

Candlejack

baxterpunch

Darkest Daze

I still love Bio but I hope he talk 2k to drop this crap from the PC version. Thank god I was to lazy to try to upgrade to play this on my PC, so I just picked up the 360 version.

Fantastic game but I wouldn't purchase it on my PC unless this rape of DRM is taken out. Plus people on steam are fucked twice.

k1llm3kwik

evilkoala

[flameshield]

FloatingWorld

neshcom

Candlejack