[TS]BioWare to fight piracy with customer loyalty? - Overclock.net

wolf_08 · 07-11-08

Quote:

It was not long ago that BioWare, in an effort to curb piracy, announced a controversial security measure that would require users to do an online re-authentication for their games every ten days so that they can continue functioning. The overwhelming outcry from the community led to a quick backtracking of their plans, opting instead for a friendlier yet still flawed system.

The tone at BioWare has changed quite a bit, it seems. It turns out that the developer now says it has an alternative strategy to combat piracy: provide add-on content for its games, access to multiplayer and simply promote consumer loyalty.

Indeed this could be the most successful path to prevent piracy, but I’ll skeptically wait for the studio to back its claims when it releases Dragon Age tomorrow. Certainly some type of built-in copy protection is due, I just hope it is not as draconian as in the PC version of its sci-fi RPG Mass Effect.

http://www.techspot.com/news/30814-B...r-loyalty.html

pcguru000 · 07-11-08

well i wont be buying and bioware stuff anytime soon...

Licht · 07-11-08

I think it is a step in the right direction.

pcguru000 · 07-11-08

dont get me wrong ... preventing piracy is a good thing - the way they are doing it is not... i sure in hell wouldnt want to "re authenticate" my game every 10 days.... what if something goes wrong ... a pirate "fixes" the autenication system and steals thousands of peoples keys/serials... well then we get screwed.

PLUS
Im lazy.

OmegaNemesis28 · 07-11-08

Ok simple solution idiots over there in the dev seats.

Pull an EA or THQ move. Simply have it so you must create an account with a key (or add the key to an existing account) so once thats done, it can't be used again unless removed from the account. That was, no keygens can be used. And therefore, you wouldn't be able to crack it.

Unless - people host cracked servers or something.

Licht · 07-11-08

Quote:

Originally Posted by OmegaNemesis28

Ok simple solution idiots over there in the dev seats.

Pull an EA or THQ move. Simply have it so you must create an account with a key (or add the key to an existing account) so once thats done, it can't be used again unless removed from the account. That was, no keygens can be used. And therefore, you wouldn't be able to crack it.

Unless - people host cracked servers or something.

2142 is actually hard coded to connect to the master server. It is truly an ingenious system, i love it. There's no issues with it at all. You can get your username/password back, you can use someone else's key to install if you lose yours then log onto your own account. You can trade the game by trading accounts then even delete the previous owner's soldiers.

OmegaNemesis28 · 07-11-08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Licht

2142 is actually hard coded to connect to the master server. It is truly an ingenious system, i love it. There's no issues with it at all. You can get your username/password back, you can use someone else's key to install if you lose yours then log onto your own account. You can trade the game by trading accounts then even delete the previous owner's soldiers.

there are ways around it via cracked servers, but EA is so cracked down on them, thats there are very very few with many many people in them all the time so there is no way around it.

Licht · 07-11-08

Quote:

Originally Posted by OmegaNemesis28

there are ways around it via cracked servers, but EA is so cracked down on them, thats there are very very few with many many people in them all the time so there is no way around it.

A good example i say.

pauldovi · 07-11-08

I know it seems incredibly off topic but I see a relationship between the way these "anti-piracy" tactics are deployed and fail and social welfare. Of course the measures are good intentions and seem logical at first thought. But their results are horrible and their affect doesn't help anyone it was intended to.

It leads me to a quote from Nobel Laureate Milton Friedman:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Page 6, Free To Choose

In the government sphere, as in the market, there seems to be an invisible hand, but in it operates in precisely the opposite direction from Adam Smith's: an individual who intends only to serve the public interest by fostering government intervention is "led by an invisible hand to promote" private interests, "which was no part of his intention."

Strapping your software with copyright protection certainly does seem logical in theory, as you are protecting your investment. However in practice it serves only to annoy and drive away your legitimate customers while doing nothing to stop the pirate and driving up costs at the same time. What a stunning similarity to social welfare.

OmegaNemesis28 · 07-11-08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Licht

A good example i say.

even though as much as I dispise EA like I dispise WoW - their Anti-Piracy for BF2 and BF2142 is pretty damn strong.

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[TS]BioWare to fight piracy with customer loyalty?

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