Hotcod
05-06-2010, 10:13 AM
Sega has announced it's own inhouse DRM set up for use with Alpha Protocol called "Uniloc: SoftAnchor". They've realised a rather detailed break down of how the DRM is going to work, probably in an attempt to avoid the kind of back lash UbiSoft have had for there's.
• Alpha Protocol uses Uniloc: SoftAnchor.
• Uniloc: SoftAnchor requires an internet connection to activate, though you don't need to always be connected to play the game, and the web site offers a work-around if you don't have an internet connection on the PC you install it on.
• The PC version of Alpha Protocol uses an internet based licensing system, where, after installation, the user is required to enter a product registration code (license key) in order to begin playing the game.
• You do not have to have the disc in your drive to play the game.
• The game does not user SteamWorks, and the Steam version of the game will use Uniloc DRM.
• The game can be installed on up to 5 different computers at any one time using the license key the game comes with.
• There is a limit to the number of computers you can use Alpha Protocol on at any one time, but Sega says that the company is not restricting the number of computers you can install the game on over the life of the product.
• SEGA will provide a version of the game without DRM using a future patch that it expects to make available 18-24 months after the game's release.
via segas blog which you can find here. (http://blogs.sega.com/usa/2010/05/01/alpha-protocol-pc-drm-details/)
Over all it's really not that bad, while I still think it's too much and doing nothing that steamworks integration couldn't do better (yes I'm a valve fanboy but it's no less true for that) it's a very none restrictive set up. Online (with work around) one off activation and a concurrent (not life time) install limit means that's it's a word away from the mess that is ubisofts current set up of pure evil.
I think what is most note worthy is the the last point. Sega is up front putting a time limit on the DRM's use. While we are used to companies come back to remove DRM at a later date I think this is the first time we've ever been given a promise that it will happen along with a time frame for doing so. This is a move I can really get behind as a step very much in the right direction.
• Alpha Protocol uses Uniloc: SoftAnchor.
• Uniloc: SoftAnchor requires an internet connection to activate, though you don't need to always be connected to play the game, and the web site offers a work-around if you don't have an internet connection on the PC you install it on.
• The PC version of Alpha Protocol uses an internet based licensing system, where, after installation, the user is required to enter a product registration code (license key) in order to begin playing the game.
• You do not have to have the disc in your drive to play the game.
• The game does not user SteamWorks, and the Steam version of the game will use Uniloc DRM.
• The game can be installed on up to 5 different computers at any one time using the license key the game comes with.
• There is a limit to the number of computers you can use Alpha Protocol on at any one time, but Sega says that the company is not restricting the number of computers you can install the game on over the life of the product.
• SEGA will provide a version of the game without DRM using a future patch that it expects to make available 18-24 months after the game's release.
via segas blog which you can find here. (http://blogs.sega.com/usa/2010/05/01/alpha-protocol-pc-drm-details/)
Over all it's really not that bad, while I still think it's too much and doing nothing that steamworks integration couldn't do better (yes I'm a valve fanboy but it's no less true for that) it's a very none restrictive set up. Online (with work around) one off activation and a concurrent (not life time) install limit means that's it's a word away from the mess that is ubisofts current set up of pure evil.
I think what is most note worthy is the the last point. Sega is up front putting a time limit on the DRM's use. While we are used to companies come back to remove DRM at a later date I think this is the first time we've ever been given a promise that it will happen along with a time frame for doing so. This is a move I can really get behind as a step very much in the right direction.