DRM And Limited Installs For FarCry 2

[Telefrog]

It looks like Ubisoft has joined the EA effort to fight piracy with DRM (SecuROM), limited installs, and online activation. FarCry 2 on PC has all three. From the French site:

Ce jeu vidéo est protégé par le logiciel SecuROM pour la gestion des droits numériques. Ce logiciel installe sur l'ordinateur de l'utilisateur des modules supplémentaires nécessaires pour la protection
de copie et limite le nombre d'installations possibles pour le jeu. Une connexion à Internet sera nécessaire au cours de l'installation et/ou de la première exécution pour déverrouiller le jeu.

My French may be rusty, but the bolded parts are pretty clear.

[axion]

I'm pretty sure that nowadays SecuRom = online activation, that's how it was for Warhead I believe, SecuRom did an online authentication, then never bothers you for a disc again. As for limited installs, I'm sure people will whine enough that it gets raised.

[NoName]

Why am I a big advocate of PC gaming still?

[DiBiddilyBop]

I purchased this through Steam. Pretty sure that means as long as my steam account is installed on the computer and it has an active internet connection, I can download and play Far Cry 2 wherever and whenever I want.

I have absolutely no problem with this type of copy protection. Active internet connections are ubiquitous enough in this day and age that I don't see this as a problem.

[Young Al Capone]

Bullshit, but this one won't be affecting me as I am getting it on the 360.

[biosc1]

I don't mind online activations if it means I don't need the disc in the tray.

Usually, if I can, I will stick with Steam. Rather have all my DRM in one format and in one place.

[Ancalagon]

Meh, looks I'm getting Fallout 3 after all. Thanks for making this decision easier, EA and Ubisoft.

[neutralism]

I can't remember where I read it, but I could have sworn it was said that if you properly uninstall the game, it gives you a "revoke" that gives you back your install use. If this is true, then technically you could have unlimited re-installations. Which also means, theoretically, you could always have the game installed on multiple systems, whatever the install limit might be.

It's a moot point for me as I will be getting it on the 360 eventually.

[Bingley Joe]

Originally Posted by keepweedillegal

I can't remember where I read it, but I could have sworn it was said that if you properly uninstall the game, it gives you a "revoke" that gives you back your install use. If this is true, then technically you could have unlimited re-installations. Which also means, theoretically, you could always have the game installed on multiple systems, whatever the install limit might be.

It's a moot point for me as I will be getting it on the 360 eventually.

A Ubisoft Forum Manager made a post on their forums confirming this:

Originally Posted by bukowski113

Some DRM points that will hopefully answer some of your questions and will clarify some misunderstandings about our DRM and SecuROM:

- You have 5 activations on 3 separate PCs.

- Uninstalling the game “refunds” an activation. This process is called “revoke”, so as long as you complete proper uninstall you will be able to install the game an unlimited number of times on 3 systems.

- You can upgrade your computer as many time as you want (using our revoke system)

- Ubisoft is committed to the support of our games, and additional activations can be provided.

- Ubisoft is committed to the long term support of our games: you’ll always be able to play Far Cry 2.

Sounds pretty reasonable to me as long as the 'revoke' system works as advertised (and the DRM, for that matter). I'm still getting it for the 360 though..

[Telefrog]

Originally Posted by DiBiddilyBop

I purchased this through Steam. Pretty sure that means as long as my steam account is installed on the computer and it has an active internet connection, I can download and play Far Cry 2 wherever and whenever I want.

Are you sure? There are other games (third party) that are on Steam that retain their limited installs even though they are also using the frontend DRM from the service.

[LarsenNET]

Originally Posted by Telefrog

Are you sure? There are other games (third party) that are on Steam that retain their limited installs even though they are also using the frontend DRM from the service.

Your right and Valve usually doesn't disclose this ahead of time. I don't think we will know until it's released.

[Young Al Capone]

Seems like overkill, one or the other should suffice. I always went with Steam cause I assumed the games only used Steam's DRM.

[bryan]

Read the story about this over at Shack, and since it has 'revokes' sounds alright to me. It might be one of those games I never uninstall.

[Telefrog]

Originally Posted by Young Al Capone

Seems like overkill, one or the other should suffice. I always went with Steam cause I assumed the games only used Steam's DRM.

Unfortunately, this is one of those myths that Valve does nothing to actively discourage. A lot of third party games in Steam retain aspects of their own DRM. If you check the Steam forums, there are plenty of posts from people that found out the hard way.

[boratika]

I just baffles me why they'd do it. The question I wish they'd ask themselves is "Does this reduce availability of the game to pirates?"

If one person makes a pirate version available, it is infinitely available. Spore, with it's SecureROM, was infinitely available a week before it's release.

The other argument used is for casual disc copying. New question: "Is disc copying easier than snagging a torrent?" ie does it increase availability to pirates?

Let's have a race, we'll both pirate a given game, you burn a disc and I'll grab a torrent. Oh look! I win a week before the game is released. Also you have to go to the shop to buy a blank disc because that is old technology, akin to Hollywood cracking down on VCRs today to stop movie piracy.

But what I really don't get is that they tell you you can do 3 full installs on separate computers and they think that will reduce game sharing.

I know they're desperate, but they are not being logical.


Side note: Hard drive failures et al are a fact of life. Those revokes can't be counted on. (Though if they're like EA, you can just say you rented it each time and get as many installs as you want.)

[MalReynolds]

PS3 or 360 for me then

[hideouslywrinkled]

I'm not a PC gamer... but I don't understand the controversy. Adobe has used a similar system with the Creative Suite for years. And it's very easy to deactivate and reactivate with Adobe. If it works the same as Adobe system, shouldn't be that much of a hassle.

That said, you don't have to uninstall a copy of CS in order to deactivate it... and it sounds like you will have to uninstall Far Cry 2.

[Telefrog]

Originally Posted by boratika

Side note: Hard drive failures et al are a fact of life. Those revokes can't be counted on. (Though if they're like EA, you can just say you rented it each time and get as many installs as you want.)

Which I never understood at all. Where do people rent PC games? Is it done in Europe or Asia?

[KingGorilla]

It doesn't really matter, I do not know many PC gamers who buy from Ubisoft anyway.

Most will be too busy with their DRM free versions of The Witcher and Political Machine to care.

[Smoof]

Originally Posted by KingGorilla

It doesn't really matter, I do not know many PC gamers who buy from Ubisoft anyway.

I desperately try not to buy from Ubi as a PC gamer. Being fucked over in the past by them, I don't wish to continue to give them my money.

It makes it hard some times though with games I want to play, Far Cry 2 being one specifically.

Maybe Gametap will put it on their service, since they're in the business of putting Ubi games on there.