Shouldn't you be outraged by bioshock?

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snyderm

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Nov 17, 2006
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Am I the only one one who is angered beyond words that bioshock requires you to register the game online? Why would a single player *only* game require internet access on your video game machine?

It really isn't a big problem for me, as I have internet access, and the patch wasn't too big. But what I am concerned about is that no one has a problem with this, on principle. I even hear that you are only allowed 2 activations, and they shut off your serial number, and you have to buy another copy. Every one of us that bought this game should return it immediately, and post on forums that this game should be avoided at all costs. If we continue to tell game Distributors that this behavior is okay, can you even imagine how bad we are going to be exploited in the future? I mean for god's sake, we BOUGHT the game, but we don't own it. If we upgrade our motherboard or hardrive, we have to buy the game again. If we lose our hardrive due to a virus or something like that, we have to buy the game again. IT IS NOT F*ING NECESSARY FOR US TO REGISTER ONLINE.

Are you people going to continue to allow your self to be exploited and insist on acting like gerbils?

Please understand, I am not arguing the game is bad. I remember Half-Life 2 was excellent, but Steam was such an aggrivation that to this day, I still cannot think about it without my blood pressure rising about how many problems steam created for me. Thats how bad it was.

Someone really needs to change the course of how we are beginning to be treated as a consumer. Why is there no outrage?

 


Snyderm, interesting post. I'll chime in here: I don't have any problem whatsoever registering a game online, even if it is a single player game. To me, it doesn't bother me (even though it did take me a while to activate BioShock for whatever reason). It comes with the territory, sadly, because we live in a time where software piracy is pretty common. If people have an issue with registering a PC game online, then I humbly suggest looking at consoles instead of PC games.

That said, I 100 percent agree with you about the install limit for BioShock. I think it's absurd. If I buy the game, I should be allowed to install it on all three of my computers, but I can't. If I habe problems with just one of my machines and need to unistall and reinstall mutliple times, I should be able to. But again, I can't. Now THAT really sucks. And if someone wants to start a petition to change that policy, then by all means, I'll support it.
 
I 100% agree get the petition going, i'll back you 100%. I am willing to boycott this game so long as others reply in support, this is the only way developers will get the message that their actions are totally unacceptable.
 
Seriously,people make me laugh..It took them at least 3 yrs to make this game maybe more..They need to make as much money as they can off it..If they don't regulate it,people will pirate it and they won't make anything..Its their software,not ours.Just because we buy it,doesn't mean we actually own it,more like lease it forever..Why does someone need the game on 4 diff computers? Its a single player game..We bought one copy,not 3.In this day and age of technology,they have to protect their product anyway they can.If it pisses you off..then be pissed! Why don't you work on a game for yrs and have it get pirated and make half what you should..Then it would be different wouldn't it? No one should be outraged about anything..Why don't you look past the end of your own nose..!
 
I think the question is.... would you prefer starforce? (that being the anti pirate software that complies with the definition of malware i.e installing on your computer with the game without telling you)
 
Aha! Irocem is now seeing the light. The point isn't that we should be all up in arms because a software maker/distributer tries to take steps to ensure their intellectual work isn't pirated. What we should be considering is how much aggravation should we, the honest consumer, have to go through to accomodate them? After all, the product is for us. We are the audience, we are spending the money.

As an example, I don't like spending 400 dollars on two copies of xp for my home gaming machine and my personal laptop. I bought Xp, I should be able to do what I want with it for my own personal use. If I sell it or distribute it, I should expect to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. I believe I shouldn't have to pay more money and experience potentially limitless aggravation to use what I payed for. Although Bioshock only has mandatory online registration, other even more malicious examples of what the industry will put us through are already showing their faces, such as starforce. I believe I am the one who is looking past my nose.

Maybe others would not draw the line quite yet? I think it is time now to be very concerned. That is my opinion.
 
Snyderm, I agree.But we aren't there yet..I don't like the fact that we can't use Vista on all our machines without paying for each copy..The difference,is 10 yrs ago computers weren't as mainstream as they are today..7 yr olds use them in school everyday..They are part of our daily lives..Back when win 98 was out,pirating wasn't as bad..Not as many people used computers like they do today..Games have been dominated by big business..Now its all about the bottom line..Its a love hate relationship..If it wasn't for the big companies like EA or Activision..Games would still be getting pushed back and really pissing people off.. I remember those days well..Now,they give the developer more resources to finish it.Also,cd rom burners weren't norm..Now we have dvd burners..Whats to stop someone from hacking it..then telling the whole world?
 
You are aware that you can only have 2 active installations of the game, the part you are unaware of is to get them back all you have to do is make sure you uninstall the game. Like this:

You install on PC-A and PC-B your Bioshock, now if you wish to format your PC-A all you have to do is uninstall Bioshock on PC-A and you'll have one of your installation "credits" back, format, and reinstall it again.

Pretty retarded if you ask me, especially because this will be pirated within a week, look how Steam and Lost Planet worked out, they just made a new installer for Lost Planet and bam, you get a fully, multiplayer worthy Lost Planet.

I'm pretty sure that this thing will follow the same course, either by spoofing the installer with a bogus server hosted in your very own PC or by making a new installer for the game. Either way, whatever software can be programmed can be just as easily cracked and repacked.
 
I don't have a problem with a game forcing me to register, and I don't mind systems like Id did on Q4, validating your code every time you launch the game. I do however very much dislike copy-protection methods like Starforce. If it did not consume system resources and mess with other programs it wouldnt be a problem. Limiting to 2 installs total is not right (those who have the hardware to max this game out are probably overly familiar with re-installing windows), if thats the case they will have many irate customers to answer to. But if it is limiting you to 2 "active" installs, I don't see a problem. Considering this game has no Multiplayer component I don't see how limiting in this manner is bothersome, at least they are allowing you 2 and not just 1, that way you can use it on both a laptop and desktop. Is there really a need to install it on every computer you come in contact with?

Maybe your desktop, your laptop and the kids computer... but if their machine has the specs to run this game well, shouldn't they be buying their own f'n software?
 
I much prefer registering online - I love how with Steam I don't have to dig out my disk. If a publisher unreasonably restricts reloading rights, then certainly a class-action lawsuit would be called for. But I don't have any problems at all with a publisher requiring me to register the particular machine I'm using it on in a (probably vain) attempt to battle piracy - basically they're asking me to prove I'm using a copy I bought. That's especially true considering they are allowing me to install one copy on two machines! I could load it on my secondary computer in case my wife is playing something.

Normally I don't take well to a company or individual assuming I'm stealing their product, and I might have more of a negative reaction to this if not for all the people who ARE stealing their product. It's amazing to me the number of "friends" who have asked me for copies of games I've purchased, or offer me copies of games they have, legally or not. These are not children, they are adults with children (sometimes grandchildren) of their own. Adults who have no problem spending a couple grand on a weekend away, or a trip to a casino, but feel somehow entitled to someone else's hard work for free.

So yeah, I'll happily register online and not complain as long as they keep their site up.
 
The lack of a workable return policy haunts the PC game industry; it might just kill it.

I remember the days before readily available CD burners when there were chains that would allow you to return games that you didn't like for store credit. Beautiful times.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not one of those "piracy is no big deal guys". It is a big deal.

But not being able to return a crappy, buggy product that you just dropped $50 on is WAY more damaging to the industry.

I've been burned too many times to always pay full price for a game. I have to be pretty sure of it to pay $50. My best friend from years ago who was more into PC gaming than I was basically quit the hobby because he was so sick of buying buggy games.

How about all of those gamers who rushed out and spent $50 on Master of Orion 3 when it was released? What do you say to them?

They were absolutely cheated.

Just trying to play devil's advocate. I think this is a very important topic for discussion.
 
well personally I think that they only really need to make it difficult to hack, so that you actually need to know what you are doing, and so that it will take a few weeks/months after the release date to do, that way the peak sales will have passed and it won't bother you as much
 
I hate starforce and the idea of only 2 installtions. I constantly reinstall windows and I have multiple computers in multiple areas of the country for when I go there. This is unacceptable. I makes me angry and I will not even be buying the game because it has no multi player and I will not buy a game only for single player because it will have 0 replay value and thus is not worth my $. I will go along with any petition made as well.

Best,

3Ball
 
wow, you really think all single player games have no replay value? did you ever play KOTOR or Oblivion? and even though I admit shooters have less replay value, I think Bioshock will be good for at least 2 runs through
 
2 runs though is nothing compared to years of playabilty of many multiplayer games that I play! Even playing it once on each difficulty is very boring especially since very little change happens and you know the story. Its just not as entertaining...imo, I would like to play the PC demo to c how it runs on my box, but the damn thing wont let me install it...it gives me some error saying that I dont have permision and AVG is recognizing this thing as a virus...oh well!

Best,

3Ball
 
At first reading this thread, I thought it was absurd. Limiting us to only two installations. I would really be mad if that was the case. But then emp described that all you have to do is uninstall the game to get your installation back. I really see no problem with this at all. If you can uninstall the game and reinstall it as many times as you want, then why is there a big deal at all? The only problem is that you can't have it on more than two computers at the same time. But, why would you want that anyway? I'd assume that most people would just play it on there most capable computer. And this even gives you the chance to let a family member do the same.
 
The thing is, Single player games will be hacked and pirated no matter what they attempt to do, it's just the nature of the beast. Multiplayer games have the benefit of checking each user id/cd key everytime they log into a server, single player games, even ones that require internet access to run can be cracked by fooling it into thinking it's getting an OK back from the server, or taking that part of the code out all together, and in less time than you think. I'm not saying they should just hand the games out like AOL CD's in the late 90's but they shouldnt make it too troublesome for the guy who actually buys it and start coming up with new ideas to entice people to buy instead of pirate.
 
Well, it's a nice idea having two installations and you can get one back by uninstalling, but what if your computer actually crashes, and you have to reformat your computer. you can't really uninstall a game if you can't even get into windows. it's like instant coffee, except for lovely caffeine, it's a bucket full of anal rape.
 

well I suppose it depends what type of games you play
 


I did that recently at "Game" in the UK, so it shows it can still be done - you just have to check the store policy before you buy.



True. That's why, despite having looked forward to the game for ages, I waited until there were some reviews before rushing out to buy. If you're so impatient that you can't wait for a review or demo, then you take your chances. I also avoided the disappointment of Caesar 4 this way!

You don't get your money back from the cinema if the movie sucks, do you?
 
I see both sides but....
IF i buy a game and i have 3 kids with there own computers but now only two of them can play or 1 and me thats not right, You tell those kids to wait till the other one is finished. whats nexted

i buy a car but can only drive 50 milies a day?????????
i connect to the internet but can only use it between 1-3pm
I buy a book but cant lend to anyone else to read.
where does it stop
WHO ARE THEY TO SAY WHAT I DO WITH MY BROUGHT CD????

hacked and pirated games are not good for the company but even if you did stop it 100% someone will make a club (or something else)where 1 or a few people do buy it and anyone else in the club can borrow it.
If people dont want to buy it they will find another way around the -register the game online thing.

ps what if you are not connected on line i know off many that are not?
you dont buy it i quess, well that doesnt help the company much either.
 


If you walk out early enough and raise a stink about it you can get your money back. I've never done it but my brother has done it several times. I suspect he lacks any sort of shame. :lol:

It's hard to ignore the monetary discrepency as well. Where I live a movie costs $8 but a full priced game still costs $50-$55.

Console gamers have the best setup (renting before you buy). I wish we PC gamers could do that somehow.

 
If the power goes out or a tripped fire alarm happens then you can get your money back on movie tickets. Happened to me within the same month!
 
I give it 30 days and someone'll have a way around it.
Photoshop CS2 with it's online registration didn't stop the determined.

Registration's fine, as is limiting patch downloads (and installs if they're smart) to registered copies, but two installs lifetime? Even MS backed off on that one.

One thing it will do is stop the "preview" of games. There's still a store here that allows it for a few titles, they've been around since the C64 game rental days. They've been turned in many times, the FBI's raided other places, but they just keep going.
 
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