Game News Mass Effect: The game that won't let you play

[DarkUnderlord]

Tags: Mass Effect

It seems the Mass Effect digital rights management has claimed its first victim. <a href="http://masseffect.bioware.com/forums/viewtopic.html?topic=635214&forum=104&sp=0">According to the official forums</a>:
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<blockquote>Today I decided to do another run through while waiting in order to try playing a renegade on a higher difficulty level. That’s when I got it. “The game can not start. For security reasons, only a limited number of machines can ever be licensed by a single purchase. This limit has been reached. Please purchase another registration code, reinstall, and then try again.” <a href="http://s278.photobucket.com/albums/kk81/riftguy">http://s278.photobucket.com/albums/kk81/riftguy</a>
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So that’s me. I installed it on my one PC and was able to play for two days for a single run through (with almost no side quests done) before being locked out of my game.
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As far as I know the only changes between the 3rd and the 13th were the addition of a new case fan (to take care of the heat from the new video card) and the user name that I used to log into the computer – a named account with administrative privileges instead of the Administrator account.</blockquote>
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A new video card, a re-installation of the OS and BAM. No Mass Effect for you! Remember the days when you could install a game as many times as you wanted?
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Spotted @ <a href="http://www.bluesnews.com">BluesNews</a> (No, really)

 

[GeneralSamov]

In before "Great job, Bioware", take II.

 

[Trash]

Luckily the cracks are working perfectly already. Still, what a wonderfull way to treat your paying customers.

 

[DraQ]

Long live the warez!

 

[Burning Bridges]

Exactly as everyone predicted. Now everyone go to amazon and slander with more doom & gloom stories.

 

[Tails]

Well it's EA, typical for them, they will never learn that only the players are always victims of the GDMFSOB DRMs.

 

[fastpunk]

Yeah, we heard about the situation. Some of us even dealt with that fuckin DRM. So instead of whining he should open his browser and find a crack.

 

[Trash]

Well, you can whine and then get a crack. Or even get a crack and then whine. Because not matter how you put it, that DRM is one fucked up bad idea.

 

[Gnidrologist]

Something is about to be moved from the inventory.

 

[Mareus]

Way to go EA/Bioware

 

[WalterKinde]

Wonder what the justification will be for not issuing a patch to remove the drm now that the game has been cracked?
Will they claim not having the drm on the official game will somehow make it more filesharer friendly or some such.

 

[Disconnected]

Wonder what the justification will be for not issuing a patch to remove the drm now that the game has been cracked?
Will they claim not having the drm on the official game will somehow make it more filesharer friendly or some such.

No, they'll say nothing & hope people can't find the crack in a year or five when some of the legit owners.. eh, make that renters, would like to replay their.. eh, make that EA's game.

 

[Mareus]

Wonder what the justification will be for not issuing a patch to remove the drm now that the game has been cracked?
Will they claim not having the drm on the official game will somehow make it more filesharer friendly or some such.

No, they'll say nothing & hope people can't find the crack in a year or five when some of the legit owners.. eh, make that renters, would like to replay their.. eh, make that EA's game.

Well, maybe some of those spolied rich kids will just buy a few more copies, thus proving that DRM does raise sales

 

[Herbert West]

A new video card, a re-installation of the OS and BAM. No Mass Effect for you! Remember the days when you could install a game as many times as you wanted? .

Regards form the EA team!


If that situation doesn't justify downloading a crack for a legally purchased game, I don't know what else could.

 

[Jedi_Learner]

Notice how the thread has been locked by Chris Priestly who tells everyone there is a thread in the Off Topic forum. How is this exactly off topic? What a tool.

 

[Herbert West]

Since we're at it again...

 

[elander_]

Long live the warez!

Harumph!

 

[GeneralSamov]

Lol, indeed

 

[MetalCraze]

Please purchase another registration code, reinstall, and then try again.

fucking lol. not "please contact support" but "please purchase the game again"
so mr.Gaider what were you saying about Bio being not greedy again?

 

[Unradscorpion]

Long live the warez!

Cheers!

 

[fastpunk]

"Don't worry, they've been programmed not to enjoy it." Oh shit! Pure gold!

 

[entertainer]

"Stopping piracy" at it's best.

 

[lefthandblack]

TAKE THAT YOU DIRTY PIR.....err, customer.

 

[aries202]

The guy (and another guy) who posted this on Bioware's official forums are now able to play the, thanks to the intervention of EA senior customer representative and a EA Senior Technician. The problem for these two guys seem to be that the persons at the first level of sypport i.e. the persons with whom you first talk don't have the power or the allowance to give out new activations - without asking their supervisors. There seems to be something in the works, though, to make sure this will never happen again. The main thing is to empower the first level of support to give out new activations. This may also expalin why the European EA support seems to be able to give out new activations when people just ask. At least in Denmark there's a tradition for allowing the people in the first leve of support to make a decision on whether or not people get another activation. (or not)

edit:

This is not a support of the drm scheme used in MEPC; I have noticed that many people still have problems running and playing this game - people who have bought the game.

 

[Suchy]

Ok... I was waiting for it to show in Poland. Fuck it - download on the way.