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BioShock 2 PC DRM Plans Scaled Back
by Alice O'Connor, Jan 25, 2010 6:50am PSTBioShock 2 publisher 2K Games is "scaling back" its DRM restrictions on PC, community manager Elizabeth Tobey has explained, potentially spelling the end of the scandal that may well have gone on to be wittily dubbed GateShock 2: Sea of DRMs.
There will be no SecuROM install limits for either the retail or digital editions of BioShock 2, and SecuROM will be used only to verify the game's executable and check the date. Beyond that, we are only using standard Games for Windows Live non-SSA guidelines, which, per Microsoft, comes with 15 activations (after that, you can reset them with a call to Microsoft.)
This implementation is identical to that of other titles such as Batman: Arkham Asylum, says Tobey, which caused far less outrage and was apparently often cited to her as an example of reasonable DRM during BioScandal 2: DRM Gate.
I know that the variables of PC gaming can be frustrating and confusing, and when you say there is a problem, we listen, and use your suggestions to make things better. Feedback like this does not go unheard, and while this might not be the ideal protection for everyone, we will continue to listen and work with you in the future when formulating our DRM plans.
The Steam listing which revealed the DRM had added fuel to the fire by fluctuating wildly, initially stating there was no installation limit before declaring only fifteen would be allowed, a figure which swiftly changed to a measly five.
The original BioShock's DRM solution was the cause of DRMgate 07, allowing owners only two installations before they had to contact SecuROM--and uninstalling the game would not 'deactivate' the installation. 2K quickly increased the limit to allow five installations on five computers and released a tool to revoke activations. The install limit was eventually removed entirely.
Developed by 2K Marin and 2K Australia with multiplayer by Digital Extremes, the subaqueous shooter sequel arrives for PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on February 9.
Comments
There are game i have bought not once or twice but even 3 times...(To give as presents and to have the full content special editions) .But I WOULD NEVER BUY A GAME WITH A DRM METHOD NO MATTER HOW GOOD IT IS.ALL the hard work made by the developers is thrown down the drain by this fucking retarted drm methods.
WHY WHEN I PAY 60-70 FUCKING EUROS I HAVE TO STAND FOR ALL THIS SHIT ? i PAY YOU MY HARD EARNED MONEY TO ENJOY A GAME FOR LIKE 10-20 HOURS USUALLY AND I CANNOT USE IT WITHOUT LOGGIN IN TO THE INTERNET ? NOT EVERYBODY HAS EVERYWHERE INTERNET CONNECTION AND EVEN IF YOU HAVE YOU HAVE ALREADY FUCKING PAYED FOR THE GAME ? aND WHEN AFTER 1-2-5 10 YEARS THE GAME IS GONNA BE UNPLAYABLE THAT THE FUCK HAPPENS ? i GET MY MONEY BACK ? iTS A GAME NOT FUCKING MILK YOU ASSHOLES
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- SecuROM for disc check (but NOT activation)
- GFWL for activation (15 activations; call MS support for more)
- GFWL for persistent stats
- offered for digital distribution via Steam
It's a shame that a news article was posted as a result of a Steam catalog update, and the combination of "SecuROM" and "activation limit" was interpreted as "SecuROM activation DRM", because apparently that wasn't the case in the first place. It's also a shame that the DRM and multiplayer/stat restrictions end up not getting finalized until 3 weeks before release for PC games. It was a buzzkill for games like Far Cry 2, Modern Warfare 2, the original Bioshock, and now Bioshock 2.
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So, if I were a publisher, what I would take from this is: Attach whatever the fuck onerous shit I want to my game, and don't tell anyone about it. A few nerds will notice and get mad and not buy the game, a few people will buy and legitimately have DRM-related technical issues, and a lot of people will buy the game and never know.
That's a ridiculous message to be sending to publishers. If people haven't learned by now that large publishers will NOT be completely dissuaded from using any form of DRM, they are deluding themselves. The PC market simply does not spend enough money on games to actually demand publishers listen to those demands. It obviously still spends SOME amount of money, or games wouldn't get published. But I would say when a publisher actually opens some level of dialogue, and responds to concerns, that's about as good as it's going to get.
It doesn't matter whether it's an ideal situation; it's how it is. You want a world of big-budget, DRM-free, triple-A PC games? Well, publishers want a PC audience that will actually buy a lot of games. It doesn't seem like either side is actually going to get 100% of what it wants in this scenario, so we have to compromise.
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Moreover if you already put SecuROM on the disc why do you need Games for Windows Live on top of it and vica versa, why the SecuROM if one has to jump through the Games for Windows Live mess anyway?
And most importantly: why do you need any of this on Steam?
This statement sounds way too vague for me... I think this scandal now grew beyond the first Bioshock's DRM mess - perhaps time to boot the PMs at 2K?
How long before playing a PC game requires a fingerprint, a urine sample, a valid credit card, and a copy of my birth certificate as well? Maybe the publisher will run a background check to make sure I don't have a piratical past.
It's like 2K is just daring me to buy this for 360 instead.
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SSA version of GFWL can rob unsuspecting players of their $49-$70 if they live in one the over 166 countries GFWL does not support. This happen with Codemasters DIRT 2 when players from Steam\Direct2drive type services when they install DIRT 2 and set up a new LIVE ID, then GFWL would tell them that when they start their DIRT 2, you can't rce online since LIVE ID is tie to an unsupoorted country.
Now these player are stuck with a racing game they can only race offline. GFWL seem to be a step backwards when it block half the world from racing DIRT 2 online!! :(
[url=http://community.codemasters.com/forum/showthread.php?t=399601]GFWL stole my gam/url]
[url=http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1102976 ]Does GFWL help prevent piracy or help create piracy?[/url]
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It's because SecuROM is used period. SecuROM should probably change its name to something else as when most people think ""SecuROM" they think "ROOTKIT" whether SecuROM actually uses a rootkit anymore or not.
It's for the same reason that when anyone says "Real Networks" they say "BUFFERING" shortly after.
The court of public opinion hath spoken...
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It's not a matter of convenience, but a matter of principle.
A matter of not having strings attached for something you paid and are supposed to own. Strings that may stop working at various points totally out of our control.
Call me a materialist, but when I buy something I like to own it. Game are turning into services and I don't like that perspective at all.
Stream for instance is a pretty solid protection system, pretty convenient from a user standpoint, but I just like to have a disc, and install it / uninstall it whenever I want, on whichever hardware I want.
Having a 15 limits installation with GFWL is just ridiculous. It doesn't have a point other than the publisher saying 'I own this game and you don't'.
Some people think I'm taking it too far, but simply put the problem with most DRM schemes (or even DRM as a whole) is a matter of freedom. It's my game, I paid for it, and I firmly intend to use it however the fuck I want.
Hell, if it comes to this I'd be ready to may *more* for a game without DRM. Sad, eh?..
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I constantly see people throwing "well drm doesn't work, so don't put it in" up. What should a developer do? Put their multi million dollar (many games are taking upwards of 10 million dollars to produce) game out there with no sort of protection at all? What is that supposed to accomplish? Who really believes that without copyright protection, say, the original Bioshock would have gotten pirated less? Wake up. When things are easier, they become more popular. Neglecting to protect their own property isn't an option.
Sometimes it even works. Look at steam. Steam games get pirated much less than other games. Why is it that you never hear people talking about steam like it's the anti christ? It has install limits. You have to log into your account before you can play. If you forget your password or are otherwise locked out, you can't "play the games you payed for." I would expect people to dislike steam very much.
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System Shock 3, please!?
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"I know that the variables of PC gaming can be frustrating and confusing"
Fraid not dearie.. it's only confusing because you make it confusing in the first place with this DRM.
"We listen, and use your suggestions to make things better. Feedback like this does not go unheard" If you truely were listening to "the fans". You'd remove DRM completely but those forum posts would get conveniently ignored just like the last time...*cough* BioShock Editor *cough*
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What I'm totally confused about is the hatred of SecuROM. Are people conflating it with StarForce? The latter actually could damage your computer and was designed like a rootkit; the former never behaved in that manner.
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Why is this story trying to make it sound like they've backed down when all they did was explain the DRM in more detail?
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You still have to activate upon setup, just there's no limit to the amount of activations.
During activation, the setup also downloads crucial program files, which are needed to start the game and are NOT present on the retail-DVD.
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If the game is good people will buy it problem is most games are utter crap now days but given how good the first Bio shock was im sure this will sell great.
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Whatever.
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