Bioware blocks user from playing his store-bought copy of DA2, for bad-mouthing EA?

lapan

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NotSoNimble said:
danpascooch said:
NotSoNimble said:
danpascooch said:
NotSoNimble said:
One thing I've learned in life is that people being punished are almost never honest when talking about it during or after they 'pay the piper'.

It's what you get for not reading the rules you agree to.
You can't even take a shit nowadays without signing an EULA, is it his fault for not expecting them to do something so ridiculous?
I shit without signing an EULA. I don't troll EA either.

It is his fault for breaking his contract with them.

I bet a dollar he did more than just post the one little sentence he claims at the beginning of that thread too. If you act like an ass, you can lose money. It's like buying a ticket to a movie then screaming your lungs out when you sit down. They can, and will, throw your ass out, and you won't get a refund. This guy is only getting a slap on the wrist by not being able to play for a few days.

EDIT: Was he bitching about DA2? If that was what his complaining about EA was for, I find this rather funny.
In a movie theater you get kicked out for hindering others ability to use what they paid for (IE, watch the movie) I don't care if he called everyone at Bioware a Nazi, he paid for the game, and he isn't stopping others from playing it, do you read every EULA before you click agree? Because if you don't (and I'm sure you don't) you can't expect him to, there are limits on what EULA's allow you to do, for example, if EA put a clause in the EULA that said they reserve the right to rape you they still wouldn't be allowed to do it.

I wouldn't be surprised if what they did is illegal.
They have a right to suspend the service of their servers. This is, at best, a valid legal reason to get a refund for buying his game(s). If you want to tempt the law, beware of consequences. I for one think you should read the rules carefully if your going to engage in behavior you know isn't proper or decent.

Who am I to say what is proper or decent you ask? Just some guy.
He made a joke, it wasn't even something i would count as a real insult. At least over here EULAs don't have any binding power since you can't read them before purchasing a game, at least if you purchase it in retail.

At the very least you have the right to get a full refund.

Since in his case it was only 3 days i wouldn't take any steps like that, however this was a clear overreaction on EAs part.
 

RhombusHatesYou

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Elementlmage said:
ToS=/=Contract

His purchase of that game is an unspoken contract with EA to allow him the use of a license in which to play that game. No matter how much EA crys or prays to Satan or wishes it were true, an EULA or ToS is NOT a legal document or agreement. A Bill of Sale is however.
Game EULAs have one major, MAJOR, fucking mmmaaaaajjjjjjooooorrrr fault that would stop them from being legally binding regardless - there's no mechanism to check that the person ticking the box is legally able to enter a contract.

Oh yeah, and EULA, ToS and AUP are legal documents when used as part of a contract but they mean sod all by themselves. Doubly so when they're only made available post-sale.
 

NotSoNimble

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danpascooch said:
Have you ever gotten a warning or been put on probation on the Escapist? If so, did you take another look at the EULA to make sure they wouldn't somehow steal something you paid for? You expect too much, it's unreasonable.

Consumers have rights, and these servers are not necessary to play the game for any reason other than that EA decided they would arbitrarily be needed, the servers host nothing that is needed to run the game other than what was specifically made for the sole purpose of restricting your ability to run the game (IE DRM)

If they want to silence him on their message boards that's one thing, but they can't steal things he bought, he has rights just like everyone else, and EULA's are secondary to existing state and federal laws.
Oh I've felt the banhammer alright. You know what it taught me? To calm the fuck down.

I don't pay The Escapist for anything, so it is impossible for them to steal it since 'it' doesn't exist.

Suspension isn't the same as stealing. Knowing a game requires internet connection to a companies server (DRM) and then fucking with the people -who you know you have an account with- to use said required connection, is dumb. It's his own fault. Sure it's harsh, but to call for EA's head for this is overboard. But I hear what you're saying. I still think at best the guy might get a refund.

That's my opinion. Have a nice day.
 

Danpascooch

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NotSoNimble said:
danpascooch said:
Have you ever gotten a warning or been put on probation on the Escapist? If so, did you take another look at the EULA to make sure they wouldn't somehow steal something you paid for? You expect too much, it's unreasonable.

Consumers have rights, and these servers are not necessary to play the game for any reason other than that EA decided they would arbitrarily be needed, the servers host nothing that is needed to run the game other than what was specifically made for the sole purpose of restricting your ability to run the game (IE DRM)

If they want to silence him on their message boards that's one thing, but they can't steal things he bought, he has rights just like everyone else, and EULA's are secondary to existing state and federal laws.
Oh I've felt the banhammer alright. You know what it taught me? To calm the fuck down.

I don't pay The Escapist for anything, so it is impossible for them to steal it since 'it' doesn't exist.

Suspension isn't the same as stealing. Knowing a game requires internet connection to a companies server (DRM) and then fucking with the people -who you know you have an account with- to use said required connection, is dumb. It's his own fault. Sure it's harsh, but to call for EA's head for this is overboard. But I hear what you're saying. I still think at best the guy might get a refund.

That's my opinion. Have a nice day.
Alright, fine, I'm just saying your opinion is likely contrary to the law, and certainly contrary to the base concept of ownership.

I also find it surprising that you expect more out of this guy than can be reasonably expected out of ANYONE. You said he should have read and understood the whole EULA, then checked it again before making a comment, and should have known that Dragon Age 2 required an internet connection. Those are three requirements the vast majority of people would never meet.

He didn't even use any vulgarity in his comment, what would you find appropriate if he called them "fucking nazis"? Death by stoning?
 

jackpipsam

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so e.g if I say "moviebob should shut up about Halo, no one cares what he thinks" I would get kicked off the forums.
 

NotSoNimble

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danpascooch said:
Alright, fine, I'm just saying your opinion is likely contrary to the law, and certainly contrary to the base concept of ownership.

I also find it surprising that you expect more out of this guy than can be reasonably expected out of ANYONE. You said he should have read and understood the whole EULA, then checked it again before making a comment, and should have known that Dragon Age 2 required an internet connection. Those are three requirements the vast majority of people would never meet.

He didn't even use any vulgarity in his comment, what would you find appropriate if he called them "fucking nazis"? Death by stoning?
You have the word of the guy being penalized what his actions were to cause the suspension. Like I said, I know the banhammer, they quote one post out of the possible 1-10 you have made recently when informing you.

I don't know any PC gamers that don't know what DRM is.

You keep bringing up things like rape and fucking nazis, so I am done with this chat. Perhaps go talk about the supposed EA pay off for reviewers : P (I saw your thread, lol)
 

Leviathan_

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Now Bioware will have to suffer the consequences: I won't vote for them in MM!



I know it's harsh, but someone has to do it.
 

Danpascooch

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NotSoNimble said:
danpascooch said:
Alright, fine, I'm just saying your opinion is likely contrary to the law, and certainly contrary to the base concept of ownership.

I also find it surprising that you expect more out of this guy than can be reasonably expected out of ANYONE. You said he should have read and understood the whole EULA, then checked it again before making a comment, and should have known that Dragon Age 2 required an internet connection. Those are three requirements the vast majority of people would never meet.

He didn't even use any vulgarity in his comment, what would you find appropriate if he called them "fucking nazis"? Death by stoning?
You have the word of the guy being penalized what his actions were to cause the suspension. Like I said, I know the banhammer, they quote one post out of the possible 1-10 you have made recently when informing you.

I don't know any PC gamers that don't know what DRM is.

You keep bringing up things like rape and fucking nazis, so I am done with this chat. Perhaps go talk about the supposed EA pay off for reviewers : P (I saw your thread, lol)
If you payed any sort of attention to my other thread I specifically stated that I believe the Escapist was NOT payed off, so your lack of forethought and proper reading ability really is hurting your credibility here.

Of course PC users know what DRM is, that doesn't mean they know that DA2 has a DRM system in which they can turn off a players access without any sort of copyright violation.

The question here is not whether he deserved a banhammer on the forums, that is 100% and completely irrelevant, the question is whether he should be allowed to use the item he payed for.

My use of the word "nazi" was not to say that any person was a nazi, but an example of someone using the word "nazi" on a forum, which happens all the time, it's not an unreasonable or rare scenario in any sense.
 

drunken_munki

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Dansrage said:
http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/141/index/6459941/1#6460241

Just stumbled upon this little gem and wondered what you fine gentlemen thought about it?
LOL, so you're not allowed an opinion if you bought the game. I'm sorry, we're not allowed freedom of speech? LOL.

This kind of crap is what pushes people to download games for free.

Yes, Bioware sold their souls to the EA devil.
 

Yossarian1507

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LegendaryGamer0 said:
Well Bioware, I was about to by Dragon Age: Origins and 2, along with Mass Effect 1&2 but...

You can now suck my PSN ID saying I am playing Metal Gear Solid 4.

umad? :p
Better prepare some popcorn before doing so :p

OT: I would just crack the game if I would be that guy. My pal had to do the same with Assassins Creed II and PoP: Forgotten Sands, when Ubi servers decided to stay down for God knows how long time. NOTHING should prevent you from playing the game you bought. NOTHING. Not even EA being a dick.
 

binvjoh

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"Because the BioWare community now operates under the same umbrella as all EA Communities, community members here have all explicitly agreed to abide by and be governed by both sets of rules. Consider it an added incentive to follow the rules you say you're going to follow."

Absolute bullshit. I was under the impression that BioWare cared about their community. They need to tell EA to fuck off.
 

drunken_munki

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strangeotron said:
Dansrage said:
http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/141/index/6459941/1#6460241

Just stumbled upon this little gem and wondered what you fine gentlemen thought about it?
Absurd.

If true.

Petulant twat game designers behave like petulant twats...again.

If true.
Well, according to the last post by a Bioware employee:

"Please review the EA Community Terms of Service, particularly sections #9 and #11. There are two levels of enforcement here:

1. BioWare community bans are forum-only and can be for as little as 24 hours. These bans should have no effect on your game, only your ability to use all the features of this website/community. these bans are handed out by BioWare Moderators as the result of our travels around the forum and/or issues reported by fellow community members.

2. EA Community bans come down from a different department and are the result of someone hitting the REPORT POST button. These bans can affect access to your game and/or DLC.

Because the BioWare community now operates under the same umbrella as all EA Communities, community members here have all explicitly agreed to abide by and be governed by both sets of rules. Consider it an added incentive to follow the rules you say you're going to follow.

If there are further questions or concerns, please send them to me via private message. Thank you.

End of line."

So given that they replied with legalese, you gonna tell me it's not true?
On another note, the EA EULA looks like a pile of vomit in writing.
 

FieryTrainwreck

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This is why I'm not a big fan of all the networking and program interdependency infiltrating the industry. I don't enjoy the idea that someone can restrict my access to the things I buy for any number of stupid reasons.

The shift from ownership to "licensing" of media is the reason I sometimes think about pirating stuff. If legislators aren't going to protect my rights as a consumer, I'm not sure I should respect their laws.
 

ParkourMcGhee

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I like the ninth post "Use a crack for the game, problem solved"

OT: That's stepping over the line in my opinion Bioware, stealing from someone because they annoyed one of your staff members?

I'd say that boarders on illegal, the user should sue!
 

ChaoticLegion

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What people fail to realise is that the ToS these game companies continually make you accept are not legally binding documents giving the game companies the right to revoke your privilege of using an item that is, BY LAW, yours.

Yes they may impose social / forum sanctions. Yes they may ban him from the forum for any small thing if they so want to, but what they cannot do it remove his ability to use an item that is legally his.
The only reason game companies even get away with actions such as this is because no one deems it a large enough inconvenience to risk raking such action to court.
 

Leg End

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Yossarian1507 said:
LegendaryGamer0 said:
Well Bioware, I was about to by Dragon Age: Origins and 2, along with Mass Effect 1&2 but...

You can now suck my PSN ID saying I am playing Metal Gear Solid 4.

umad? :p
Better prepare some popcorn before doing so :p
Always do. Popcorn, Sandwich, Double Gulp and my cats staring at the screen. :p

Also, with my imaginary daughter cheering me Snake on. :p