BioWare Lifts the Lid on Dragon Age 2 DRM

[loremazd]

I really dont think DRM has inconvenienced the majority of you in any way. Especially frequent posters. You -are- connected to the internet all the time, guys.

Honestly I think "the principle of the thing" drags people down more than anything else. If it's not a problem for you, stop saying it is.

 

[loremazd]

I really dont think DRM has inconvenienced the majority of you in any way. Especially frequent posters. You -are- connected to the internet all the time, guys.

Honestly I think "the principle of the thing" drags people down more than anything else. If it's not a problem for you, stop saying it is.

This whole discussion is about the principle. After all, DA2's DRM can't be a problem for anyone until it's released.

However, "the principle of the thing" is a perfectly valid complaint.

BTW, how do you know that everyone is connected to the internet "all the time"? Did it occur to you that some people use laptops and sometimes they like to take them places? If I were going on a long car trip and I had a laptop, I would take it and I would want to game since I couldn't be online.

Imagine how well it would work if a DS game required you to always be online.

Anyway though, yes I have had problems with Securom and with BioWare's DRM on DAO. I am sure there are many others who had problems with DRM but I can't speak for anyone else.

I hate captcha!

It wouldn't be a problem if my DS was a -computer- that was connected to the internet. My computer is hooked up with an ethernet cable all the time, I never take it out. I believe that most of you never disconnect your computers, even laptops, with wifi. To be honest, because of this, I find it akin to complaining that an Xbox has to be plugged into the wall in order to work. And fair enough, it's just I see so many scenarios of doom and gloom when I dont think it's warrented. Stuff like claims of bandwidth issues. A check -might- take up one megabyte, if that.

But yes, your ability to game -while- in a moving vehicle will be impaired. I'm sorry that you consider the ability to play the game while on a road trip is a dealbreaker. That being said, I dont think -most posters- play computer games while in moving vehicles for any extended periods of time, I do think most people stay connected to the internet when using their computers, and the principle of the thing is silly in my eyes for this situation. "This could potentially inconvenience me in very unlikely situations!" isn't enough weight for the argument in my eyes.

 

[Chibz]

Yeaaaaaah. Forcing people to be connected for their game to work.

Screw that noise, I'm goin' home.

 

[toapat]

a login check.

DragonAge 1 on a typical computer is unplayable with any internet checks, DA2 will be impossible.

 

[Xanadu84]

So this means if i want to play it on a computer without a internet connection i HAVE to wait for a cracked version, huh?

How are you going to download that cracked version?

I'm all for hating DRM. But in order to function as a business, there is a certain degree to which businesses need to protect their sales. This is a perfectly reasonable amount of DRM protection, an amount which, based on the information here, will not inconvenience legitimate consumers in any but the strangest and most esoteric of situations. Remember, they said that the consumer does not need to be online to play. This means, most likely, that all you need is to be periodically on the internet in order for the game to work. I suppose that it is still up in the air depending on the frequency, but if your computer just needs to be online once a month for the game to work, who is going to be inconvenienced? And if your a Steam user, after you download the game, your done.

 

[Gindil]

How are you going to download that cracked version?

I'm all for hating DRM. But in order to function as a business, there is a certain degree to which businesses need to protect their sales. This is a perfectly reasonable amount of DRM protection, an amount which, based on the information here, will not inconvenience legitimate consumers in any but the strangest and most esoteric of situations. Remember, they said that the consumer does not need to be online to play. This means, most likely, that all you need is to be periodically on the internet in order for the game to work. I suppose that it is still up in the air depending on the frequency, but if your computer just needs to be online once a month for the game to work, who is going to be inconvenienced? And if your a Steam user, after you download the game, your done.

Again, the newest ways that games are innovating disagree. If DnD Online is any indication, you can make money by giving the game away for free but adding value in other areas. Steam does crazy sales all the time and it's upwards to $1 billion dollars last year. That's WITH assisting its modding community making money.

Admittedly, it's not bad, but damned if they seriously need to add something to the game other than that "check in" DRM...

 

[kasperbbs]

Why bother customers with this stuff ,it will only prevent pirates from playing the game for a few days ,one-two weeks max and in the end they will have a better experience playing the game because they wont have to deal with drm's. I'm buying this game for sure but if i wont be able to play it on my laptop away from home because there wont be any wifi internet access i might have to crack it anyway..

 

[linkmastr001]

I bet they watched Extra Credits! Sounds cool to me, since I will obtain through steam, when, and if, I do

 

[Naheal]

You know... considering this seems to be for "downloaded games," I see no issue with what's going on. Also, this is reminiscent of what Mr. Floyd suggested in Extra Credits. Does this mean that they listen?

 

[Xanadu84]

How are you going to download that cracked version?

I'm all for hating DRM. But in order to function as a business, there is a certain degree to which businesses need to protect their sales. This is a perfectly reasonable amount of DRM protection, an amount which, based on the information here, will not inconvenience legitimate consumers in any but the strangest and most esoteric of situations. Remember, they said that the consumer does not need to be online to play. This means, most likely, that all you need is to be periodically on the internet in order for the game to work. I suppose that it is still up in the air depending on the frequency, but if your computer just needs to be online once a month for the game to work, who is going to be inconvenienced? And if your a Steam user, after you download the game, your done.

Again, the newest ways that games are innovating disagree. If DnD Online is any indication, you can make money by giving the game away for free but adding value in other areas. Steam does crazy sales all the time and it's upwards to $1 billion dollars last year. That's WITH assisting its modding community making money.

Admittedly, it's not bad, but damned if they seriously need to add something to the game other than that "check in" DRM...

I really don't think those things are connected, and therefore don't disagree with me at all. DDO is a free game that makes its money through premium content. That model doesn't really work for a single player game. In fact paid DLC that is used to fill up an otherwise incomplete game is pretty universally hated in single player games as cheap money grabs. I love DDO, but that model wouldn't work in a single player game like Dragon Age. And as for Steam deals and modding...that seems to be literally a non-sequitar from DRM. I will certainly agree that Steam is the best DRM system out there, but the developers need a non-Steam option for non-steam users. Basically, I really don't think the innovation your talking about has anything to do with DRM.

 

[Iron Lightning]

"....game will periodically perform a login check...."

You know what would be funny, if the login check didn't pause the game:

Player: "Oh shite, a dragon! Quick get an ice spell on it! Move the tank into..."

*ping*

Player: "login?! I already logged in! what's this, I don't even..."

Dragon: *Om Nom Nom*

Even if it did pause it would still destroy immersion and ruin the emotional impact of whatever scene happens to be playing.

Imagine if other media tried to pull this. What if the cinema paused it's films at random intervals so the ushers could check everyone's tickets. Terrifying right, and that's a system that would actually catch people trying to steal movies.

How is this system so much better than Assassin's Creed 2's, we still need a pretty much constant internet connection to pass the random checks. Hell, at least Assassin's Creed 2 never purposefully interrupted the game.

One more thing, if the objective of this DRM is to delay pirates, then why the hell did they give a press release about it? Bragging about your DRM will only encourage the pirates to crack it. They'll be on it the very instant the game goes live, the smarter ones probably have a good idea of what they need to do right now. This DRM's not gonna last a day with this kind of hubris behind it.

 

[Xannieros]

I've fully purchased Dragon Age 1, and Mass Effect 2, both needing to connect to EA servers.

I've had trouble connecting to Both of them on occasion. As well as Ubisofts Splinter Cell: Conviction DRM which will disconnect me at random when no one else is using the internet in my house. I disagree with any DRM that needs to connect to the internet to work.

All DRM is going to do is push people TO PIRACY.