[MP-Ryan]

I will admit that I find your story that Sony actually provided a cracked version to you directly quite hard to believe. Even if they wanted to do that, it would probably violate contracts with the publisher. A more likely scenario is that an official patch that fixed the problem was already available and they simply sent you that

From my email (May 26, 2008):

Hello.

Thank you for your email.

I updated the file behind the link, this one will work:

Please download a new <HOMEWORLD2.EXE> from the link below. I would appreciate it if you could rename your current one to < C:\PROGRAM FILES\SIERRA\HOMEWORLD2\BIN\RELEASE\HOMEWORLD2.EXE.OLD >,extract the downloaded file into the application path mentioned and start the new application.

The link for the new file is:

<snipped>

If the problem persists, please send another analysis file of the latest executable to us.

If you have any further questions feel free to contact us.

Best regards,

SecuROM Support Team
SecuROM on the web: http://www.securom.com
or via e-mail: [email protected]

*** Please include the subject line exactly as written above including your ticket number in all communications to ensure proper handling ***

<email address snipped> sent the following support request  on 05/24/2008---------------------

The new EXE is generating an "Original disc could not be found or authenticated" error.  I ran the analysis again, the file is attached.  Note that since filing the issue I upgraded my video drivers (to the Catalyst 8.5 series) and Homeworld2 has now been successfully launching roughly 50% of the time with the original EXE.  When it doesn't launch, the original EXE still does not generate any error.  The new EXE generates the error listed on each launch attempt, but still takes 15-30 seconds to do so while the DVD drive access light continually flashes.

Note that Daemon Tools IS currently installed on my system but it is disabled at present (no drives active, and the actual program is not open nor is the process running in the background).

As for the disc itself, the front is labelled entirely in black with "Homeworld 2 Space Strategy Survival" written in silver, and the identifying code of "MED2027" stamped at the bottom.  The reverse side of the disc in the central data region has IFPI 1.554 Sony DADC stamped on one side of the circle and "<disc identifier snipped>" around the other side.Don't know if that has any relevance.

Thanks,
 

Ryan

They had it working less than 4 days after I sent the initial support request in.  I thought that was pretty good, given their reputation.

[Scuddie]

People should buy a game legally...

but once they've bought it, downloading it is IMHO no longer illegal.

Indeed. I'd concider it "making back-ups for personal usage". That can't be wrong.

Under the DMCA, it is illegal.

Then again, based on my interpretation, owning a computer is illegal under the DMCA.

The DMCA makes portable CD players, car stereo devices, and nearly every home electronics device made before 1996 illegal.  I will not now, nor will I ever, recognize it as law.

With that said, downloading content is not under any circumstance against any law.  Distribution of copyrighted content is against the law, and not just because of the DMCA.

[CP5670]

They had it working less than 4 days after I sent the initial support request in.  I thought that was pretty good, given their reputation.

From that email it looks like they changed the Securom options in the exe or simply put in a newer version of it, not removed it (which, as I said, would likely piss off the publisher). Still, it's impressive that they are doing anything to help at all. It's a lot more than I would have expected considering what they have put into the software itself.

[Stormkeeper]

A class-action suit means that if she wins, the owners of Spore get paid?

[Hellstryker]

A class-action suit means that if she wins, the owners of Spore get paid?

[spartan_0214]

A class-action suit means that if she wins, the owners of Spore get paid?

Tell me this is sarcasm.

[Colonol Dekker]

 

*wipess real tears of laughter from eyes*

[Mongoose]

...is there supposed to be something funny here?  I took his statement to be asking if the people who purchased Spore would potentially be paid if this woman won the suit...and unless I've misconstrued every reference to Erin Brockovich ever made, that's exactly how a class-action suit would work.

[Colonol Dekker]

Funny's circumsatantial. I justthought it was a funny reply tbqh. No offense 

[BloodEagle]

...is there supposed to be something funny here?  I took his statement to be asking if the people who purchased Spore would potentially be paid if this woman won the suit...and unless I've misconstrued every reference to Erin Brockovich ever made, that's exactly how a class-action suit would work.

Unless you mistake owner for developer. Which is what I did.

[Stormkeeper]

... What?

[karajorma]

A class-action suit means that if she wins, the owners of Spore get paid?

If she wins every person who bought a copy of Spore legally can claim (a very small amount of) compensation for the damage caused to their machines by installing it.

Individually it doesn't cost much but it can be a large amount of money for the publishers. Take-Two lost a million dollar class action suit over over the fact that some people had been traumatized by the fact that after buying GTA : San Andreas they could go on the internet, search for one of a handful of websites which had an exe file that allowed them to alter the game so that there were low res pixelated sex scenes in it.

[Stormkeeper]

Mmmmm. So if it succeeds I get paid.

[Shade]

I just hope it succeeds so they'll remove the damn restrictions and thus let me buy it without breaking my "No DRM on this computer" principle.

[MR_T3D]

^
agreed, I think this is an alright game.

[blackhole]

^
agreed, I think this is an AWESOME game.

Fixed.

[Titan]

i got it on saturday... it's good, though frankly i think my $$$ might have been better spent on Force Unleashed. the last 3 levels just don't have any real... FEEL to them... they're kinda empty...

[Hellstryker]

Because of course titan would go buy it after reading all this  The point is your money would've been better spent on just about any other game, because you can only install it Three times. Ever.

[Stormkeeper]

Yep. I feel the same way. If I hadn't decided to buy spore, I could've gotten NWN2 Gold for the same price at a IT convention.