[Akalabeth Angel]

I don't remember steam being an issue with HL2.  I installed the game, let it do it's thing to finish installing it, then removed steam.  Never had a problem running HL2 without it. 

     Hmmn, maybe it's just the desktop Icons that launch steam first. If I point them at the executable it might work without it. Worth checking out.

[Dark RevenantX]

Steam's great for when I have to reinstall everything (new computer or such).  Just load it up and have it run in the background while it downloads every game you own.

[blackhole]

The issue with steam is that its not a generalized online store, and it likes to run in the background. What needs to happen is to have a download manager that works for any sort of application based on some open-ended specification, allowing the customer to make an account (something linked to paypal, probably), buy an application, and then have rights to download it wherever they log in to that manager (which should probably be open-source). Once you download the game/application, you do a quick validation check on it the first time it runs. This validation is tied to the computer it was downloaded on, but allows you to then play the game/application free of restrictions or an internet connection, without the need of any program running in the background. The validation would not expire, and would simply sit there until you uninstalled it and had to download it again. Because its tied to the computer (via processor serial number or whatever), it could be a simple encrypted file in the game's directory.

The best security is one that is effective even if the thief knows exactly how it works. EA could have simply limited keys to 3 people online at a time. Instead, they acted like f*cking retards.

My copy of spore still isn't here.

[Solatar]

I made it to the space age in a few days, and I hate to say it but I'm burning out on it. My colony gets attacked by a dozen ships, and I have to defend it in a single fighter.

[BloodEagle]

Mildly amusing.

[Solatar]

Mildly, but a moot gesture considering the creators of those creatures have already bought the game. Once you pay your money, EA stops caring about you. They have your money.

Unless they're just using the creature creator.

[TopAce]

EA has started digging its grave.

Ok, this time their game is high on the sales list, but how many disappointed SPORE customers will buy another EA game? Not many. They would soon realize that they need another method to fight piracy, if they don't want to lose profit in the long run.

Stating that DRM is the most secure system in the world will motivate piracy even more. It might also encourage otherwise legit customers to abandon their principles and buy a pirated - even buggy - copy just to be able to play the game.

Not having much else to do at the moment, I will try to find some professional reviews. These frustrated-customer reviews are one thing.

[achtung]

DRM is there to prevent the honest consumer from selling the game after they're done with it.  They don't expect to actually put a dent in piracy.

      I don't see why. Console gamers trade in their games all the time, restricting resales on one platform seems fairly pointless to me. The moment EA NHL 2K9 or whatever comes out, hundreds of 2K8 games probably flood into EB Games. And I don't know how the market between consoles and PCs compare but going in general I've found that more stores carry consoles games, and more of it, than the PC titles.

I should have been more specific, I meant what I said for PC titles only. 

[Polpolion]

It might also encourage otherwise legit customers to abandon their principles and buy a pirated - even buggy - copy just to be able to play the game.

Okay, I can understand buying a retail game. I can understand not paying for a pirated game. But paying for a pirated game? That's just nonsensical. People pirate games so they don't have to pay.

[karajorma]

Actually buying pirated games is pretty common. Not everyone has the foresight to get a porn + games tube into their house. Some people have to get it from a dodgy guy in the pub.

[FUBAR-BDHR]

There is also the bootleg market which is just organized piracy.  People and companies putting out thousands of copies that look like the original but sell them for pennies on the dollar. 

[Topgun]

I yeah I know this guy that sells ipods (he calls the mp4 players, doesn't say the brand) for $20.

[Al Tarket]

... So? The company still has an obligation to its costumers to provide them with the best possible experience.

thats the biggest load of **** i have ever heard!! EA being all about the customers? you serious!

winning the euro millions lottery has more chance of working for me than ea does towards it's customers rights over their money!

[pecenipicek]

circumventing steam, from experience involves editing 2 or cfg files and making damn sure that no executables from the game's folder are allowed to go on the net (any decent software firewall grants the ability)



(no i'm not a hacker or anything of the like, i just wanted to play my copy of half-life 2 off line. this was done back when there wasnt any offline capability...)