[Schwaltzvald]

Turns out ever since the Spore DRM backlash, they decided to "scale back" on the DRM for Red Alert 3...

On another unrelated note, EA dropped its bid to buy up Take Two...

[I-n-j-i-n]

3 to 5. Geez, that is a WORLD OF DIFFERENCE.................................NOT.

[Avatar of Justice]

What amazes me about DRM is that Valve seems to have solved the problem ok. All Steam games inherently have a basic DRM scheme, but nobody complains about it and goes nuts over Portal and Team Fortress 2. Why can't other companies just do what Valve does?

[I-n-j-i-n]

Originally Posted by Avatar of Justice

What amazes me about DRM is that Valve seems to have solved the problem ok. All Steam games inherently have a basic DRM scheme, but nobody complains about it and goes nuts over Portal and Team Fortress 2. Why can't other companies just do what Valve does?

Because most EA games are on CDs where you are supposed to have pure and total control over the property while digitally downloaded ones gives off the illusion that it is more like a rental?

That said, I hate Steam too. DRM in all forms. That said, it's understandable why they do it. PC gaming is totally ravaged from piracy and DRMs are not solving the problem.

[RedFusion]

Wow. Respect for the Amazon.com community for voicing their opinion of DRM (an issue generally only discussed in gaming circles) quite profoundly on a website that primarily caters towards non-gamers.

But then again, I've always known to check Amazon.com for their generally good reviews of music.

[Drack]

Yeah, there's been a SPORE protest going on at Amazon, an organized review bombing.

Changing the installs from 3 to 5 is not a significant improvement. EA needs to change its DRM a lot more than this. I've started pirating stuff I already bought if the DRM scheme is too inconvenient, and if I were an RTS fan I would definitely consider it for this game.

I think the main reason people like Steam's DRM over others' is because downloaded Steam games just need a login/password, no cd keys. You can redownload form their FAST AS HELL servers whenever you want, install on as many comps as you want, and play on any of them (just not simultaneous multiplayer on one acct obviously). The only hassles are that sometimes the servers are busy, and you need an internet connection, patches, and the like. Oh and they need ports forwarded but don't allow you to DMZ your steam box.

[Bahamut]

Originally Posted by Drack

Yeah, there's been a SPORE protest going on at Amazon, an organized review bombing.

Changing the installs from 3 to 5 is not a significant improvement. EA needs to change its DRM a lot more than this. I've started pirating stuff I already bought if the DRM scheme is too inconvenient, and if I were an RTS fan I would definitely consider it for this game.

I think the main reason people like Steam's DRM over others' is because downloaded Steam games just need a login/password, no cd keys. You can redownload form their FAST AS HELL servers whenever you want, install on as many comps as you want, and play on any of them (just not simultaneous multiplayer on one acct obviously). The only hassles are that sometimes the servers are busy, and you need an internet connection, patches, and the like. Oh and they need ports forwarded but don't allow you to DMZ your steam box.

There is one thing Steam offers as an improvement as well - I lost my HL2 Collector's Edition DVD, but once Steam identified that I registered an account before with a particular email address, they forced me to log on with my original account. Once I did, I found that I could redownload all of the games I got with my HL2 Collector's Edition for free, without any hassle. Steam is still pretty buggy, but if it offers such an improvement, I'm willing to go with a DRM scheme since there's no indication that it's intrusive in any other way. The version of SecuROM that EA is using contains just about all of the bad aspects of DRM rolled into one though, and is one that should be shunned by all intelligent/reasonable consumers.

As long as EA uses SecuROM for its big PC titles, I have no reason to even consider buying or playing them. There are more than enough companies out there who don't take a massive dump on their consumers out there to not care about a few missed games.

[The wingless]

that's my employer you're talking about, douchebags!!! I SHANT HAVE IT!

[PlastikBag]

While 5 installs is still lousy, I'm rather pleased that they're getting rid of the 10 day authentication cycles.

[EdgeCrusher]

I have yet to have one problem with steam. If I don't feel like finding the cd or dvd, bam, download it from steam. No hassle, no errors. So yeah, I approve of it.

EA's DRM though is retarded and needs to die in a fire.