Set the record straight...right here, right now :P

[Kirby]

Will Core Decision use Starforce?

[CDN_Merlin]

Will use some sort of protection I'm sure.

[Xamindar]

heh, they better not use Starforce. I'm sure they know better than that.

[CDN_Merlin]

Wether it's Starforce, Securom or any of the other oness, they all suck.

[Xamindar]

What I thought would always be a cool idea is to have a little usb dongle that plugs in to allow the game to be played. It would be a pass-through usb dongle so that you don't lose any ports. You can't copy a physical device.

[Nosferatu]

Oooooo. I would love to see this one answered officially.

In previous threads I have said that I might not be delighted with some parts of the FAQ but I might just give it a go anyway.

But if it winds up including one of these schemes (which are no better than what Sony recently did), not only will it never touch my computer, the CDs will never be in the same house. (EVER!)

Sounds like Im an extremist hu?

Sounds like a promise I probably cant keep hu?

Well I am an individual who never once used any Windows 9X stile OS because of the call home feature Microshaft stuck into the original registration wizard in 95.

[zbriggs]

It will use a form of copy protection. But the likely-hood of me telling you which form is slimmer than Cindy Crawford.

[Xamindar]

that's not very reassuring

[Duper]

that's not very reassuring

Hey, life's a gamble. Live Large! :mregreen:

[zbriggs]

Now what good is a security system if I tell you all about it. That's like telling you that I have an ADT security system at my office and the code 1234.

[Xamindar]

Now what good is a security system if I tell you all about it. That's like telling you that I have an ADT security system at my office and the code 1234.

Where was your office located again?

But seriously, as long as it doesn't install ANYTHING without my knowledge I am fine with it.

[Nosferatu]

Now what good is a security system if I tell you all about it. That's like telling you that I have an ADT security system at my office and the code 1234.

Where was your office located again?

But seriously, as long as it doesn't install ANYTHING without my knowledge I am fine with it.

Not for me. If what they are using is going to mess around with my standard drivers and dlls, (even if they are completely open about it in thier EULA), then its still never going to be installed on my computer.

[MD-2389]

Now what good is a security system if I tell you all about it. That's like telling you that I have an ADT security system at my office and the code 1234.

Yeah, really. Its not like we can't figure it out later anyways if we really wanted. Just as long as its not Starforce (seeing as it causes a TON of problems with people's computers), I'm happy.

[zbriggs]

OK. I want to make this known. We know you can figure it out later but at least we can delay the enevitable.

We are not going to mess with your drivers or dlls. This is not our style, we are strongly against spyware, adware, and virus. It is against our ethics in embed third party software in our packages without the end-user's knowledge additional we would not allow a product that is known malware or has security risks for the user in our product package. This is not right. If you are going to make a product then for heaven's sake don't compromise a customer's system with it. Put some effort into it people.

Zach

[Kilarin]

If you are going to make a product then for heaven's sake don't compromise a customer's system with it.

THANK YOU! It's nice to know there are still some companies with ethics out there.

We know you can figure it out later but at least we can delay the enevitable.

I think software piracy is a terrible thing. I also find the inability to back up software I have purchased (well, difficulty actually) a real pain. I blame the pirates for that. We seem to have lost a lot of ethics in this country. People who would never think of stealing a candy-bar from the grocery store have no compunctions about stealing a software product.

I presume you have looked at lots of different ways of dealing with piracy, and I was just curious what the numbers looked like for just leaving the copy-protection off and asking the users to be honest. It seems like some people copy things strictly for the thrill of bypassing the copy-protection.

<sigh> Like I said, I find the copy-protection annoying, but I blame the pirates. Theft is theft, even if the goods are software. Strangest thing is, it seems to me that if you like a game, you would really WANT to support the developers so they will produce more like it.

[Xamindar]

OK. I want to make this known. We know you can figure it out later but at least we can delay the enevitable.

We are not going to mess with your drivers or dlls. This is not our style, we are strongly against spyware, adware, and virus. It is against our ethics in embed third party software in our packages without the end-user's knowledge additional we would not allow a product that is known malware or has security risks for the user in our product package. This is not right. If you are going to make a product then for heaven's sake don't compromise a customer's system with it. Put some effort into it people.

Zach

Ok, thank you. That is good enough for me.

[Xamindar]

I was thinking the other day...
I remimber the days when you bought a computer game (on floppies) and the first thing the installation manual said was \"MAKE A BACKUP COPY OF YOUR INSTALLATION DISKS!\" and then to install from them. One of my games that said this was Wing Commander: Privateer. Those games didn't start out by telling me not to pirate them.

It is sad to see how bad companies have gotten with anti-piracy, which only effects the legitimate gamers. Now we have games that require you to have the cd inserted in order to play and games that require you to log on to some server to validate play (steam). They even try to prevent you from making a backup copy of your disks. Truly sad.

/rant over/ I feel better now.

[zbriggs]

Now, please keep in mind that I never said you couldn't make backup copies. The only way we would allow something like that would be if we had an exchange program where if you broke or damaged your disc you could send it to us and we would replace it either for free or for like a $1.00.

[snoopy]

I kinda like the hardware dongle idea. It's copyable, but not without a decent amount of knowledge and skill. (Or money to at least buy the hardware necessary to bypass it.)

[Xamindar]

Now, please keep in mind that I never said you couldn't make backup copies.

Yeah I wasn't attacking you guys at all. Just venting a bit about the bad relationship between we (the consumers) and the companies that create these products.

[MD-2389]

I kinda like the hardware dongle idea. It's copyable, but not without a decent amount of knowledge and skill. (Or money to at least buy the hardware necessary to bypass it.)

Heh, they tried that with 3dsmax. It wasn't long before someone released a software "fix" to remove the check for it.

Personally, I don't care what method of copy protection HO chooses to use. Just as long as I'm able to play w/o any hoop jumping, I'm happy. After my conversations with Zach, I don't think that'll be an issue.

[Deathwinger]

Normally just having a person not able to play online with a duplicated cd key is enough to make them buy it. Unless they want to play on hacked servers with cheaters.

[BUBBALOU]

Normally just having a person not able to play online with a duplicated cd key is enough to make them buy it. Unless they want to play on hacked servers with cheaters.

BINGO! with Online registration of the CD key

That way Keygen junkies are accounted for and are blockable


Then launch it through Valve!

[Xamindar]

What was the point of resurrecting this old thread you two?