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Posts Tagged ‘SecuROM’

Green Man Gaming will use SecuROM on distributed games

March 30th, 2010

Cliff Riseborough

I wrote an article about Green Man Gaming, a new digital retailer of both new and pre-owned games, last year. The service sounded promising, but I noted that a lot of the details still weren’t known. Today, Green Man made an announcement that answers one of the remaining questions.

Today, they have announced an agreement with Sony DADC that will see that firm’s SecuROM DRM system used on the distribution of titles sold on Green Man when it launches next month.

"This partnership dramatically accelerates our initial offer to include the majority of AAA PC titles that are currently available," added Green Man’s CEO Paul Sulyok.

That quote makes me suspect that the big publishers were reluctant to sign on unless some sort of DRM protection was in place.

Green Man is also planning to allow used sales of digital purchases from their store, with the customer selling it back to them for discounts and that key being offered for less to other gamers. Since SecuROM tends to work in part by tying a specific serial key to a user’s computer, I’m interested to see how that system will prove workable with second hand sales.

Posted in Games

Tags: Green Man, SecuROM

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Wait for the sunset.

March 24th, 2010

Brad McGraw

No I’m not talking about taking a romantic walk on the beach with your significant other, which can be a very nice thing to do. I am talking about a term called ‘sun setting’. What that means is that the DRM on the game gets removed, its served its purpose, its run its course, and the publishers have decided to release a patch that completely removes the DRM from the game. Its happened before, and it will continue to happen on future games.

The point? If you don’t like DRM, just wait. In fact Josh Lowensohn recently wrote an article titled ‘How to get DRM-free PC games: Just wait’.

Gamers have long known that patience is rewarded with cheaper, less-buggy games. But does that adage hold true for the inclusion of digital rights management as well? Not always, but history does show us that time makes even the strictest of DRM less sucky.

And he’s right. Not all publishers will do this for all games, but it has been done for a number of games already. World in Conflict, which patched out its DRM completely, is one quick example. Some times only parts of a DRM is removed. For example, the removal of the activation limits from BioShock while the general SecuROM remains.

Because there are two ways to purchase games now, retail and digital download, DRM removal may happen on retail, but not digital (such as Dawn of Discovery, which had Tages removed from its retail version, but not its digital one). So you do need to keep an eye out on what is removed.

The problem is not all gamers like to wait, we are a particularly impatient bunch. The reason games sell so well in the first month or two, no matter the DRM on the game, is because we ‘just have to play the game’. Its tough to stand your ground when all your friends are raving about the game, yet you say your waiting till the DRM is removed. Fingers get pointed, names get called, laughing commences, its not a pretty site. However if you can live through the shame of it all, wait. Its not going to kill you and your computer will thank you.

Posted in Games

Tags: DRM free, SecuROM, Sun Setting, Tages

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Battlefield: Bad Company 2 patch removes SecuROM from Steam versions

March 16th, 2010

Brad McGraw

Shacknews reports that the Steam version of Battlefield Bad Company 2 has removed SecuROM in the latest patch. Kalms, a DICE representative on the Steam forums had this to say:

Client update (522174 / 522175) out for non-Steam, soon on Steam as well

Changelist here applies:
http://forums.electronicarts.co.uk/b…75-update.html
In addition, the Steam version will no longer have SecuROM.
The patch is going through Steam compatibility testing as soon as possible.
The patch is backward compatible. (We are not updating the servers, only the game clients.) So old & new game clients can play with each other.

There are multiple single player and multiplayer fixes as well.

Posted in Games

Tags: Battlefield Bad Company 2, DICE, SecuROM, Steam

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SecuROM does it right?

March 9th, 2010

Brad McGraw

Do a google search using ‘SecuROM’ or ‘SecuROM sucks’ and you’ll find a ton of complaints about it. SecuROM’s history with gamers has not been very good to say the least. Although to be fair, a lot of this has been hyperbole, unverified rantings and just people jumping on that bandwagon without even knowing the facts. So it’s a bit of a surprise when someone has something good to say about them. However, I am going to. Shocking, I know.

We’ve previously reported on EA’s Battlefield Bad Company 2 and what its DRM option is, and yes its SecuROM. This was before the game was released, so most of it was just reporting what DICE announced. However, in the midst of all this Ubisoft DRM fiasco, Game Politics made mention of this new version of SecuRom:

GP: On a related note, I grabbed Battlefield: Bad Company 2 for the PC this weekend and during the install was prompted to choose my favored method of DRM—disc-based or online authentication (I chose disc-based). In a perfect world there would be no need for DRM, but if it is required, this method of offering the user a choice at least goes a little way towards lessening the impact (and might make DRM-based gaming functionable on an Army base or a cruise ship). Bad Company 2 uses Sony’s SecuROM technology.

So it seems that the installation is what we were told before. Which is good, which is very good actually. I’m glad to see that Sony DADC has been paying attention to some of the complaints that have been out there.

Now, we haven’t tested to see if SecuROM stays on the system after uninstall like it used to, and one of the main complaints about the program, because we don’t have a copy ourselves (unless someone wants to send us a copy… lol). So we’ll have to wait to see what experiences people have after they remove the game.

From what I am reading so far, Sony DADC has listened to complaints and moved to address some of the most glaring issues, yet still provide the security that publishers are wanting. While I am not a fan of DRM (although I see why companies see the need for it), I do have to tip my hat to Sony DADC on this. Well done Sony.

Posted in Games

Tags: Battlefield Bad Company 2, DADC, DRM, SecuROM

2 Comments »

DRM for PC Battlefield : Bad Company 2 detailed

January 27th, 2010

Cliff Riseborough

As reported on the Battlefield Blog, the DRM information for the game has been detailed. The basic system being used is SecuROM. The details are :

-The Closed Beta will use SecuROM. However, this sentence is interesting as it could indicate a change in how SecuROM operates.

When the Closed Beta is uninstalled, all traces of the game and SecuROM will be removed from your machine.

Previously, SecuROM remained on the system after the associated game was uninstalled.

-The final game will use SecuROM. The game’s executable will be ‘wrapped’ with the DRM, and some support files will also be installed in the game directory. The game will need authentication the first time it’s run, which can be done one of two ways :

1. Offline mode will function as a disc check. There won’t be a need for any online authentication from SecuROM, but you will need the disc in the drive every time you wish to play.

2. Online authentication will function as it normally does. SecuROM will check with the Master DRM server to see how many computers the game is activated on (it can be activated on 10 systems at one time). Once the initial authentication is done, SecuROM will not go online to perform server checks for 10,000 days after activation on that system.

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Posted in Games

Tags: Battlefield Bad Company 2, DRM, EA, offline mode, online activation, SecuROM

1 Comment »

BioShock 2 DRM Finalized.

January 19th, 2010

Cliff Riseborough

As quoted from the 2K BioShock 2 fan site Cult of Rapture :

Over the past two days, I’ve fielded a lot of questions and concerns about the DRM for both the retail and digital versions of BioShock 2. Because of this feedback, we are scaling back BioShock 2’s DRM.

There will be no SecuROM install limits for either the retail or digital editions of BioShock 2, and SecuROM will be used only to verify the game’s executable and check the date. Beyond that, we are only using standard Games for Windows Live non-SSA guidelines, which, per Microsoft, comes with 15 activations (after that, you can reset them with a call to Microsoft.)

What does that mean for your gameplay experience? This means that BioShock 2’s new DRM is now similar to many popular games you advised had better DRM through both digital and retail channels. Many of you have used Batman: Arkham Asylum as an example to me, which uses the exact same Games for Windows Live guidelines as us as well as SecuROM on retail discs, and now our SecuROM is less restrictive on Steam.

I know that the variables of PC gaming can be frustrating and confusing, and when you say there is a problem, we listen, and use your suggestions to make things better. Feedback like this does not go unheard, and while this might not be the ideal protection for everyone, we will continue to listen and work with you in the future when formulating our DRM plans.

It is pleasant to see something like activation limits on Games for Windows Live actually fully disclosed, as normally publishers try to tap dance around the subject by claiming they aren’t there, or that they have no knowledge of them. And kudos overall to 2K for fully disclosing their DRM, discussing it with their fans, and being willing to make changes. THAT is the kind of behavior that I for one would like to see more of from game publishers.

Posted in Games

Tags: 2K Games, BioShock 2, DRM, Games for Windows Live, pre-order, SecuROM, Steam

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SecuROM : Examining ‘The Beast’

January 19th, 2010

Cliff Riseborough

Mention its name on your average gaming or computer forum, and you’re likely to be greeted with a somewhat emotional response from most people. Let’s try it.

SecuROM.

Yep, that’s pretty much par for the course. It’s insidious, it’s evil, and it’s completely dead set against you. It’s out to ruin your day, ruin your fun, ruin your life.

It may sound like I’m just spewing hyperboles (always a fun game), but if you really believe that’s what I’m doing now, please perform the following experiment. Go to your favourite gaming or computer forum and make an innocent post asking what SecuROM is. Now, give it a day or two to percolate, brace yourself, and check back in to read the replies. And don’t be surprised if you see claims that SecuROM caused a user’s computer to spring to life and sexually assault their pet cat.

Is SecuROM perfect? No. There are legitimate compatibility errors for some people relating directly to the DRM. It has, in the past, used software blacklisting as part of its protection system. It installs itself along with a game, then stays behind long after that game has been removed from your hard drive. However, it also isn’t the demonic force or infection it is too often described as, either. So where does that perception come from?

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Posted in Just my Opinion

Tags: balance, Byteshield, DRM, EA, exaggerations, lawsuits, SecuROM, Tages

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EA Settles SecuROM Cases

January 13th, 2010

Cliff Riseborough

“We find Spore GUILTY…of completely and utterly failing to live up to its premise!”

Errr…okay, not so much, though I am correct about that game.

Actually, it seems that EA has settled the numerous class action lawsuits being brought against it regarding its use of SecuROM on games with no disclosure of that fact.

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Posted in Games

Tags: EA, Mass Effect, SecuROM, settlement, Spore

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In Defense of DRM Vendors

January 13th, 2010

Brad McGraw

This is actually a revisit to an earlier article I wrote for a different web site. After I wrote that one there was a very large fuss made by some of the staff. Basically, the site was not able to do any work for a few weeks because of this. And this brings up a very important point; some people simply hate DRM, or at least specific DRM companies, because the big complaint about my prior article was that I used SecuROM as an example.

The article I originally wrote is below:

Everybody hates the DRM vendor. They are the ones putting ‘evil stuff’ onto our computers and being mean to us gamers with their restrictions. So gamers generally take a dim view of the DRM vendors and blame them for everything. However, is it really all their fault? Or are they just providing a service?

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Posted in Just my Opinion

Tags: Byteshield, DRM Vendors, EA, SecuROM, Spore, StarForce, Tages

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