I might well, noodle. It looks pretty cool. Really nice to see they treat their paying customers correctly!!
Tom, the problems are in customer rights, mainly.
To start with securom cant be removed from your computer by anyone with less than advanced PC knowledge. It has nulls in its registry entries that make them non-deleteble. Publishers havent the slightest right to force this material on your PC.
Then, they dont tell you its there. I only knew it was on FC2 after I installed it, when I first ran it. I assume thats when the screen came up for you, too. Thats the first time they tell you that this non-removable extra software is there.
Now, FC2s particular implementation of it is better (you can revoke an activation when you uninstall) but in games like mass effect and spore any hardware change makes you use up an activation. YMMV, but something as simple as another ram stick or even an external hard drive can make secuROM think that the games been copied to a new PC and make you reactivate it. When your reactivations run out (you have 5) you have to go pleaded to the publisher to get them to let you play your game that you bought. This is akin to having every game be on an un-written liscence to use it, rather than it be a purchased item.
You need the activations to play the game so when the publishers server goes down or they go bust, you cant play it. I'm sure all of us still like games that are relics (Homeworld comes to mind for me: if this were true of that, it would never be playable again)
Even with revocations of installations, the continual reactivation scheme is only mistrusting of paying customers. Farcry 2 is already cracked. If you want it for free its so very, very easy to get it, but us ppor saps that actually bought it have to tollerate being treated like thieves, and like we dont own the game we've paid for.
Then theres the fact that, since they know your IP address and PC setup and the EULA is carefully worded to allow them to sell that information on its very possible that this entire thing isnt even for copy protection at all, but gathering customer information without customers permission. Its well worth noting that the
free downloadable demo of bioshock had the full version of secuROM on it. If members of the public can crack the game and take securom out, then the devs certainly can, and theres no need to put copy protection on something thats free - so why is it there??
And then theres the damage it can cause to your PC:
There is currently a lawsuit against EA for using this shiteeee
heres some more info
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Securom#SecuROM_v_7.xI also just found out that crysis warhead has it on as well. I just ordered that! Grrrrrrrr. I suppose its already on my machine now, I may as well play the game :(
