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Amazon deleted Spore user reviews?
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The following comments relate to this news article:
article published on 13 September, 2008
Earlier this week we reported that Amazon users were slamming the blockbusters game Spore for its SecuROM DRM which only allowed 3 installations and required authentication to an EA server.
Over 2200 reviewers have given the game a 1-star rating (on a 1-to-5 scale) with most of the complaints completely against the DRM and not at the actual gameplay.
Last night and earlier this morning ... [ read the full article ]
Please read the original article before posting your comments.
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windsong
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1 product review
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13. September 2008 @ 14:48 |
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Fecking DRM..one of the devs on Mass Effect forums said an EA suit told him that "going forward, all of our games will have SecuROM". That means Dragon Age, Mass Effect 2, Crysis Warhead, etc. GTAIV and Mafia 2 will probably have it as well since Bioshock had it.
That DRM really prevented those titles from being pirated, eh? ;)
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Member
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13. September 2008 @ 15:14 |
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People will still buy the games. The suits see the numbers of downloads going on torrent sites and think of those as lost sales. Most of those downloading would never buy the game. These DRM policies are scaring away the people that would have bought the game in the first place. Pirates are going to get the game no matter what.
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13. September 2008 @ 18:11 |
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A little translation from MBA-speak:
"Glitch" means "employee who took a few C notes from the title manufacturer, but forgot to erase the audit trail and wipe the backup."
Oh, all right.
Maybe it's just a glitch, but they seem to happen with suspicious frequency in connection with DRM protests.
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badkrma
Newbie
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13. September 2008 @ 19:08 |
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I think they wanted to see if anyone cared enough to notice and say something about it. Isn't that the idea behind this new future of ours to change truths to variations of truth and hope no one cares enough to stand up and say no. After all we all have a.d.d (adult deficit dis... something like that, my mind went on to something else) and as such are easy to manipulate.
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AfterDawn Addict
16 product reviews
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13. September 2008 @ 19:20 |
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Originally posted by mspurloc:
A little translation from MBA-speak:
"Glitch" means "employee who took a few C notes from the title manufacturer, but forgot to erase the audit trail and wipe the backup."
Oh, all right.
Maybe it's just a glitch, but they seem to happen with suspicious frequency in connection with DRM protests.
Yep, sounded like that...
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jony218
Suspended due to non-functional email address
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13. September 2008 @ 19:47 |
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Amazon is just having some "minor" computer problems, which they fixed right away, when it was brought to there attention.
Whats the big deal anyway? didn't EA recently make a change that you can installed the game up to 5 times (instead of 3). This should be more than enough for even the most "hardcore" gamer. EA heard the complaints and remedy the situation for the customer and the "bottom line".
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Senior Member
4 product reviews
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13. September 2008 @ 20:18 |
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Originally posted by jony218:
Amazon is just having some "minor" computer problems, which they fixed right away, when it was brought to there attention.
Whats the big deal anyway? didn't EA recently make a change that you can installed the game up to 5 times (instead of 3). This should be more than enough for even the most "hardcore" gamer. EA heard the complaints and remedy the situation for the customer and the "bottom line".
And you my friend are very manipulated, i should be able to install it until the disc melts to my dvd tray, There loaning you a game its not yours thats why they tell you what you can and cant do with it.
if i wanted to borrow a game i would get it from my friends, back-it up and apply a nice thing called a crack. Deviant Still makes some of the best.
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sssharp
Junior Member
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13. September 2008 @ 20:19 |
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The limit on download is to prevent resell of used games. EA and all want to get the money, not give the original buyer some back for selling to a friend/colleague etc. This could/would effect all used game stores and employees if it is/can be done to the console games also.
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sgriesch
Junior Member
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13. September 2008 @ 23:35 |
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Originally posted by jony218:
Whats the big deal anyway? didn't EA recently make a change that you can installed the game up to 5 times (instead of 3). This should be more than enough for even the most "hardcore" gamer. EA heard the complaints and remedy the situation for the customer and the "bottom line".
That was for Red Alert 3 from what I read on AD. The problem is that if you legally buy it, you should be able to play it forever. If your computer crashes and you have to reload the game, there goes 1 of your 5 installs. If you have more than one computer, there goes more installs. If you decide to purchase a new computer, there goes another install. It's the 5 install limit that really bothers me. And any game that I find that has it, I will tell my friends and family not to buy it. I'm fine with a business that wants to make money, but the consumer has a right IMO to not be taken advantage of.
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13thHouR
Suspended permanently
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14. September 2008 @ 05:54 |
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Amazon.co.uk deleted over 300 negative reviews and never reinstated them, but the onslaught of notifying consumers continued, one good thing about the uk is that if there is any form of DRM on a product the customer has to be notified so a few quick letters to friends and trading standards and Amazon.co.uk had to put a response from EA in PDF format on the product page, Product details section, but Amazon.co.uk have still tried to hide this information by placing it inside a pdf and not on the page itself
the PDF is worth a read just to show how low these (EA) scum bags have sunk.
EA you will never get a penny from me again.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Electronic-Arts-...21384542&sr=8-1
Under European Law, Amazon.co.uk has a duty to inform customers about DRM on product descriptions. Indeed, so does EA!
DRM Consumer Guide -> http://www.indicare.org/tiki-download_file.php?fileId=195
Here's a quote from page 9:
Quote:
The duty to inform consumers about DRM
General consumer protection law specifies the kind of information that must be conveyed to consumers. In the context of digital content and DRM systems, sellers of goods and services have to provide all information that consumers need to make an informed decision. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:
* the fact that DRM technology is being used;
* whether this means that you can play CDs, DVDs or downloaded pieces only on a particular player device, and or with particular software;
* whether you can make copies of files or not;
* whether a product installs additional software on your computer;
* specific software or hardware requirements;
* whether the DRM monitors your behaviour;
* whether there are restricted listening time in case of online-content;
* whether you can burn a downloaded content only a certain number of times.
If the seller keeps back such information - and you make a decision that you would not have made if you had known these facts - a court could consider the behaviour of the seller impermissible.
here is a interesting link posted to the amazon.co.uk spore page and worth a peruse: http://reclaimyourgame.com/
here is a great creation from the front-page of the above link: 
Quote:
We figure everyone needed to end the week on a laugh. One of the Spore players Twobit has created a creature called EA's DRM policy. The head appears to have dissappeared up it's arse. We had hysterics when we saw it, and we knew you would too..
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 14. September 2008 @ 05:59
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beanos66
Member
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14. September 2008 @ 06:01 |
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Originally posted by windsong:
That DRM really prevented those titles from being pirated, eh? ;)
No but what it did do is stop the COMPLETELY LEGAL re selling
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varnull
Suspended permanently
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14. September 2008 @ 07:40 |
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This makes me think of the first lines in 1984
"who controls the present controls the past"
"who controls the past controls the future"
Luckily the past was near enough in this case for people to remember what was there... if they were to have left this 3 or 6 months/weeks/days the outcome would have probably been very different.
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redux79
Member
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14. September 2008 @ 11:57 |
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This whole EA drm scheme is ridiculous, now you can install the game 5 times instead of 3... That still doesn?t solve the underlying problems. Like many have stated before the true goal is to prevent reselling of the title.
For those who are not as technologically inclined or lazy like myself wiping the hard drive every 6 months to a year is an easier solution than trying to pluck out every pesky virus/malware or fix registry errors. Is that the best solution no but I would have to use one of my allowed installs every time. If I had two pc's I would be out of installs in 2 to 3 years and have to ASK for more.
The real question is who's really pulling the strings behind the curtain? How much money does EA need? They pump out the same sports games every year and those titles sell like hot cakes. This seems similar to the MS vista experiment "let?s see how hard and far we can push this before people get upset or even notice".
I wonder how the developers feel watching their game sales stagnate because of the company signed with. It's not up to them anymore it's all on EA and drm peddlers. Hopefully the corporate suits will get the memo and see that not only is the game not selling but this boneheaded move actually increased piracy.
The magical formula is quite simple actually: make a good game and people will buy it.
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Junior Member
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14. September 2008 @ 15:12 |
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What about 10-15 years from now, when somebody wants to buy a Spore DVD and can only find used copies, only to find they've all been registered the maximum of 5 times?
Or maybe by that time EA's registration server will already be nonexistent, rendering the game completely useless without a crack.
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ripxrush
Junior Member
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14. September 2008 @ 15:54 |
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Originally posted by AparoidX:
What about 10-15 years from now, when somebody wants to buy a Spore DVD and can only find used copies, only to find they've all been registered the maximum of 5 times?
Or maybe by that time EA's registration server will already be nonexistent, rendering the game completely useless without a crack.
Agree! I know i have gone & reinstalled C&C Red alert The original a few times! i recently (within 6 months) installed it on an older laptop for travel fun! i would be pissed if i couldn't do that case the server was gone or what not! It will have probobly been my 10th install over the years & many computer upgrades!
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BIG__J
Newbie
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14. September 2008 @ 22:59 |
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You know.
I have always beleived in paying for a good product.
In this situation. FUCK YOU EA. FUCK YOU.
I will not be limited on how many installs i do of a game.
i still play baldur's gate 2 from years ago. I still play diablo 2. etc.
Those games. no limit. This is in an attempt to fuck over the common user.
Well let me put it this way. Why bother buying a game when i can steal it?
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Bladerz05
Member
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15. September 2008 @ 02:01 |
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Originally posted by jony218:
Amazon is just having some "minor" computer problems, which they fixed right away, when it was brought to there attention.
Whats the big deal anyway? didn't EA recently make a change that you can installed the game up to 5 times (instead of 3). This should be more than enough for even the most "hardcore" gamer. EA heard the complaints and remedy the situation for the customer and the "bottom line".
Remedy? The only thing i can think of that they would have remedied is...oh wait thats gonna be nothing...i cant even count the amount of old games that i have reinstalled five times or greater...yes reinstalled.
It will be dark times when reinstalling becomes a thing of the past. corporations will go out of business (EA), less and less games will be made due to the "pirate factor" and the game industry will have to start again in the dark ages...you know like the consumer actually owning the game they bought...
Ok, maybe not that dramatic but EA deserves to belly up after this shit their trying to pull. Hopefully this serves as a great example as what not to do.
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EvilDeeds
Junior Member
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15. September 2008 @ 05:35 |
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Sad fact is, average users won't know about this whole DRM crap until it slaps them in the face in a couple of years when they try to install and play that classic they loved so much back in the late 00's.
I've gone back and played loads of older games for my pc and usually the biggest problem is getting it to play on newer operating systems.
Sad fact is, EA won't feel a dent in their profits until people boycott them - since profits are the only language they speak, and that includes console games too for them to take notice, otherwise they will just claim people don't want to play pc games anymore, or piracy killed the platform off. But - nobody will want to skip a version of crysis or fifa to send a message to them, which is sad really, because they will just carry on doing what they are doing.
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Bradderss
Newbie
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15. September 2008 @ 08:43 |
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Your all missing one thing. If you read the small print which accompanies the game i'm sure there is a part which says "this product is the sole property of EA Games" which means you are only leasing the game from them.
Also when you buy the game in disc format you get exactly the same as if it were a digital download which means EA saves money by not having to change authentication between the two types.
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 15. September 2008 @ 08:47
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EvilDeeds
Junior Member
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15. September 2008 @ 11:01 |
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Originally posted by Bradderss:
Your all missing one thing. If you read the small print which accompanies the game i'm sure there is a part which says "this product is the sole property of EA Games" which means you are only leasing the game from them.
Also when you buy the game in disc format you get exactly the same as if it were a digital download which means EA saves money by not having to change authentication between the two types.
Yes - as with all software, the creators are not selling you the software (source code/ownership) when you buy a game, they are selling you a license to use the software, and it used to be that that licenses were open ended timewise in games. It's been done that way since day one with games, but now it's changing with people like WoW and other online games selling subscriptions.
But if EA insist on using the rental model instead of the license model via their DRM authentication using servers that wont be active in 5 years time I'm betting) then they should give time scales until software can no longer authenticate, on the front of the pack, so you know what you are paying for, and clearly label the other restrictions on the box too (activation limits). Companies like EA are changing the PC game model of buying a dvd/cd and legally being able to use that at your own leisure for as long as it lasts - they are essentially now pushing the rental model without making it clear that you are no longer buying the same thing you were buying 3 years ago. That's the issue here - I'm guessing if they licensed the game using a subscription model of £5 a year they would sell tons, even though the restrictions would apply, if not be worse... but they are selling it for £25 up front, and not telling you how long you can use it for or how many times you can install it before it becomes annoying to install it (phone calls are very inconvenient when lines are open 9-5, and you are trying to play at 2am).
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BludRayne
Junior Member
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15. September 2008 @ 13:50 |
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On the front of the box should be a warning label that says the game is a rental. There also needs an expiration date printed clearly.
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Bladerz05
Member
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15. September 2008 @ 14:18 |
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Originally posted by BludRayne:
On the front of the box should be a warning label that says the game is a rental. There also needs an expiration date printed clearly.
agree, but not only that, also usage limitations. Too bad it wont happen, because that would force them to lower their prices...too bad no one told them if they lower the prices demand will raise, more volume will be sold and it will make up for itself and then some.
Seriously if that were to happen...i dont know say the price of a game was reduced to $10 for three installs...who is going to bother pirating a $10 game...im sure there are people out there that would, but it would not be me, or even the majority of the public i would imagine.
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varnull
Suspended permanently
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15. September 2008 @ 14:21 |
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People will still look for the cracked versions.. because they offer unlimited installs.. they are a better product without stupid pointless restrictions.
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Senior Member
4 product reviews
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15. September 2008 @ 14:46 |
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Originally posted by varnull:
People will still look for the cracked versions.. because they offer unlimited installs.. they are a better product without stupid pointless restrictions.
Agreed, then some With a crack comes, No-CD/DVD patches, and when broken enough CD-keys.
Corporations Only care about total revenue, As EA is a Corporate Entity which snatches up development teams, for there own gain. im sure most Developers Would rather not cripple there game with this stuff,but thats no longer there call.
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Bladerz05
Member
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15. September 2008 @ 15:13 |
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Originally posted by varnull:
People will still look for the cracked versions.. because they offer unlimited installs.. they are a better product without stupid pointless restrictions.
true, but with a $10 price tag it aims at 2 types of consumers, the ones who play it through and are done with it, and the people who want replay value later down the road, whether they buy another copy to support the game manufacturer and the developers that put in long hours to come up with the final product, or they get shortchanged and a crack applied
You think someone would crack a $10 game, i mean...how many bargain bin games at game stop do you see crazily seeded on the bit torrents, with the argument that bargain bin games are old set aside, people still play them, proof of which was the several post of the old C&C series earlier.
Originally posted by dxr88:
Corporations Only care about total revenue, As EA is a Corporate Entity which snatches up development teams, for there own gain. im sure most Developers Would rather not cripple there game with this stuff,but thats no longer there call.
true, but isnt that a goal for everyone, making money? If there's no profit, whats the point?
I dont know about you but i sure dont go to work for my health, or out of the goodness of my heart...its for that paycheck.
BTW: i am using the $10 mark as merely a hypothetical situation which was explained earlier up...people actively reading the post will know this already but i can already foresee someone questioning my numbers.
I am Lord Bladerzor.
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