Meh Maxis. I remember Sim Ant, I started playing and after 2 hours went for dinner, got distracted and came back several hours later to find that I had conquered the entire game and there was nothing left to do.
Three options there
1) Guerrilla warfare
2) Diplomacy
3) Cheat
The only way to survive the constant attacks in Space Stage is to make sure you've actually set your colonies up properly.
They don't build stuff by themselves, and if you don't go in and assign buildings and vehicles to that colony, they'll just sit and get beaten because they're defenseless. It's a pain (and expensive), but it is vital.
Once you've got a couple of colonies on a planet with a handful of turrets and a few aircraft, they can take care of themselves, leaving you to run around taking over the rest of the galaxy.
We really need to get a mod to re-title the thread. That title is unbelievably clumsy for the official discussion
They don't build stuff by themselves, and if you don't go in and assign buildings and vehicles to that colony, they'll just sit and get beaten because they're defenseless. It's a pain (and expensive), but it is vital.
Once you've got a couple of colonies on a planet with a handful of turrets and a few aircraft, they can take care of themselves, leaving you to run around taking over the rest of the galaxy.
We really need to get a mod to re-title the thread. That title is unbelievably clumsy for the official discussion
Two words
Auto Turret
Auto Turret
Given the average gamer and commentbox lurker I am sure those are exact quotations from the comments.
I'm getting really bored of this outcry over DRM. I don't think that's the biggest issue.
Look at my game collection on PC. There's a few titles there.
How many of them have I needed to install more than 3 times without an uninstall beforehand? One or two at the most. My guess is if EA hadn't said "yes we're using this DRM method" then practically nobody would've noticed and even fewer would care.
Look at my game collection on PC. There's a few titles there.
How many of them have I needed to install more than 3 times without an uninstall beforehand? One or two at the most. My guess is if EA hadn't said "yes we're using this DRM method" then practically nobody would've noticed and even fewer would care.
Then maybe you could explain to me how I could still play my copies of Day of the Tentacle and Sam & Max if they had this kind of DRM? People aren't complaining about running out right now, they are complaining about the fact that they most certainly will a few years down the road. An uninstall will not increase your "allowed install count". It's five and then that's it. Good luck calling up EA for an additional install 20 years from now.
If you take it to the extreme DRM is in fact a violation against one of the conditions set by copyright protection since copyrighted material is supposed to enter the public domain after a certain time (which is faaar too long in most countries, but that's another discussion). With this install limit that's impossible and will eventually mean we have to "pirate" to get access to our own damn culture. Thanks capitalism!
First of all, read this article.
It explains that not only are EA's Customer Service people willing to give you more authorisations on demand, the installs only count once per computer, not per install. You can install the game as often as you like on one computer (whether or not formats and OS reinstalls count is another matter).
How many 10 year old games do I still play? None.
How many 5 year old games do I still play? None.
So to assume that anyone will still be interested in Spore after a few years is stupid, unless it gets expansion packs and extra content. It'll have the same year or two lifespan that any other game has, and as I keep saying - if you need to reformat your hard drive 3 times in that lifespan, you have bigger issues than just DRM to deal with. That's new PC time.
It explains that not only are EA's Customer Service people willing to give you more authorisations on demand, the installs only count once per computer, not per install. You can install the game as often as you like on one computer (whether or not formats and OS reinstalls count is another matter).
How many 10 year old games do I still play? None.
How many 5 year old games do I still play? None.
So to assume that anyone will still be interested in Spore after a few years is stupid, unless it gets expansion packs and extra content. It'll have the same year or two lifespan that any other game has, and as I keep saying - if you need to reformat your hard drive 3 times in that lifespan, you have bigger issues than just DRM to deal with. That's new PC time.
But we're not talking about you. We're talking about the people complaining, people like me. We obviously do play games older than 10 years. I listed two out of several I still like to pick up, and I have installed them countless times to do so. Personally I doubt even the activation servers for Spore will still be live 10 years in the future, making even the install count and customer service points moot.
Do you honestly think it's fair for EA to limit our usage like this? What about music? Would you accept the same there? Movies? "I'm sorry, you can't watch Casablanca because the man on the activation phone died in the 1960s."
The point isn't that they're limiting it, it's that people are inferring that somehow their product won't work, which blatantly isn't true.
I can go "Look at this game collection - none of those have been installed more than 5 times", and I bet most gamers in the world are the same way. But if someone tells them "you're not ALLOWED to install them more than 5 times" suddenly there's a problem, whether it's true or not.
You can keep it forever, you can play it forever. There are specific requirements that you might need to meet to do it, but it's true. You can keep contacting them and requesting new authorisation if you've gone past that.
But wait, Steam has that kind of authorisation process too. What happens to my copy of HL2 and the Episodes if and when Steam shuts down? Will I lose authorisation to play the games then? Of course, but how many people are up in arms over that? None, because that's the way Steam has always been and people have accepted it from them. I imagine a workaround patch would be added in that particular case, but that's not relevant.
The DRM system is fairly harsh, and people are complaining. But they're not complaining because it's unfair, they're complaining (a) because it's EA and everyone hates them, and (b) because they don't like being told that they're not allowed to do something, whether they ever would have or not.
I bet if it was another company that had done it, half of the complainers wouldn't have said word one. And I bet if they hadn't released the magical number of installations (which is flexible anyway) nobody would have noticed.
I can go "Look at this game collection - none of those have been installed more than 5 times", and I bet most gamers in the world are the same way. But if someone tells them "you're not ALLOWED to install them more than 5 times" suddenly there's a problem, whether it's true or not.
You can keep it forever, you can play it forever. There are specific requirements that you might need to meet to do it, but it's true. You can keep contacting them and requesting new authorisation if you've gone past that.
But wait, Steam has that kind of authorisation process too. What happens to my copy of HL2 and the Episodes if and when Steam shuts down? Will I lose authorisation to play the games then? Of course, but how many people are up in arms over that? None, because that's the way Steam has always been and people have accepted it from them. I imagine a workaround patch would be added in that particular case, but that's not relevant.
The DRM system is fairly harsh, and people are complaining. But they're not complaining because it's unfair, they're complaining (a) because it's EA and everyone hates them, and (b) because they don't like being told that they're not allowed to do something, whether they ever would have or not.
I bet if it was another company that had done it, half of the complainers wouldn't have said word one. And I bet if they hadn't released the magical number of installations (which is flexible anyway) nobody would have noticed.
I'm sorry? How the hell do you know? That's not why I'm complaining (and I've had my share of foul words against Steam as well). The "you're only complaining because it's EA" argument is nothing but a pathetic derailment of the discussion.
Why people are complaining has nothing to do with the question wether restrictive DRM like this is fair to the consumer and the public at large.
So tell me what's so restrictive about a process that allows unlimited installs on up to 3 machines and extra activations whenever you call up and request them?
It's people blowing hot air about something that none of them would ever have experienced anyway.
In fact, how about using LFS as an example? We only get a maximum of 2 activations (at a time). But wait, if you need more you ask and you get them. So you could argue that you could only install LFS a couple of times before having to contact CS to get more. Where are the pitchfork-wielding hordes now?
It's people blowing hot air about something that none of them would ever have experienced anyway.
In fact, how about using LFS as an example? We only get a maximum of 2 activations (at a time). But wait, if you need more you ask and you get them. So you could argue that you could only install LFS a couple of times before having to contact CS to get more. Where are the pitchfork-wielding hordes now?
The "pitchfork-wierding hordes" were at RSC when S1 one came out....
I've already given you a very specific use-case in which this limit will become a problem (Sam & Max has been installed on at least 8-9 of my computers, across multiple formats) and at a certain point in the future there is no telling if EA and their customer support will even be around, much less able to do anything when you call. If the activation servers are gone, there's nothing even EA can do.
I've also explained that limits like this goes against the spirit and intention of the copyright protection EA is relying on to be able to sell their product, and that it effectively rob the public at large of their culture to the benefit of media giants that have long since made their money back.
Isn't that enough to demonstrate there is a problem? How could I possibly say this any clearer?
And yeah, I'm not especially thrilled about the LFS activation either since it's already preventing me from enjoying older versions for a laugh. This sucks. Big time. Still, I'm willing to put some of my standards aside occationally to support a small indie developer with an excellent product. Doesn't mean I'm happy about it. In the end I trust the devs a lot more than I trust EA to do the right thing when they eventually abandon the game. Time will tell if that trust is misplaced.
I've also explained that limits like this goes against the spirit and intention of the copyright protection EA is relying on to be able to sell their product, and that it effectively rob the public at large of their culture to the benefit of media giants that have long since made their money back.
Isn't that enough to demonstrate there is a problem? How could I possibly say this any clearer?
And yeah, I'm not especially thrilled about the LFS activation either since it's already preventing me from enjoying older versions for a laugh. This sucks. Big time. Still, I'm willing to put some of my standards aside occationally to support a small indie developer with an excellent product. Doesn't mean I'm happy about it. In the end I trust the devs a lot more than I trust EA to do the right thing when they eventually abandon the game. Time will tell if that trust is misplaced.
But there's no saying that they wouldn't set up the authentication servers to automatically accept all installations at a later date. Once they've got all of the profit they can from it there's no reason not to. Or release a patch that has the crack content in it (like Noobisoft did) to remove the process.
But that's a while down the line either way. For now, install the game as often as you need and request new authorisations as you need them. Problem solved.
And I missed the old RSC days. Probably for the best.
But that's a while down the line either way. For now, install the game as often as you need and request new authorisations as you need them. Problem solved.
And I missed the old RSC days. Probably for the best.
Hmmm. Let me see..
Counter Strike, Unreal Tournament, Quake3. Q3 is over 9 years old now and still in the TOP 10 of online games played so go figure.
I have played LFS for over 5 years, some here have been with it longer.
Yes iD games have a protection system with their Master Server authentication BUT you KNOW they turn it off and open the source after the next tech is released. It also does not include VIRUS like hacks to work.
Try and uninstall Spore or any other SecuROM (un)protected game and it will leave nulled registry keys and damaged protection files in place that YOU CANT REMOVE without serious work,reading up and hacking. Their tool they tell you to use flags virus warnings as soon as you unzip it, nice.
I get the feel the LFS devs will follow iD's lead and turn off the protection when then finally finish with LFS and do not want to support it any more. Again LFS does NOT use VIRUS like hacks in it's protection.
I trust EA to do that as much as I trust Sony and CodeMasters. Sorry but the DRM is in Spore for ONE reason only, to stop you selling on the game second hand.
DRM has finally fallen for Music and it took the near collapse of the Majors to make them see the light.
DRM DOES NOT WORK. It is what is baked into Vista and made it an unstable crock of shite, everything DRM touches is damaged. I have purchased copy protected CDs in the past and found they will not play in my car CD player or my PC drive, so I took them back and got my money back.
Every copy protection known has been broken, most before the game is even released. The ONLY people it hurts is the people who buy the game, NOT people who pirate.
Having sold software I know that people WILL pirate you work, there is NOTHING you can do but they are also not people that would have bought it anyway.
The ONLY way to stop the madness is avoid ALL DRM infected products. Companies ONLY listen to their bottom like. If you buy DRM infected products you are part of the problem.
Rant over
BTW: You will not have to worry about Valve and Steam because they are about to be bought by Google!!!
Actually no, for now I'll try to avoid products with these limits (though even that can be hard because they hardly advertise this "feature" on the front of the box). Problem solved, and won't come back to bite me in the future either. I'll also loudly complain so these producers know exactly why I don't buy their products, whether you like it or not.
Hey, I'm all for a rant. Check my blog, it's what I do
I've nowhere seen the word "free" in any sentence with "hotline" in it, I don't even want to start about "local"... Just food for thought...
Valve/Steam bought by Google? Where?!
Ah, it was just starting to emerge on the wire yesterday but has been quashed now. Looks like it was fake news.
Good old internet
Here's a step in the right direction for all you complainers
Peh, "step in the right direction." That's like your doctor announcing all your internal organs have exploded, and will have to be scooped out with a melon bowler, "but luckily we were able to save your spleen."
I think I can control my enthusiasm.
I think I can control my enthusiasm.
Spore Creature Creatore
Post your creatures here! Ill start with mine. His name is garbie. His pic is in my avatar.
(S14 DRIFT)
DELETED
by SamH
Spore Replay 2005 Game Dev' Con'... Pure class entertainment
(102 posts, started )
FGED GREDG RDFGDR GSFDG