The retail version needs to be added for Steam or they wont be getting back those of us who have already been burned by the install limits. If they are trying to patch things up with their bad PR this is only going to satisfy those who avoided purchasing Spore due to its DRM.

There is no way I will repurchase a game I already spent my hard earned money on. The DRM was originally set up to invalidate the game after a period of time (depending on how often you upgrade hardware/OS/ect.) in the hopes that you would repurchase a new copy. I consider that a scam or fraud, and until I can use my legitimate copy of Spore again without a quasi trojan installed on my now fully upgraded PC, I will continue to consider EA a fraudulent company.

Steam is a step in the right direction but they still have a lot of ground to cover if they want to patch things up proper.

I always thought DRM stood for Digital Rental Management... that's not the case?

The Kittani wrote:actually they got back to me about my key status within 4 hours and if I had been able to send a replay back immediately i prolly could have gotten my answer handled immediately. They do good when they can. It all depends on who you get (A helpful rep or a hurtful one) But that's the same with any company.

I paid $53 for this game with tax, I shouldn't have to beg for an extension. They got their money now give me my game.

I agree and the myth that DRM does anything to prevent piracy is laughable.. the fact that the Execs at EA bought into SecuROM's scam and false claims of security is actually laughable. I believe one article stated that Spore was the most pirated game of all time. Yay DRM! all it has really done is make a portion of the player base extremely frustrated and either forced them to buy more copies (inflating sales figures) or go out and get the crack for the game. I paid 100 bucks as I bought the Galactic edition and the creature pack at the same time. If mine de-auths and they deny me a workaround I'll just go out and get the crack for the game. I try to do things the legit way first but I have no patience when it comes to my money and Executive retardation. I paid for the game... according to the EULA I have the right to use it. technically EULA's aren't legal as you have to agree to it "by opening the box" without seeing it first (not everyone goes home to look it up first and since they don;t tell you to do so on the box, well.. it's illegal in most states to enforce a contract that has not been seen by a contracted person if you force them to enter the contract in order to read it. If it was they could say whatever they wanted on the box but the box could contain a piece of paper saying you just paid money for nothing and noone could do anything about it.

For now I trust EA will fix it and they have already stated in other forums that once the product reaches the end of it's lifecycle the DRM activation component will be removed entirely. This form of DRM is only intended to slow down release time piracy so that sales of legitimate copies can be earned. Once the cracks and hacks are out en masse it becomes pointless to maintain a DRM that causes issues with players so it is removed. Just give it time. If they don't fix it they will get the pants sued off them and lose. It's DEFINATELY illegal to sell a product and then deny the person use of that product when they still physically own the software. And I would hate to to see the hooplah if someone ever uses that ubiquitous line (may revoxe liscence at any time for any reason) The first time someone does that based solely on the grounds of forcing the user to buy the software over again is the day nearly everyone will switch to GPL and every software maker in the world will never be trusted again. I venture to say that Microsoft would even step up and revoke the publisher's rights to put DRM in the core in the first place in favor of thier own activation system... once and it's done... no internet... phone it in and be done. Re-check on upgrades.

done nuff said.

So let me get this straight-

The pirates get spore without any drm or securom. The steam players get spore without any drm or securom. WHAT ABOUT THE LOYAL FANS!?!? We purchased the game and supported EA. Now we are stuck with drm and securom unless we want to PAY AGAIN for the game? Come on! EA really needs to grow a brain here.

EA has had so much bad press and has lost the faith of so many gamers. They are laying off a lot of people and are closing up many of the gaming divisions. This is nothing more than a way to milk more people into giving EA money. They are trying to gain the attention of people who haven't bought spore yet..... all the while CONTINUING to slap the loyal fans and supporters in the face.

It is fine and dandy that they finally got around to seeing the fact that not many gamers will pay for crap with securom and drm. But to continue to screw over the loyal fans is uncalled for.

EA has already had 3 or 4 major lawsuits reguarding securom and drm. There are several more in the making. I can see another one happening if they do not allow regisitered users with a valid key code, to get a .exe file with no securom or drm. Most other gaming companies have wised up and started doing this to avoid the backlash from the whole securom fallout. They have allowed their gamers to download a patch that removes securom or to download a whole new .exe without it. EA needs to do the same thing. Only then will they REALLY appease and save face in front of their loyal fans/supporters. Anything else, is just like this whole thing..... too little, too late and doesn't help those who have already supported them.

edit to correct typo.

Does this mean people that had spore before this have to register spore AND C&C at steam?

well it's official... if you run out of activations you have to buy the game again... when I asked to have the two current activations freed up they gave me this reply..

Hello,

Thank you for contacting Electronic Arts

Please be informed that your activations cannot be removed from the game.Once it is done it gets recorded.

If there is anything else we can help you with please let me know.

Thank you,


So... if you use up your activations you're pretty much outta luck. Pray you can predict a hardware crash BEFORE it happens so you can de-auth the computer with the tool.

EA really does expect you to buy a new copy of the game...

EDIT: well it took 3 days but when I asked about what I should do when I run out of activations they said they will hand out additional activations on a case-by-case basis.

So... annoying... yes... will they let you continue to activate the game even if you fiddle with your computer alot... yes.

Yea, i'm pretty much done with EA at this point. I'll just seek elsewhere for my gaming needs regardless of the title. I really like Spore and I'd like to continue to play Spore, but i'm not re-buying it every 3rd time I wish to reload my OS and I'm not sending an e-mail to add another Auth to my account. I specifically asked for a supervisor at EA to contact me about the DRM issue and if they could add an online tool to remove and add computers to my EA games. It's been over a month now and no response.

I have Verizon Starz Play and they allow 3 installs on any computers I wish. Inside the application I can Add and remove whatever computers I wish on the fly and the chanegs are immediate. If EA could incorporate this policy, I feel that all of their problems would go away. Since EA is a big company, I don't foresee this happening anytime soon unless something happens drastically that affects their financial statements on the Q and is directly tied to their policy of DRM like a Full Ban of all EA PC Games until they change it and make a public statement.

Wow- how dare EA offer an alternative without securom. Probably all a plot!

ausdreamer wrote:Wow- how dare EA offer an alternative without securom. Probably all a plot!

Wow- if you missed the point any further you would be in another galaxy.

Point is you can get it without securom for a nominal fee of only $49.99. If EA wants to double dip they can do it in someone else pockets.

draknfyr wrote:

ausdreamer wrote:Wow- how dare EA offer an alternative without securom. Probably all a plot!

Wow- if you missed the point any further you would be in another galaxy.

Point is you can get it without securom for a nominal fee of only $49.99. If EA wants to double dip they can do it in someone else pockets.

The point is you cannot go back in time- Well according to Science.

The point is many asked for an alternative that do not already have the game- and now there is another option. You want to not have this happen then? Honestly- I just see some people want to complain no matter what- there is a revoke tool and another option to purchase. No doubt what ever happened you are not going to please everyone - some people that like Steam (mind you I am not a Steam customer) like the option.

I hope you have a nice xmas

ausdreamer wrote:
The point is you cannot go back in time- Well according to Science.

The point is many asked for an alternative that do not already have the game- and now there is another option. You want to not have this happen then? Honestly- I just see some people want to complain no matter what- there is a revoke tool and another option to purchase. No doubt what ever happened you are not going to please everyone - some people that like Steam (mind you I am not a Steam customer) like the option.

I hope you have a nice xmas

You're grasping at straws with this argument. In fact, I'm not even sure what your arguing for/against now.

The only thing I've asked for is that those of us who have already supported the game financially (by buying it) get the same respect as anyone else by allowing us to activate our copies via Steam. Seriously, this must be rocket science.

Steam is a digital distribution system. Just another way to purchase your game.

Stating that because you now own the game you should be able to use Steam is like stating because you bought a copy at EB Games you are now entitled to take for free the same game at Walmart.

Steam also are in thi this to make money.

Neither are a charity based service.

It's doubtful EA and Valve will turn our store bought copies into "Steam Purchased" copies, so probably the best thing to do from this point on is just not purchase directly from EA and from now on, just make your purchase from Steam. Lesson learned. I'm just not rebuying Spore, i'll just use the cracks from now on until they fix it.

ausdreamer wrote:Steam is a digital distribution system. Just another way to purchase your game.

Stating that because you now own the game you should be able to use Steam is like stating because you bought a copy at EB Games you are now entitled to take for free the same game at Walmart.

Steam also are in thi this to make money.

Neither are a charity based service.

Ignorance is truly bliss. If the above is what you want to think don't let me try to change your mind. You simply can't grasp what I'm saying and are arguing in circles. I'm done trying to convince you of anything.

Honestly, the only thing I've asked for is the removal of securom and the install limits on the game I've already purchased. But you make it sound like I'm asking for the moon.