Honestly, I never understood WHY I needed a disc, I always thought it was for complexity reasons, but... Honestly it seems more like a gimmick than anything.

I hate it too. Mainly because my stupid laptop likes turning any kind of disc into a boomerang. You put it in, it gets spat back out etc.

Actually, it turns out you have to call customer service and get a new key substituted for your old one, and not all of the CS people seem to grok why you want to do it.

I had to call several times until I got one who understood, and that person was really cheerful about helping. The previous 4 or 5 acted like I was trying to steal something.

Since you don't need the disc for games purchased online, I just went ahead and bought my 2nd copy of GA as a download. That actually works out better anyway, since they don't limit the number of downloads.

I would recommend to anyone that if they don't want to have to use the dvd, buy it online and avoid the hassles.

You make a great point about direct downloads. It would be nice, and I am not sure if this had been mention, but I think it would be nice if the disc also came with a download code so if a Player is having trouble with installing the game through the disc they can go and download it.

It almost seems no different in the sense that both require codes to use. And with a direct download option it would allow for the Player to download the game from the company's site and be able to play without the need of the disc in the disc drive.

And there's a built in security feature because it would most certainly require the Player to log-in and register their copy of the game. The company would know what's going on and well, there's no need for a disc in the drive as some sort of half-bake security measure against hacking.

Anyways, in the case of game, I still like to buy the game in their boxes because I like the art that comes on the game boxes. But that's more an artistic thing then a requirement for enjoying gameplay of the game itself.

ashkelon wrote:Since you don't need the disc for games purchased online, I just went ahead and bought my 2nd copy of GA as a download. That actually works out better anyway, since they don't limit the number of downloads.

i have all sorts of questions! okay well three:

what service did you buy it through (eadm, steam, something else)?
can you run the downloaded version on its own, or does it require eadm to also run to verify that you're allowed to run the game? if so, does it work if you don't have an internet connection?
since you bought GA again, did you find an acceptable solution to the other (non-drm) issues keeping you from playing adventures?

Hax are always the answer. Its safer to pirate this game then to buy it because of DRM.

misterhaan wrote:

ashkelon wrote:Since you don't need the disc for games purchased online, I just went ahead and bought my 2nd copy of GA as a download. That actually works out better anyway, since they don't limit the number of downloads.

i have all sorts of questions! okay well three:

what service did you buy it through (eadm, steam, something else)?
can you run the downloaded version on its own, or does it require eadm to also run to verify that you're allowed to run the game? if so, does it work if you don't have an internet connection?
since you bought GA again, did you find an acceptable solution to the other (non-drm) issues keeping you from playing adventures?

Got it through EA.

I let the EADM run most of the time anyway, but it doesn't seem to need it after the initial install and patching. It runs fine without EADM running, and SORT OF fine without an internet connection ---

The "sort of" is that anytime you run GA, it assumes you have a connection, so while the headers for adventures download ahead of time, the actual content and creations don't download until it's selected to play -- which means that if you are in space stage and take a job on an advanture planet, you very likely will not be able to play it. Ditto stand-alone adventure mode. The exception is if you only use maxis and Buddies' adventures.

Well, I did find solutions to the mouse control/targeting issues, and to the program instantiation. There is no help for the bad stored procedures when an empty result set is returned. That one will have to wait until the code is old enough I can decompile it and fix it. I don't think EA's ever going to fix it, even though it brought my game down 5 times in 2 hours last night, which was enough to remind me why I don't play...

And send me back to re-reading Snow Crash.
:D

Why not make an image with Alcohol and mount it. That would enable you to play the game without the DVD.