jalf wrote:

starkfist wrote:

Yes. And it's perfectly legal. You might try reading contracts when you agree to them.

I don't recall agreeing to any contract when I paid for the game. But care to enlighten me? Where does it say?

This is another point which people have seemed to construe to their likings. It also says ON THE BOX, in small print, right next to where it says "Only one registration available per game", "...and END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT REQUIRED TO PLAY." That means when you were installing the game and you clicked the "I AGREE" button, you agreed to whatever it said in all that print that came before the installation.

that's not what it says on the box of my dutch version of the galactic edition.
the small letters translated: 'access to online content only after online registration'. apparently that's also the place to find the terms and conditions. (i should check the reaction of a shop clerk once when i ask for an internet connection to see those before i buy anything lol)
more surprisingly it's been ranked 12+ and what's really funny: 'only playable after electronic registration' in quite big letters on the front and small letters on the back: 'you have to be 16 years or older to register'

ps edited for some translator corrections

blazur wrote:Integrity at it's best. No wonder EA has such a stigma among gamers.

It's not stigmata, it's holes in the hands and feet from shooting themselves so many times.... oh, wait you said stigma.... nevermind... lol

stilldamom wrote:

jalf wrote:

starkfist wrote:

Yes. And it's perfectly legal. You might try reading contracts when you agree to them.

I don't recall agreeing to any contract when I paid for the game. But care to enlighten me? Where does it say?

This is another point which people have seemed to construe to their likings. It also says ON THE BOX, in small print, right next to where it says "Only one registration available per game", "...and END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT REQUIRED TO PLAY." That means when you were installing the game and you clicked the "I AGREE" button, you agreed to whatever it said in all that print that came before the installation.

And where in the EULA does it say that they can invalidate your copy of the game for posting about DRM on the game's forum? You haven't answered the question.

And of course, this doesn't take into account that EULA's are generally unenforcable and invalid in many countries (typically because you have to buy the product before you can see the terms you've bought it under, or just because the terms are so ridiculously one-sided that they don't actually hold up in a courtroom)

So please, try again. Where is this contract I agreed to *when I bought the game*, which specifies that the product I bought may be rendered useless if I don't behave on this forum?

sporemasterladym wrote:
I've spent the last few hours here trying to reassure everyone that it's okay. I can understand if you doubt me but that's okay too. Soon you'll be eating cookies out of my hand.

Well, that's nice to hear, and I'd love to believe you. But how does it fit together with this thread?

http://forum.spore.com/jforum/posts/list/3869.page

As long as that thread exists, and carries the message it does, I think a bit of skepticism about your claim is justified.
Of course, we can't see who added that red text so it might have been the poster himself, but I think it's pretty logical to assume that it was added by whoever locked the thread. Which means someone official. Which means the threat it makes should be taken seriously.

Again, there is no point in grabbing the torches and assuming the worst.

Oh, I don't know. So far, assuming the worst has turned out to be mostly justified. Unless you'd care to argue that the whole DRM debacle doesn't qualify as "the worst"...
At least, there are a few thousand Amazon reviews that seem to think "the worst" is exactly what we got. But of course, that's a different discussion. Just making the point that as long as that is ongoing, plenty of people *will* assume the worst, because that's what they feel they've been getting until now.

sporemasterladym wrote:You are not going to lose your game for posting a comment.

Again, there is no point in grabbing the torches and assuming the worst. As I said before, you are allowed to discuss things as long as it's done in a civil manner.

Believe it or not, EA does listen to your concerns and they are working to make things run smoother.

Alright. Where is the fun of demonizing you folks when you keep being so SPORE nice.

You are making the job of the hecklers and ranters so much more difficult.

I would of prefered.

sporemasterladym wrote:NOT ONLY ARE YOU GOING TO LOSE IT ALL BUT WE SHALL EAT YOUR CHILDREN!

Or something epic like that.

jalf wrote:
Of course, we can't see who added that red text so it might have been the poster himself, but I think it's pretty logical to assume that it was added by whoever locked the thread. Which means someone official. Which means the threat it makes should be taken seriously.

I'm that poster, and I can assure you I was not the source... the minute it was added after being locked I lodged a complaint in the forums feedback thread, PM'd a moderator I know to be reliable both requesting that it be looked into.

I certainly did not appreciate the threat, but just looking at all the grammar and spelling errors indicates to me that it was not the work of someone who should be moderating, especially anonymously. In my complaint I also suggested the possibility of security issues given the software they are running it wouldn't be a first time... so it is possible it's not the work of EA at all but a script kid having a temper tantrum to try and sabotage.

LadyM said they are looking into to, and I believe that to be true - I have seen an improvement and the rampant kidnapping of threads and anonymous editing of threads seems to have ceased. What you said about it continuing to send a bad message is true however, and they have my blessing if they would like to delete it.

StarkFist wrote:Relax a bit. EA seems to be backing down as reported in another thread on this forum, and here: http://kotaku.com/5052473/ea-respond-to-drm-complaints

We're still stuck with SecuRom, but they are relaxing the ridiculous restrictions on install limits.

But really, go outside, take a few deep breaths of fresh air and relax. Hysteria, threats and ranting aren't going to help you. What EA seems to respond best to are relatively calm and well reasoned arguments, not emotional melodrama.

I personally think the only reason they retracted it is one of their legal team pointed out that if they pulled that SPORE they would have an unwinnable class action lawsuit on their hands.

This is a PR blunder of truly EPIC proportions. People wont forget about it in a hurry and the gaming news sites CERTAINLY wont. Is it any wonder that the gaming community is so damning of EA when they pull stunts like this?

StarkFist wrote:Relax a bit. EA seems to be backing down as reported in another thread on this forum, and here: http://kotaku.com/5052473/ea-respond-to-drm-complaints

We're still stuck with SecuRom, but they are relaxing the ridiculous restrictions on install limits.

But really, go outside, take a few deep breaths of fresh air and relax. Hysteria, threats and ranting aren't going to help you. What EA seems to respond best to are relatively calm and well reasoned arguments, not emotional melodrama.

no i dont feel we should back down infact i attached a link to this thread to the BBB and all the major news stations abc nbc cbs and fox! EA needs to learn a lesson they think they are above the laws and think that they can take away a paying customers rights to play the game and then go as far to state BUY IT AGAIN! thats against the law they cant do that, why because we call them names and poke fun at their non working DRM! screw you EA i will expose you if its the last thing i do!

xamataca wrote:

tyger42 wrote:

jalf wrote:

tyger42 wrote:No, you can lose your account for posting the thousandth thread trolling about the same gorram topic yet again after the mods have told us to stop. There are a thousand other threads to safely discuss it in that already exist, we don't need new ones.

So they're allowed to withdraw the product I paid for because of that?

Yes. And it's perfectly legal. You might try reading contracts when you agree to them.

I'm just wondering where in the SPORE's EULA can you read that (if it is the contract you are talking about)...

That would be this part:

EA may revoke or terminate this license at any time, for any reason or no reason, in its sole discretion

tyger42 wrote:

xamataca wrote:

tyger42 wrote:

jalf wrote:

So they're allowed to withdraw the product I paid for because of that?

Yes. And it's perfectly legal. You might try reading contracts when you agree to them.

I'm just wondering where in the SPORE's EULA can you read that (if it is the contract you are talking about)...

That would be this part:

EA may revoke or terminate this license at any time, for any reason or no reason, in its sole discretion

I'm not so sure about that being "perfectly legal" I'd like to think that any reasonable court would examine the terms of the "contract" and decide that EA should be the ones paying us to accept the rubbish in their EULA.

I believe also that EA throws their claim to enforcability out the window where they basically refuse to have any responsibility to uphold their end of the deal. Oh, and where they offer the "contracts" sight-unseen to people with no legal capacity to agree to legally binding contracts.

I paid for Spore (Galactic Ed), but all the crap going on with the DRM and EA's irritating tone of condescencion and stubborn refusal to understand the perspective of their customers has got me thinkin' about a refund.

I will never purchase another EA title again.

Ever.

Yeah, I am really surprized of how a company who has been involved with video games for so long (I have some of their original amiga games) can lose touch with it's consumer base so bad. Are the higher ups so paranoid that we are all pirates? But yeah, for me spore is the last EA game I buy. Exception might only be if there are some GOOD rated spore expansions. Especially after the debacle of mercenaries 2 as well. It is a butcher job of the original as well...

TO traffic hazard, the EULA unfortunately stipulates that EA is not responsible for any defects in software etc, only a short time warranty on the media it is printed on is it liable.

kwkiller wrote:TO traffic hazard, the EULA unfortunately stipulates that EA is not responsible for any defects in software etc, only a short time warranty on the media it is printed on is it liable.

Indeed, I've not got my hopes up or anything. Just looking into what conditions that might entitle me to a refund under the law of my country, not under EA's wishlist of fairyland conditions in the EULA.