Developer BioWare has revealed that is backing away from the originally proposed anti-piracy protection in upcoming PC version of its RPG, Mass Effect, following an overwhelming outcry from the gaming community. It was originally planned that Mass Effect would be pioneering a whole new means of copy protection by demanding re-authentication every ten days.
Under the proposed SecuROM system, a player who only managed to schedule a game infrequently and who only had infrequent internet access could find themselves completely unable to play after just eleven days.
BioWare spokespersons told Kotaku "To all the fans including our many friends in the armed services and internationally who expressed concerns that they would not be able re-authenticate as often as required, EA and BioWare want you to know that your feedback is important to us."
They have changed their minds about introducing SecuROM's digital ball and chain and have opted for a far more reasonable anti-piracy system that only authenticates the first time you play, then re-authenticates when you download new content. Although it only allows you install the game three times (a measure similar to that which its own controversy in last year's FPS RPG Bioshock), additional activations can be achieved by phoning some nice friendly and not-in-any-way-suspicious EA support.
Unlike so many of these copy protection systems that treat legitimate users as criminals waiting to happen, the system actually comes with a benefit for the law-abiding gamer - it allows you to play the game without the CD in the drive. So every computer you install it on to will allow you to load the game and as long as it has gone through the initial authentication stage, you can play as long as you like without fear.
It's still a bummer if you don't have initial internet access, but even then I'm assuming you can still play if you have the CD in the drive. Finally, someone thinking about copy protection in a way that helps the paying gamers instead of inhibiting them. Well, a little anyway. Ironically the only way you're going to get proper freedom from the copy-protection as well as a nocd hack is to get the pirated version. If there's one all this DEFINATELY WON'T do, it's stop people creating a work-around.
BioWare (via Gamezine)
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[quote]but even then I'm assuming you can still play if you have the CD in the drive. [/quote]
No. No internet activation = no play for you. And reports are that they've removed this BS for the russian market because intenet connectivity rates are so low there.
This plus the activation limits and installation of the secuROM malware, means that many previously loyal, very dissapointed, paying bioware customers will still not be buying Mass Effect PC.
"No internet activation = no play for you."
Well, that sucks and is a crushing blow for my unfounded optimism.