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General discussion (archive)SecurROM Insecurities(140 posts)(140 posts)
(140 posts)
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This is my favourite topic
Posted February 20, 2011
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mushy101: In the past, I've been burnt by Securom three times. The first resulted in a non functioning dvd drive, the second resulted in a extremely slow computer that needed reformatting, the third resulted in a broken OS that was fixed with windows repair. I had to fix three other computers that too were affected by securom. I hate the thing and rally as much as I can against, at times.
I have been burned by Securom too, albeit once. Broken OS that could not be fixed satisfactorily.

Yet, I think Starforce is even worse...
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bansama: You buy a game from GOG, download it and back it up to a DVD.
Over the course of 5 years you need to continually reformat your PC.
You then go to reinstall your GOG game for the umpteenth time but find your DVD has been damaged beyond repair.
GOG sadly, went out of business 2 years earlier.

What happens then?
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Kabuto: But seriously, think about this for a bit. Everyone seems to be going crazy over what's going to happen in 5-10 years. Buy the games uber cheap and live in the present instead.
Anyhow,there is no guarantee that continuous power supply like we know nowadays will stll be available in 10 years or so.
Post edited February 20, 2011 by Phc7006
Posted February 20, 2011
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mushy101: Certainly that's part of the reason why I don't buy Securom games at all anymore, except for a simple disk check. F3 and Batamn: AA were two such recent PC games and on retail, with GFWL, (in offline mode), are virtually DRM free.

In the past, I've been burnt by Securom three times. The first resulted in a non functioning dvd drive, the second resulted in a extremely slow computer that needed reformatting, the third resulted in a broken OS that was fixed with windows repair. I had to fix three other computers that too were affected by securom. I hate the thing and rally as much as I can against, at times.

Both F3 and Batman: AA interestingly enough did not mess up my system. I think it's the version used that is the cause. I did experiment with this and installed it on one of the computers that got messed up due to the DRM. Like mine the computer did not run into any big problems or slowdowns.

Since I've stopped buying Securom games, my computer has been fine. Except for the reformat for maintenance every 6 months my computer is in good shape. Of course I very well could be in a minority, but I have no reason to waste my time with games that use it or other types of equally horrible DRM. I stick with buying games with steamworks and it has worked just fine for me. I can and have resisted games that use other forms of DRM.
Yeah, see it's things like this that scare the crap out of me.

Days off that I spend most of the day having to reinstall everything again really suck.

I remember when I was first trying to clean up and get this old PC to the state it is now and the battle that I had with .NET - That was a massive reformat mess where in I learned that underneath DOS is Linux.
Posted February 20, 2011
I've never had an issue. It deactivates when you uninstall... if you somehow lose your HDD 5 times then they give you more activations. I've been installing every fucked up DRM scheme since they started and never had one prevent me from playing a game other than Starforce.

That said I don't agree with DRM of course, just saying it usually works fine. My concerns with it are more longevity of my purchases, but then I can just crack them if the DRM prevents me from playing so it's not REALLY a concern.
Posted February 20, 2011
Fear no insecurity, my friend, 'cause modern crackers have already solved this SecurShit problem for the future generations like their ancestors made retrogaming possible with unprotected "abandonware" games.

Hail to the pirates, always.... Some people really don't understand that pirated software of yore is the foundation of GOG.com and the current retrogaming comeback....
Posted February 20, 2011
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StingingVelvet: I've never had an issue. It deactivates when you uninstall... if you somehow lose your HDD 5 times then they give you more activations. I've been installing every fucked up DRM scheme since they started and never had one prevent me from playing a game other than Starforce.

That said I don't agree with DRM of course, just saying it usually works fine. My concerns with it are more longevity of my purchases, but then I can just crack them if the DRM prevents me from playing so it's not REALLY a concern.
Where would you even get DRM cracks? I used to get cracks from Game Copy World back in the day, but they only have cracks for CD checks.
Posted February 20, 2011
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bansama: What happens then?
Ah, but there's a difference between relying on someone else keeping your purchase secure and yourself doing it.

I can take measures to prevent my backups from failing (by making multiple backups, and redo the backups every once in a while), and if I fail to do so I have only myself to blame when when the old bit-rotted discs can no longer be read. I, and apparently some others with me, prefer that situation rather than to be fully dependant on someone else being generous enough to continue providing us access to the games.
Posted February 20, 2011
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StingingVelvet: I've never had an issue. It deactivates when you uninstall... if you somehow lose your HDD 5 times then they give you more activations. I've been installing every fucked up DRM scheme since they started and never had one prevent me from playing a game other than Starforce.

That said I don't agree with DRM of course, just saying it usually works fine. My concerns with it are more longevity of my purchases, but then I can just crack them if the DRM prevents me from playing so it's not REALLY a concern.
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Falconoffury: Where would you even get DRM cracks? I used to get cracks from Game Copy World back in the day, but they only have cracks for CD checks.
teh google
Posted February 20, 2011
Personally, I am not quite sure what the issue would be overall. First, SecuROM is run by the Sony corporation who I imagine will be around for quite some time, as they are one of the heavyweights of the electronics world. If by chance they do go out of business, as I am aware no company is 100% fullproof, the solution would be pretty simple. Grab a crack and be on your way.

Luckily though, many companies these days tend to release patches freeing their products from SecuROM, so a majority of my games are already safe. Hence, why I prefer this over Steamworks DRM, where games are fully intertwined with the service. You'll have a much bigger issue if they go out of business than if SecuROM does.

All DRM is a pain in the ass to be honest, but SecuROM is the one I have the least issues with. Not saying others haven't had a problem, but it has worked fine here and never prevented me from playing a game, unlike other services. Their going out of business would only be a minor inconvenience of downloading a fix, so I am not too worried.
Post edited February 20, 2011 by Kurina
Posted February 20, 2011
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Falconoffury: Where would you even get DRM cracks? I used to get cracks from Game Copy World back in the day, but they only have cracks for CD checks.
Out of respect for GOG I won't provide links, but there are similar sytes to Game Copy World for online activations. Google should get you there.

Many torrent sites have crack-only options when downloading as well.
Posted February 20, 2011
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Kurina: Personally, I am not quite sure what the issue would be overall. First, SecuROM is run by the Sony corporation who I imagine will be around for quite some time, as they are one of the heavyweights of the electronics world.
Well, I suppose I'm not alone to have had repetitive windows explorer issues after installing command and conquer 3.... These crashes were obviously related to the version of Securom used then (2008). I have nothing against non invasive DRM but there are 3 things I am not going to accept :

1) that the protection software opens a breach in my system's security
2) that the protection software crashes my operating system or one of its key components or even another software
3) that the protection software implies limits not included in the licence agreements. If for instance the DRM provider stops supporting a version of its software and you're left unable to use a game because of that ( starforce 3.xx for instance is not supported anymore and will block your game if you try to use it on windows 7 64 bits , Starforce will tell you to contact the rights owner and at least one of them will blatantly answer you that this is like it is : the game was made for win XP and you should not expect to run it under 7... )
Posted February 20, 2011
What do they think they're accomplishing with this. Pirates still get through the Securom, in fact they target games with it because they do it for sport and challenge. The only people that ever see Securom are the legitimate customers who get screwed over.
Posted February 20, 2011
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Phosphenes: What do they think they're accomplishing with this.
I believe one reason is publishers want / expect / demand absolute control of the gaming market. Even with irrefutable proof (IMHO) that DRM, in any form, does not work . . . publishers / DRM providers still pursue the illusion that it does. For both, it's about the money.
Posted February 20, 2011
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Kabuto: We can buy them on gog however and play our favorites once again. What's the difference between that, and the current situation of worrying about servers shutting down? In 5-10 years, the many new games won't be compatible with newer hardware and os's. Disregard the obvious parts about hating drm such as making it more difficult to run games in the present.
The issue with DRM is not just, will you be able to play the game in X year, the real issue IMO is the amount of control it gives the media companies over what you have bought, if they want to limit the about of times you install a game, watch a movie, etc... they can, they want to enforce region restriction they can, they want to retroactively force censorship in any games you own they can too... And even better the EULA give them the right to add any new restriction they might imagine anytime they want without you being able to do anything. And given that soon everything will be connected, from your TV to your coffee machine, DRM are not going away anytime soon.

Also it's easy to download a crack today, but it might no be as easy when your OS will be closed and/or cloud based or when the laws will have been updated to make the very mention of the remote possibility to circumvent DRM totally illegal.

Personally I don't like the idea that the only real protection/insurance I have with DRM come from piracy. It's like if you were buying a new car but had to hire a bunch of professional robbers to break into your car dealer office to steal the contract that would have allowed him to repocess your car anytime he wanted.
Post edited February 20, 2011 by Gersen
Posted February 20, 2011
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carnival73: What happens then?
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bansama: You buy a game from GOG, download it and back it up to a DVD.
Over the course of 5 years you need to continually reformat your PC.
You then go to reinstall your GOG game for the umpteenth time but find your DVD has been damaged beyond repair.
GOG sadly, went out of business 2 years earlier.

What happens then?
Ah, but that's because your DVD died. That can just as easily happen to a retail game. In fact, because GOGs are DRM free you can back them up many times so you actually have better chances than with anything else.
Posted February 20, 2011
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bansama: You buy a game from GOG, download it and back it up to a DVD.
Over the course of 5 years you need to continually reformat your PC.
You then go to reinstall your GOG game for the umpteenth time but find your DVD has been damaged beyond repair.
GOG sadly, went out of business 2 years earlier.

What happens then?
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eyeball226: Ah, but that's because your DVD died. That can just as easily happen to a retail game. In fact, because GOGs are DRM free you can back them up many times so you actually have better chances than with anything else.
I copy all mine to a portable external hard drive that uses flash wotsit, 300G that'll fit in my pocket. And my favorites are usually backed up on a couple of discs and/or a small flash drive of their own.
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This is my favourite topic
Community
General discussion (archive)SecurROM Insecurities(140 posts)(140 posts)
(140 posts)