EA Admits That You Can Only Have One Spore Player Per Install
from the and-it-lied-in-the-manual dept
Things aren't getting much better for EA since critics of its overly annoying DRM on the new video game Spore expressed their displeasure in droves on the Amazon page for the game. Now, Consumerist alerts us to another, related, issue that is pissing off many of those who did buy the game: you can only have one player account at a time. That means that if you live in a multi-person household, and multiple people would like to play the game themselves... EA says you need to pay up for another $50 license. Of course, if the game didn't have DRM that wouldn't be a problem.Even worse, the manual for Spore says exactly the opposite:
You may have multiple Spore accounts for each installation of the game.Users, however, have been complaining that doesn't seem possible, and while it took a while, an EA rep finally admitted "our bad":
That section in the manual was a misprint and will be corrected in future printings of the manual. There is one Spore registration/account per game/serial code so you are correct in that you cannot make multiple accounts at this time.This isn't exactly the best way to win fans over to the game, is it?
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Filed Under: drm, spore, user accounts
Companies: ea
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How to turn a blockbuster into a bargain bin in 90 days.
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Re: How to turn a blockbuster into a bargain bin in 90 days.
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(rainman)
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Re:
I was so wanting to buy the game, even got the full version of creature creator & the $5 discount coupon.
But with bad decision after bad decision on how to lock down this game, I can't really see buying it with my current computer (that will be replaced in a few months so there goes 1 of the installs)
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Spore's big down side
From what I've read of user responses, the big disagreement is whether a game license should be like an operating system (i.e. one license for Microsoft Windows can have multiple users on one computer) or like a seat-based system (i.e. for AutoCAD you buy 'seats' on a per-user basis). Since in the history of gaming we've been able to have multiple users on each computer, I expected Spore to act as a multi-user system.
I'm incredibly disgusted with the way EA has handled this. I grew up playing all the classic Maxis Sim games (SimLife might be my favorite game ever) and have been looking forward to Spore for at least three years. After graduating college, I bought myself a fancy new computer for Spore even though the release date kept shifting and preordered Spore through Amazon almost a year in advance, only to cancel as the DRM scheme news broke. I was waiting for the other shoe to drop after Spore released, and here it is!
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Re: Spore's big down side
Well, after 4 installs you are out of luck and have to call EA to get the serial key re-activated.
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Re: Re: Spore's big down side
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Not 1 cent!
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I work at Gamestop. Our policy is we do not return opened games. Especially not PC games cause you could copy the Serial Number copy the game and we can't ever know.
Wal-mart - their policy is if it's defective they'll replace the game as like gamestops but will not refund you.
Bestbuy - NO. They will not return the game for you.
Circuit City - NO
Target - NO
K-Mart - NO...
Please tell me where you buy your games at where they let you return if your not happy with the PC game you buy
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As I puttzed around the manual I noticed it did say multiple accounts, well as I got home and installed it I noticed I can't do that. THEY LIED TO ME.
I can't return it cause the game has been opened and installed.. :( Now what do I do. ..> SUE
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eh
It could be a lot better. Why wasn't this a MMORPG like world of warcraft?
Instead of competing for good against other player's creations, why can't I compete against other players?
Also, the cell and land stages are way too short. There's not enough time to fully explore and unlock all the parts before you evolve to the next stage.
The tribes stage is like a watered down more boring age of empires 1.
I somehow expected more.
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Re: eh
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Since I can not create multiple accounts for spore. They are not living up to their agreement. Be it a misprint or not it's time to tell EA they can not take advantage of it's customers and just try to milk as much money from them as possible.
Anyone up for class action and take it to them hard?
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Re:
Why not simply return the product and get a refund? How much have you been "damaged" by this lack of functionality? Is it really worth the time, risk and heartache that a lawsuit will take just to get your money back and $15 off their next big title?
Seriously, vote with your wallets. Let the lawyers starve.
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If you're really keen, wait until after xmas when its in the $10 bargain bin.
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Meanwhile, people who opted for the pirate version to begin with have neither the multiple account problem nor the DRM issue. In fighting piracy isn't it a good idea not to make the pirated copy much more attractive?
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class action
FTC regulations
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People obviously don't get it
Three installations is more than enough - I get my PC, my girlfriend's, and one at work to show the guys here or play at lunch. Even if I had more PC in my household, I don't know why I'd want to install the game on more machines.
Sharing an account is also not really a concern at all - the galaxy will never run out of fresh planets to play on, and it's actually more of a feature than a detraction to go find the creatures my girlfriend has made with her usage of the account.
Yes, yes - DRM is bad. But in this case, it really doesn't impact the usage of the software at all, so why are you complaining again?
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Re: People obviously don't get it
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Re: People obviously don't get it
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Re: People obviously don't get it
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Re: People obviously don't get it
Nevermind the rootkit they install. All a hacker needs to do is know you're running Spore and then make his tools look like SecuROM files and you're fsked.
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Re: People obviously don't get it
It's because of people like you, Stephen, that DRM is pushed to higher extremes. You who say it's "not that bad" are the ones who justify DRM, thus giving the green light to people like EA to make even MORE strict DRM in the future. When are you gonna change your mind? What if EA's next game requires you to phone in and deliver your key EVERY time you boot the game? You just gonna tell everyone else to stop complaining?
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Re: People obviously don't get it
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Re: People obviously don't get it
I have a ton of old games that I reinstall on my drive every time I get the notion to replay them. Why should Spore be any different?
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Re: People obviously don't get it
A FEATURE would be if you had the option to play on your own account or in someone elses. Forcing people to do either is not a FEATURE.
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Re: People obviously don't get it
When you have kids, your computer gets messed up. You can get all the anti-spyware, anti-virus software you want. You can teach them good habits and keep them behind the firewall at all times. You can keep windows up to date and everything, but in the ends, kids mess up computers and you have to reformat and re-install. I don't want to have to buy 2 copies of this game, only to have them unusable in 6 months to a year.
After several hours installing windows just for Spore, it turns out I won't be getting the game after all. It's a shame after a year of excitement and buildup.
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Re: People obviously don't get it
> know why I'd want to install the game on more
> machines.
The fact that you have no need of something doesn't mean no one does.
Your attitude seems to be that your own personal preferences are the only reasonable way to look at the world.
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Re: People obviously don't get it
I'm sorry, but you obviously don't get it.
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Re: People obviously don't get it
So what are you going to do when your computer at home gets corrupt, a virus, or just something that causes you to reinstall windows and with it, reinstall Spore? You can't! You have already used up all 3 installs. Darn, guess you shouldn't have given it to your girlfriend.
You see the 3 max installs isn't about putting it on different computers. It's about should something happen to your computer, be it an upgrade, virus, or whatever. You can only install it 3 times period. So in reality, I think it's you who doesn't get it!!!
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Re: People obviously don't get it
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A Martyr or a DRM Vindicator?
Granted, there is a whole lot of piracy going on, but this is a sign that shows that EA has completely lost trust in the consumer. At least that's how it appears to me.
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Pirate Servers?
Just a thought
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Re: Pirate Servers?
Playing their game, cracked or not, simply encourages more of the same.
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Money Back
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What happens when one of those PC(s) crashes and you need to re-install the game?
3 installs = Rented, not owned!
As long as you don't care about renting a game for $50
EA - Not 1 Cent!
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That's it...
Sorry EA, you just lost my money.
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Re: That's it...
Come on EA, what are you doing?
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It isn't right to force a the customers to buying a separate copy just cause they want to create an account and don't want their little sister getting on their name.
Yes only one computer and one person playing at a time is fair. But not to force only one person allowed to play the game.
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With Spore ... Well forget it, they'd have to log in under my account.
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Thats complete Bullshit!
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Re: Coward
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Ummm, thats not really true, its not actually how SPORE works. In spore you can have different saves on each seperate planet. I dont know how many planets there are in the beginning there I would say 10 or 12 maybe. So if you started your creature and evolution on planet 1, you wife or kids could simply start another civilization on planet 2 or 3 or whatever. If they did any online interaction, it would have to be done through you account however.
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Re: Re: Re: Coward
"If they did any online interaction, it would have to be done through you account however."
THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT!
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Coward
'If they did any online interaction, it would have to be done through you account however.'
THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT!"
Really, well then he shouldnt have said this;
"You can't even have more than one save"
Cause it aint true . . . dip shit
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DIPSHIT!
Not 1 cent!
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"
LOL not to get into a pissing contest, but NO ONE hates EA more then me. However, you CAN have more then one save in SPORE and my or your hatred (or name calling) for EA doesnt change that fact.
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Do it for DVDs
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You missed one.
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Re: Do it for DVDs
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Re: Do it for DVDs
I buy a copy of something for my normal legitimate use and expect that when I purchase the copy. However, if these companies want to cheat me and treat me like a cheat, so be it, I will be a cheat (in their eyes). If I have to copy and pirate for fair use, then I don't consider myself a cheat, but rather cheated by the vendor. So, if I can't load the game because of a new motherboard, HD crash, or whatever, then EA is cheating me. In turn EA should be punished for cheating me, and I will do so by hacking and sending a copy of my original to anybody who wants it.
As well, I bought it, its my software, I can do what I want with it, damn their license agreements, that was made void when they accepted my cash. By accepting my cash, they accepted my terms of agreement which voided theirs. I mentioned that to the clerk at the store.
EA deserves to go down the toilet.
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Re: Do it for DVDs
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It's obvious: they had to go line-by-line and remove any of the useful or interesting features.
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"Lost Sales"
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Re: "Lost Sales"
They will say it was.
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Spore first pirate for me too
Cell stage is way too short and feels like an inadequate Diablo II, with all the clicking and moving about trying to eat shell parts. The damn thing evolved me before I was ready, and even after trying again I still couldn't get to be an omnivore. Oh well, try again in creature stage.
Signed, disappointed pirate.
p.s. My 12 year old son loves it and cannot understand why I don't like it. He has asked for it on his Christmas list (he understands we were just "trying" it out)
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Re: Spore first pirate for me too
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The hell with EA
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wake up call
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Except it's too late for a lot of suckers... :)
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The costs and "benefits" of copy protection
As for the 3 install limit, I view this as totally ridiculous. Install the damm thing in a VM and activate it there. You should be able to copy the VM across platforms without the copy protection system being wise to it.
Speaking as a parent, the restriction to a single user is more restrictive.
I will pass on this one.
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Not 1 cent!
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Money Good, End User Contentment Bad
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WOW Rules
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Can you imagine...
It's totally fracking stupid! Remember the days of Trivial Pursuit? That game sold MILLIONS of copies without any such stupid restrictions about "one game set per household".
We are so advanced and yet we are so living in the Dark Ages with this DRM crap.
It's time for a revolution! Viva la revolucion!
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1. Battlefield DRM. A friend of mine game me a battlefield 2 add-on as a gift. I had a harder time installing and activating it than I did getting it to work as a pirate copy. It doesn't work to play online, but I didn't want to play it online anyways.
2. Restrictions on Spore, DRM and multiple accounts. The more I hear about this the less interested I am in supporting EA in any way. This spills over into other games merely published by EA. As a former DAoC player I am interested in what Warhammer Online will be like. however being associated with EA is a bit of a taint, almost as bad as being associated with Sony Online.
3. Reinstalling the OS. windows has a history of accumulating cruft. rather than fixing all the issues, it is much easier waiting until they hit an annoyance threshold, then wiping clean and starting over. Lately for me I've been doing this by buying or making a new machine, but it is still reasonable to plan on r-installing windows on an annual basis.
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Please just say no!!!
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Not buying it
It may actually be a great game.. I'll never know. I refuse to buy it because I want them to know that if they choose to market their products in a customer-abusive manner that I will not be supporting their efforts.
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Misleading?
The game can only be registered under one persons account, but up to eight games can be saved simultaneously.
The only practical difference between that and having eight different accounts is each player shares a friends list for downloaded content, but as that content is included into the game in a somewhat random manner that's hardly significant.
Its by no means necessary to purchase a second copy of the game for several people to play it.
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Re: Misleading?
Let me break it down to you.
Person A buys game. Loves game and doesn't want his friends to think he is making girly, fruity, or lame things. Also wants to ensure that his achievements belong to him and only him. So he requests his sister to play on her own account. and to upload h r own creatures and get friend her own friends. This can't happen cause only 1 accounts per game.
You see the problem here! Understand you BUY a game you are not renting a game. It is your personal use what you do with it. You should be able to share it PRIVATELY with your family. Simple as that.
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Re: Re: Misleading?
And you don't seem to understand the concepts of punctuation and grammar, but I won't hold it against you. ;)
The issues you've raised have nothing to do with EA's DRM but with the way the game was designed. You can have plenty of simultaneous game-saves for different family members, and you can control upload/download of friend's content if it bothers you that much.
I still can't see much of an issue here. Most of these arguments are based round hypothetical situations rather then real problems.
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Re: Re: Re: Misleading?
My sister, my brother and my friends all play on my computer. I don't want their saves, their Achievements on my Game. If there is only one account there can only be 1 achievement set.
So no this wasn't hypothetical it is a real problem!
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I smell class action lawsuit
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You dont understand . . .
EA doesnt "win fans", it eliminates the competition (by purchasing and ruining them).
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What a load of fail. I refuse to buy Spore on principle. I got plenty of other good games, so I don't care if it is unique or fun. From my understanding however, its neither anyway.
I won't support this kind of DRM ever. I can tolerate a level of it, even though it annoys me and makes the things I purchase less useful to me then the things other people don't. But frankly, this is just overboard. This runs the risk of me having to buy the same product more than once because I replace HD's, change computers, etc. It's the dumbest idea I've ever seen. Whoever's idea this was, frankly, is a moron. This is not how you fight piracy. This is how you make piracy look way more attractive by giving people a justification NOT to pay you for a product because you've basically made people feel you're taking away their rights.
The best way to fight piracy is to make your products as easily accessible and useful as a pirated copy. Price your products fairly and don't infringe on fair use. There's a freakin' idea.
I know alot of people don't pirate because they don't want to pay the money, they do it because it's become more convenient than buying a copy of a game nowadays.
If they wanna be that uptight with the market and smack down their paying customers, while basically rewarding the ones that don't, they need to get out of the PC market and make way for people willing to innovate a little and get up with the times. Maybe they should stick to console games where there isn't nearly as much to worry about and there's pretty standard protection that wont bash down customers that pay.
/rant
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A few points
You could try a class-action lawsuit, but where would it get you? When the case is settled in 5 years, the lawyers will make millions and every EA customer will get a $5 coupon for "Spore 2". Gee, it really hurts EA that they're forcing all those customers into purchasing "Spore 2".
And this is assuming they don't appeal the decision and keep the court case going for 5 more years.
The best plan is to just NOT buy it in the first place, though this doesn't sound very likely if it's the #1 seller at Amazon.
The next best plan is to explain to all the non-tech people why the things are so bad: DRM, the inability to use multiple accounts, and the inability to re-install it.
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And you don't seem to understand the concepts of punctuation and grammar, but I won't hold it against you. ;)
Nor the concept of making a product that consumers want to buy - or was that EA? ;)
No big deal to me to just skip games made from a certain company or whatever, it's not like there aren't 100,000 more out there anymore. I vote for 'ease of use' in my purchases. I play another game - true, I pay each month, but I can make all the characters I wish, without multiple accounts or whatever other confusion they built into Spores.
But then, it was straightforward, no hidden 'gotchas' or funky DRM voodoo - I just got a game, agreed to pay monthly. Easy.
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SPORE
I played past the cell stage and was completely bored stiff. I had no fun what-so-ever playing this game. I was totally upset that I paid $50 for this P.O.S.
I wouldn't even download this game illegally. Not worth the time!
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say what
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i guess if you're one of those "Xbox Achievement Whores" like my room mate you want to be praised for each little thing you accomplish... but to me thats not the fun in the game. The fun of a game doesn't come from doing all the little minusha that the developers say are 'milestones'... its doing with the game what you feel is fun. So if you like playing the cell stage over and over again and ignore everything else than so be it
but i digress... this is obviously another bonehead move by EA that just puts them in a worse place publicly... but as long as people bend over and take it they'll keep stickin it to ya.
c'est la vie
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yeah right
So the next day he canceled the second order and got me to order again, but I forgot to log him off, so same problem again. So this time we call up and explain what happened.
This insanely ignorant agent then proceeds to make a new serial code, and activate it....for me. So even though they claim that it's impossible to have more than one game registered per email, it's totally cool if they have their agents do it for you!
It took another two days after that to solve the problem.
The solution? Canceled every single order and drove to the store and bought a hard copy.
And the game is disappointing.
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And another computer
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EA protected Spore from potential consumer
The problem is: Games aren't a big deal to me. I don't know if I'm a target demographic, or just possible extra income for EA, but their inability to see the importance of their game from the customer's perspective has cost them one customer, probably many more.
I know Spore is a big deal to them and they want to protect it, but for me (a consumer), its just a game. My time is too valuable to spend babysitting a piece of software that's not even essential to keeping the computer going. Its a stupid game. Install it, play it, done. Anything more than this (DRM servers, installation limits) is a red flag that its going to not work, slow down my computer, suck up a lot of my time, etc.., which appears to be what's happening to many.
Its just not worth my time. Its too bad companies like EA don't look at how the general public reacts to things like DRM in an installation, because things that complicate the process of installing your game are a barrier to entry for those who are just casual gamers.
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People who don't have the game shouldn't complain
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Re: People who don't have the game shouldn't complain
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Have game, will complain
Strike 2: multiple accounts ok, good because there's 10 of us in the family. Try to play another account - no, no, no.
Strike 3: EA says it will change the manual. That was no misprint, that was bait and switch tactics.
Your Out: ACCC/OFT/Consumer Affairs - lets attempt to return the game and get our money back.
Will let you know how that goes...
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EA
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Something That I Would Like To Share...
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Another thing...
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DRM subject.
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Why do you care?
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Deauthorise program
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What!?!?
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Re: What!?!?
When I seen the serial number message pop up I emailed EA and they gave me a new serial?
I haven't heard about this DRM until now because I bought the game when I was 10 and had no idea about DRMs or fucking RAM for that matter.
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Free Spore clone
http://thrivegame.wikidot.com/
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CONFUSED ABOUT SPORE
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