EA Admits That You Can Only Have One Spore Player Per Install

from the and-it-lied-in-the-manual dept

Fri, Sep 12th 2008 8:52am — Mike Masnick

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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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 9:03am

How to turn a blockbuster into a bargain bin in 90 days.
Great idea for a game, has all kinds of reasons to use online portion of game and encourage people to buy not infringe. Okay great now lets wrap a metric $%!^ ton of restrictive DRM and see how it sells. Wait how did this not top the charts, I don't understand. We added value over free with the creature database. Its not like more and more piles of restrictions does anything to hurt the game. /end sarcasm
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illDecree, 12 Sep 2008 @ 9:21am

EA sucks... yeah, definitely sucks

(rainman)
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 9:26am

one word. piratebay.
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 9:27am

Surprise, surprise, surprise....EA is a greedy publisher who's only desire is to get more money out of your wallet. And this surprises you how???
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bookdragoness, 12 Sep 2008 @ 9:28am

Spore's big down side
Plenty of families have multiple computers and thus can at least play separate save-games even if only one of them can be the online account. Unfortunately, EA's implementation disallows individuals on the same computer from having separate accounts.

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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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 9:28am

F*ck EA!

Not 1 cent!
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 9:29am

They should be SUED! along with the re-prints, they should be sending re-FUNDS!
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Ryan, 12 Sep 2008 @ 9:30am

eh
I installed the game (on a virtual machine on my mac so that I don't have the rootkit problem)

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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Lawsuit, 12 Sep 2008 @ 9:34am

I read the manual saying it was multi account possible, so the DRM wasn't going to bother me much. Besides when I'm going to reformat my computer this upcoming month like I do every month. Which then I'm going to start getting pissed. But getting back to the issue. I accepted the terms and agreements. Meaning this is a contract with them that I agree to their terms and like me they also have to meet those terms.

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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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 9:39am

Spore was the first game I ever pirated. I feel pretty bad about it, mostly because the game's a huge dissapointment.
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PaulT (profile), 12 Sep 2008 @ 9:40am

Wouldn't this just encourage piracy? No family of four is ever going to pay $50 for four copies just so they can all play. The only result would either be a) that family doesn't buy the game or b) they pirate 3 copies of the game.

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, 12 Sep 2008 @ 9:41am

class action
i up for the class action. yeah "our bad" leads to "here's our money since we misprinted, but that can't really be our fault, can it?"
FTC regulations
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Stephen McLaughlin, 12 Sep 2008 @ 9:44am

People obviously don't get it
I don't support DRM as a concept, but I do think EA's been more than reasonable with the way they handled Spore.

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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A Thought, 12 Sep 2008 @ 9:46am

A Martyr or a DRM Vindicator?
This Spore mess may very well may be the necessary martyr to signal the game companies using such insane DRM to lay off. If you use this, the end users may take this as an extreme annoyance hardly worth the purchase, a sign of mistrust between consumer and developer.

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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Because, 12 Sep 2008 @ 9:46am

Re: People obviously don't get it
Your computer at home crashes. Now what are going to do?
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kevin, 12 Sep 2008 @ 9:49am

Pirate Servers?
I wish someone smart enough could create a server for the 'open source' users that mirrors all the functionality that EA provides. Then everyone could just pirate the sucker and use the alternate server for online play.

Just a thought
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Urban, 12 Sep 2008 @ 9:52am

Re: Spore's big down side
"Plenty of families have multiple computers and thus can at least play separate save-games even if only one of them can be the online account."

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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Rich Doode, 12 Sep 2008 @ 9:53am

Money Back
Can we get our money back since they lied and said we could have multiple accounts?
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 9:55am

obviously Stephen McLaughlin doesn't get it

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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Urban, 12 Sep 2008 @ 9:55am

Re: People obviously don't get it
So how's working for EA these days?
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Pete Valle, 12 Sep 2008 @ 9:55am

That's it...
That's it for me. I was really excited about Spore. I was about to go buy it today. But, since I share a computer with my wife, only having one save file doesn't do it for me.

Sorry EA, you just lost my money.
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 9:56am

Re: Re: Spore's big down side
3 Installs. The 4th requires a call. And EA is notoriously difficult to contact.
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 9:56am

Most games give you a cd-key that is supposed to be used for one PC. I don't see what the big deal is. You don't buy 1 copy of counter-strike for your whole family and expect everyone to be able to play at the same time, do you?
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 9:58am

Re:
Tempting.
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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Quirthanon, 12 Sep 2008 @ 9:59am

Re: People obviously don't get it
That's three installations ever. NOT three active installations.
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It isn't playing at once, 12 Sep 2008 @ 9:59am

Re:
The game is based on you creating creatures and showing them off to your friends. Your buying it for you and your family's personal use.

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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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:00am

Re: People obviously don't get it
If it were 3 concurrent installs at a time, like iTunes activations, that'd be one thing. I'm sure they could even track it fairly well with their whome online-tracking bit. But it's 3 installs ever. I, like most gamers, upgrade or reformat my computer roughly once a year. The fact that my Spore game is guaronteed to be useless after three years is a MAJOR problem.

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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Christopher Froehlich, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:00am

Do it for DVDs
I want this to extend to all media. For example, my wife and I shouldn't be able to watch the same copy of a DVD. We should have to buy it twice to cover licensing for each of us. If we have friends over for dinner and a movie, we should have to pay public performance rates to watch anything in our home. Sharing books should be a criminal activity. Licensed should be purchased per read, per user which expires 24 hours after purchased. Books should then self destruct if licenses are not renewed. Any broadcast of music, from car radio to computer speakers should require public broadcasting licensing. Games shouldn't be sold, only rented and should require blood testing for domestic terrorism.
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:01am

Re: Re:
If you've been a fan of Spore for the last couple of years, don't even bother with TPB. The game as shipped is nothing like they promised us. It's like I've lost my childhood all over again.
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fritzbrown, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:03am

I was really looking forward to the release of SPORE but I can't support EA's restrictions. I won't be buying, I may not even bother to pirate as I seem to have lost the desire to play it.
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Buzz, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:04am

Re: People obviously don't get it
I reinstall my system every 6 months. So, Spore would last 18 months tops in my place. None of my software has any such restrictions. On top of that, reports are coming in that you cannot transfer save games from one computer to another (i.e. to show a friend) because the serial keys are different. Spore is just a blatant violation of our rights as a consumer. Also, Spore has been cracked since day 1; why should I, the paying customer, suffer?

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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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:05am

You missed one.
Think of the children!
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Buzz, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:07am

"Lost Sales"
Game corporations like to throw around tons of statistics revolving around "money lost from lost sales due to piracy". I question those numbers to begin with, but now they should do a bit of number crunching on the number of people who said they will not be purchasing the game due to DRM. Was it worth it, EA?
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A Noni Mouse, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:08am

Re: People obviously don't get it
I don't think you understand. It's 3 installs, period. Not 3 installs at any given time. If you use those 3 installs up, and in a month reformat your PC, you will be out of installs. You will have to call EA and hope they they issue you a new serial number! That is why people are so pissed off about the DRM.
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:13am

Re:
No, but I do buy 1 copy of a game, play it and save my settings / games, log off and allow others in my family to log in to the system & play there games under there settings / saves.

With Spore ... Well forget it, they'd have to log in under my account.
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:13am

Re:
you don't get it, you must work for EA - Its not about installing the game on 3 PC(s) , its about allowing others in the household to play the game with their own save. It equates to not being able to save more than 1 game at a time!

Thats complete Bullshit!
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mobiGeek, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:15am

Re:
Why sue? Return the product, as for your refund.
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:16am

Re: "Lost Sales"
"Was it worth it, EA?"

They will say it was.
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EVIL_BASTARD, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:17am

Re: How to turn a blockbuster into a bargain bin in 90 days.
...and they wonder why video game sales growth has dramatically slowed. Douche. Bags.
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class action, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:18am

Re: "Lost Sales"
piracy does not affect companies nearly as much as they say. If that was true how are all these stars still rich??? consumers have been pirating since vhs tapes and earlier. its ok though lawyers have already been contacted about this issue. I'm tired of gaming companies trying to pinch our pockets considering i have been supporting their games since childhood.
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EA Shill, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:18am

Re: "Lost Sales"
Well, erm, those are all unconfirmed numbers... those people probably wouldn't have bought the game in the first place, so it's not really a "lost sale,"... in fact, based on the writing style and repetitive nature of all the complaints, I bet it's really only one or two disgruntled individuals. Five, tops.
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Congrats, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:18am

Re: Do it for DVDs
LOL, that comment just made my week. You definitely hit the nail on the head.
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mobiGeek, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:19am

Re:
You will have to establish that the wording in the manual was a contractually binding term. I'm going to bet that will be hard.

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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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:19am

Re: Re:
Most places won't accept software once it's been opened.
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Dan, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:19am

Re: People obviously don't get it
Well, in a nutshell 3 installs mean we are renting the game not buying it. Is it too much to ask that when I buy something it belongs to me?

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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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:21am

Re: Re:
The software's opened, most places won't accept it as a return. And, after this, they could give me a $40 discount on their "nexty big title" and I wouldn't buy it. Spore was supposed to be the greatest thing since sliced bread; it's decidedly not. They have no credibility.
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pirater, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:21am

Spore first pirate for me too
Out of spite I torrented Spore over the DRM issue. Once the ratio got up over 2 I installed it on my windows box. I am so glad I did not pay for it, it is a huge disappointment. We had already purchased creature creator, which was kind of fun but not worth $20, in the hopes of being ready for when Spore finally landed.

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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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:22am

stopped buying EA years ago, after serious issues with Battlefield DRM.

The hell with EA
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comboman, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:22am

wake up call
Hopefully this disaster will be to the game industry what the Sony root-kit fiasco was to the music industry.
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interval, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:23am

Re:
No no no, a law suite isn't nessessary here. A simple refusal to buy the game is enough.
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:23am

Re: People obviously don't get it
Stephen...

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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mobiGeek, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:24am

Re: Pirate Servers?
Here's a thought: play a different game. Take your time and money, and go support a game publisher that isn't poking their customers in the eyeball.

Playing their game, cracked or not, simply encourages more of the same.
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:24am

"No no no, a law suite isn't nessessary here. A simple refusal to buy the game is enough."

Except it's too late for a lot of suckers... :)
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mobiGeek, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:25am

Re: Re: Re:
I don't know what your definition of "most places" is. Places where I buy software (mostly large national chains) do.
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interval, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:26am

Re: Re: People obviously don't get it
You re-install your system every 6 mos? Why??? Are you a cutting-edge driver writer? That's about the only reason I could see anyone re-installing the os every 6 mos....
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Dan, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:27am

Re:
This promotes pirating if anything else. I've bought games that didn't run on my PC and then went out and got the pirated version and it ran fine. Exactly the opposite result the company wanted.
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Abraham Lincoln, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:28am

Re: Do it for DVDs
To add, I guess that means we also have to shut down libraries, including all school and university libraries, which in turn curtails learning and new research.

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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interval, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:31am

Re:
I was ready to buy too. Now... forget it. I then too thought of accessing it via bt tracker. But then the actual game play reviews came in. No multiple accounts, rather brain-dead game play, interactivity with other players limited or non-existant? Not too sure this was the game Maxis decsribed when they first started marketing this thing a few years ago. One kind of wonders what exactly took them the extra time to develop this. Any developer worth his salt can throw animated blobs on a pc monitor...
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interval, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:31am

Re:
True..
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:33am

Re:
by Anonymous Coward - Sep 12th, 2008 @ 9:56am Most games give you a cd-key that is supposed to be used for one PC. I don't see what the big deal is. You don't buy 1 copy of counter-strike for your whole family and expect everyone to be able to play at the same time, do you? ..... Actually, every game I have purchased I have installed on multiple computers. All of them were my primary desktop at the time, but the point is that I was able to freely upgrade my PC and move all my software over and let the old metal box gather dust in my closet. This includes my OS. I can move my monitor from computer to computer. Same with mouse, printer, keyboard, speakers, etc.... why is software different? Your Counterstrike comment is different and talking about simultaneous installs. EA themselves made a comment about installing on multiple computers. They could easily link the CD Key on three Simultaneous account and only let ONE of them be online at a time. Fact is EA got more greedy here than any publisher I have seen with a video game release. They are reaping what they sowed and deserve every word of negative publicity they get.
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Return Games? Where, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:35am

Re: Re: Re: Re:
Where do you buy your games at?

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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Sad Panda, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:37am

Re: Re:
Too late. :(
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I already bought it, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:37am

Re: Re:
I was at the store. Opened up the game case and looked at the manual as in case of Gamestop where they have gutted copies on the sales floor.

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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Jota Grande, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:38am

Re: People obviously don't get it
Are you for real Stephen McLaughlin? Obviously you don't have children. I have been a happy linux user for 6 months, and ended up installing windows and dual booting specifically for spore. I have 3 children that would all have a great time in spore, not counting myself and my wife. That's 5 accounts right there. Of course the kids don't want all their creatures mixed in with everyone else.

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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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:41am

Re: Re:
what exactly took them the extra time to develop this.

It's obvious: they had to go line-by-line and remove any of the useful or interesting features.
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No, Adventures Programmer, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:46am

Re: Re: Re: People obviously don't get it
How about I like to write computer code and like to experiment with a lot of different things and screw up my computer a lot!
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Clueless, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:52am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
If people are really that upset ,and want to change than everybody needs to go to whoever you purchase it, and demand your money back. Than if you cannot do that start up a class action suit against not being able to return the Item. Because the only way the you can see the license agreement ist to open the product if you choose to not except you should be legally able to return for you money back. People need to stand up for what they want and make an effort to put back in there face. Flood them with calls, Call up EA and demand them to refund your money.
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:54am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
Suing GameStop and Wal-Mart, even if you win, won't affect EA.
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:55am

People should download this game from The Pirate Bay. If they like it, send a check to Maxis. Cut EA out of the loop entirely.
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Old_Paranoid, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:57am

The costs and "benefits" of copy protection
I don't like copy protection schemes and to the best of my knowledge, don't buy copy protected SW. The company has to strike a balance. More onerous copy protection may reduce the piracy level, but if some of those pirates don't turn around and buy the game, there is no benefit to the protection. There is a cost though, onerous copy protection and use restrictions reduces the number of people who buy the SW. I think that EA is really off on this one. I would suggest not worrying about standalone play and manage account usage at the on-line gateway.

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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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:58am

if you send a check to maxis you are admitting to downloading it illegally and they will surly sue you. Thats just how they are.

Not 1 cent!
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Pirate with a Cause, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:58am

Money Good, End User Contentment Bad
Oddly enough I was about 6 hours away from finishing my torrent download of Spore on release day. For some odd reason I decided to go pick up a real copy before I had read about all the DRM crap. I won't say anything more about it as that horse has been beaten sufficiently, other than to say I vehemently oppose DRM. What really irritates me is that Spore is simply next in a long line of EA games that has a $%^ing amazing concept but is pretty much fatally flawed somewhere in development. Nearly every EA game I have bought over the past couple of years is either completely screwed up on a technical level or feels like it is missing some simple yet crucial component that would make it an awesome game. I have found nearly every EA game to have problematic load times, lag issues or poor UI design no matter what system it has been on. So why do I even bother playing let alone buying their games? It is very depressing to say that there isnt anyone out there coming forth with the ideas that EA has, particularly in their SIM style games. I think their track record with EA sports way back when lured in a lot of talented designers and now since they are this monstrous developer you are hard pressed to find good ideas in other companies on any kind of regular basis. Consistently they promise games with incredible concept but either in rushing production or just plain stupidity they leave out good design. Incidentally my install of Spore has crackling sound through the entire game, and issue I checked that a number of other people have as well, and there is no word from EA that they are developing a patch for this or for the dozens of other problems a mass of frustrated consumers are experiencing. I pray the few talented people that are mixed into the EA machine quit and go into business with someone who gives a ^#$% about making good games for the masses.
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ghost, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:58am

WOW Rules
World of Warcraft rules... at lest in conjunction to this topic. Play WOW screw spore.
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Craig, 12 Sep 2008 @ 11:02am

Can you imagine...
If Parker Bros. had acted like the "new media" companies years back? You want to play Monopoly, but only you can play it with your friends. If your brother and sister wanted to play it with their friends, they would have to go out and buy another board game.

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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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 11:02am

Replying to a few different comments here.

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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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 11:06am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
I know one store in my town that accepts open software returns, and that's only in the issue of incompatibility. After they send a help employee to assist you in installation and verify that your computer meets the minimum specs on the package. This happens more often then you might think *Cough* Sidmear's Alien Crossfire *Cough*. Unfortunately, they do not accept returns due to dissatisfaction.
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Skeptical Cynic (profile), 12 Sep 2008 @ 11:15am

Please just say no!!!
Any of the Dumb Masses that buy this game should lose their money. I refuse to pay for something that does nothing but make it hard to use. It would be like buying a car that only you could drive, while the thieves could just bypass the security and drive away with it. Only makes the product less valuable.
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James, 12 Sep 2008 @ 11:16am

Not buying it
How do you punish a company for doing something this restrictive and stupid? With your dollars.. DO NOT BUY THIS GAME (I'd also argue against pirating since that only promotes 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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SteveD, 12 Sep 2008 @ 11:27am

Misleading?
This is a bit 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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BTR1701, 12 Sep 2008 @ 11:32am

Re: People obviously don't get it
> Even if I had more PC in my household, I don't
> 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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Geoffrey Kidd, 12 Sep 2008 @ 11:33am

Re: People obviously don't get it
So you've used up your three installs. Your computer (or your girlfriend's) breaks. NOW what? Go beg and plead for "just one more chance, coach?"

I'm sorry, but you obviously don't get it.
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 11:37am

I smell class action lawsuit
Kick'em when their down!
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 11:37am

Re: How to turn a blockbuster into a bargain bin in 90 days.
It's the number one selling computer game on Amazon, dude. Of course, it wasn't really competing with anything else.. #1 DUDE!
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 11:41am

Re: Re:
Can't return the product - opened software is unreturnable.
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Your stupid, 12 Sep 2008 @ 11:46am

Re: Misleading?
No your just stupid. Don't understand the concept of multiple accounts!

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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Jason Cline, 12 Sep 2008 @ 12:01pm

Re: Coward
This issue isn't simultaneous play you dipsh*t. You can't even have more than one save. So if I play the game for 3 hours and save it, if my wife or son want to play their only choices are to continue MY game, or wipe my game out and start a new one. Do you see what the big deal is yet!?
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 12:03pm

You dont understand . . .
"This isn't exactly the best way to win fans over to the game, is it?"

EA doesnt "win fans", it eliminates the competition (by purchasing and ruining them).
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 12:06pm

Re: Re: Coward
"This issue isn't simultaneous play you dipsh*t. You can't even have more than one save. So if I play the game for 3 hours and save it, if my wife or son want to play their only choices are to continue MY game, or wipe my game out and start a new one. Do you see what the big deal is yet!?"

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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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 12:10pm

Three installations.... lol.

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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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 12:11pm

Re: Re: Re: Coward
he was right, you are a dipsh*t.

"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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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 12:16pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Coward
"he was right, you are a dipsh*t.

'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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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 12:19pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Coward
you obviously work for EA, I have nothen more to say to you.

DIPSHIT!

Not 1 cent!
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John (profile), 12 Sep 2008 @ 12:25pm

A few points
Like many people are saying, you can't return software once it's been opened.

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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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 12:29pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Coward
"you obviously work for EA, I have nothen more to say to you.
"

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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SteveD, 12 Sep 2008 @ 12:33pm

Re: Re: Misleading?
"No your just stupid. Don't understand the concept of multiple accounts!"

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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Overcast, 12 Sep 2008 @ 1:13pm

"No your just stupid. Don't understand the concept of multiple accounts!"

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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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 1:20pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Coward
Shut up you EA shill DIPSHIT
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No, 12 Sep 2008 @ 1:26pm

Re: Re: Re: Misleading?
If you read what he said about misleading you'd understand mine was on topic from his.. It wasn't suppose to be about DRM.. If you want DRM topic. Then here, I reformat my computer at least once every other month.

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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SCOTT, 12 Sep 2008 @ 1:27pm

SPORE
I bought this game the day it came out. I was really excited about it and was ashamed to buy another EA game ( I banned them after they shut down Earth & Beyond).

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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class action, 12 Sep 2008 @ 1:32pm

say what
well if we just return games that says nothing. making EA spend money on lawyers, put in the spotlight on how the fucked up again, and losing customers is much more satisfying. anyway in LA you cant return opened PC games. This has been the protocol for awhile. Also if it states inside the manual that you can create multiple accounts under one serial then yes they are bound to that. They are advertising that a customer can do just that. Even if an EA rep told me that its still a verbal contract.
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 1:34pm

Hmm... I just went to Amazon to check out those reviews, but to my surprise, there are none. What is there, though, are a few post stating that Amazon removed more than 2,200 reviews to stay on EA's good side.
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Norm, 12 Sep 2008 @ 1:44pm

Boy oh boy, it's not enough to sell on copy per household. Their right I guess, but I will not buy this game then
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Steve, 12 Sep 2008 @ 1:51pm

Just a thought... Why does one need multiple accounts for the game? You can start different races on different planets...

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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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 1:53pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
the argument that will win out is like your parent post, you can copy the game, copy the key, and return. The correct lawsuit would be against the producer for requiring a key to install it and then the distributer for not accepting the return.
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 2:05pm

Re:
no its one online node. most games that have a cd key are portable to other computers, they just cannot play on the online servers all at one time.
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Sep 2008 @ 2:18pm

Re: Spore first pirate for me too
I say give it to him, then format/reinstall every 6 months and refuse to call ea to license it and inform him his game doesn't work because the company that made it are thieving bandits
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Rose M. Welch, 12 Sep 2008 @ 4:58pm

Re: Do it for DVDs
You are so full of win. :D
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DRM Sucks, 12 Sep 2008 @ 5:49pm

Re: People obviously don't get it
Are you serious? Please tell me you were be sarcastic.

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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Pre-order, 12 Sep 2008 @ 5:51pm

Re: Re: How to turn a blockbuster into a bargain bin in 90 days.
Yes it wasn't competing against anything and the sale figures that is making it #1 is the pre orders. I bet if pre orders didn't exist, that number would be low.
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SecretAgentMan, 12 Sep 2008 @ 10:38pm

Re: People obviously don't get it
So you've used up your three installs on three different machines, and then, for whatever reason, next month the hard drive on your home computer crashes and you need to replace it. Guess what, no re-install of the game at home, go back to the store and spend another $50.
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Anonymous Coward, 13 Sep 2008 @ 12:32am

Re: Re: Re: Re:
Ha, ha, ha. Oops you're actually serious? Even Electronic Boutique (which has a refund policy within 1 week of purchase) won't accept a return. I went there today to purchase the game and the counter staff told me (with a rather pained expression) that thier refund policy would not cover Spore (the only game thier refund policy doesn't actually cover).
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Dade0, 13 Sep 2008 @ 6:32am

Re: Do it for DVDs
It's coming. I think publishers want to move us away from hard copies that we own to soft copies that we rent. Look at Itunes. Buy a CD for $17 and keep it, copy/backup done. Or buy music by the song and you can only use it the way Apple says. By the way the quality of an Itune is about 1/10th of that of a CD. This is all about control. The more they can control the content. EA, Apple, Microsoft, Google, the less ability we have to resist the squeaze they put on our wallets. The Sims 2 is the best selling game ever? Does EA think that there are no pirate copies of it out there? Did they NOT make a handsome profit on The Sims 2?????
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Dade0, 13 Sep 2008 @ 6:39am

Re: Re: Coward
So the creatures my wife created under her own account prior to the game release using creature creator are now useless since I used my account when installing the game? She is not going to be happy about this.
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anna, 13 Sep 2008 @ 2:11pm

yeah right
what is sad is we had to deal with EA for three days before we could get two separate accounts. My bf bought two downloads online, but apparently you can't buy two copies with the same email. I had logged in on the one that was active, so it registered the serial code to me.

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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TParker, 13 Sep 2008 @ 2:20pm

And another computer
Yeah, another copy of the game @ $50 per person AND another PC to run it on. Thanks for screwing over my family, EA!
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Robert, 14 Sep 2008 @ 12:53am

EA protected Spore from potential consumer
I know when you are in business, you focus on your products, and they becomes a big deal to you. Games are a big deal to EA.

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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James, 14 Sep 2008 @ 7:50am

People who don't have the game shouldn't complain
My 14 year old installed it on three of our computers and my my kids play it on all three computes at that same time. Grated they only use one accout but no problems on our end.
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Daz, 15 Sep 2008 @ 6:55pm

Have game, will complain
Strike 1: Cost $100 in Australia
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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Crak Ho on Pirated Crap, 15 Sep 2008 @ 11:48pm

Re:
Don't feel too bad. They're richer than you, at least for now. I tried the game myself (pirated of course). It was a yawn-fest. Great if you like carpal tunnel.

If you're really keen, wait until after xmas when its in the $10 bargain bin.
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Tinman, 16 Sep 2008 @ 6:42pm

EA
EA has been doing crap like this since they started out in the days of Amiga. I swore off EA products back in my Amiga days and still continue to do so....
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Steve, 22 Sep 2008 @ 3:37pm

Re: That's it...
Me too, It would have been on my computer tonight, but this one user per copy business is BS!!

Come on EA, what are you doing?
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Benjamin Chan, 19 Jan 2009 @ 11:52pm

Something That I Would Like To Share...
I like EA, but it is just that those games downloaded from the Internet must be installed on the computer, and you cannot not install it, because if you refuse to install the game, you cannot purchase the game. And if you want to play the game on another computer, you can't do it. You will have to download the game again from the EA website. So the verdict is, I HATE THE GODDAMNED DRM!!!!!!! AND I WILL SLAUGHTER ANY MOTHERFUCKER WHO CREATED THIS MOTHERFUCKING DRM!!!!!!!!
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Benjamin Chan, 19 Jan 2009 @ 11:56pm

Another thing...
I don't understand why EA's games has the motherfucking DRM and yet people from around the world buy and download their games. Also, can anyone answer this question for me: HOW DO YOU BREAK THE DRM?????
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Benjamin Chan, 20 Jan 2009 @ 12:02am

DRM subject.
Who created DRM and why must all these entertainment companies use DRM? It Is REALLY ANNOYING AND UNATTRACTIVE to avid gamers like me and my friends. The whole world would be a lot better without DRM. Don't you agree with me?
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Anonymouse, 25 Jan 2009 @ 1:55am

Why do you care?
Theres about 10 planets to use and you can have as many creatures as you can fit on your hard drive so why do you care? just use 1 account for everyone, its not like you need that many files!
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Electric Bla, 15 Feb 2009 @ 7:56pm

Re: People who don't have the game shouldn't complain
The problem is when you have to reinstall it on one of those computers due to a reformat, a crash, upgrade, or you just installed it to free up space and want to play it later. You won't be able to because EA is being a giant wanker.
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min, 13 Mar 2009 @ 7:17pm

Re: eh
THANK YOU! SOME1 WHO KNOWS WORLD OF WARCRAFT,, THAT IS THE BEST GAME EVER THIS ONE ISNT TOO BAD BUT I HAVNT BOUGHT IT YET BUT WOW ITS VERY SATISFYING ALWAYS SOMETHING TO DO IF YOU HAVE AN ACCOUNT REPLY TO MY COMMENT TELL ME YOUR REALM AND NAME MAYBE WE CAN PLAY ONLINE AND RAID AND SUCH
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Confidential, 20 Dec 2009 @ 4:59pm

Deauthorise program
You guys, you could just download the deauthorise program ea has and then format your computer and not waste more money for more Copys.
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No need to know, 25 Jul 2010 @ 6:36pm

What!?!?
I had installed this on an old pc, one day, i get a new one, try to install, it installs, but it comes back asking to re-type, my serial number, NOW I HAVE A GOD DAM* GAME INSTALLED THAT I CAN'T PLAY!
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 2:20pm

Re:
But what if you cant use the computer it was originally installed on and now have no way of acessing online content?
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Seb, 27 Apr 2013 @ 11:21am

Re: What!?!?
I did the exact same thing as you did.
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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Earl, 4 Sep 2013 @ 12:12am

Free Spore clone
An open source project is working on a game similar to Spore.
http://thrivegame.wikidot.com/
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Funsizedmads, 18 Sep 2014 @ 2:26pm

CONFUSED ABOUT SPORE
So lets say I have an account can I install the game on my computer then plug it in? If so please tell me how.
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