[CRUEL JOKES] Bioshock protection system?

I heard Bioshock has this nifty protection system that will let you install the game only twice, if you can install it, that is, since it needs an online convalidation. Could anyone tell me more about it? What happens after the second install? Are there/will there be any other games with the same protection?

About the online authorization: I personally like to play old games (one of the best games I played this year was 'Die by the Sword', that came out in 1998 ). What if the server dedicated to remotely activating the copies of the game would permanently go offline (for example: 2K games bankrupts and shuts down everything)? It wouldn't be possible to install the game then. So even buying it from the bargain bin would be useless.Black_Knight_00

It allows you to only install the game on 5 seperate PC's at a time.

Each time you uninstall the game from a system you get a credit back.

So you can install the game as many times as you want.....you just can't install it on more then 5 PCs at the same time.

SecureROM limits you to two installs as of this time, unlesss 2K has released a patch to help make that more reasonable. MarcusAntonius

2K upped the installs to 5 simultaneous installs per copy:

http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/news/34036/BioShock-Installs-Upped-to-Five-Per-Copy

They also said after the first initial months they'll release a patch that removes the activation altogether.

Frankly I think two was fine, I don't know anyone who needs to have the same copy of a game installed on more then two PCs at a time.

What if the server dedicated to remotely activating the copies of the game would permanently go offline (for example: 2K games bankrupts and shuts down everything)? It wouldn't be possible to install the game then. So even buying it from the bargain bin would be useless.Black_Knight_00

2K already answered this.

The activation is supposedly only for the first initial months....which in a way makes sense since it's during the first initial months of a game's release that piracy for that game the most rampant.

2K already said they have a patch in plan that will remove the activation altogether after this timeframe is over.

Frankly I think two was fine, I don't know anyone who needs to have the same copy of a game installed on more then two PCs at a time.

Robnyc22

I'm surprised to hear you of all people make that comment. I'm all for a company protecting its assets, but that kind of copy protection is excessive and unreasonably infringes on end user rights.

2K upped the amount of times you can install, but you still get SecuROMs rootkit on your machine.

Don't worry though, their amazing protection system has been cracked.
syztem

No,ithasn"t.NotthatIknowofatleast.

Ok, so they aren't likely to shut down the server anytime soon. But they just might do it later on. This is the same, since use of that server is imperative to install their software. In that case you could just use your expensive dvd as a nifty scarecrow.I won'tsay I approve cracking and reverse-engineering,but this is the typical case of 'crack needed'.

*sigh* People need to learn to read.

"

2K increased the maximum computers you can install the game simultaneously on from 2 to 5. We are also preparing a new "revoke application" that will allow you to de-authorize computers so that you may move the game to another computer without "using up" one of these activations. This increase in the limit will cover most users' issues, and the revoke application should alleviate remaining concerns. Of course, if you still experience any issues, please feel free to contact support."

http://www.2kgames.com/cultofrapture/pc_faq.html

I'm surprised to hear you of all people make that comment. I'm all for a company protecting its assets, but that kind of copy protection is excessive and unreasonably infringes on end user rights.

MarcusAntonius

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a fan of excessive copy protection....but I really don't consider this to fall into that group, at least not compared to other culprits in the past that were FAR worse, ie, like Ubisofts support for Starforce.

I really don't see how people are making a big deal of this compared to other forms of copy protection that haven't gotten nearly as much criticism as this.

Like I said....I really dont see how one can complain about "only" being able to install the same copy of Bioshock on five PCs simulataneously. Who really needs to have the same game installed on five seperate PCs at at the same time?....unless your a game site testing the game on various hardware for an article, I dont see why someone would want to do such a thing. Especially when everytime you uninstall the game from one system you get a credit back. How many people even own five seperate gaming PCs?

Second...the online activation....yeah, the servers went down for a few hours at launch.....at the same time how is that incident really that different from other game launches that ran into issues, such as HL2, and how is dealing with Online activation different from what PC users doing with Valve's games since 2004?

Finally, Ken Levine himself said that the copy protection will eventually be completely removed:

http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/24/joystiq-interviews-bioshocks-ken-levine-about-success-and-harve/

We will unset the online activation at some point in the future -- we're not talking about when. If people have concern about that they shouldn't be worried about that. This activation is for the early period of the game when it's really hot and there are people really trying to find ways to play the game without buying it. Of course, there are a lot of people who are legitimately trying to play it. We're not trying to be Draconian, we're trying to find a balance.

http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/48641

"BioShock creative director Ken Levine has informed Joystiq that the game's oft-criticized SecuROM copyright protection will eventually be removed.

"At some point we'll move back from online activation," Levine stated. "If people want to play BioShock ten years from now, they'll be able to play it." Based on his wording, it's presumed that SecuROM activation will be disabled when retail sales of the game are no longer a pressing factor."

Ok, so they aren't likely to shut down the server anytime soon. But they just might do it later on. This is the same, since use of that server is imperative to install their software. In that case you could just use your expensive dvd as a nifty scarecrow.I won'tsay I approve cracking and reverse-engineering,but this is the typical case of 'crack needed'.

Black_Knight_00

http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/24/joystiq-interviews-bioshocks-ken-levine-about-success-and-harve/

We will unset the online activation at some point in the future -- we're not talking about when. If people have concern about that they shouldn't be worried about that. This activation is for the early period of the game when it's really hot and there are people really trying to find ways to play the game without buying it. Of course, there are a lot of people who are legitimately trying to play it. We're not trying to be Draconian, we're trying to find a balance.