Copy protection in Civilization V

[KJ Jansson]

Information from 2kgames forum.

2K Elizabeth
2K Community Manager wrote:

This stuff hasn't been finalized yet - but feedback that we've gotten from you guys will be taken in to account, and when we have finalized everything, I'll let you know right away.

Please, collect here all available information about copy protection in Civilization V.

And my opinion as an usual player.

I have no Internet connection on my game PC. When I buy a box version of the game, I do not have to worry about registering it via the Internet.

The maximum that I, as an honest buyer/user should do is

- install the game,
- enter the CD-key from the box or manual, and
- play.

Registration games over the Internet can be an additional bonus for the gaining technical support, etc.

It could not and should not be a prerequisite for the game playing.

Please, do not kill our desire to buy your games from honest buyers!

 

[Old MacDonald]

Agreed. Also, for the love of God, keep Games for Windows Live away at all costs.

 

[Commander Bello]

So far, I have bought each sequel of Civlization games.

If a online registration would be mandatory - or worse, if online connection would be needed to play the game - I most probably won't buy the game.
Copy protection may be needed, but online means are not acceptable. It is just that simple.

 

[Inverse Icarus]

If a cracker is going to make it so that you can run without a CD Key and without the CD in the drive, they're going to figure out how to get around whatever else you come up with. It may take longer, but the cat-and-mouse game of copy protection / DRM only ends up hurting the legitimate users of a product.

This is the truth, but publishers push protection hard, so we'll see what comes down the pipe.

 

[Commander Bello]

But I am not interested in playing "cracks".

I am interested in playing good games worth the money. I do not like to be bothered by having to log in somewhere, to maintain constant connections or whatever, though.

 

[Taalen]

Yeah, I'm hoping they have the common sense of not crippling it with DRM. After all, there is only one thing DRM does: ensures that the pirate gets a better product than the honest customer.

 

[CMKMStephens]

I'm probably not even going to play The Settlers VII due to its 'always online, exits-your-game-if-your-connection-drops' DRM.

V and VI were rather awful compared to II-III-IV (probably due to Ubisoft eating Bluebyte) but the DRM takes the cake. Not even hiring Bruce Shelly (Railroad Tycoon/Civ/Age of Empire) to help make VII can outweigh such an awful idea.

It would be most unpleasant if Civ decided to go with some form of legitimate customer alienating DRM like that.

 

[nzk13]

One of my game pcs are not connected to the internet; I wouldn't want to have to register anything to play. Or worse... the Command and Conquer 4 system.... For those of you who are not familiar, C&C4 is an rts for pc. It requires you to be connected to the internet in order to play at all. Which means that if Comcast goes out, which we know it will, no playing. If that was done for Civilization V, I'm not buying the game. plain and simple.

 

[apenpaap]

CDkeys and registration via internet don't work, as pirates always find a way around it. Worse, they piss some people off so much they pirate the game rather than buying it hopnestly.

 

[Mason11987]

I'm going to buy this game, because I love Civ5. But if I have to do anything other then enter the key on the box into my PC without internet, then I'll find some other way. I'm not the only one here who feels this way, and this is your base of users who are most reliable.

 

[tirnaog]

Morning all

I agree with all.
Key from box and no internet connection needed should be the way to go.
I hope these guys read these boards.

Also would be real nice it they let it run on netbooks like the current Civ4 does.
Really like playing it during lunch break at work. No internet there.

Deasun

 

[Arakhor]

Oh, hell yes. I never played Mass Effect on PC because of the draconian DRM settings. I will curse 2K's name forever if they do this to Civilisation V.

 

[Omathaar]

If a cracker is going to make it so that you can run without a CD Key and without the CD in the drive, they're going to figure out how to get around whatever else you come up with. It may take longer, but the cat-and-mouse game of copy protection / DRM only ends up hurting the legitimate users of a product.

After all, there is only one thing DRM does: ensures that the pirate gets a better product than the honest customer.

Amen! Seriously, who has the tech to get around DRM? The pirates. So who gets screwed? That's right, the honest buyers. Come on, brute force solutions like DRM are just too clumsy to work.

The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more formerly loyal players will slip through your fingers...

 

[Tlalynet]

I think the majority of players understand that they need to actually buy a product for the company that created it to exist and create more products for them. I'm happy to pay for a good product, but in general I will create an ISO or get a crack so I don't have to be bothered with CD's all the time. Even when copy protection was just requiring a CD it was more annoying than anything, I can remember a lot of games back in the 90's that run much faster and more smoothly when the CD's where worked around. When the last patch of Civ IV came out without CD protection it was a boon, I lent the game to my friends for multiplayer and the ones that liked it bought their own copies even though they didn't need too.

Its a ridiculous that you usually have to pirate a product to get the most out of it. I think that anti-piracy measures usually hurt a product more than it helps it because if people have to pirate something to get it to work properly anyway they are probably less likely to ever pay.

 

[PPQ_Purple]

The maximum that I, as an honest buyer/user should do is

- install the game,
- enter the CD-key from the box or manual, and
- play.

Registration games over the Internet can be an additional bonus for the gaining technical support, etc.

It could not and should not be a prerequisite for the game playing.

Please, do not kill our desire to buy your games from honest buyers!

I completely agree with this.
CIV is primarily a single player strategy game plaid by people who cram in a few turns while on a study brake or on their notebook while waiting for the bus home.

Any DRM in excess of the quoted would be unacceptable.

 

[hipifreq]

Can we get more posts on this thread than Nickleback has fans!?

I too would buy the game barring any "need to be online to play" DRM.
Key check, definitely
CD check, if you must... but it's annoying, my 2-year-old can kill that one quick, and many light-weight laptops don't have optical drives
Online registration requirement, ouch
Online to play = deal-breaker

 

[Sherlock]

I'm probably not even going to play The Settlers VII due to its 'always online, exits-your-game-if-your-connection-drops' DRM.

V and VI were rather awful compared to II-III-IV (probably due to Ubisoft eating Bluebyte) but the DRM takes the cake. Not even hiring Bruce Shelly (Railroad Tycoon/Civ/Age of Empire) to help make VII can outweigh such an awful idea.

Yes, Ubisoft's lunatic DRM scheme lost them my sale on Settlers VII and ALL FUTURE UBISOFT GAMES.

 

[Tlalynet]

I agree with hipifreq

 

[civ_king]

I completely agree with this.
CIV is primarily a single player strategy game plaid by people who cram in a few turns while on a study brake or on their notebook while waiting for the bus home.

Any DRM in excess of the quoted would be unacceptable.

Yeah

Can we get more posts on this thread than Nickleback has fans!?

I too would buy the game barring any "need to be online to play" DRM.
Key check, definitely
CD check, if you must... but it's annoying, my 2-year-old can kill that one quick, and many light-weight laptops don't have optical drives
Online registration requirement, ouch
Online to play = deal-breaker

1) I have lost my key code to so many games that those that do I typically crack/acquire crack to it
2) I'm fine with this as long as the expansion CDs work with all previous versions+you are unlikely to be able to play Civ V on a notebook
3) ew, my gaming PC has no internet
4) I will not buy it if it has that

 

[Sherlock]

Oh, hell yes. I never played Mass Effect on PC because of the draconian DRM settings. I will curse 2K's name forever if they do this to Civilisation V.

Ditto. I didn't buy ME for the same reason.

Here's what I think:

Putting creepy DRM in your product PREVENTS some people from buying the game.

Putting creepy DRM in your product DOES NOT ENTICE PEOPLE WHO WOULD OTHERWISE PIRATE IT TO BUY IT.

So you LOOSE some sales and DO NOT GAIN others.

This is not hard to understand.