Richard
11-Sep-2008, 18:44
I just saw on Blues (http://www.bluesnews.com/cgi-bin/board.pl?action=viewthread&threadid=91281) an article about Sacred 2's DRM solution:
1 box, 2 licenses
1 license can be used online at a time; implying you use either your PC or your notebook, but not both at the same time.
2 can be played via LAN
2 can be used for SP
unlimited installations, 2 activations
Activations can be revoked through multiple channels (online-auto, online tools, offline). Revoke & re-activate can be done an unlimited number of times.
One PC component can be replaced without problems. Beyond that revoke & re-activate is the recommended procedure.
There will be an emergency hotline for DRM issues due to failed hardware, etc. The manual page with the key serves as proof of purchase.
The hotline will be available 365 days a year, 24 hours per day. For standard phone rates. (This may apply for Germany only.; ed.)
Internet connection is needed during installation. The FAQ explains you can use a friend's PC for manual activation though.
You can play without the DVD. Itīs not needed in the drive.
No private data will be transfered during the activation process. You cannot even enter critical data.
The activation servers will be available for the next couple of years. Should this no longer be the case, the DRM will be patched out.
"A transfer to a third [party] is not part of the license." (transl.)
Theothers have been debated to death already but the last one is laughable. Over here at least the law protects the exaustion rule (also called first sale) for licenses and makes no distinction between tangible goods and software. Just like you're only purchasing a license to use a software program so too you can resell that license to a third-party as long as you don't duplicate the license for your self(keep using the CD-key, whatever).
I'm starting to agree with conspiracy theorists when they propose developers are actually trying to move gamers to consoles. :???:
1 box, 2 licenses
1 license can be used online at a time; implying you use either your PC or your notebook, but not both at the same time.
2 can be played via LAN
2 can be used for SP
unlimited installations, 2 activations
Activations can be revoked through multiple channels (online-auto, online tools, offline). Revoke & re-activate can be done an unlimited number of times.
One PC component can be replaced without problems. Beyond that revoke & re-activate is the recommended procedure.
There will be an emergency hotline for DRM issues due to failed hardware, etc. The manual page with the key serves as proof of purchase.
The hotline will be available 365 days a year, 24 hours per day. For standard phone rates. (This may apply for Germany only.; ed.)
Internet connection is needed during installation. The FAQ explains you can use a friend's PC for manual activation though.
You can play without the DVD. Itīs not needed in the drive.
No private data will be transfered during the activation process. You cannot even enter critical data.
The activation servers will be available for the next couple of years. Should this no longer be the case, the DRM will be patched out.
"A transfer to a third [party] is not part of the license." (transl.)
Theothers have been debated to death already but the last one is laughable. Over here at least the law protects the exaustion rule (also called first sale) for licenses and makes no distinction between tangible goods and software. Just like you're only purchasing a license to use a software program so too you can resell that license to a third-party as long as you don't duplicate the license for your self(keep using the CD-key, whatever).
I'm starting to agree with conspiracy theorists when they propose developers are actually trying to move gamers to consoles. :???: