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BioShock activation will be removed in the future
Author: Tim SmalleyPublished: 26th August 2007
Ken Levine, BioShock's Lead Designer, has said that the game's online activation will be removed in the future.
“We will unset the online activation at some point in the future – we’re not talking about when,” said Levine, in an interview with Joystiq. “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.”
Later in the interview, he admitted that 2K had made a mistake with the number of installations allowed and that the number of installs will be increased. “Basically the copy protection, everything about how it works is exactly what you'll see in other titles like Splinter Cell: Double Agent, Rainbow Six: Vegas, Tomb Raider: Anniversary, Command & Conquer 3, and Harry Potter.
“The only thing we have is online activation now. But that just does a check with a server and validates the installation. Right now we have a set number of installs and, frankly, it’s too low. We screwed up. We analysed where we were and we’ll up the number of installs.”
He understands gamers’ frustrations when they were unable to activate their legitimate copies of the game. “People can't activate their key, I dig that people are pissed off, and I understand it. Here we are day one of the European launch and day four of the American and we're working every single day working on these issues. I believe people deserve to play the game.”
Levine also acknowledged that there were concerns about the anti-piracy measures 2K Games had taken, but reassured gamers that “there’s nothing wacky going on there, at some point we’ll move back from online activation. If people want to play BioShock ten years from now, they’ll be able to play it. We have a commitment from 2K that that is going to happen and we'll hold them to that commitment and they're serious about it, we'll make that happen.”
Could this finally put the latest Internet uproar to rest? Discuss it in the forums.
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Comments (40)
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Think back to the release of HL2. That was plauged with bugs, I remember reports some like 10+ hours just to get the game authenticated by Steam. Every major release goes through this stuff.
I had to crack it, since my key wouldn't work. Is it illegal to crack the game, even though you bought it?
Not advocating it of course, just something I had to do in order to play the game.
The problem is - YES theh copy protection works, so painfully well. Perhaps too well. It's actually enroaching on the customer. and while Bioshock is STILL waiting for a comprehensive crack, this brings my mind back to DarkStar One - the generic space game from Ascarton who's protection got so bad, that designers eventually just told people to download a crack!
Iv heard Razor 1911 have cracked it but are testing it further but who knows if thats true, lets just see what happens.
Id like to test it before i buy, i dont want find it doesnt work right because then i cant return the goddam game. With pcs you can get almost any stupid error stopping you from playing a game, its not like a console.
*exceptions being steam games and WoW, because you don't need to.
Activating the game wasn't the problem. When the game checks for the disc upon the update and downloads the patch, that's the problem. The key's are weird as well. Me and my friend have been up all night trying to get my copy to work. The serial key's seem to be specific to the Bioshock.exe file for your game, so even if you get a keygen, it won't work for you.
Mind you, I have no intentions of distributing a crack and I am not at liberty to discuss in detail how I was able to get the game to work.
I did purchase my own copy of the game, it's just that Securom and 2k could not help me.
I'm not sure how/if cracks fall under uk laws fair use etc, but its deffo illegal in the states under the DMCA. But then what isn't illegal under the DMCA.
At least i will get to play it, when ever the official patch comes out to disable the online activation.
But that would require either:
And if there was an installer you downloaded then why not just go for a purely digital delivery as i'm guessing the only physical thing you'd need from you original purchase is the manual with the key, which could be sent electronically.
BUT, if all the installer did was remove the online check and required the original DVD then how long until someone finds out where this programme hooks in and emulates it themselves.
I'm guessing it'll be released as a patch. Obviously, just like current old games, you are still required to somehow (through the wonders of the internet) find the patch if you want to play the old game.
I'd imagine a patch that also doubles as an installer. You use it to install the game off the dvd, and then when that's done, it patches the game to remove the copy protection.
Aggies
I really think someone is trying to kill PC gaming with this over-the-top anti-piracy that makes paying customers turn to pirated games even though they would be willing to pay full price for a playable product.
ironjohn
theres no protection in the installer
you dont even give it your cdkey
you install, you click the bioshock icon it starts up the activation system that asks for your cdkey
so in the future you would install, patch, start bioshock and give it your cdkey
Ok, i can see that working, and thats about my only problem with the patch gone. Seeing as you can find even really old patches for ancient games on dedicated patch sites.
To be completely fair, that is a pretty reasonable point of view to take. Of course, they do actually have to make good on that statement - but if that's what they're seriously talking about doing, that's not particularly out of order.
Phil
It sounds to me like everyone just wants something to complain about. Just post some PS3 bashing articles, that will solve the problem.
Anyway waffles, I'd take your copy back to the shop if having a go at 2K isn't getting anywhere, make them give you a new copy, they've sold you a product that isn't working by no fault of your own, from what you're saying, the product is faulty. Depends what consumer rights are like where you live though, that's one good thing about the EU at least.
I'm pretty sure I already said that.
I'm not taking the game back, I've been playing it, and that's all I wanted to do.
queue eff mofoin' tee.
wake up morons, half the games on the market use this style of copy protection.
That may be true, but the reality is that it does. On top of that, over-zealous DRM is also what makes PC gaming less attractive to many because of incompatibility, verification problems, and just other issues that arise. Every time someone who isn't a hardcore tech head installs a game and doesn't have a trouble free time, it pushes them away from PC's and towards consoles. It can also make them weary of buying from that company again, in general. The thing I don't understand is why they needed to include the DRM in the Steam version since Steam does basically the same exact thing anyway.
Can't play my Steam-games anymore, even when connected to the internet, as my connection is slow, small band and unreliable. (but for free) ;)
Last time I started HL2 it took 1/2 hour to start (without getting updates). I thought waiting died out with the datasette? (remember that one anyone?)
So am I ganna buy some new ones that require online connection? Take a guess. Guess who has to use cracks and No-CD patches even though he owns the games? (and no, this is not legal where I live)
Xir
Hi and welcome to the forums.
Activation doesn't happen until after the installation - it doesn't happen until you start up the game for the first time. Before then, the installer checks that the latest patch has been applied to the game. Therefore, I doubt they'll send out new DVDs; instead, you'll just need the latest patch (whatever it is at that point) to disable activation.
Daemon tools is your friend, virtual disks
I personally see nothing wrong with that, i like to keep my discs in good condition, so why shouldn't i be able to use a backup (virtual or not)
Plus there are a couple of programs that will mount the disc and automatically load the game for you, seamless, great :D
I've played splinter cell, R6, and C+C3... and they are a PAIN to get to run. Not exactly a shining list of celebrities there.
Double agent quite frankly did not work until about 6 months after it was released- and was generally a poor port of a console game. R6 vegas is buggy but not THAT difficult to deal with. Though not that great a game. C+C 3 was such a PITA I had to un install all of my virtual CD programs and work backwards until it would run... and I bought the cursed thing! Can't comment on Tomb raider or harry potter.
I think copy protection is pretty lame. THQ has the right idea - who needs a CD?? and yet, I have purchased dawn of war, supreme commander, and a few others I can't recall right now.
Make a good game. THEN people will pay for it. Not because of byzantine copy protection schemes.
I don't pay for copies of windows anymore since the very first time I had to call to reset my windows key for simply adding a new video card.
I'll probably get bioshock over steam. Works pretty well, and being able to download it onto any computer with internet access and no disk or key (if anything like HL2) is pretty swank.
Half the games on the market use SecuRom? They install software without your knowledge or consent that is not removed with the game and has hidden registry keys and files on your pc that bypass the windows security model? A lot of people have totally over looked the real issue. Most people are a bit upset about the limited installs yes... but there are much bigger things to be upset about.
No where on the box/media/eula does it specify it is installing SecuROM or that there is any kind of install limit. Beyond that it's not that people think 2k is putting malware on their computers that's just silly, but this same kind of thing has been done in the past causing holes in system security that allow other viruses to make use of them to have total system access. 2k has never apologized for any of the things they did even though they admit it was a mistake... I guess saying we made a mistake is as close to "I'm sorry" as suits get. They haven't even apologized for 2k Elizabeth posting lies in their own forums about how the registration worked just to try and calm the fire and increase launch sales.
It's not like anyone is saying they don't have a right to protect their software... unique cd keys, online registration, even locking the game to the hardware to prevent direct pc to pc copy are all legitimate practices. The problem is the shady way they went behind peoples backs putting in SecuROM and lying about their own registration process to encourage sales. I just don't see how people can so openly trust a company that has just lied to them in the last week when they say they will open the game in the future... start by removing SecuROM and apologizing to your fans and then I'll consider buying from 2k Games again.
I'm glad that those who have the game are enjoying it as it truly does look like a great piece of software, I just wanted to make sure you all understood that by supporting it you are also encouraging other companies to use these kind of underhanded practices
http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?p=159782
Unless one of the many instances which have been detailed or exampled above occur in which case your pretty much left to pirate it. Which brings us back round on this rediculous circle to why not just pirate it in the first place and save your £20. Personally and i'm not alone here, i'll abstain and save my £20 there are other games out there some of them are not even trying to stick you.
Besides that you your self have had problems installing the game and i presume you bought it given the EULA preaching you've been doing recently.
its "hidden" in the sense you have to check a box to see it, if you think that's hidden, go get infected by a real rootkit and then you will find out what hell really is like
C&C3 is pointless, i bought it, every time i load it it has to scan the disc, i got fed up and used a virtual drive, and it works even faster, and for all they know it could easily be a cracked disc - whats the point EA
The only difference with bioshock then anything else, bioshock has this activation crap, which has caused them no end of grief
And it probably does say somewhere in the licence securom is installed, but i think "this program can only be installed X times" should be printed on the box so you know, at least BF2142 had that leaflet that says it
I didn't mean hidden like it was super impossible to find as much as I meant it's hidden from the normal end user, not published to inform you of it's existance, not informed that it doesn't uninstall with game. Yes there are much much worse rootkit's out there. (Which is why I avoided just saying Root Kit since that seems to be a big buzz word right now) I also have dealt with real rootkit's in the past the problem really isn't the root kit it's what can be done because of it's pressence on the machine. People seem to think this is a fine and dandy process now that they have instructions to remove the root kit, but that isn't the point. The point is if you want to play this game you will have to install a security risk into your system.
Analogy: You buy a new HDTV but when you install it the tv alter's your house so the doors won't lock, it doesn't tell you and you have no way of knowing it did this because it wasn't printed on the box or manual. The tv hasn't done any direct damage to your house, but if someone decided they wanted to come rob you the process would be a whole lot easier because of having the tv. Alternately you could "unplug" the tv and your door would lock again but then you can't watch tv, and you also run the risk of not being able to turn the tv on again because you are only allowed to unplug it 2 times.
I realize they have added the revoke tool to give back licenses and increased the install limit to five now. Point still is if you want to play you have to pay... by leaving your door unlocked, and none of this is made known to you prior to buying the product. (Unless you happen to read the gaming forums often).
Like I was saying I know a lot of people are upset about the activation, but the real problem is being overlooked here which is the install of this kind of software without the buyer's knowledge. The EULA does not mention "SecuROM" or "Root Kit", though it might have some other lawyer double talk I over looked... but that still doesn't justify what they have done here. This all could have been done without SecuROM, I'm not against activations and limiting the installs I completely understand the need and reason for it. I am however against these shady practices (including lying to their consumers directly) which is becoming alarmingly more common. I just think it's time we let the companies who make the games we love know this just is not an acceptable practice we are going to sit back and accept so they can claim security from piracy. If you want security from piracy stop publishing games for PC & Consoles, that's the only real way you are going to stop it.
I'm just really sick of seeing people make exucses for 2k Games behavior at this point, saying things like "Half the games on the market use this kind of protection" is either ignorant or a far fetched attempt at justifying something that is not right. That's like justifying stealing from a store because "everyone else" was doing it. Maybe I'll end up missing out on some great new games the next year or two, but there will still be other great games I can play, I won't be installing SecuROM or any other excessive measures that are only going to hinder the legitimate buyers because in the end the people its designed to stop will be playing the game without any of the annoyances of someone who paid $49.99. *Goes off to enjoy Metroid Prime 3*