Fallout 3 may use SecuROM DRM, but only for checking the discs says Bethesda.
Fallout 3 uses SecuROM DRM technology, but Bethesda has claimed that it isn't as draconian as some other games which use the system such as
BioShock,
Mass Effect PC and
Far Cry 2.
While the game does use SecuROM DRM, Bethesda claims that it does so in a way that doesn't infringe on the rights of the customers and doesn't come bundled with bloat or malware.
"
We do NOT limit the number of installs. We do NOT use online authentication or any other SecuROM functionality except for a disc check when you install the game and when you launch the game," reads a
Bethesda blog post about the DRM.
"
We do not install any other programs and we don't have anything that runs in the background while you're playing the game."
Bethesda claims that it is happy to leave the management of digital rights to the customers, though it will still try to prevent piracy and the platform-ruining implications many claim it has for PC games. Seems reasonable to us.
You can check out our extensive
Fallout 3 review and graphical analysis for more information about the actual game and how it might run on your system.
So, are your fears allayed or are you still worried about the big, bad DRM monster? Let us know in
the forums.
Its sad fact of life that certain PC gamers have brought this on all of us with rampant piracy, the developers need to do something and this seems to be the path they have chosen.
As far as I've heard the game is already pirated, of course not as bad as the console version but still...
I much prefer Steam-esque online checks instead, but maybe that's just me?
Give it a week or so and no doubt a NOCD patch will turn up...
Installed easy, and even though I'm playing using a DVD burner it doesn't have the usual 'please insert DVD' glitch that GOW had, also the Windows live thing hasn't reared its ugly head once, doesn't even need to connect to play single player (unlike GOW)
It is NOT DRM! It's common copy protection. This one is present on many of older games(RE4, Vietcong 2, ArmA international,...list goes on and on...) and it definitely isn't causing problems like securom's DRM or starforce.
I never had a single problem with this kind of copy protection, I'm perfectly fine with this one as a customer. And it effectively prevents schoolyards from copying the game :)
you can install the boxed version and then put a shortcut into steam but generally you can only activate valve retail games on steam
Its is piracy despite what you may think. You are giving a copy to a friend who doesn't pay for it. If you just give them the game fine but if you expect to both be playing it at the same time then its piracy. Its more relevant to multiplayer games, granted. But, if you require the disk to play then two people can't be playing it at the same time unless you have a crack.
Linky: http://www.bethsoft.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=892618
Wanna play Fallout? No Nero for you!
Don't like it? Go talk to secuROM. Not our problem.
i fail to see the problem
I don't think it's true. Securom 7 blacklists virtual drive managers like Daemon Tools, Alcohol, Blindwrite, etc. even then - if you've got original disc in drive you should still be able to run/install the game with virtual drive managers running. Just to make sure - I tried running Fear(securom7) and Vietcong 2(securom7 too) with original disc present and without hiding Daemon tools - and it worked fine.
I'm going to say that most of the people who complain on bethesda forum about securom copy protection are either people who know nothing about it and never bought the game to try it or pirates who are trying to run/install the game from badly created image of original DVD, probably torrented one. Those who use virtual drives to keep their original discs safe usually now how to surpass securom. As I said - securom 7 has been used for many years now and no one complained...
Just another case of developers paying a crap company "secuROM" loads of money to protect thier investment and failing but I guess this is just another page in the file of DRM doesn't stop anyone from stealing you're games.
arrived in post and refuses to run with some lame ass security error - which on googling has been around for ages, so after uninstalling alchohol still no joy.
now as ive paid for it i "downloaded" another copy and voila, works 1st time - i really wont bother buying any more games that have drm in em
My experience with Fo3 has been very bad the game freezes up almost every 10 minutes and after about 30-60 minutes of gameplay it eventually consumes all my systems memory and eventually locks up my PC. However being a big fan of the gameplay it contains I have dealt with numerous reboots, slow load times, pointing my camera view at the floor just to escape hitching and turning off the pip-boy radio function and still beat the main quest.
This game being a direct mod of Oblivion (which plays well on my comp) refuses to play for some weird reason and it really makes me wonder why they rushed this game. Was Red Alert really that much of a competitor to Fallout, considering it's overall cheesiness?
I will be getting it on Steam anyway, no hassles there. It's linked to my account that's it no problems.