20 réponses à ce sujet

[jakenou]

So I've spent probably hundreds of hours playing Mass Effect 1 and 2 on the Xbox 360, and now that I'm building a PC it will be decent enough to play games. I already got ME2 for PC on disc, and it looks like I missed the boat for getting the original game on disc since it's nowhere to be found really. That's probably a good thing since I've heard all about the nagging install limit they had, with a more recent workaround for it. It looks like a digital download will be the route I have to take, and I'm wondering what the best source for that would be.

I've heard a lot about Steam, and I know it's a well established company now. The intermittent hacking issues aren't what deter me from that though - it's the fact (I think!) that you have to be online all the time to play games from Steam. Correct me if I'm wrong. I'd rather not do that. I'd just like to buy the digital game, download it, play it whenever I want - online or not (sometimes our service gets spotty), and be able to move the game to another computer if and when I want.

I've seen that Gamestop has it for download, and they say right on their page that it's as simple as what I said I wanted above. Just download it and it's mine. Anyone have experience with Gamestop downloads, or any other comparable (well established) source?

[dan107]

Steam seems to have a near cult following for some reason, but personally I'm not a big fan of it. You have to get all updates directly from Steam only, and if you mess with your game files it has a habit of changing them back without your permission.



I've bought all my games for the last 2 years from Direct2Drive, and so far haven't had any problems. The download is just a zip file that you can install to any directory you want just as if you were installing from disc. There's a one time online activation, but that seems to be the case in most boxed games now as well so it's not a big deal. You can re-download from D2D as many times as you want if you need to. Only catch is that there's a 5 activation limit, but that can be increased via customer support. So I would recommend D2D.

[jakenou]

I've heard some pretty positive things about Direct2Drive too, so that may be the route I take, but I'm still curious about Gamestop and hope that anyone who has experience with downloads from there will post.

As far as updates and patches go, if I got it from Direct2Drive it just wouldn't matter - right? I can get all of those things straight from the dev sites (i.e. here lol) and not have to go through D2D (which would be especially problematic if they ever went under).

Also, with it being a simple Zip, I'm thinking I could probably go ahead and extract that to a thumb drive or burn a copy to disc for back up if I wanted to, in case the hard drive I had the game on gets fried or something, without having to re-download from D2D. True?

One other thing - Is the install limit workaround dealt with through D2D, or is it the same process people with the disc version have been using (I think it's through BioWare or EA)?

Modifié par jkthunder, 31 mars 2010 - 08:53 .

[jakenou]

Just realized another question - do the digital downloads come with one or both of the DLC (Pinnacle Staion and/or Bring Down the Sky)? If not, where does one download them? Heck, I'm not even sure that those two DLCs came out for PC too. Guess I need to research

Edit - Okay, I see that the download for the DLC is available through BioWare, but it says you need to use the PC CD key. Will having a download activation key from a 3rd party vendor like D2D work for that?

Modifié par jkthunder, 31 mars 2010 - 09:10 .

[Crixt]

Digital downloads are the way of the future.

[Slayer299]

The digital download from EA does not contain BDtS or PS.

You can find Bring Down the Sky just by googling for BDTS downloads. I'm pretty sure megauploads has it still because I downloaded my copy of it from them. Pinnacle Station is *only* available through Bioware. Here's the link for PS - http://eastore.ea.co...innacle station .

As far as BDtS that can be VERY tricky getting the key code so you can install it. It took about 2 weeks of uselessly contacting EA reps when I stumbled on the answer in the old ME forums. Go here; http://masseffect.bi...nthesky_pc.html . Register the game here at #1 and then go check the CD Key on your account and you'll see both ME and BDtS (which was totally worth it btw )

[jakenou]

Slayer299 wrote...
Go here; http://masseffect.bi...nthesky_pc.html . Register the game here at #1 and then go check the CD Key on your account and you'll see both ME and BDtS (which was totally worth it btw )

Thanks - I did know about that link, but I was wondering if entering the activation key you get from downloading the game from D2D works as the CD Key for that.

I don't think it matters though, since BDTS comes with the game download at D2D from what I just read. I found the Pinnacle Station d/l from EA for 5 bones too, which ain't too bad. I would feel incomplete without all of them of course

[Kloreep]

Normally I'd recommend Impulse, as they, unlike Steam or D2D, do not apply DRM on the game itself - only the installation. (*The publisher may add more DRM of their own; but this is true for just about any download service publishing new games.) But for ME1 specifically, I would recommend buying it through Steam. It is the only place I know of that does not include the SecuROM on-line activation system that has lifetime limits you have to worry about when changing machines.



Steam defaults to making you be on-line to play, but you can set the Steam client to Off-Line mode and you will not need to be on-line anymore. (Still have to run the Steam client itself, but it won't require internet access.) Steam does not impose activation limits, you can download it as many times as you want. (Just be aware that it will not allow you to be on-line with more than one computer at a time, i.e. sharing with others is not encouraged. Fine for most people, but occasionally someone buys in to Steam without realizing that.)



As far as BDTS activation goes, any ME key should work. I only have personal experience with Steam, but I have yet to see complaints about any service's keys not working. Be warned though: BDTS uses the same SecuROM activation all the non-Steam versions of ME1 use. And unlike the main game, EA's deauthorization tool that is supposed to let you get activations back does not work. So even with Steam, BDTS will hook you into the same ill-conceived system you were avoiding. (In light of that, just about any download service would really be fine if you're going to install BDTS...)

[Slayer299]

BDtS won't recognize the ME1 key. It lets you enter it and then tells you its invalid and to enter the BDtS serial key.



Trust me on this, I know from having gone through it...

[chessplayer209]

[quote]jkthunder wrote...
 I already got ME2 for PC on disc, and it looks like I missed the boat for getting the original game on disc since it's nowhere to be found really. That's probably a good thing since I've heard all about the nagging install limit they had, with a more recent workaround for it. It looks like a digital download will be the route I have to take, and I'm wondering what the best source for that would be.[/quote]

Mass Effect 1 doesn't have SecuROM in it.  To the best of my knowledge, obtaining the game through Steam is the only way to avoid the SecuROM in Mass Effect 1 legally. I strongly recommend Steam.

[quote]I've heard a lot about Steam, and I know it's a well established company now. The intermittent hacking issues aren't what deter me from that though - it's the fact (I think!) that you have to be online all the time to play games from Steam. Correct me if I'm wrong.[quote]

You're wrong.  Steam has an offline mode. Unless the specific game you purchased through Steam requires you to be online to play it, you won't need to be online all the time. Just set Steam to offline mode and then you can play your games offline. This is a non-issue.

[Slayer299]

If ME1 doesn't have SecuROM in it, why not download it from EA? Or do you just mean ME1 from Steam?

[Kloreep]

I'm pretty sure chessplayer209 meant to say either "Mass Effect 1 does have SecuROM in it" or "Mass Effect 2 doesn't have SecuROM in it."

[skyhawk21]

I a big fan of direct 2 drive, I have had zero problems with the service and the games download at around 1.5-2MB per second.

[jakenou]

Hmmm... I got a coupon for 25% off at the EA store, and there really isn't anything else there I'm interested in. Does anyone have any reason why I shouldn't buy ME1 from there (digital download)? - I mean, besides "sticking it to the man" of course

Modifié par jkthunder, 15 avril 2010 - 11:03 .

[Slayer299]

None that I can think of myself. Is that from EA for your birthday? I got one for 25% off from EA back in December and I bought ME 1 and pre-ordered ME 2 CE, for both games it wound up only costing me $49

[jakenou]

Yeah, it's the birthday thing. Did you get ME1 as a digital download or did you catch it when it was still available on disc?

[Kloreep]

Last I heard the EA Store will only let you re-download for a set period of time, after which you're on your own. Also, see above regarding the limited activation system being present on almost all versions of ME1, and the Steam version (the one exception to the SecuROM system) therefore being my preference.



If those shop & DRM policies don't bother you, the game itself should certainly be just as good on the EA store as anywhere else.

[Pixell Jones]

I bought ME 1 off ebay for $20 or so including shipping, for a sealed copy. Using the key from it, and the link from here, I'm DLing the content right now. Thanks.

[Slayer299]

I got ME as the digital download, I'd have preferred to get the physical copy.

[praetor_alpha]

Got both ME1 and 2 from Steam.

I was about to go ballistic on someone when trying to get BDTS to work. had to enter my key on a page a few times, register with both EA and Bioware... After I finally did get it, I thought it was a bit too many hoops to go through.

ME2 DLC went a bit better, but Cerberus network was down for the first day. My opinion at the time was "The game's right there. F the dlc, I'm going play ME2."

(off topic) "Digital" download? You mean there's more than one kind of download? Can I get that in analog?

Modifié par praetor_alpha, 18 avril 2010 - 04:30 .

[jakenou]

I'll be going for the deal on the EA store then. No reason not to. The Secure Rom stuff doesn't bother me. BDTS might be a beech, but at least I'm prepared for it.

"Digital" download? You mean there's more than one kind of download? Can
I get that in analog?

LOL, yeah. You just need a tin can with a string that has BioWare at the other end with another tin can:P

Really, I can't help calling it that since that's what it's called wherever you download it from. Redundant, I know.

Modifié par jkthunder, 19 avril 2010 - 01:37 .