16 réponses à ce sujet

[GODzilla]

A friend of mine had a problem with his internet connection over the last two days. Because of bad weather and technical problems he was disconnected from the internet, thus also disconnected from his Bioware Social account.

He had already purchased and redeemed all the DLCs that were included with his Collectors Edition and bought the additional DLC Wardens Keep, but he was forced to pause playing over the last two days...and I guess you all know why:

YOU HAVE TO ALWAYS BE ONLINE in order to use your DLCs within your game. Though you're always free to start a new game when you're offline (without the DLCs of course), you cannot continue a running game that has been started with the DLCs being active.

I not only demand that these DLCs also work offline because this is an offline singleplayer RPG that I have bought, not borrowed, but there is also NO, I repease NO notice at the back of the DVD-case / CE package that you need to be permanently connected to your Bioware Social account in order to play the game.

It only notes: "Access to online features and / or services requires an EA online account." But how would a possible buyer of the game know that the DLCs are actually "online features"? There is no hint about that on the package. This comes very close to a false statement, or to put it simple, a lie!




/edit:

OMG, what have I done? -.-


READ: The DLCs do work when youre not online and start the game. I was indeed wrong in my initial statement.


When you start the game with no active internet connection, the game WONT check if the DLCs are autorhized within your online account. In this case they STAY authorized, IF they were authorized before. So that means you have to online only once, to authorize your DLCs, then you can stay offline if you like.

The only issue in question is why the DLCs have to be re-authroized every time you start the game with an active internet connection, because that doesn't make much sense. Plus this "feature" offers the rare possibility to render your DLCs unauthorized for a longer time, see my desciption in a post above.

Modifié par GODzilla_GSPB, 09 novembre 2009 - 08:38 .

[Nagirdnul]

I agree with you in a more moderate way, I believe that having to be connected is fairly odd, since there are some situations where an internet connection is not possible. I don't think that your argument about what's on the back of the box will hold up though, they can probably simply argue that the DLC is not technically part of the program being advertised on the package. I haven't read the TOS regarding DLC but there's probably a loophole in there. Not saying that's a bad thing for the company, I'd do the same, but it is a little dissapointing.



I used to be a manager for Best Buy Canada customer service, I'm more than used to loopholes and conditions that no one reads that protect the company. I can't even count the amount of times I had to argue that a replacement bulb for a big screen is not covered by an extended warranty (it's a "consumable", clearly stated and defined in paragraph 3)

[ChandlerL]

hmm, not true Godzilla. Once you have been authorized you can play with DLC offline.

Now with that said re-authorization may be required from time to time but apparently not all the time but I don't know if that's true.

What I do know is I tested out your friend's claim to make sure-- disconnected myself from the internet, loaded up DAO. Loaded up my DLC filled save game-- played for a while, no issue-- everything seems to be in order and I have access to all my DLC. Then I exited, restarted DAO. Created a new character, got in game, saw that I had my DLC quest along with items such as Blood Dragon Armor, Grimoire, and Luck Ring. Lookin good.

Exited that, loaded a 2nd playthrough character that was at camp and hadn't begun Warden's Keep yet. Talked to Levy, quest began fine and map marker was placed on map. Looks good.

Reconnected back to internet to type this message.

Cheers

Modifié par ChandlerL, 09 novembre 2009 - 05:32 .

[Hety]

You dont, actually. There are few posts on forums (usually not-so-legit forums) where ppl discuss enabling DLC's for cracked game. You dont have to crack the game, but you can enable the workaround and disable it right when connection is up and running again.

[Ormeriel]

Well, I have the issue that my DLC ONLY work offline, as soon as I log in it doesn't work, even though everything is redeemed correctly on my bioware account.



I got the steam version btw.



Crazy...

[craneo99]

Happens to me the xbox 360

[GODzilla]

ChandlerL wrote...

hmm, not true Godzilla. Once you have been authorized you can play with DLC offline.

[..]

Cheers

I admit, you're right. I just tested it myself. So the problem with the DLCs of my friend seem to be of other nature. I guess I'll send him the link to the "DLC Unofficial Troubleshooting" topic then.


BUT, there is a way to deliberately or accidentically break the DLCs, thus rendering them useless for a long time should your internet connection fail after the following procedure:

1.) Sometimes when you start your game it takes a while until the game recognizes your account, so for at least 10 to 20 seconds your DLCs are acknowledged "unauthorized"

2.) If you happen to exit the game at this point, your DLCs will STAY unauthorized until your next account login.

3.) Now when you get into the situation of your internet not working before you can successfully login and give the DLCs enough time to become authorized again, you're effectively stuck.

I agree that this procedure is a rather a complex construct of chances and wont happen that often. Granted.

But why does the game ALWAYS re-check if your already authorized DLCs are still authorized? Is there any reason for this? I'd rather stay offline then, to ensure my authorized DLCs will work in any given situation. And I also recommend this for all players: Stay offline once your DLCs are authorized!

Of course this will totally break the aim of the Social Community, no more uploaded character stats, screenshots and so on. But I feel Bioware leaves me no choice. <_<

[Ormeriel]

Oh, so it takes 20 min to authorize them again? Even though they are already authorized...



Is that why if I stay offline they work, but if I log on they doesn't work anymore, because it is trying to reauthorize and takes a lot of time ?

[ChandlerL]

No, it acquires reauthorization if it loses that authorization whether by timer or corruption.



In regards to what you mentioned, nothing is broken. It's working as intended. You cannot play DLC content until it has been authorized. You obtained the DLC via download-- stands to reason that you'd possess the Internet connection to get it authorized. Once it's authorized you can pay offline.



In regards to re-auth it was likely created due to piracy concerns (passing along an authorized DLC) but this isn't the forum for that discussion.

[JamesX]

I am playing the Steam Version (So it is legit) and if I click "Resume" game too quickly (I guess before I am logged on sucessfully) it gives me the warning that I need to be logged in to load the game because of the DLC.



It is very annoying and I can foresee possible problems if I lost internet connection.



If that is not functioning as intended... is there a fix for this?

[Codornao]

I noticed that today too JamesX (Steam deluxe edition here), its an absurd, it is a single player game for god sake, i always spend ~1 month in the end of the year/begining of new year in a small city where i don't have internet, looks like i won't be able to play a game i paid for

[GODzilla]

JamesX wrote...

I am playing the Steam Version (So it is legit) and if I click "Resume" game too quickly (I guess before I am logged on sucessfully) it gives me the warning that I need to be logged in to load the game because of the DLC.

It is very annoying and I can foresee possible problems if I lost internet connection.

If that is not functioning as intended... is there a fix for this?

On the one hand is has already proven that, when you start the game when you're already offline, the DLCs DO WORK. They just don't work in the few seconds the game actually connects to your account and re-authorizes your DLCs. It does this every time it logs into your. However, if it can't log into your account in the first place, the DLCs stay authorized.

I hope you understand this explanation. This whole thing about the DLCs (redeem, authorize, download, one time use codes, bound to the account) is complicated as it is...and the fact, that the game constantly re-authorizes these DLCs t´doesn't help neither. I really wonder what EA / Bioware thought when they made this up. <_<

BTW: Steam itself will render your game useless when you loose your internet connection, or when Steam is overstrained and thus not working. Unless you use the offline feature of course.

[switzki]

ChandlerL wrote...


Once you have been authorized you can play with DLC offline.

So far the Xbox 360 version will not permit me to load my saves if the DA servers are unavailable to re-authorize (some?) DLC when I start a game session. As long as it succeeds, I can play even if the connection is lost mid-session (like last night, when the servers were brought down at 11p). Perhaps I'm missing some magic setting. And please, for the love of Jeebus, don't turn this into PC-vs-console debate #67238756143.


I understand the desire/need to authorize content to curb piracy, I just don't understand why the authorization model is so brittle when it comes to Internet connectivity and server availability. As a paying customer with somewhat restricted play time, it's more than a little annoying to be completely locked out of a single-player offline game just because the DA servers happen to be unavailable during the window of time I have set aside to play. It occurs to me that I would be able to enjoy the game more consistently if I hadn't bothered to download any extra content, which is probably not the customer experience BioWare/EA is shooting for.

[cinco312]

Great, so I won't be able to play on the 360 if my internet goes out? I'm getting the tail end of Hurricane Ida, so I'm sure my internet will go out.

[switzki]

cinco312 wrote...

Great, so I won't be able to play on the 360 if my internet goes out?

That depends on your DLC, I guess. It looks like some content can be used offline but not others. Every time I try to play the game when the DA servers are unavailable, it complains about specific bonus items my character is wearing and some DLC (but not all) disappears from the list. Once a connection to the DA servers succeeds, all DLC reappears.

[GODzilla]

OMG, what have I done? -.-


READ: The DLCs do work when youre not online and start the game. I was indeed wrong in my initial statement.


When you start the game with no active internet connection, the game WONT check if the DLCs are authorized within your online account. In this case they STAY authorized, IF they were authorized before. So that means you have to be online only for the first time, to authorize your DLCs, then you can stay offline if you like.

The only issue in question is why the DLCs have to be re-authroized every time you start the game with an active internet connection, because that doesn't make much sense. Plus this "feature" offers the rare possibility to render your DLCs unauthorized for a longer time, see my desciption in a post above.

Modifié par GODzilla_GSPB, 09 novembre 2009 - 08:31 .

[mensan1970]

Bottom line for me:



I want to authorize it once and then not have to worry about it again. I have seen this unauthorized message several times (always cleared up) but I didn't see a pattern.