164 réponses à ce sujet

[R34P3RR3D33M3R]

Hi there.
I've just recently heard about this Release Control system that will apparently be used for Dragon Age 2. Since I assume that most of you are living in America, many of you probably won't care much about this.

The following is a quote taken from Chris Priestly's Post in the "Dragon Age 2 Final DRM and FAQ" thread;

Dragon Age 2 Release Control (non-Steam versions)
Does not use securom.
It does not install anything to the PC.
Sole purpose is to check with a server to validate whether the game release date has passed or not.
It completely removes itself after the game release date has passed.
You will not be able to play until that date has passed.
Dates & times are set to the retail street date per country.

[/list]The reason I have a problem with this, is that I live in Europe. As you may know, the "official" release date for Europe is on the 11th, not the 8th as it is in America.
My legally purchased copy of Dragon Age 2 will likely arrive on the 8th, yet this Release Control system would keep me from playing the game I'll be holding in my hands, for the simple reason that I don't live in America.

I don't mind the Release Control in itself; I would be fine if there was a Release Control until the 8th, but it should be the same date globally. I paid more money's worth than Americans have to pay for their games, because unfortunately for me, games are generally a bit more expensive around here - yet I wouldn't be able to play it on the same day, and that just doesn't feel right. It's no fun to purchase a game through legal means, and then feel treated like a second-class customer. I can't see what purpose this difference in Release Control dates is supposed to serve.


So, what I am asking is this; Please reconsider the Release Control timeframe. Make it the 8th globally, don't lock Europeans who legally purchased Dragon Age 2 out of the game for 3 days just because they don't live in America. I've been a BioWare fan for years now, and I will continue to be a fan no matter how this goes, but this whole "wait 3 days more just because you're European" thing really bothers me, it feels very unfair.

[kane442]

im not 100% sure but i belive that it is that way for legal reasons so i doubt it can be changed....but good luck anyways

[R34P3RR3D33M3R]

kane442 wrote...

im not 100% sure but i belive that it is that way for legal reasons so i doubt it can be changed....but good luck anyways

Thanks for wishing me / Europe luck.

Yes, it's probably for "legal" reasons, I don't know the details. Anyway, when people purchase the same game, they should be able to play it starting at the same day, that's what fairness dictates in my books. If there are strange "legal" issues preventing this, then it's time to change something.

Anyway, if someone does know exactly WHY this is happening, I'd kindly ask them to please try and enlighten me. Personally, I can't see a single good reason as to why Europe should be kept out of DA2 for 3 days.

If it was just a case of not being able to get my hands on the game before a certain date, it would suck, but it would be understandable. Going through the lengths of setting up some online "security" measure to enforce this seemingly pointless 3 day difference is just a slap in the face of every legal customer outside of America. I doubt people who get their game through illegal means for free will have a problem with this at all.


So, again; if someone knows good reasons for why it is, and should stay like this, please let me know.

Otherwise, if you feel that it's unfair too, I'd kindly ask you to state it here. Any form of support is appreciated - even if it's just a simple "I feel sorry for Europeans. They should be allowed to play the game on the same day as us." 

[Sarielle]

It's because games release Tuesdays in the states, and Fridays in Europe. This makes less sense in the digital realm. but then they'd be screwing over the Europeans who bought the box vs. those who did digital purchases.

[R34P3RR3D33M3R]

Sarielle wrote...

It's because games release Tuesdays in the states, and Fridays in Europe. This makes less sense in the digital realm. but then they'd be screwing over the Europeans who bought the box vs. those who did digital purchases.

I am aware of the common "Tuesday - Friday" difference, it's not like that with all games though, and I don't see a reason for it either. Especially not when the game's already available here (in Austria). I *did* purchase the box, and it *will* arrive on the 8th, most likely. This online Release Control thing doesn't even things out in Europe, it just puts Europe 3 days behind America for apparently no good reason.

It's very common that games are already in stores, days before the release. And I just find it pointless to have different release dates for America and Europe to begin with.

Thank you very much for your input, though. In this case, the boxes are already here, so it wouldn't be unfair towards the box-buyers in comparison to the digital-downloaders, but in some other cases, it possibly might.

[Ser Mix-a-lot]

Amazon set the delivery date to March 9th or 10th but I hope I get it one the 11th.
Having the the copy but being unable to play it is even worse than waiting for the game to arrive.

[R34P3RR3D33M3R]

Ser Mix-a-lot wrote...

Amazon set the delivery date to March 9th or 10th but I hope I get it one the 11th.
Having the the copy but being unable to play it is even worse than waiting for the game to arrive.

True enough. That's why I'm so disappointed they go out of their way to set up an online date verification system just to keep legal customers from playing, simply based on where we live.

If it was an infrastructure problem, that's one thing. Purposefully keeping us out is much, much worse.

[Chuvvy]

Ser Mix-a-lot wrote...

Amazon set the delivery date to March 9th or 10th but I hope I get it one the 11th.
Having the the copy but being unable to play it is even worse than waiting for the game to arrive.

"Hey man check out this sweet awesome thing! Woah it's both sweet and awesome! Too bad you can't play it for another three days." Yeah, that'd suck.

[Yojimboo]

I had the same problem with Borderlands, got the game 4 days before street date and i stood before the damn pc and was dumbfounded.

[Mr. Gerbz]

EA Always does this, and the reason of "it always get released on Friday in Europe" is pathetic. It only promotes a lot of shops selling it earlier anyway.

[R34P3RR3D33M3R]

Yojimboo wrote...

I had the same problem with Borderlands, got the game 4 days before street date and i stood before the damn pc and was dumbfounded.

It happened to me before with Mafia 2 and the Steam activation. I never liked Steam much to begin with, but rendering me unable to play a game I legally purchased for days just because I live in Europe... I can say I loathe Steam with a fiery passion nowadays. And I don't want to start disliking BioWare/EA.

[R34P3RR3D33M3R]

Mr. Gerbz wrote...

EA Always does this, and the reason of "it always get released on Friday in Europe" is pathetic. It only promotes a lot of shops selling it earlier anyway.

I agree. Not to mention that it unfortunately also promotes "piracy".

[wolvklawz]

But what about the Residents who don't have the digital version?  So they can wait until the 11th while you play now?  That would be like here in the US the digital copies start playing today, while the rest of us wait unil Tuesday.  Not only are there legal issues, but there is also that fairness that must exist.  With the exception being those who break console street date.

Modifié par wolvklawz, 05 mars 2011 - 03:18 .

[R34P3RR3D33M3R]

wolvklawz wrote...

But what about the Residents who don't have the digital version?  So they can wait until the 11th while you play now?  That would be like here in the US the digital copies start playing today, while the rest of us wait unil Tuesday.  Not only are there legal issues, but there is also that fairness that must exist.  With the exception being those who break console street date.

Please actually read the thread before posting.

I will be getting the BOX on the 8th. NOT the digital version. The infrastructure is fine, the boxes are here. Releasing it on the 8th is possible without disadvantaging box-buyers in comparison to digital-downloaders.

[Sinvx]

Move to Russia, they get it on the 8th.

[Epic Legion]

I never understood why EA does that. Valve never did something awful like this for example. Even bad and evil Activision released Black Ops normally.

[Khayness]

My problem that the FAQ stated that the "Dates & times are set to the retail street date per country", which is untrue. Unless Europe is a country.

If you manage to ship the products earlier, then why not set the release control according to that?

And to the OP, we are actually second-class customers, don't think otherwise.

[heretica]

R34P3RR3D33M3R wrote...

Yojimboo wrote...

I had the same problem with Borderlands, got the game 4 days before street date and i stood before the damn pc and was dumbfounded.

It happened to me before with Mafia 2 and the Steam activation. I never liked Steam much to begin with, but rendering me unable to play a game I legally purchased for days just because I live in Europe... I can say I loathe Steam with a fiery passion nowadays. And I don't want to start disliking BioWare/EA.

... no comment...


Mafia 2 isn't a steam game.
It was just distributed by Steam.
Steam's publishing team is Valve.
So anything by Valve is an official steam game.

In this case, if you have any problem with release dates for DA2, I think you should blame EA for it. Since they are the ones publishing BioWare games.

[Maconbar]

I am guessing that this is done to placate the brick and mortar stores. For example, I was able to download the game yesterday. If I were able to play it now rather than waiting until the 8th, that would give the electronic seller a huge competitive advantage over the brick and mortar stores.

[Maike91]

You live in Austria right? So the game will be unlocked on the 10th

Chris Priestly wrote...

Unlocking is based on the official game release date for the region you live in. The PC versions, both digital and retail, will unlock beginning at the following times:

Western Europe – 0000h on March 10th

So thats only 2 days waiting but yeah I would rather get the game on the 8th, too.

[Zippy72]

Waiting three extra days is really that onerous for you? I suppose it must be otherwise you wouldn't have posted. I'm in the same boat although I know that's little consolation.

Maybe someone from bioware/EA could explain why we have a staggered release?

[R34P3RR3D33M3R]

Catt128 wrote...
... no comment...


Mafia 2 isn't a steam game.
It was just distributed by Steam.
Steam's publishing team is Valve.
So anything by Valve is an official steam game.

In this case, if you have any problem with release dates for DA2, I think you should blame EA for it. Since they are the ones publishing BioWare games.

I know Mafia 2 wasn't a Steam game. It required to be activated with a Steam account however, even though I purchased the box and never wanted to have anything to do with Steam. And then there was the Release Control lock, which I obviously hated. As I said I already disliked Steam before that point, and this occurance obviously wouldn't make me like it any more.



It doesn't really matter to me whether BioWare or EA are to blame; I'm not here to accuse or call names, what I want is whoever's responsible to reconsider this Release Control thing and allow Europeans to play on the same day as Americans.

[R34P3RR3D33M3R]

Zippy72 wrote...

Waiting three extra days is really that onerous for you? I suppose it must be otherwise you wouldn't have posted. I'm in the same boat although I know that's little consolation.

Maybe someone from bioware/EA could explain why we have a staggered release?

It's not so much about the three days, it's more about feeling treated unfairly. With apparently no good reason. The boxes are already here, several people already paid, so why not let them play on the same day as the people who paid and live in America?

Sometimes, it takes a while longer for games to become available in Europe due to infrastructure, shipping issues, and that's a different thing. While also keeping us from playing on the same day, that problem can't be helped.

An artificial lock-out like the online Release Control however, feels like a pointless slap in the face of every honest customer in Europe, when the boxes are already here and ready to be distributed, but the American Release Control is finished 3 days earlier. (Or "2" days, as a previous poster pointed out for me, thanks for that by the way!)


To repeat, this isn't just about the "3 days"  - it's about Europeans generally getting the short end of the deal - which is now being additionally enforced by online Release Control measures, instead of mostly depending on infrastructure issues.

[Phoenixblight]

R34P3RR3D33M3R wrote...

Catt128 wrote...
... no comment...


Mafia 2 isn't a steam game.
It was just distributed by Steam.
Steam's publishing team is Valve.
So anything by Valve is an official steam game.

In this case, if you have any problem with release dates for DA2, I think you should blame EA for it. Since they are the ones publishing BioWare games.

I know Mafia 2 wasn't a Steam game. It required to be activated with a Steam account however, even though I purchased the box and never wanted to have anything to do with Steam. And then there was the Release Control lock, which I obviously hated. As I said I already disliked Steam before that point, and this occurance obviously wouldn't make me like it any more.



It doesn't really matter to me whether BioWare or EA are to blame; I'm not here to accuse or call names, what I want is whoever's responsible to reconsider this Release Control thing and allow Europeans to play on the same day as Americans.

Sorry but your complaints will be falling on deaf ears, its the weekend and you aren't the first person to bring this up. Every release people always bring this up and it won't happen they have set the release date and thats what it will be. Play another game, read a book, etc and wait until its released for you. 

[R34P3RR3D33M3R]

Phoenixblight wrote...

Sorry but your complaints will be falling on deaf ears, its the weekend and you aren't the first person to bring this up. Every release people always bring this up and it won't happen they have set the release date and thats what it will be. Play another game, read a book, etc and wait until its released for you. 

I am aware that there's little hope they'll reconsider this for the DA2 release, but hopefully they'll at least handle it differently with the next game release, if enough people voice their disagreement with this procedure.

Online Release Control doesn't seem to serve any reasonable purpose. All it seems to do is punish legal customers who happen to live outside of America. This silly SecuROM Release Control thing is making me regret that I pre-ordered for PC instead of Xbox 360. Perhaps it's making me regret having pre-ordered to begin with.

I hate videogame piracy, but I think this system will encourage many to do it.