104 réponses à ce sujet

[Bathead]

B3taMaxxx wrote...

Bathead wrote...

I am still highly doubtful anyone was not able to play the game or acces DLC that was already paid for and downloaded.We all have the opton in the main menu to select whether or not we play online or not, and any DLC I already have is not disabled when I do that. You do NOT need acces to your online EA acount to play the game.

 But the free content that wasn't downloaded will not show up if you're not connected, correct?

Only if the person was banned BEFORE he connected the first time he played.  If you've played even just a little bit online the first time, all the DLC you're entitled to will have been downloaded and will be available, even if you never connect again. I'm not even really certain you need an EA account at all. The only thing you can't do is to get new DLC. And to  avoid all that hassle, all you have to do is not be a jerk and follow the forum rules.

[B3taMaxxx]

Yes, well, your last staement seems to be rather difficult for many. Thanks for the explanation though (on the dlc).

Modifié par B3taMaxxx, 21 mars 2011 - 05:58 .

[Lux]

Bathead wrote...

I'm not even really certain you need an EA account at all.

From the final DRM thread, for PC/Mac versions (except Steam):
After
each new install there is a 1-time online check needed the next time
you play, requiring a log in to your EA account to verify game
ownership.  If you are a member of these forums, you already have an EA
account – just use the same email/password.[/list]

[Bathead]

And furthermore, it goes on to say:

You can play offline thereafter - the game will NOT require any subsequent login checks.  If online, a game ownership check happens each time you play.
So, yes,  you do need an EA account, but only for the initial install. After that, you don't. So, in other words if  you are subsequently banned after that you can still play the game and use any DLC you've already bought.

Modifié par Bathead, 21 mars 2011 - 06:17 .

[TheBrownDragon]

Bathead wrote...

B3taMaxxx wrote...

Bathead wrote...

I am still highly doubtful anyone was not able to play the game or acces DLC that was already paid for and downloaded.We all have the opton in the main menu to select whether or not we play online or not, and any DLC I already have is not disabled when I do that. You do NOT need acces to your online EA acount to play the game.

 But the free content that wasn't downloaded will not show up if you're not connected, correct?

Only if the person was banned BEFORE he connected the first time he played.  If you've played even just a little bit online the first time, all the DLC you're entitled to will have been downloaded and will be available, even if you never connect again. I'm not even really certain you need an EA account at all. The only thing you can't do is to get new DLC. And to  avoid all that hassle, all you have to do is not be a jerk and follow the forum rules.

That's fine if the game's actually already installed and is never uninstalled.

But unless I'm mistaken, if you want to install the game on another computer or reinstall the game in a year's time, or if you reinstall Windows, or want to install it on a laptop when you're going to be away from home for a while, you cannot activate the game or DLC because they've already been activated to another account.

The DLC is definitely linked to the Bioware forum account. My guess is that the game is too.

If somebody wanted to test the theory they could make a new Bioware forum account with a different email address and then reinstall the game attempting to use the new Bioware/EA account and see if it works. I'd expect the game would tell you that game is already authorised to a different user and would not let you play it.

DISCLAIMER: I don't suggest anybody try this because having 2 accounts is also against the Terms of Service and can get you banned from the game at EA's sole discretion.

[Bathead]

TheBrownDragon wrote...

Bathead wrote...

B3taMaxxx wrote...

Bathead wrote...

I am still highly doubtful anyone was not able to play the game or acces DLC that was already paid for and downloaded.We all have the opton in the main menu to select whether or not we play online or not, and any DLC I already have is not disabled when I do that. You do NOT need acces to your online EA acount to play the game.

 But the free content that wasn't downloaded will not show up if you're not connected, correct?

Only if the person was banned BEFORE he connected the first time he played.  If you've played even just a little bit online the first time, all the DLC you're entitled to will have been downloaded and will be available, even if you never connect again. I'm not even really certain you need an EA account at all. The only thing you can't do is to get new DLC. And to  avoid all that hassle, all you have to do is not be a jerk and follow the forum rules.

That's fine if the game's actually already installed and is never uninstalled.

But unless I'm mistaken, if you want to install the game on another computer or reinstall the game in a year's time, or if you reinstall Windows, or want to install it on a laptop when you're going to be away from home for a while, you cannot activate the game or DLC because they've already been activated to another account.

The DLC is definitely linked to the Bioware forum account. My guess is that the game is too.

If somebody wanted to test the theory they could make a new Bioware forum account with a different email address and then reinstall the game attempting to use the new Bioware/EA account and see if it works. I'd expect the game would tell you that game is already authorised to a different user and would not let you play it.

DISCLAIMER: I don't suggest anybody try this because having 2 accounts is also against the Terms of Service and can get you banned from the game at EA's sole discretion.

Yes, that is true, but you can still play offline and use any DLC you've already bought and installed, you do not have be hooked up to your account to play.

[TheBrownDragon]

Bathead wrote...

Yes, that is true, but you can still play offline and use any DLC you've already bought and installed, you do not have be hooked up to your account to play.

Agreed, but that to me is an unacceptable practice.

There is only one acceptable reason to limit a person's play of a single player game. And that is, if the game wasn't paid for.

Until recently, I thought requirements such as "Must log in to an EA account" were solely brought in as an effort to curb piracy, and I put up with such requirements because I believe piracy is harming the industry and should be stamped out as much as possible, while balancing that with not unduly inconveniencing your paying customers.

In these cases, EA are (by glitch or design?) undermining the Customer/Company relationship, just like software pirates do.

It's normally very simple...

Customer pays the company for the product. Company gives product to the customer with the implication that they will be able to use the product for its full intended purpose. If the product is not fit for its purpose, a refund or repair (patch) is usually required by law.

Pirates use the product, but don't pay the company for it.

In this case, the company is taking the money, but are removing the ability of the customer to use the product fully.

Both are wrong, and I would like to see both practices disappear.

I cannot influence the pirates apart from asking them to stop (that'll work ) but I can (slightly) influence EA by expressing my disappointment on these forums, by telling them directly, and/or by not buying their products until they change their practices.

[Lux]

Bathead wrote...

After that, you don't. So, in other words if  you are subsequently banned after that you can still play the game and use any DLC you've already bought.

That'll work until you need to install the game again.

I wonder what happens to the serial numbers registered to a permanently banned account? Will it just be the hassle to unregister and create a new EA master account (using a different email), or would the games be lost as well as the DLCs?

[forestmaiden86]

Ruze74 wrote...

I can understand this on a MMO but a single player game?? Hopefully all the negative press EA gets from this makes them reconsider some of their draconian practices.

Personally I dont really feel sorry for them, if they were being constently rude to people and they had sufficiant warnings then its is their own fault and they need to live with the consequences of their actions. But thats my opinion, I hope they dont change its a way of protecting the rest us and enjoy our rights to speak an opninion politely without being abused for it.

[WanderingIdler]

TheBrownDragon wrote...

Bathead wrote...

Only if the person was banned BEFORE he connected the first time he played.  If you've played even just a little bit online the first time, all the DLC you're entitled to will have been downloaded and will be available...

That's fine if the game's actually already installed and is never uninstalled...

Also bear in mind that a "significant" hardware change will probably trigger re-activation (and block you if your account has been terminated). All online activation systems include a hardware check (see this article on Windows Product Activation for an example) every time the program is run, in order to prevent someone from activating a game and then copying it to multiple PCs, or uploading it to a file-sharing site. It may require something major like a new motherboard but could also be quite minor like a RAM upgrade or disk repartition - EA/SecuROM have not provided specific details on this.

A number of posters seem to think they may have recourse to the courts on this - in the United States this is very unlikely given the recent Vernor v Autodesk judgement that ruled in favour of an EULA restriction.

However the only reason that companies like EA/Bioware have this type of power is because we consumers give it to them. EA first announced their policy on forum bans (and subsequent program locks) back in 2008 with Spore so this shouldn't be news to anyone.

If you think your rights as a consumer (and gamer) are important then you need to stand up for them and boycott any products that tie you to a company's EULA (which includes any online activation system from the likes of EA, Ubisoft, Valve, Stardock or GamersGate). There are other companies offering downloads without such strings attached (Good Old Games, GamersFront and many of the independents listed in ShowMeTheGames) who deserve customer support far more.

For the record, I bought and registered DA:O but haven't accessed any of the DLC and am boycotting DA2 over this (as I have boycotted ME1 and 2 along with previous EA titles like Spore and Crysis Warhead). So the mods here can wave their banhammer all they like in my direction without causing me any financial pain.

So c'mon Stanley Woo, Wave your Wondrous Wazoo of Wabbit Whacking With Weal Wesolution and take this chance to show the World your sense-of-humour deficit again... 

Modifié par WanderingIdler, 21 mars 2011 - 07:45 .

[Myounage]

Right, up until EA started banning other people from their EA accounts. That being said, I am done buying EA games .... again.

Modifié par Myounage, 21 mars 2011 - 08:40 .

[Fernando Melo]

As mentioned in a previous thread, the fact that a banned account would not allow you a player to register, install or play an offline game was not intended, and a surprise to us.  The system is there to keep someone who has a track record of breaking the rules of conduct from continuing to use game or web online features and being a nuissance to other players.

Since the first incident came up where we saw this, I have heard that both the EADM client (when you buy from EA store) as well as the EA internal DRM we use for DA2 (and was used in DAO non-steam digital) that asks you to login the first time after install, have both been patched server-side by their respective teams to properly support this now.  So players will no longer be prevented from installing/playing a game, even if the account is banned.

As for the system itself, since the first incident we are still working through on making changes to the process and software to prevent this kind of thing from happening by accident.  In the meantime we're doing what we can to bring the non-bioware website moderators up to speed on the change - sadly, too late in this specific case, but we'll definitely get there.

F.

Modifié par Fernando Melo, 21 mars 2011 - 09:14 .

[Lux]

Thanks for the information, Fernando.

Hopefully that will be one less thing to worry about in the future.

[Bathead]

Sounds fair enough.

[TheBrownDragon]

Thanks Fernando.

Good to see the problem's finally fixed.

I'll now happily install and play my Signature Edition of Dragon Age II tonight.

[Pious_Augustus]

Fernando Melo wrote...

As mentioned in a previous thread, the fact that a banned account would not allow you a player to register, install or play an offline game was not intended, and a surprise to us.  The system is there to keep someone who has a track record of breaking the rules of conduct from continuing to use game or web online features and being a nuissance to other players.

Since the first incident came up where we saw this, I have heard that both the EADM client (when you buy from EA store) as well as the EA internal DRM we use for DA2 (and was used in DAO non-steam digital) that asks you to login the first time after install, have both been patched server-side by their respective teams to properly support this now.  So players will no longer be prevented from installing/playing a game, even if the account is banned.

As for the system itself, since the first incident we are still working through on making changes to the process and software to prevent this kind of thing from happening by accident.  In the meantime we're doing what we can to bring the non-bioware website moderators up to speed on the change - sadly, too late in this specific case, but we'll definitely get there.

F.

I think this is fair enough

[skavenhorde]

Fernando Melo wrote...

The system is there to keep someone who has a track record of breaking the rules of conduct from continuing to use game or web online features and being a nuissance to other players.

I hope I'm reading this wrong, but even if I am this "mistake" Bioware has made is too draconian for my liking. Game online features includes downloading of DLC that have bought and paid for, I'm assuming? 

First, it's a single player game. How in the world could someone be a nuisance to other players in which there are no "other" players? So what if someone is a jerk here. That should in no way impede their ability to play any game they purchased from your company.

Second, you could stop me from playing your game because I broke some "rule of conduct"? Excuse me, but this is ridiculous. I've been playing rpgs since the C64 days and never thought that companies would go this far. I understand the need to protect yourself from pirates, but by punishing your paying customers with some veiled threat that if you don't behave then you can't play is beyond ridiculous. Especially since this is a stupid single player game.

This may have all been some misunderstanding, but the fact of the matter is that Bioware is associating too much of its games with this "social" network. I want no part of that. I would like my single player games to be as far away from the internet as possible.

I've been a huge Bioware/Black Isle fan for a long long time. I've bought every single title that has ever been made by your company, but I doubt that will continue. I do not like the direction the games are headed in and I certainly do not like the direction you are taking with your customers. Thank you for the previous games. They were great.

[Bathead]

It sounds like you are seriously misinterpreting what he said.

Modifié par Bathead, 22 mars 2011 - 04:07 .

[Shirosaki17]

Thanks for the reply Fernando, but I have to ask what will be done with accounts to single player games that for example have dlc, and their forum accounts are banned? So for instance what if someone's account is banned from the forums but they still want to purchase dlc and play their game, or they bought a game with dlc like the DA 2 SE. Will they still be able to activate it on that account or get a new or what?

[skavenhorde]

Bathead wrote...

It sounds like you are seriously misinterpreting what he said.

Then point out what code of conduct I would have to break in order to be banned from using the game? Ever try reading that EULA? Wasn't that a fun experience trying to figure out exactly what you are agreeing to?

We have gone from having codewheels, looking up words in paragraphs or having a cd dongle key to this. A veiled threat that if you don't behave you'll have the game you bought and paid for taken away. On an MMO I can understand the need for such strong wording, but not for this.

I read an interesting post on the actual legality of EA/Bioware's EULA over at RPGWatch.

I'm no lawyer, but it sure was interesting.

Modifié par skavenhorde, 22 mars 2011 - 04:26 .

[Lux]

The official statement reflects an admission to the problem; that it isn't an active policy to have forum bans interfering with registered games, and that they are actively seeking to fix and prevent this from happening again.

That's good enough for me and as long as they follow through.

It doesn't mean they won't remove access to the game in case of a serious breach in license agreement. I think that's pretty much in place. I'm ok with that since being discovered that you're distributing your copy of the game for free isn't the same thing as removing access to the game because of what you post in the forums.

Modifié par Merkar, 22 mars 2011 - 04:49 .

[TheBrownDragon]

Shirosaki17 wrote...

Thanks for the reply Fernando, but I have to ask what will be done with accounts to single player games that for example have dlc, and their forum accounts are banned? So for instance what if someone's account is banned from the forums but they still want to purchase dlc and play their game, or they bought a game with dlc like the DA 2 SE. Will they still be able to activate it on that account or get a new or what?

I assumed Fernando's response meant you could still get and play DLC as well, seeing as that's a big part of what this thread is about, but you're right, the DLC situation should be clearly confirmed by Bioware considering the conflicting information we were given earlier.

So I'll add my vote for a bit more clarity on DLC from Fernando.

Thanks.

[tez20]

Shirosaki17 wrote...

Thanks for the reply Fernando, but I have to ask what will be done with accounts to single player games that for example have dlc, and their forum accounts are banned? So for instance what if someone's account is banned from the forums but they still want to purchase dlc and play their game, or they bought a game with dlc like the DA 2 SE. Will they still be able to activate it on that account or get a new or what?

THIS.
That is all i want to know, if i can buy the next bit of DA2 DLC and play it without an EA account as mine has been terminated then that is fine.
I play on the Xbox 360 btw.
Thanks for the reply Fernando.

[acewings]

I was directed here from a thread that I made about another issue someone had on the forum. My post:

I was browsing Youtube and came across a blogger by the name of EventStatus. Anyways he did a story of a Bioware user who got banned both ingame and on the forums for a forum post.

http://social.biowar...index/6459941/1

I just wanted to say that that's just completely wrong. Even though what he said was "trolling", you can't just ban him from activating his Dragon Age 2 codes. Let's be honest: you did it for REVENGE. Are you really that insecure or immature that you can't take a minor insult of "You sold your soul to EA" (which is barely trolling, mind you)? Fine, he even admitted that he should have been banned from the forums. There's a second thing that I wanted to point out:

A person that has NEVER picked up a video game before wouldn't know the difference between EA or Bioware. The hotlink at the top of the page has Bioware in it, NOT EA. That's a bit like Blizzard and Activision, and it's really misleading. Also, I wasn't aware that I signed an "EA" ToS to use this site, I thought I signed a "Bioware" forums ToS. Even I as a gamer didn't know that EA and Bioware were the same company.

I feel like I as a fellow gamer need to intervene a little. He paid real money for that game, it's unfair to him to not let him access the features that he paid for. Just my thoughts, I hope you take the time to read this, and give the dude some justice. Thanks.