Yet ANOTHER Sims 2 EP????? - Page 3

Zirconia Wolf · 05-19-2008, 06:11 AM

I've heard rumors about a supposed class action suit in the works, but nothing I could point to & say "that looks like a fact" yet. (Though it might explain the blatant lack of any help/info about SecuROM on the main Sims 2 site...)

I've been reading posts freaking out about Sims 3 because it (supposedly) contains "the new" version of SecuROM which is described as having the following features:

- You must be connected to the internet when installing & playing the game so SecuROM can "check in" & (at installation) get you an access code to play your game with.
- Whenever you start your game, SecuROM must "check in" again & make sure your access code checks out.
- You must let SecuROM "check in" at least once every 10 days. If not, you will not be allowed to play your game until you uninstall/reinstall it.
- You only get 3 reinstalls. After that, you have to contact EA (?) for assistants & to prove you own a legal copy of your game.

Sound scary? You bet it does...only so far, I haven't been able to find any actual proof to back up any of these claims. One site closed a Sims 3 thread that had started with this warning about "the new" SecuROM because it was determined that the thread "contained information now known to be false".

Thing is, they never said what information was false!! Was is the supposed features of "the new" SecuROM? Was it just some of the features? Or was it merely that Sims 3 won't have "the new" SecuROM, just the same old version we know & loath already?

*sigh*

It would be nice to see less speculation & more information every once in a while!

-ZW

homerette · 05-19-2008, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hokieman

Homerette, is it the same SecurROM as on BV, Teen stuff and FT? For some reason, I've never had any of the reported problems with SecureROM so it doesn't bother me. Of course, I had just done a full reinstall on my 'puter from the OS up then reinstalled all the Sims 2 stuff so my machine was pretty vanilla at the time. Still haven't installed Teen, FT and K&B. Been waiting on Eric to release the new version of Insim.

Whew, what a lot of posts! In answer, it is NOT the same version. The new version is being included on Spore and a couple other new EA games. It is expected to be included on Sims 3, and there are quite a few of us protesting this. Zirconia Wolf explained it better than I, by far. They have dropped the 10 day check in thing though. How magnanimous of them. This site explains a lot more about the new and old version of SecuROM than a non-techie like me can. They put it together expressly to educate those confused by SecuROM and its effects. Basically, several simmer are trying to put together a movement to protest the new version now, because if EA get by now, it will definitely be included on the Sims 3.

All I know is my CD burner stopped working after installing BV, and even after using the removal tool, still doesn't work. Customer service tried to blame it on my incompatible software, and Rose suggested several prgrams for me to try, but nothing works. I have no other reasonable explanation other than SecuROM, especially since I know at least two other people who had the same thing happen in the same week.

Greg · 05-19-2008, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zirconia Wolf

It would be nice to see less speculation & more information every once in a while!

That's just what I was thinking. At this point, we have a few reaonably reliable facts.

User Experience: Two Bits of Anecdotal Evidence

Homerette was running the software that SecuROM is designed to thwart and had difficulty with her CD burner after installing SecuROM.
Hokieman does not have that software installed and has had no difficulty with SecuROM.

Related Human Behavior

We have seen no advisories about SecuROM from Microsoft, Norton, McAfee or any other reliable source regarding malware.
We have seen no evidence of either civil or criminal prosecution of the publishers or distributors of SecuROM.
Although SecuROM has been distributed with hundreds of games, the only great drama about it is within the Sims community.
100% of the hoopla about SecuROM in the Sims community is traceable to a site well-known for fomenting drama, distributing misinformation, and promoting crime.
The claims and speculation about the ill effects of SecuROM are growing increasingly salacious and speculative.

Zirconia Wolf · 05-19-2008, 01:57 PM

Well, actually my sister's experience was hardly "anecdotal"! I was there & saw the whole thing!

She was upstairs, came running downstairs in a fit because she was trying to burn off some of her digital photos (of her cats BTW, not copyrighted stuff) & her burner drive was gone; as in it was nowhere to be found under her computer settings!

Having traced the problem to SecuROM (& a new game she just installed a week prior) she wanted to know what the hell to do, so I sent to the programs I knew about. Bingo bango, her drive "reappeared" & she is now a believer in no CD patches!

So, I guess that people who don't have a CD burner/reader+writer drive & the related software will be fine with SecuROM on their computers. Those of us who do have such drives & software (which we have 101 different legal reasons for using) are screwed however.

Not cool.

So, for me the facts are in on the current SecuROM, at least as far as what I know it would love to do to my PC.

-ZW

Hommerete, thanks for the link! If the new SecuROM really IS what it is described as then holy @#$%!!!!!

Miros1 · 05-19-2008, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greg

Although SecuROM has been distributed with hundreds of games, the only great drama about it is within the Sims community.

Well, I had a hysterical nephew call me on Boxing Day for help getting his new copy of Oblivion working. One launcher bypass later, everything was ducky.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greg

100% of the hoopla about SecuROM in the Sims community is traceable to a site well-known for fomenting drama, distributing misinformation, and promoting crime.

That number is less than 100%. Yakov has instructions on InSim about how to remove SecuROM from your system after an uninstall leaves it behind.

homerette · 05-19-2008, 09:35 PM

Actually, Mass Effect users are already protesting and are largely responsible for the supposed elimination of the 10 day validation rule. I personally didn't learn of the hoopla from the afore-mentioned site, I learned about it from another site not affiliated and further read about it on the official BBS. I've also heard of the problems with Oblivion.

The problem is, that EA tried to blame it on incompatible software, but I know people with exactly the same configuration who've had no trouble with SecuROM. EA released a removal tool, I didn't use a private one or anyone's instructions because I figured things were bad enough.

Regardless of my personal feelings on anyone's philosophy, I've experience the problems and tried to deal with them long before I knew about any hoopla from anyone.

Greg · 05-19-2008, 11:03 PM

ZirconiaWolf, "anecdotal" means it's a single data point reported by just one person. That is, an anecdote. That doesn't mean it's false; it just means that a single data point is not a statistically significant sample.

Rose, OK, 99.99% then.

Homerette, what software did EA say was incompatible?

homerette · 05-20-2008, 04:58 AM

You would have to ask!

My brain has gone blank on me. Unfortunately not a rare occurrence these days. Let me pause and think....Sonic, I believe. It came factory installed from Dell.

rdanner3 · 05-20-2008, 05:21 AM

I had similar problems (although not as severe!) using StarForce protection. (of course, I despise any copy protection that disables legitimate methods of reducing CD and DVD drive wear, but that's a side-issue)

In my case, StarForce not only shut down VirtualDrive 10.5 (which was supposed to not be disabled by that protection) it ALSO shut down my CD-drive tower. (at the time, I had a 5-drive tower that I mainly used for disk duplication. I don't, now, because StarForce totally hosed something in the tower or the writers. They owe me something on the order of $1500 (just for the drives) at the minimum for that, since driver replacement didn't correct the issue. I'll never see it, though.)

What was even scarier? The anti-hacking protection (StarGuard?) built into FlyFF invalidated my license to Vista Home Premium. Fortunately, after a patch from the idiots who coded the anti-hacker tool, the license info was again usable. I can't say that I trust any of GPotato.com's games on Vista as a direct result of that experience.

Copy protection must die. Stardock Software has the right idea. Treat your customers as customers, not pirates.

Miros1 · 05-20-2008, 11:39 AM

A friend of mine works for Stardock, I'll make sure she sees your comment!

TomP · 05-22-2008, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greg

That's just what I was thinking. At this point, we have a few reaonably reliable facts.

User Experience: Two Bits of Anecdotal Evidence

Homerette was running the software that SecuROM is designed to thwart and had difficulty with her CD burner after installing SecuROM.
Hokieman does not have that software installed and has had no difficulty with SecuROM.

You can add me to the list along side Hokieman, with having no issues with SecuROM. I know I've stated it before in another thread, but I have a burner (a DVD/CD burner actually) in my machine, and Nero Burning ROM installed and I have no issues whatsoever.

What I believe that happens with these issues with SecuROM is an unfortunate and unintended interaction with certain burning software and possibly other applications as well, since there are some programs that inappropriately hook themseleves to places in the OS that they shouldn't be. As I can prove Nero has no issues, but I think they design there software better than some companies.

Disclaimer: I'm just speculating, I have no idea for sure what's happening.

05-19-2008, 06:11 AM	#41
Zirconia Wolf Reticulated MoonBat Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: My trusty computer in Issaquah WA, USA. Posts: 848	I've heard rumors about a supposed class action suit in the works, but nothing I could point to & say "that looks like a fact" yet. (Though it might explain the blatant lack of any help/info about SecuROM on the main Sims 2 site...) I've been reading posts freaking out about Sims 3 because it (supposedly) contains "the new" version of SecuROM which is described as having the following features: - You must be connected to the internet when installing & playing the game so SecuROM can "check in" & (at installation) get you an access code to play your game with. - Whenever you start your game, SecuROM must "check in" again & make sure your access code checks out. - You must let SecuROM "check in" at least once every 10 days. If not, you will not be allowed to play your game until you uninstall/reinstall it. - You only get 3 reinstalls. After that, you have to contact EA (?) for assistants & to prove you own a legal copy of your game. Sound scary? You bet it does...only so far, I haven't been able to find any actual proof to back up any of these claims. One site closed a Sims 3 thread that had started with this warning about "the new" SecuROM because it was determined that the thread "contained information now known to be false". Thing is, they never said what information was false!! Was is the supposed features of "the new" SecuROM? Was it just some of the features? Or was it merely that Sims 3 won't have "the new" SecuROM, just the same old version we know & loath already? sigh It would be nice to see less speculation & more information every once in a while! -ZW __________________ Long Live All Wild Canines! Leader Of The Moon-Bat Revolution!

05-19-2008, 01:57 PM	#44
Zirconia Wolf Reticulated MoonBat Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: My trusty computer in Issaquah WA, USA. Posts: 848	Well, actually my sister's experience was hardly "anecdotal"! I was there & saw the whole thing! She was upstairs, came running downstairs in a fit because she was trying to burn off some of her digital photos (of her cats BTW, not copyrighted stuff) & her burner drive was gone; as in it was nowhere to be found under her computer settings! Having traced the problem to SecuROM (& a new game she just installed a week prior) she wanted to know what the hell to do, so I sent to the programs I knew about. Bingo bango, her drive "reappeared" & she is now a believer in no CD patches! So, I guess that people who don't have a CD burner/reader+writer drive & the related software will be fine with SecuROM on their computers. Those of us who do have such drives & software (which we have 101 different legal reasons for using) are screwed however. Not cool. So, for me the facts are in on the current SecuROM, at least as far as what I know it would love to do to my PC. -ZW Hommerete, thanks for the link! If the new SecuROM really IS what it is described as then holy @#$%!!!!! __________________ Long Live All Wild Canines! Leader Of The Moon-Bat Revolution!

05-19-2008, 09:35 PM	#46
homerette Day late & a dollar short Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: central VA Posts: 206	Actually, Mass Effect users are already protesting and are largely responsible for the supposed elimination of the 10 day validation rule. I personally didn't learn of the hoopla from the afore-mentioned site, I learned about it from another site not affiliated and further read about it on the official BBS. I've also heard of the problems with Oblivion. The problem is, that EA tried to blame it on incompatible software, but I know people with exactly the same configuration who've had no trouble with SecuROM. EA released a removal tool, I didn't use a private one or anyone's instructions because I figured things were bad enough. Regardless of my personal feelings on anyone's philosophy, I've experience the problems and tried to deal with them long before I knew about any hoopla from anyone. __________________ May the roof above us never fall in, and may we friends gathered below never fall out.

05-19-2008, 11:03 PM	#47
Greg Da Guy Wut Owns Dis Joint Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 3,566	ZirconiaWolf, "anecdotal" means it's a single data point reported by just one person. That is, an anecdote. That doesn't mean it's false; it just means that a single data point is not a statistically significant sample. Rose, OK, 99.99% then. Homerette, what software did EA say was incompatible? __________________ Who are all these people and what do they know?

05-20-2008, 04:58 AM	#48
homerette Day late & a dollar short Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: central VA Posts: 206	You would have to ask! My brain has gone blank on me. Unfortunately not a rare occurrence these days. Let me pause and think....Sonic, I believe. It came factory installed from Dell. __________________ May the roof above us never fall in, and may we friends gathered below never fall out.

05-20-2008, 05:21 AM	#49
rdanner3 Herald of the Dawn Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Central Alabama, US Posts: 53	I had similar problems (although not as severe!) using StarForce protection. (of course, I despise any copy protection that disables legitimate methods of reducing CD and DVD drive wear, but that's a side-issue) In my case, StarForce not only shut down VirtualDrive 10.5 (which was supposed to not be disabled by that protection) it ALSO shut down my CD-drive tower. (at the time, I had a 5-drive tower that I mainly used for disk duplication. I don't, now, because StarForce totally hosed something in the tower or the writers. They owe me something on the order of $1500 (just for the drives) at the minimum for that, since driver replacement didn't correct the issue. I'll never see it, though.) What was even scarier? The anti-hacking protection (StarGuard?) built into FlyFF invalidated my license to Vista Home Premium. Fortunately, after a patch from the idiots who coded the anti-hacker tool, the license info was again usable. I can't say that I trust any of GPotato.com's games on Vista as a direct result of that experience. Copy protection must die. Stardock Software has the right idea. Treat your customers as customers, not pirates.

05-20-2008, 11:39 AM	#50
Miros1 Goddess for Life Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: NY State Posts: 3,303	A friend of mine works for Stardock, I'll make sure she sees your comment! __________________ A game that horrible Odessa-person introduced me to: http://www.puzzlepirates.com/?affili...163251&lang=en I'm spreading the addiction by corrupting all my friends (and attempting to make in-game money when they try the game).