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Author Topic:   Well, think about it

Figilano posted 03-07-99 08:27 PM ET
Alright, I bought the german version of SMAC, it won�t start, I reinstalled nearly everything that can be reinstalled, finally came here and learned that the reason why I can�t play the game is a lame-coded copy protection - a protection that doesn�t exist in certain countries and this way is absolutely useless!
But, even if I could play the game, I couldn�t use many of it�s features �cause the patch is not available for the european version of SMAC.
Now, guess what. If I acted illegal and downloaded the game from the net, I could play it, I could use the patch, and I had about 50$ to spend on something else!
The way you do it�s no wonder that piracy is still growing... don�t get me wrong, I won�t get a pirated version of the game, but I�m VERY disappointed and not willing to spend any money on programs that won�t work or won�t be patched.
You lose a lot of credibility here in Germany. Think about those customers that didn�t make their way to this forum and do not know what�s the problem with SMAC. They won�t buy any Firaxis games in the near future.
Brother Greg posted 03-07-99 09:02 PM ET
Copy protection is an EU issue, it has nothing to do with Firaxis, nor EA. Neither Firaxis or EA could release the game in Germany without copy protection without risking being sued. So what can they do?
As for the "lame-coded" copy protection, all it does is check for the CD. So where's the problem?
ihegerty posted 03-08-99 03:23 AM ET
I'm sorry but that is absolute tosh put forward by Firaxis/EA to deflect blame from themselves. There is no EU directive requiring copy protection on games, and at least in the UK most games are sold without protection. This is purely a EA/Firaxis decision. See the URL
http://www.gamesdomain.com/gdreview/strategy/
The problem with the "lame-coded" copy protection, on my system at least, is that it stops SMAC from working under NT. Do they let the rooky programmers out to play on the non-US versions, then?
Juggler posted 03-08-99 04:28 AM ET
Brtoher Greg,
there really is no such EU law, this is a 100% lame decision from EA and I really hope this is the last Firaxis game released trough EA channels. If not I guess we Europeans just won't buy the originals anylonger. I'm not going to spend $55 on a game without any support.
A I suggested in another posting, maybe EA want's us Europeans to buy illegal copies. They're sure as HELL promoting it!!!!!!
VIRGIN RULEZ!!!!! EA SUCKS!!!!!
A seriously pissed off
Juggler
Vice provost UoP
Figilano posted 03-08-99 01:48 PM ET
To Brother Greg: Well, the original CD is present, but the game won�t work. Now, don�t tell me that I have to buy a new CDROM-drive, do you? That would be silly... :-/
So, the CD is there, I can�t play anyway and that�s why I call this protection lame-coded. Hope you get it this time. And, as the other repliers already told you, the EU has absolutely nothing to do with this copy-protection-thing. It�s a decision made by either EA or Firaxis.
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Author	Topic: Well, think about it
Figilano	posted 03-07-99 08:27 PM ET Alright, I bought the german version of SMAC, it won�t start, I reinstalled nearly everything that can be reinstalled, finally came here and learned that the reason why I can�t play the game is a lame-coded copy protection - a protection that doesn�t exist in certain countries and this way is absolutely useless! But, even if I could play the game, I couldn�t use many of it�s features �cause the patch is not available for the european version of SMAC. Now, guess what. If I acted illegal and downloaded the game from the net, I could play it, I could use the patch, and I had about 50$ to spend on something else! The way you do it�s no wonder that piracy is still growing... don�t get me wrong, I won�t get a pirated version of the game, but I�m VERY disappointed and not willing to spend any money on programs that won�t work or won�t be patched. You lose a lot of credibility here in Germany. Think about those customers that didn�t make their way to this forum and do not know what�s the problem with SMAC. They won�t buy any Firaxis games in the near future.
Brother Greg	posted 03-07-99 09:02 PM ET Copy protection is an EU issue, it has nothing to do with Firaxis, nor EA. Neither Firaxis or EA could release the game in Germany without copy protection without risking being sued. So what can they do? As for the "lame-coded" copy protection, all it does is check for the CD. So where's the problem?
ihegerty	posted 03-08-99 03:23 AM ET I'm sorry but that is absolute tosh put forward by Firaxis/EA to deflect blame from themselves. There is no EU directive requiring copy protection on games, and at least in the UK most games are sold without protection. This is purely a EA/Firaxis decision. See the URL http://www.gamesdomain.com/gdreview/strategy/ The problem with the "lame-coded" copy protection, on my system at least, is that it stops SMAC from working under NT. Do they let the rooky programmers out to play on the non-US versions, then?
Juggler	posted 03-08-99 04:28 AM ET Brtoher Greg, there really is no such EU law, this is a 100% lame decision from EA and I really hope this is the last Firaxis game released trough EA channels. If not I guess we Europeans just won't buy the originals anylonger. I'm not going to spend $55 on a game without any support. A I suggested in another posting, maybe EA want's us Europeans to buy illegal copies. They're sure as HELL promoting it!!!!!! VIRGIN RULEZ!!!!! EA SUCKS!!!!! A seriously pissed off Juggler Vice provost UoP
Figilano	posted 03-08-99 01:48 PM ET To Brother Greg: Well, the original CD is present, but the game won�t work. Now, don�t tell me that I have to buy a new CDROM-drive, do you? That would be silly... :-/ So, the CD is there, I can�t play anyway and that�s why I call this protection lame-coded. Hope you get it this time. And, as the other repliers already told you, the EU has absolutely nothing to do with this copy-protection-thing. It�s a decision made by either EA or Firaxis.