SecuROM

[sinoth]

Really? SecuROM on a small title like this? No thanks.

[GamerOnline]

I hear ya'! ;) :)

SecuROM makes me nervous at times. But, since I already have it on my system (can't play E.A.'s boxed Spore™ game without it), I figured it wouldn't make much of a difference to me. I haven't noticed any adverse affects on my system (yet).

I've enjoyed the game, in spite of the few issues I've had with it (the game). Some folks have had worse. Work-arounds have been posted in some cases and patches are in the works if not already released (there was a patch on Steam™ today for Flock!). :)

[spyrochaete]

I figured it wouldn't make much of a difference to me. I haven't noticed any adverse affects on my system (yet).

You'll notice the 6th time you try to install it but have to buy it again instead.

[GamerOnline]

You'll notice the 6th time you try to install it but have to buy it again instead.

Good point! I'll ask about this and let you know. ;)

[Mystery0000]

Was going to buy it as well, but SecuROM with 5 activations? No. Just, no.

[Quake Master]

That's more money I am saving.

NO to DRM!

[Chucrute]

WTFlock!
Flock! has securom?
I'm not gonna buy it anymore

I didn't bought Dead Space and Mass Effect because of it either.

[dvdmonster]

I'm passing on it as well because of this BS SecuROM.. Capcom is out of thier minds. :/

[wolfcolonel]

If I buy it through steam does this still effect me?

[Mystery0000]

If I buy it through steam does this still effect me?

Yes, they stupidly added even more, harmful DRM on top of Steam.

[nogami]

Adding my vote to "As soon as I see extra DRM, it's off my 'to buy' list".

Sorry, that's just the way it is. Either go with Steam's default DRM which isn't too intrusive, or lose my business.

[gnoupi]

http://www.propergames.net/forums/showthread.php?t=136

After a discussion in the developpers' forum, here are some more informations about this protection, the reasons for this choice.
You can read more details in the topic itself, but here is a summary.

- Reminder : Flock! is not an independent game, it relies on a publisher.

Capcom is the publisher of this game, and most concerns regarding distribution, and protection to apply, are decided/recommended by them. It is useless to flame Proper Games for this, as they are not the ones in charge of the distribution part.


- Flock! uses a version of Securom to be protected from piracy.

This version is different from the very unpopular "cd based" version of Securom (the one installing a driver, showing incompabilities, provoking eventually some crashes). It is only the executable, which is protected, and it will only require activation by internet, once, to be working. It will NOT harm your computer, it will NOT prevent some programs from being executed


- Activation count

Flock! can be installed at the same time on 5 different computers. When uninstalling from a computer, it releases an "activation slot", to be used on any other computer.
If for some reason this limit was reached, it is possible to ask the customer support from Proper Games for more slots.


- Activation problems

"What happens in case the activation service doesn't work anymore ?" This question was asked in these pages, and developpers from Proper Games asked directly the question to Capcom, about it :

"If some extreme circumstances caused SecuROM to cease to be, then CAPCOM would look into releasing the game in whatever form that allowed players to still enjoy it, be that different DRM, or DRM free. However there are no current plans to release the title without DRM unless such a situation would arise."


- Steam case

Steam has its own fashion of DRM, and other services through the "Steamworks".
So the question coming is "why is there Securom on my Steam version ?".
Flock! is released digitally only, on several services : Steam, Impulse, Capcom download service, etc...
So the DRM for it was chosen to be available for each of these services.
Releasing Flock! for only Steam, for example, as an exclusivity, would have been cutting a large part of public.
Flock is a cute, fun, casual game, which is not the main tendancy in Steam public.
The case of using Steamworks, to integrate Flock! better to Steam (achievements, Steam DRM, Steam clouds to save progress), is being watched (DannyP told that he was checking it), but again, this is more a publisher decision, the fact of implementing it or not.




Bottom line, it's a harmless DRM, which is less annoying than an old school cd-check or even Steam, because (when you don't buy on Steam, ok) you need to activate your serial once, and nothing else is needed to play the next times.
You can activate/revoke your "activation slot" without any limit, up to 5 separate computers.
In the end, it's a great, fun game, and this activation is far from being annoying.
After reading all this, if you still want to "protest", that's your choice, but if you read this other topic carefully, you will realize, by sharing points of view with developper and publisher, that this is far from being a bad solution, according to their case.

[GamerOnline]

I have to agree on SecuROM not always being the bad/evil choice. It doesn't seem to cause me any direct problems.

As long as I can make an informed decision when I buy a game that uses SecuROM or other protection, I'm happy with it. I have to decide if the cost and potential fun would be outweighed by the potential problems.

In my case, with Flock!, I figured that:

1. It was cheap enough.

2. It looked like it was extremely fun (usually the deciding factor)!

3. The version of SecuROM being used wasn't causing me any system trouble.

4. I probably won't be significantly upgrading or modifying my PC for a while yet, at least until Windows 7 comes out, and probably not even then (wait for the SP1 usually).

The installation limits (with any software) always concerns me, or rather, the part where I need to contact Capcom via phone (I pay by the minute, local *or* long distance with my cell phone) if I hit the limit. I'd spend time trying to fix a problem that shouldn't happen while waiting in a phone queue. Usually, the longer people wait, the more frustrated and angry they get. I pity the support personnel that deal with these problems. O_o

Electronic Arts put the power back in the gamers hands with Spore™ via their de-authorization tool which lets the gamer remove a registered installation slot in order to register a new install. The limit of 5 installations is still enforced.

[wolfcolonel]

its not that it can only be installed 5 times, it can only be installed 5 times simultaneously???
Meaning I can uninstall and reinstall as many times as i like

correct????

[riffraff14]

SecuROM? lol I'll get the PS3 version.

[gnoupi]

its not that it can only be installed 5 times, it can only be installed 5 times simultaneously???
Meaning I can uninstall and reinstall as many times as i like

correct????

Yes, you can have up to 5 installations activated at the same time.
But you can uninstall/reinstall on any computer as many times as you want, as long as there are not more than 5 at same time.

[GamerOnline]

SecuROM? lol I'll get the PS3 version.

I'd probably have the Xbox360 version myself except that it's currently suffering from the Red Ring of Death (some things never change). I've been lazy/lax about sending it to Microsoft for repairs. :p

[theyarecoming4u]

I was really looking forward to this game but refuse to buy it with such draconian DRM. Oh well, I've been having a blast with other casual games like Braid, And Yet It Moves, World Of Goo, The Maw and Cogs. It's Capcom's loss and I hope it hurts them.

[ahmoudy]

its not that it can only be installed 5 times, it can only be installed 5 times simultaneously???
Meaning I can uninstall and reinstall as many times as i like

correct????yes, and if your computer requires a format, magically 5 times, you can call Capcom and get your 5 installs reset.

EDIT: oh didn't notice there was a page 2 to this seeing this was already answered.

[Goteki-45]

yes, and if your computer requires a format, magically 5 times, you can call Capcom and get your 5 installs reset.

EDIT: oh didn't notice there was a page 2 to this seeing this was already answered.

Mine actually did, I'm currently on my computer's 6th Windows installation. Huzzah faulty motherboard (which was thankfully finally replaced).

I know that my circumstances are a minority, but they do happen. I just boycott games with limited activations on principle, even if they come with a method of deactivation.

[airblad3]

I was gonna get this game until i was the 5 activation limit BS :(

[phatfish]

I was gonna get this game until i was the 5 activation limit BS :(

Same, definite potential buy for me. I wont even be installing the demo because that will probably load my machine with SECUROM cripple ware.

No Thanks.

[dvdmonster]

I was gonna get this game until i was the 5 activation limit BS :(

Same for me!

As pirates bypass this BS easily, they are just punishing people who acually consider paying for their product.
It's pretty crazy :o

[Goteki-45]

Same, definite potential buy for me. I wont even be installing the demo because that will probably load my machine with SECUROM cripple ware.

No Thanks.

Securom itself is mostly harmless. I've had numerous games on my computers over the years that contained Securom with no ill effects at all. The activation limit is what kills purchasing prospects for me.

[ahmoudy]

It really shouldn't be a tough concept to grasp. 5 activations + unlimited resets with the revoke tool + unlimited resets through customer service. They just want you to call them after you hit 5 due to "formatting 5 times"... It's not the devil you guys make it out to be. They're not going to make you buy it again.

[Goteki-45]

It really shouldn't be a tough concept to grasp. 5 activations + unlimited resets with the revoke tool + unlimited resets through customer service. They just want you to call them after you hit 5 due to "formatting 5 times"... It's not the devil you guys make it out to be. They're not going to make you buy it again.

I'd rather not need to jump through hoops for software I own. When activation limits are removed from games (as was the case with the Steam versions of Mass Effect and Spore), I'll buy them.

[RobbyZ]

Goteki-45: Your concern is the limit of 5 concurrent activations? So... I've removed the limit (http://www.capcom-unity.com/flock/go/thread/view/13121/14464661/FYI__Unique_Activation_Limit_Changed). Now will you go buy my game... please? :P

[Mystery0000]

Goteki-45: Your concern is the limit of 5 concurrent activations? So... I've removed the limit (http://www.capcom-unity.com/flock/go/thread/view/13121/14464661/FYI__Unique_Activation_Limit_Changed). Now will you go buy my game... please? :P

So, why do you still have SecuROM in the game? The whole point of Steam (other than being an online store) is that it checks whether the user has bought the game or not. Having extra DRM on top of that, especially such infamous DRM like SecuROM, is obviously going to upset some people. Not rocket science.

[spyre]

OK cool I may actually buy it now, however I would rather it was removed completely and just use the Steam DRM.

What about doing the same thing for Age of Booty?

[phatfish]

Goteki-45: Your concern is the limit of 5 concurrent activations? So... I've removed the limit (http://www.capcom-unity.com/flock/go/thread/view/13121/14464661/FYI__Unique_Activation_Limit_Changed). Now will you go buy my game... please? :P

Interesting, its good to see someone is listening to their customers.

Im sure your aware of all the arguments for and against DRM. But as someone else said, why does it need to be there at all? Especially on Steam which has already DRM'ed my games?

SECUROM does nothing to stop piracy, and users of the cracked copy actually get a BETTER experience. I also have issue with Sony DRM in particular since their rootkit on audio CD's.

In my opinion you should be rewarded for using a legal copy, not penalised. That can be done by providing access to online features of a game to paying customers. Pretty easy to do with a serial number that can only be linked to one game account.

For a game like Flock that could be simple leader boards and some community features. World of Goo did this well, but strangely didn't choose to authenticate their online users, dunno why.

Burnout Paradise is a game i would love to play, but its infected with SECUROM so i haven't (im un the UK so its not on Steam for me). That game just doesnt need any invasive DRM. So much of it is based online that any real fan would want that functionality. All EA/Criterion need to do is use the fact that you need a valid account to play online. Sure people could share an account, but would you want your mate screwing up your stats?

Online functionality only accessible to people who have registered a valid account is the way to stop piracy. Not SECUROM. Valve does with with their games on Steam.

/rant end

[Goteki-45]

Goteki-45: Your concern is the limit of 5 concurrent activations? So... I've removed the limit (http://www.capcom-unity.com/flock/go/thread/view/13121/14464661/FYI__Unique_Activation_Limit_Changed). Now will you go buy my game... please? :P

It's definitely now on my list of games to check out for future purchase :)

My game-spending money is tied up currently thanks to the pre-release of Killing Floor and student loans, but I'll be trying out Flock's demo for certain.

[ahmoudy]

Sure people could share an account, but would you want your mate screwing up your stats?That should stop piracy for sure.

tbh phatfish, as long as reverse engineering is skill to human kind, there will always be piracy or sharing in some way. If Capcom thinks that adding an activation limit( which would entitle them to a phone call for resetting the activation limit ) stops piracy, then hey, pat them on the back and don't make it so hard for average people like RobbyZ, who work hard for a publisher which puts out great games developped by hard working devs. With Digital Distribution, We don't own the game to spread it to our friends and share it with our neighbours, we own the right to play it, and as long as Capcom cares to their customers through Support, then no one will deny you of playing your game. No one here will reach their activation limit and be told to buy it again. If you lose your passport which surprisingly you pay for, you don't go down and demand it to be printed instantaneously. Bureaucracy must be served, and a process is put in place for a reason. You have to prove your identity, and file for a new one. In contrast to getting your passport, you don't have to pay for an activation reset, filing for a reset takes a simple phone call, and the end result is instantanious.

Cheers

[Quatroking]

I don't see why people complained so much about the previous limit. I mean, come on, who the hell installs their games on 5 different PC's at the very same time? Get over it people, just uninstall a copy when you're no longer playing it anymore. It doesn't just free up an activation slot but it also clears up some space on your HDD.

I was considering to buy this game already for a while, I remember seeing an arcade game with the same concept many years ago and I really want to try this out.

[Goteki-45]

I only install games on one computer, so by your logic I should be fine with only having 1 activation limit, right? It's an arbitrary limitation that only potentially harms the honest consumers, since pirates will just find ways around it. Even if the eventuality of running out of activations is rare, it can still happen. I've installed new hardware in this machine (hard drive, motherboard, and video card) and reinstalled windows a total of six times. My situation is rare compared to most PC gamers, but it's still a possibility.

It's moot now for Flock! anyways, since the limits were removed :)

[Quatroking]

Well of course a limit of only one activation would be dirt, but 5 is enough for a normal gamer.

By the way, your situation isn't really that rare. I own multiple PC's and frequently do hardware upgrades/checkups/adjustments, and I'm already on my thrid Windows Install this year.

[Keyelite]

I just don't like limits period. I lost an install on Far Cry 2 becasue I reformatted.

So that means every game that has DRM limits must be uninstalled manually before reformatting. Cool!

I don't like having that on the back of my mind every time I purchase a game with this limited activation crap, especially on a system like STEAM where it has Custom Executable Generation (CEG) technology (The copy of my game is MINE, not my machines).

[GamerOnline]

My copy of Steam™ says I have 44 (?!?) games registered. Imagine if they all had a limit of 5 installs and something happened to cause me to use up 5 installations (major hardware changes etc.).

Fixing them could take quite some time, many phone calls and conversations. What started out as a simple phone call becomes a major issue (inconvenience) and investment in time when multiplied.

Fortunately most of those games under Steam™ only rely on Steam™ for enforcement. I try to limit my limitations, even if it's only on one physical computer/machine.

I applaud RobbyZ's efforts to alleviate my (our) concerns. Flock!™ is one less game to worry about, at least for the near future. Of course I've been a Flock!™ player almost since it's release even with the limit of 5 installs. The whole DRM issue had caused me not to pre-order but the reviews and game info eventually became too much/good to pass up. :) :cool:

Alas, I've recently discovered that I seem to like tower defense style games (Plants vs. Zombies, Defense Grid etc.) so have taken advantage of some recent Steam™ sales and pre-orders to satisfy my new cravings. This takes away from my Flock!™ time, but after a hard day (off from work) of MMOs and defending my towers, Flock!™ is still a nice way to end the day before bed (must be those sheep) whether it's playing some easy levels or working on my own. ;)
__

[theyarecoming4u]

Goteki-45: Your concern is the limit of 5 concurrent activations? So... I've removed the limit (http://www.capcom-unity.com/flock/go/thread/view/13121/14464661/FYI__Unique_Activation_Limit_Changed). Now will you go buy my game... please? :P
I only found out about this by chance, so I imagine most people that were put off are still in the same boat. Personally I'm fine with activation but the install limits were a different matter. Still, I can't help feeling the bad press is going to be tough to shake - currently there are 3 people playing Flock! on Steam, whereas there are over 2,500 playing Plants Vs Zombies, a similarly casual game (it probably also doesn't help that Flock is 85% more expensive).

I've bought a few too many games at the moment but I'll definitely pick up Flock! at some point now that the limited activations have been removed. It's just I'm very wary with limited activations - even the other day I nearly lost an activation for Far Cry 2 because of a serious computer issue and I've lost activations for other games.

[Gene]

The thing that really gets me the most about the activation limit on securom games is the "major hardware changes" thing. What the HELL is that supposed to mean? No one has ever explained it. Changing your processor obviously, but does upgrading your graphics card count? Adding another HDD?

Also, does upgrading from XP to Vista, or Vista to 7 use an install? NOBODY has ever answered this ever since EA first started this idiocy with Spore. And at any rate, it's very inconsiderate considering the number of hardware enthusiasts and the dynamic nature of the PC much to Sony's dismay. I'm going to Fry's to buy another SATA HDD sometime this week. Am I going to lose an install on all my SecuROM games? :o

tl,dr Maybe if they explained in detail what SecuROM does aside from install limits in detail people wouldn't think it's a freaking rootkit. People just want their game to work in 10 years when they're feeling nostalgic.

[Zefar]

Rather fun to see all the paranoia about SecuROM here. You all seems to think it's made by the most evil being on earth and you need to awoid it. Like kiddies think there are boogyman in the closet.

All of you think you will magically lose the 5 installs because you HAD to format without being able to uninstall the game. Seriously, just uninstall the game before you format and if you happen to format without doing it you STILL have 4 left. If you still need like 4 other format you are doing something wrong, like for example, keep reinstalling the games again and then formating the PC. You keep shooting yourself with this method.

There is also another reason why they might want to have some kind of protection. Remember World of Goo? :/ They tried to please the community but what did they do? 90% pirated the game.

Oh btw I'm PRETTY sure the devs will remove their DRM check on their older games, Bioshock have done this already and the others will probably do it too, to save work for the support area.

Gene: If you want to be completely sure nothing will happen to any SecuROM games will lose an install, even thou you can contact support and get a refill on them. But you could just UNINSTALL the games that use SecuROM. Yes you can do that but honestly, nothing will happen.

[Goteki-45]

Rather fun to see all the paranoia about SecuROM here. You all seems to think it's made by the most evil being on earth and you need to awoid it. Like kiddies think there are boogyman in the closet.

I agree that SecuROM is not nearly as bad as people make it out to be sometimes, but it's still something that given the choice nobody would want to have.

All of you think you will magically lose the 5 installs because you HAD to format without being able to uninstall the game. Seriously, just uninstall the game before you format and if you happen to format without doing it you STILL have 4 left. If you still need like 4 other format you are doing something wrong, like for example, keep reinstalling the games again and then formating the PC. You keep shooting yourself with this method.

It's not just formatting without uninstalling first. It could be irreparable hardware failures (like my old motherboard's HD controller causing Windows to eat itself multiple times), or viruses (which I've thankfully only had one problem with in 8 years of owning my own computer), or hardware changes, or upgrading the operating system. Just because circumstances that can cause you to lose out on activations are rare or sometimes avoidable doesn't mean they don't occur. It also doesn't mean we want to have limitations put on us. Unobtrusive DRM doesn't bother me. Limiting how many times I can use my own game, even if it requires specific circumstances to create this limit is not unobtrusive.

There is also another reason why they might want to have some kind of protection. Remember World of Goo? :/ They tried to please the community but what did they do? 90% pirated the game.

I'm sure you have a viable reference for this pirating figure, right?

Oh btw I'm PRETTY sure the devs will remove their DRM check on their older games, Bioshock have done this already and the others will probably do it too, to save work for the support area.

And when they do remove activation limits (and especially when they remove activation limits and extra DRM above the Steam platform), I'll consider them for purchase. I don't have a huge income, so I have to make careful decisions when I consider game purchases. I'm much, much more likely to pick up titles on Steam with no additional DRM, and will not ever pick up titles that contain activation limits or recurring fees.

[Pirateguybrush]

I hate SecuROM as much as the rest of you, and for most of the reasons stated above. It is why I id not even look at the Flock! demo. Restating all the reasons would be pointless, so I won't.

But Goteki-45, I just have to jump in here and tell you the developer for World of Goo released reasonably reliable figures and backed them up with evidence to indicate close to 90% of people did indeed pirate the game. It's unfortunate, as it's a great title.

[gsspider]

Well, I bought World of Goo (via Steam).
If the developers had decided to put SecuROM (with install limit) on it, I wouldn't have bought it.
Plus, I really think that even with some kind of protection the "piracy rate" would have been around 90%.
There are a lot of people who pirate it, because its free that way, but they just wouldn't play it at all, if this wasn't possible.

[chrisdglong]

OK cool I may actually buy it now, however I would rather it was removed completely and just use the Steam DRM.

What about doing the same thing for Age of Booty?

Aren't you the guy from the crossfire forums?

[chrisdglong]

Goteki-45: Your concern is the limit of 5 concurrent activations? So... I've removed the limit (http://www.capcom-unity.com/flock/go/thread/view/13121/14464661/FYI__Unique_Activation_Limit_Changed). Now will you go buy my game... please? :P

Good move. Whether people who support this DRM method like it or not a lot of gamers do not buy games with activation limits. The problem is not how it looks on paper, rather how it works in reality.

Here is the problem:

You have one game with this DRM method OK. It is easy to track, and if for some reason you run out of activations you call the company.

Now, if you have 5, 10, 15, 20 games with this DRM method and want to reformat your HDD, you now have to uninstall all 20 games prior to reformatting or changing your hardware configuration!

If you don't? Well, you are going to be making a lot of phone calls. If you don't have unlimited minutes on your cell phone then that 15 dollar game just began to cost even more. Plus, all of the time that will be put into getting the games to work again... time is money right?

Again, this DRM method looks great on paper but in practice is far too great of a hassle for people who actually work and have life's outside of computer games.

[Nafe]

There is also another reason why they might want to have some kind of protection. Remember World of Goo? :/ They tried to please the community but what did they do? 90% pirated the game.

The flaw in your logic is assuming that those people would have paid for it if they were unable to crack it. It's also flawed logic to assume that even if they put DRM on it it would have stopped piracy. The vast majority of pirated games out there have some form of cracked DRM, so it doesn't seem to be helping piracy at all, just pissing off customers.

[Jack-o-Lantern]

Even the demo contains SecuROM

Okey, for me is a no deal even if is now sold as weekend deal.
I would have bought it for the discounted price.
But with SecuROM is a no way

[theyarecoming4u]

Even the demo contains SecuROM

Okey, for me is a no deal even if is now sold as weekend deal.
SecuROM isn't a problem for me, it's only when limited activations are used that I care. I've grabbed the game because at the current price it's a bargain. :)

[chrisdglong]

SecuROM isn't a problem for me, it's only when limited activations are used that I care. I've grabbed the game because at the current price it's a bargain. :)

Same here +rep for a great point. It isn't that game companies are trying to protect their products, it is that they are intruding upon people who legitimately pay for those products.

[KRiSX]

ummm i dunno if anyones mentioned this... but its not limited activations... get over it...

i would of liked this on 360... but i'll get on steam as it has achievements and is cheap!

[kikinchaz]

Latest 1.02 patch which includes the Steam achievements, various fixes but most importantly for you guys :

SecuROM Concurrent Activation Limit removed

Enjoy :)

[pez0]

Latest 1.02 patch which includes the Steam achievements, various fixes but most importantly for you guys SecuROM Concurrent Activation Limit removed



Enjoy :)

Just the activation limit removed, but you still have to activate? Still, in the "unlikely" event that a business doesn't run activation services for the rest of eternity, we can depend on capcom going back and writing patches for years-old games.

[paratech2008]

Let's say we buy games for consoles, what happens when they stop making and selling the consoles? or PCs as far as new OSes? Not all Steam games like Vista or Windows 7, lookup the Mumbo Jumbo messageboard in this forum to see 7 Wonders 2 apparently hates Vista 64 bit / Windows 7, so there are many other issues that can interfere with playing games you like 10 to 15 years down the road...

[Alexforcefive]

there are many other issues that can interfere with playing games you like 10 to 15 years down the road...

Sure, but they're unforseen and uncontrollable and NOT deliberately built into the system by the producers. DRM and hardware compatibility are not related issues.

Just add me to the list of people who think it's ridiculous to include securom in anything, let alone a steam game. Had I known, I wouldn't have bought my girlfriend a copy. I certainly won't be buying a second copy for myself (though I may play her copy, just to spite capcom and securom)

By the way, for those of you who are saying "I don't know why you're complaining, securom isn't so bad" - the only reason it's not so bad (in general) is because a bunch of awesome activist consumers like sinoth et al. have kicked up enough stink to make the game developers/distributors back down. Thank you guys, and thanks to RobbyZ for listening - it's not perfect, but it'll do.

[paratech2008]

Actually I think the gaming companies want games to be short term, after all, if you are building a library of games you like to play and want to play them for years to come, the gaming companies see that as lost revenue.

They want to rerelease games on newer systems, remixx games, after all, it requires less effort to sell you the same game on a new console than to build one from scratch.

If Valve can resell Half Life 1 and 2 10 years from now they will, and everyone playing it on an obsolete gaming system / PC is a loss of sale to them, just like they are slowly trying to make it impossible to sell used games.

Companies are about making money, and consumers who want to hold on to games for years get in the way of companies and they will deal with such issues in due time.

I like playing games that are 20+ years old, but the gaming companies see that as a threat to their bottom line.

[gt24]

Thanks for making the activations unlimited, would have never bought this with a 5 machine activation limit (kinda makes a Steam released game worthless). It isn't for the now factor, it is for the play in 10 years factor (ala Doom 1).

Hopefully Steam will be around in 10 years and hopefully I can play this game in 10 years... only time will tell though.

[Zorlac]

The current Securom is no issue at all. This is a great game especially for the price. The level editor alone is worth the money.

[Pirateguybrush]

Unlimited activations, and 50% off? I'm against SecuROM on principle, but the limited activations is my biggest gripe (though I do have plenty of others). I am now considering it.

[TrippleD]

I see unlimited machine activations listed for this title but what else is there with SecuROM™ to be concerned about?

[Boiller]

whoa and i almost bought this. thanks for da heads up

[Protoss]

Let's say we buy games for consoles, what happens when they stop making and selling the consoles? or PCs as far as new OSes? Not all Steam games like Vista or Windows 7, lookup the Mumbo Jumbo messageboard in this forum to see 7 Wonders 2 apparently hates Vista 64 bit / Windows 7, so there are many other issues that can interfere with playing games you like 10 to 15 years down the road...

No, because I can always emulate older systems.

But essentially you'll be forced to crack the game if the SecuROM servers go down and no patch is released.