Beware of BioWare!

[Joe Forster/STA]

Originally Posted by DABhand

I.e. More work for you?

Yes. Use an answering style that is easy to read for everyone (not only "you", the other person in the discussion). See the Netiquette for general guidelines.

Originally Posted by DABhand

You seem to forget that buy purchasing software, such as any that requires online activation or to be online to play full stop, once installed and you agree with the EULA you are in a contract with yourself and the publisher.

And you seem to forget that, when the company goes down, that contract will become obsolete. Or is there an extra paragraph in the EULA saying that you may call the CEO in his house for technical support if the authentication servers go down for, let's say, an "unreasonable amount of time"? EULA's are especially known to disclaim all kinds of responsibility from the company!

[!HaGaR!]

And you seem to forget that, when the company goes down, that contract will become obsolete. Or is there an extra paragraph in the EULA saying that you may call the CEO in his house for technical support if the authentication servers go down for, let's say, an "unreasonable amount of time"? EULA's are especially known to disclaim all kinds of responsibility from the company!

Well, I see a need here to change the rules of the gcw. IF a company goes down or activation servers went down (is there any example yet?), cracks should be allowed which DOES circumvent online activation - because the activation is not possible anymore.

No piracy in these cases I think, because he company whos selling the software/game is no more...

Just 2 cents... And, in some way, the discussion here is obsolet. Talked about that a millions of time. Everyone hates the Biosshock protection. Very many people hate steam. Well, I also do. But, I am the owner of half life 2, bioshock and some others. Guess what? I hate myself for buying them, but I couldn´t resist playing them. If you can blame anyone for anything, than the fact that we couldn´t resist buying these titles. Period.

Well, tired and bad english... Above sentences may be awful. Thx for reading them anyway.

Good n8.

Edit: Sorry, somehow wrecked the qoute. Hope you may understand it anyway.

[Joe Forster/STA]

Originally Posted by !HaGaR!

Well, I see a need here to change the rules of the gcw. IF a company goes down or activation servers went down (is there any example yet?), cracks should be allowed which DOES circumvent online activation - because the activation is not possible anymore.

A good idea for the future.

[DABhand]

Originally Posted by Joe Forster/STA

And you seem to forget that, when the company goes down, that contract will become obsolete. Or is there an extra paragraph in the EULA saying that you may call the CEO in his house for technical support if the authentication servers go down for, let's say, an "unreasonable amount of time"? EULA's are especially known to disclaim all kinds of responsibility from the company!

Yes EULA's are a pain, but when your in a contract your in a contract.

Now imagine if Blizzard say for some weird reason went bust, they have to provide a means for people to play World of Warcraft, that is Law.

A huge massive fine on top of bankruptcy vs bankruptcy and a small server program for people to use to make own servers etc, I think they would choose option 2.

Dont forget just because they go bankrupt, a huge fine can still be made onto them which would be recovered via sale of company etc.

[wolfsrain]

Have you seen what happened with all the MMORPGs that disapperared in the last ten years? I never seen any company providing a mean to play the games later, after the servers were shutdown. Motor City Online, Planetscape, the list it's pretty long. I've never seen any law kicking in. And it should be. One of the last games that suffered the very same fate was Auto Assault. Shutdown, but no servers for the people who paid hard money, for a couple of years, to play their favorite game, after the servers were closed.
And I agree, the publisher should provide a meaning to circumvent the online activation, after, let's say, two years since the game launch. After two years most of the games are pretty dead(unless they are backed up by a strong modding community), so there would be no reason for them to keep the online activation around.