SPORE is out, finally

[Lontahv]

Uhm... my IP changes about every week. It's not like everyone has a dedicated server-style IP.

[Grogyan]

I which case you'd setup a static IP alongside your dynamic IP addresses

[teedyo]

Why pay for a static IP address simply to play a game?

...and if one doesn't have internet access at all?

[Grogyan]

Strange, I don't have to pay extra for a static IP where I live

[diafero]

I can only speak for where I live, but here in Germany, only companies have a static IP. The normal DSL access doesn't even offer that as an option. And I must say I like it that way, every time I reconnect to the internet noone can tell that I am still the same person - I was glad to read that even with IPv6 some providers will still offer dynamic IPs. In addition, I would *never* even consider paying for something which I can only use if I am connected to the internet and the company's server still runs (of course, for online games that is unavoidable, but I am speaking of things you could perfectly do offline as well). If that server crashes due to overload, my connection drops, I have my PC somewhere where I can't access the internet or the company decides they want to sell the game's successor now, I can't play it anymore. In addition, they would know exactly when I play the game, from where and could control it. That's exactly the same crap as what Microsoft, Adobe and others try with their online activation and all the Digital Restriction Management which now even the music industry says was a mistake - I'm not sure if the game industry is willing to repeat that mistake, but with SPORE it seems they want. They really should not be surprised that SPORE is the game which was downloaded via P2P networks the most often in the last month(s), that was to be expected. I planned to buy it, but obviously EA doesn't want me to buy it - well, their decision then.

[Grogyan]

Well that was my idea anyway, can you come up with a better one?

[diafero]

In my eyes having no copy protection will not change anything for those who are willing to play the game illegally (they can crack it anyway), while it makes life much easier for those who just want to play. If a game is online anyway, registration works great as the internet is a requirement anyway, but if you want people without internet to be able to play the game, too, I can't see any copy protection which helps. Copy protection only harms the honest users as they get all kind of backdoors-drivers, rootkits and whatever on their system, while not helping to prevent copying the game. I think the development regarding music is a good example: Some bands have a logo on their disk saying there is no copy protection, and there even was an album where alongside the original disks, you got two empty disks to copy it to and advertise that band among your friends. And now we can get music free of DRM and whatever in many places.

[T_S_Kimball]

Well, it may now be a moot point since you can get Spore through Steam (as of Friday night).

However I'm unable to determine if that install still has the SecurROM DRM software in it. I would hope not, since Steam is dealing with that problem (and being the DRM), but I could be wrong...

--TSK