Dragon Age 2

[Anakha56]

From what I remember of the quick morning game I had, yes there were slight glitches from the time you selected a response to when you spoke. Its as if the whole system glitched for a frame then came right.

From the look of things the only way I will buy my games is either GOG or Steam with a few exceptions ala Starcraft.

[StarBound]

Just taking a price comparisson though. Games I want are Bulletstorm, Homefront, Dragon Age 2, Crysis 2. They retail for $60, $50, $60 and $60. R6.91/$, make it R7/$ it means the games are R350 for homefront and R420 for the other 3 each. Retail at BTgames it is R350 for the $60 aswell as homefront. Take2 retails at R300 for each of those games. Not just that but you dont have the download costs attached to those games.

The downside is that they do need internet at some point. I would much rather add my titles to steam which is already stable digital provider then install a game and activate it online only to find it is already activated more than it can be. With steam atleast I can install as many as I want and only my account can use it. No install restrictions.

But major costs with steam.

[-Prometheus-]

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[StarBound]

Nope. Because the retailer only has to say "you bought the gaming knowing the requirements to run it".

[-Prometheus-]

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[StarBound]

Seems steam also has it in. Not sure but Bioware said no drm... let me just link it.

http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic ... /6194280/1

Below are the details of the final version of DRM that will be used with Dragon Age 2 for PC and Mac.

We appreciate your patience and feedback on this. DRM is always a topic of much debate, even internally. It requires a delicate balance between providing some level of IP protection while minimizing the inconvenience or intrusion to a player’s experience. These decisions are not made lightly - and a lot of time and effort was dedicated to ensuring that the system for DA2 is skewed to the player side of the experience. It is as follows:

Dragon Age 2 Physical & Digital PC/Mac DRM are as follows:

* No disc check, you do not need the disc in drive to play.

* No limit on the total number of PCs you can install the game on.

* There is a limit to the number of unique/different PCs that can play the game within a time window (if online) [5 PCs in 24hrs].

* After each new install there is a 1-time online check needed the next time you play, requiring a log in to your EA account to verify game ownership. If you are a member of these forums, you already have an EA account – just use the same email/password.

* You can play offline thereafter - the game will NOT require any subsequent login checks. If online, a game ownership check happens each time you play.

Steam versions use Steam DRM, no other DRM is added, which means:

* No disc check, it is used for digital game versions purchased from Steam only.

* No limit to the total number of PCs you can install the game on.

* There is a limit to the number of unique/different PCs that can play the game at any one time (if online) [1 PC].

* Each install requires logging into your Steam account to verify game ownership.

* You can play offline thereafter. If online, a game ownership check happens each time you play.

* Steam pre-loads use Steam release control – you will not be able to play until the release day/time has passed for that region.

Dragon Age 2 Release Control (non-Steam versions)

* Does not use securom.

* It does not install anything to the PC.

* Sole purpose is to check with a server to validate whether the game release date has passed or not.

* It completely removes itself after the game release date has passed.

* You will not be able to play until that date has passed.

* Dates & times are set to the retail street date per country.

Common questions:

Does this apply to consoles?

* No. This is applies to PC/Mac only.

What about Mac/Cider, does it use Securom?

* Dragon Age: Origins for Mac/Cider used Securom. Dragon Age 2 for Mac/Cider will NOT use Securom and instead it will use the same non-Steam system listed above.

A PC review mentions Securom, what gives?

* All EA preview & review game builds sent to press use Securom which is where the assumption came from. The Dragon Age 2 actual retail & download version of the game that you will play will not use Securom, it uses one of the systems above.

If you have other questions please feel free to post here – as always, a reminder that this thread is NOT for the general discussion of DRM, the pros and cons of other DRM systems or any talk about circumventing DRM (which is against the rules of conduct and will be disciplined as such). Thanks.

This is later followed by:
http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic ... 25#6477975

Let's just say people arent happy about this. There is a securom date check. But no evidance of any securom files. So either it is there and they slipped in hiding it or it isnt there and they didnt remove the entire thing. Problem is if there is an oil can in the water supply your going to check the water supply for oil wether it is clean or not.

[Anakha56]

Well since my main hdd went and died on me. I can confirm that Securom is in use because up to now the only game that has been installed on my system is DA2 and I found my registry riddled with Securom keys. Also it was meant to remove itself yet it somehow still remains? Bioware needs their champion, who is going to rise to the call?

[StarBound]

http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic ... 29#6490247

We've already talked about this here, but I'll re-iterate again...

We don't use Securom DRM.
We use a release control product which is made by the same team, but is a completely different product.


The constrast between the two couldn't be greater - it is night and day.

For those not aware, the hype/hysteria around 'Securom' is tied to Securom DRM, a separate product. This is typically used by many games for disc based drm and can be used for digital as well. This DRM installs several protected files and registry entries and as part of protecting itself and makes it very hard for a person to manually attempt to remove these - amongst other reasons (as i'm over-simplifying for brevity) that product is essentially what players are concerned about.

The release control software we use does none of this. As we've said before it simply does a check of the date against an online server when you run the game. If the street date has passed, it allows you to play and removes itself. We use this and only this, and not the Securom DRM.

Someone also pm'd me that apparently it leaves behind a couple library files in the temp directory, which are named securom or their signature when examined mentions securom and that this was mentioned on an external site claiming proof that we've snuck securom in.

I haven't been able to check these files personally yet, but as these are inert files sitting in the temp folder after removing itself, I still don't see the issue. Most developers (including ourselves) re-use libraries we create all the time. These are likely common utility files (e.g. contact a server) which do not make any sense to re-write from scratch when you have a perfectly usable generic library that already works.

The fact it leaves some inert files behind (while not great practice) is common with nearly every piece of software on windows. Again, the files are inert and you can simply delete them manually - sometimes you just can't remove everything as files may be in use as part of the removal step of the program itself (something is running to do the removal).

But to go from that to say that we've installed Securom DRM is like saying because DA2 uses common Microsoft libraries, we have clearly gone and snuck in Games for Windows Live now. That's the kind of 'jump' in assumptions we're talking about.

As for the site claiming this (again, I admit I haven't had the opportunity to check yet - I did a while back but just got 403 errors on the page), if that is what they are claiming then sadly they are doing a great disservice to their audience. Anyone that has ever actually used/installed SecuROM DRM and this, and is reasonably impartial in their assesment (ie. is not jumping to conclusion because they see the word 'securom' on the pop up) should be able to clearly tell the two things apart - and appreciate how far apart they actually are.


Incidentally, since the game is now unlocked world wide, everyone should have this auto-removed already anyway.

In any case, if you are still concerned about the files left behind in the temp folder, then either clear out your temp folder or let me know and I'll dig them up once back in the office and provide the file by file names so you can manually delete these. (Worth noting that if we were actually using Securom DRM, this would not be possible to do).

F.

[Anakha56]

Yep have been testing for them already.

I removed the Securom stuff in the temp folder and also deleted the Securom registry entries and the game launched, connected to the servers and loaded a saved game. So it does not appear to affect the game if those areas are removed however in saying that I was able to remove all that because I have no other Securom title installed on my machine. If someone on here tries this with another Securom title installed you could end up being unable to play that game.

[StarBound]

So you say it is safe to buy the game? Think they will launch a securom remover? And on the subject of a steam version does retail come with the black emporium? How big is the game on the drive?

[Anakha56]

Eish so many questions...

1: Yes.
2: The guy you have qouted is going to be talking to their patch team to try and implement a remover into the next patch that will remove the files from the hdd. The registry keys are more complicated because they might be used with other Securom games so they will be tlaking to Sony on that one.
3: Unless you buy signature edition the retail version will need the Black Emporium to be bought online from Bioware store.
4: Not to sure +-8GB? Will only be able to check when I get home at +- 17:00. At work until 16:30...

[StarBound]

Awww. Want to buy the game and others. But the conclusion I (we, someone I play with on steam) came to is disc versions are nice but steam integrates everything nicely. Not just that but disc versions needs online verification anyway. Steam will most probably outlast all of them should I company die and kill its servers. Steam can probably take over authentication for its own games then.

But that aside the additional problems includes retail is R300 vs steam of R400. And then cap over and ontop of it. Choices choices. Would love to go cheep but whats more convenient.

[Anakha56]

Sorry cant answer that.

Something to take note of and I am really confused about. My home setup is something like this AMD FX-62 clocked at 2.8 (its summer ), 4GB DDR2 800 RAM, 1 * 460GTX and a res of 1680*1050. Guess what? I am playing this game at DX11 with high textures (downloaded pack), full res. All without a single stutter (except in convo pieces) maybe I should crank the AA up. I thought my proc would limit me but it plays very nicely .

[StarBound]

Our gaming system are more powerful than you think Might not be as many shaders going around as you believed.

[StarBound]

Your work should be over by now. So whats the size of the DA2 folder?

[Anakha56]

6.18GB even with 2*AA I still manage to get over 30FPS...

[StarBound]

Retail online: R325
Retail store: R350
Steam: R420 (sig edition dlc included) (excluding data usage)

I am at this point torn between going retail which still needs internet activation vs steam that is already internet enabled and the costs involved between the distributions. Also the hint that suggests america is going to go usage cap isnt helping.

[StarBound]

[Mystical_Titan]

Sorry cant answer that.

Something to take note of and I am really confused about. My home setup is something like this AMD FX-62 clocked at 2.8 (its summer ), 4GB DDR2 800 RAM, 1 * 460GTX and a res of 1680*1050. Guess what? I am playing this game at DX11 with high textures (downloaded pack), full res. All without a single stutter (except in convo pieces) maybe I should crank the AA up. I thought my proc would limit me but it plays very nicely .

I ran the Steam demo yesterday in DX 11, 4 x AA, Very High settings and it stuttered. Could this be a problem with the demo? I mean, I'm running an i7 930 @ 3.8 GHz with two GTX 560s in SLi.

[Anakha56]

Yeah demo is buggy on DX11, very bad demo release from EA/Bioware.

On another note just finished the game yesterday. Now to do another game with my mage from the first game .

[Mystical_Titan]

Dude... you finished the game?! Either it's very short or you haven't had a life for the last few days.

Did you buy the shelf version? That's non-Steam, right?

[StarBound]

The game is shorter than the first and the game is around 12-18 hours I believe. I went for the steam version but I can recommend ppl go for the shelf version. It works out cheaper

I am actually having fun with the game. The game is made up of short quests so you can really play 10-15minutes and get 1 quest done. The game is more action oriented so see it as Mass Effect Dark Ages instead of Bulders Gate sequel.

[Anakha56]

Yeah bought the signature edition off the shelf. I struggled at the start but once the rogue starts levelling correctly you become virtually unstoppable. Best combo's I found was stun (if able) --> attack from front until stun is over --> backstab --> twin jab. By then the enemy is either gibblets or low enough for a quick one two finish. I really struggled on the Dragon's though buggers were a pain to kill . I reckon a elemental mage will be pretty much unstoppable as well.

/G/F was happy when I finished it...

[Mystical_Titan]

What's the signature edition?

[Anakha56]

Came with some special items eg the Black Emporium. Its their version of a collectors...