What's the coolest stuff of SC-2?

[Moon]

fantomas, if we should go out of business, you can rest assured that all licenses will be made "open-ended", so you will not require any further activation from that moment on, and will be free to install it anywhere you like. But actually, even if we go out of business - the licensing server is run by a third party provider that we work with which is also working for EA Games, so it will most likely remain online even if we should not be there.

Really, your fears are unfounded. I think it's much more likely that you will have some new OS on your computer which will be incompatible with SC2 before you will not be able to re-license the game. I have, flawless, re-activated a game last week with this technology which I had bought back in 1999. Trust us that we wouldn't use a system unless it was user friendly as much as possible while still allowing us to protect our software from illegal use.

Martin

[fantomas]

Originally posted by Moon:

But actually, even if we go out of business - the licensing server is run by a third party provider that we work with which is also working for EA Games, so it will most likely remain online even if we should not be there.

You wrote "most likely", but not "certainly"... Sorry, it is too important for me : when I love a game, when I love it profoundly, with passion, and when I realize mods with it, I want to be sure in 100 % that once bought, I do not risk to lose it one day. I would be ready to pay lot of money for SC2, but I want a certainty in 100 % always to guard it.

[Edwin P.]

Interesting discussion. In my opinion, nothing can be guaranteed to last forever with 100% certainty. Witness PAN AM or AT&T. As Moon says, who knows if the next OS after Vista will be compatible with SC2. Who knows, someone might, just might write an unstoppable virus that erases SC2 on every computer in the world. Highly unlikely, but possible. There are no guarantees in life.

[fantomas]

Every man has the guarantees which himself he gives or which he conquers. I always guard a ancient PC for my old games, and it is very easy to find of occasion an old PC system to put on ancient games. On this problem, I can act.

But with the system envisaged for SC2, one imposes me a risk from the very beginning, and I can not make anything to fight or to dominate this risk. I do not accept this passivity. I do not accept it. I want to be free in my passion. And that is why, if this system is set up, I shall not buy SC2. I will have damage a lot not to be able to play with SC2, but I know that I shall suffer infinitely more if one day, I have to stop playing with SC2 after loved it, because the system of activation is not available any more.

I do not want that one gives me of guarantees : I want that one lets me free act to decide of my guarantees myself.

[Moon]

fantomas, you have pointed out where I said "most likely" but you have apparently missed the other part where I said that if we would be out of business, we would "unlock" the license, so that after we're not there anymore, everybody could enjoy our games for ever and ever and evermore

Martin

[fantomas]

(...)we would "unlock" the license (...)

How would you proceed, exactly ?

[Moon]

Shortly before the last person leaving the office would put out the light, we would release "open" versions of the executable files of each of our games. With these files, no activation would be needed anymore.

Martin

[jon_j_rambo]

Out of business? Turn out the lights? What's up?

[SeaMonkey]

fantomas, get a grip, its your loss. :confused:

Don't buy it!

"Is it better to have loved and lost, then never to have loved at all?"

[Desert Dave]

Sorry, it is too important for me : when I love a game, when I love it profoundly, with passion, and when I realize mods with it, I want to be sure in 100 % that once bought, I do not risk to lose it one day.

ROFLMAO

I first read this last page or so an hour ago

And, sorry, no offense to ANYONE, but... I am STILL laughing.

fantomas,

Let's suppose.

Say, you went out on a date

And spent 50 bucks or therabouts

On fine French wines,

And fine French sauces

And whatever comes next,

Ending in the two of you happily

Sharing each other's dessert,

Well,

You'd have had a great! time,

EVEN IF

You were NOT fortunate enough

To have gotten a "good-night" kiss,

True?

There you'd stand in the cool

French evening,

Hands a-pocket,

Nothing else to do - now,

But... go on home.

50 bucks thrown to the high winds!

No return on yer money.

But,

You COULD play SC-2!! :cool:

Because I am telling you, LOL,

That game is NEVER going to leave you

Nor fail to kiss you good-night.

And it costs LESS than that fancy dinner

With NO good-night kiss afterwards.

Look here, LOL (... sorry)

I am sometimes imagined

As one of THE most suspicious & paranoid

Americans you will find ANYWHERE,

Having grown up in the South in the 50's

And having lived

Through the VERY EERIE 60's

(... so... it is constantly whispered around town)

And I tell you now,

I have... NO FEARS, none!

That Fury and Battlefront

Are out to deceive me and cause me to lose

Even one good night's sleep

Over this game.

Whether I can play it again and again

And again, I mean.

OK?

LOL.

[... are we sure we are not being HAD on this one?]

[ March 31, 2006, 05:21 PM: Message edited by: Desert Dave ]

[fantomas]

I do not dispute your promise, but I do not accept the idea that the continuance of my passion can depend on the decision of another person.

If battlefront.com could sell me a version of the game which does not require activation, I would be ready to buy it a very high price. But I shall not buy SC2 with a similar system of activation. All my pleasure to play would be spoiled : in my life, I hold in controler totally the things to which I attach a big importance, and I never let anybody decide for me, even though one promises me to take such or such decision.

It is a very difficult and hard decision, but psychologically, I could not accept the idea that the continuance of my passion and my pleasure to play with this game can depend on the decision of battlefront.com to release its licenses, even though, I repeat it, I do not dispute your promise.

If system changes a day, I would be very happy to be able to buy this game.

So, I leave this great love SC2 and I begin again in modding with STEEL PANTHERS, who was my preceding favourite game. Good by And thank you all the same for the pleasure of the expectation of the game. It was a beautiful dream...

[jon_j_rambo]

@Fatmas --- Then Agrippa said, "Almost thou persuadest me to buy SC-2".

[Moon]

Have fun with Steel Panthers! Funny enough, SP doesn't work properly on my computer anymore

Martin

[fantomas]

What ? :eek:

Here, you may download Win STEEL PANTHER MAIN BATTLE TANK, and this year, will probably be realized Win SP WW II.

[commercial URL deleted]

The game works perfectly on XP.

[ April 01, 2006, 01:26 AM: Message edited by: Moon ]

[Blashy]

fantomas either you're pulling an April's fool or you really are disconnected from gaming reality.

Better stop playing games now as ALL games will have sometype of activation in the futur... even console games will have a check so they do not show as a copy.

Don't buy the game, miss out on the greatest strategy game just because of your paranoia.

[Moon]

Thanks for the link, fantomas, I am sure we all know where to obtain the SPCamo version of SPMBT by Shrapnel. There is also a WW2 version out by Matrix I believe.

But to be honest, I never said that I missed playing SP... The "I move all my units, then you move all your units" approach of SP is really too long in the tooth for me.

I'll rather enjoy Strategic Command 2...

Martin

[Sombra]

qfantomas: As much as I share your concerns aginst intrusive copy protection . I think you go to far here. It seems that Battlefront found a nice way to protect their property without to much hassele for the customer.

Moon, glad to hear that I can play the game without CD. Is it possible to have the game installed on your laptop and my desktop at the same time? Well I guess I will see soon.

[fantomas]

Mister Blashy, I do not know exactly if I am an April's fool or paranoiac, but I know that

you are probably somebody of of rather impolite. I do not practise this kind of things, but if it is your custom, in that case continue without me.

I always spoke here respectfully about my interlocutor, it is not your case.

Hovewer, I think you are in the right opinion : SC2 will be a very great game. But when I pay this game, the money I give to Hubert Cater and Battlefront not needs activation when they change their Purse. Why must I activate the game I have paid when I change my PC ?

When I buy something, I give definitively my money for that, and I think that I have the elementary right to receive something really definitively.

[fantomas]

Originally posted by Sombra:

qfantomas: As much as I share your concerns aginst intrusive copy protection . I think you go to far here. It seems that Battlefront found a nice way to protect their property without to much hassele for the customer.

I think that the preoccupation of Battlefront.com is very justifiable and that the pirates are bad people who should be

more austerely punished, because they are swindlers, as well as people who buy them illegal copies.

But I am certain that the system of activation will turn around quickly against the editors : the pirates will find fast a means to cheat system and will sell copies which will not require activation.

I believe that the honest players want to receive something definitive in exchange for their money : it is also justifiable.

[Moon]

Sombra, yes, you will be able to have two simulatenous installations with each purchase.

fantomas:

Why must I activate the game I have paid when I change my PC ?

Because you pay for a license to *use* the software, you do not *own* the software. That is different than when you buy a car: it's yours and you can do with it whatever you like. But when you purchase soft goods like software and movies, you do not actually own the content. You cannot show it to others and charge money for it for example, or copy it and resell it or even exchange it with friends.

The software itself remains the property of the people who spent a couple of years in making this game and rely on its financial success to be able to live; and you are only given the right to use it, within certain limits, not to own it.

It's more of a lease than a purchase (although even that of course isn't entirely correct). If you lease a computer you pay money for it, but you have to give it back after the lease period is over, and no, you do not get your money back.

This is how most software licenses work, and always have. Some are even more restrictive, others are less. We have, so far, always been very very open, and have even released games without any copy protection until now. I explained why this had to change earlier in this thread, so I won't repeat that.

We would be very happy to continue not using any copy protection, believe me. It's an additional effort and expense for us; and we're players, too, and all of us at Battlefront hate intrusive copy protection schemes ourselves. That's why we've taken such a long time to find and setup a system like the one we'll be using with minimal fuss to the paying customer, but still effectively protecting our copyrights.

(This isn't to say that there won't be any hacks... no system is foolproof of course. But hopefully we will be able to tip the balance back a little, because it's really begun to slip in the wrong direction lately.)

fantomas, you will still be able to buy the french version of SC2 without online activation later this year, because our distribution partner in france will most likely use more traditional cd protection. But your concerns really are somewhat unreasonable and unfounded... I guess after people have their games in their hands and attest to the ease of use of the system, maybe you'll change your mind. You'll really miss out on a great wargame otherwise

Martin

[fantomas]

Thanks for these informations.

Very good ! It is totally different.

If I can buy with certainty a French version without activation next year, I shall buy this version in France as soon as it will be in sale in shops.

And for the present time, I shall buy the US version with activation : no problem with activation if I am sure to be able to buy a definitiv game in french. I will then give my english version to a other player. Do you know exactly vhen the french version will be in sale ?

Is the decision of producing a french version without activation definitively taken? If yes, I will say that on french forums for others players .

[fantomas]

And please : may you indicate me exactly who is your partner in France (adress, where we can buy the game, etc...) Thanks !

And :

Originally posted by Moon:

But your concerns really are somewhat unreasonable and unfounded...

[/QB]

Yes : You are right : I am not reasonable. But who is reasonable in great great love ? My passion for SC2 is so strong as I was ready to give up the game if I was not sure of to have it for ever, till the end of my life !

And I will buy 6 french versions : it will be more sure !

Other question, please : will be the US version and the French version compatible? If I make mods with the French version, will the players will be able to use them with a US version? (I shall try to make them in English).

One of my projects : I will try to create a map like the map of the old and very good "American civil war" :

[ April 01, 2006, 03:25 AM: Message edited by: fantomas ]

[Moon]

fantomas, you will be able to buy the game in every store in the country once it's out in french. I am not sure who the distibutor will be yet. The french and english (and other language versions, like German) are fully compatible.

Martin

[fantomas]

Great ! So, I will be able to begin Temporarily the modding work with one english version and I continue in the future with my definitiv french version.

Big reassurance

I will keep my french versions of the game in my safe...

[Hubert Cater]

All language versions will be 100% compatible except for the natural fact that they will be localized including the master campaigns, i.e. unit and territory names etc.