OMG starforce DRM and questions about other things.

[nap0leonic]

hi all, finally registered on this site although I haven't tried/bought any of the module yet :D I'm waiting for the fast mover jets to be released first, even if they are Flaming Cliffs level at first (however I don't want Lock On).

 

I have some concerns though about the DRM, it use starforce? :cry: even on steam?!? :cry: holy hell.... but atm it can't be helped so my questions are

 

1. how exactly are the DRM rules? can someone explain?

2. is there any intention from ED to remove it? if not can we petition ED to remove it?

 

starforce is a bad thing, I've read horror stories about it years ago when it was popular, and to this day it has been remembered as somekind of disease amongst pc gamers, IT WILL HURT SALES and bring bad reputation to the DCS series, especially when DCS came back to the exposure of steam...

 

also the activations limitation... another not good thing to have in this day and age of internet hype where this kind of DRM and limitation information quickly spread through the web.

 

long time and hardcore flight sims like me and many here probably will live through it albeit having to suffer :D but those new market probably back off because of the DRM.

 

Finally I'm waiting for the Su-27 FC + AFM and F/A-18 module, any idea when will they come? please? :D

 

thanks, sorry for my english.

[leafer]

It uses a much, much less intrusive version of starforce and I have not seen any complain since they announced it years ago.

 

ED has been generous about granting more activation to me when I ran out.

[metheluckydonut]

It was a major bummer for me too, ESPECIALLY since it didn't even do its job.

[Grimes]

Old starforce was a bad thing yes, but about all this DRM has in common with the horror stories of old is the name.

 

1. how exactly are the DRM rules? can someone explain?

 

The short version is that you get 10 activations. You can deactivate the key to get it back. The key is stored in your registry so you can install and uninstall the sim as often as you like without using up a key. Generally the only way to lose a key is a hardware upgrade or you reformat and you forget to deactivate it. Also at somepoint, can't remember when, keys will be resupplied every 30 days. You have to really really really try to reach the activation limit.

[BigfootMSR]

Without digging through the forums for the exact wording on the DRM... Basically as Grimes has stated. The only thing it has in common is the name. It is not intrusive and I have not noticed any of the problems the old star force DRM created.

 

As for the limited number of activations, you have 10 activations and 10 deactivations. AFTER you have run out of activations, you will automatically be granted another activation after 30 days. You do not need to contact ED for the activation to occur. To my understanding, the older BS1 keys did not have the auto granting of activation in which case, you needed to contact ED to get more.

 

Somewhere around here, possibly in the manaul, it talks about the activations as well for everybody to read. In there, it does say that if you upgrade certain pieces of your hardware then it will require an activation. You basically get so many points for each piece of hardware/OS you upgrade for your system. After you get to 12 points I believe it will require an activation.

 

But, apart from all that, its non intrusive, easy to use and easily forgotten about.