Anti Piracy

[Ming]

I wonder what kind of protection they are going to use for Civ V.
Are we going to be stuck with a bunch of stuff that the pirates can get around anyway.

I really don't mind things like online registration, but I'm totally against games that you have to have an online connection to play.

And frankly, having to keep the CD in the machine to play is annoying. It doesn't stop the pirates, and just makes it a pain for honest users.

[wodan11]

There's no ideal solution. But I agree the protection is a pain for honest users.

[Ming]

I've seen some games where you need to have access to the internet to play. I hope they don't go that route.
There are times when you don't have access to the net, and playing Civ is one of the best options to waste some time

[wodan11]

Agreed!

[Solver]

Pirates will get around it anyway, but apparently the game will be available on Steam. Games that are on Steam only use Steam itself as a means of protection, instead of whatever retail copies may use. If so, it means you can play while offline (except for the first time). At least hopefully

[rah]

Direct2drive for me. I'm a convert now.

[Solver]

There's no indication yet that Civ5 will be available there, though. Also, correct me if I am wrong, but D2D uses different patches and so is incompatible with patches released by the developers.

[Ming]

There's no indication yet that Civ5 will be available there, though. Also, correct me if I am wrong, but D2D uses different patches and so is incompatible with patches released by the developers.

Sure... If you buy the game from D2D you need to get the patches from them. But they seem identical to the those released by the devolopers. We've had no problems with MP games, and that's where the problem would stand out. Whenever a new patch comes out from the deveopers, D2D is up to date with the same patch.

[Beatie]

Agree! Very bad idea to need a internet connection at all times to play the game! What if you like to play with your laptop on holliday for example? So what does people do? Find a crack to play the game offline!

[rah]

I've never had any problems with D2D patches in MP. And there never was really any large lag in delivering new patches.

[gribbler]

I agree with the general sentiment here. Anti-piracy measures inconvenience honest users, not pirates. Ironically they can make being an honest user less convenient than being a pirate.

[Lord Avalon]

I'm not as bothered by having to have the disc in the drive (though I can understand the issues with misplacing or breaking it), but it better not require an internet connection.

[Felch]

I've had better luck with Impulse than Steam. Stardock has done a fantastic job of rewarding people who buy their games. Of course, 2K won't ever let Firaxis go that route.

[Quintillus]

I've seen some games where you need to have access to the internet to play. I hope they don't go that route.
There are times when you don't have access to the net, and playing Civ is one of the best options to waste some time

Agreed! I regularly play Civ when the net is unavailable at home (or at the airport - I'm not paying $7 for two hours of Internet), and would probably have to bypass Civ5 if it required an Internet connection for multiplayer.

I'd rather not have a Steam requirement, either. Partly because Steam is rather slow to get loading, and I like to get to the Civ part of Civ. Partly because it would be tragic if Valve went under and it meant no more playing Civ. And partly because my friends might send me to some sort of Civ rehabilitation clinic if they saw how much I played Civ when I'm really into it.

Actually, forget the last part. They'll all be playing Civ5 like crazy when it comes out, too, so no worries about that!

[dannubis]

Solution to piracy ? Why, a fleet of frigates cleans those pesky SOBs out of the way...

[SpencerH]

Rootkit bedamned, they should use Securom. I trust Firaxis and 2K games implicitly.

[Sir Og]

I have bought all Civ4 versions but I have always installed and played the pirated versions for convenience.
Will do the same for Civ5.

[Giraflorens]

I got to know and to play Civ IV thanks to a pirate copy. And I liked so much and the price was so reasonable that i bought 3 copies for me and for some friends.

Good price and good stuff is the best arm against pirates.

[Greybriar]

The least intrusive copy protection method the better. If Civ5 has a draconic DRM or if it requires an internet connection to install and play a single player game, I won't buy it.

[Robert Plomp]

Civ is a fangame anyway, fans will buy it.
And illegal downloaders may be converted to fanhood and become buying fans as well.

Best way to include any form of protection is imho include online services (like MP, scenario downloads, extra civ downloads, etc) with a registration check.
This makes it interesting for players to buy the game, but it won't limit people without a connection or the DVD at the place where they are.

[SpencerH]

They could return to the 3 questions. That was a very effective anti-piracy method.

[MikeH]

I got to know those without the manual, could probably still do them today tbh.

Would take about 10 mins until someone put the questions and answers list online. No copy protection FTW.

[CanuckSoldier]

Agree! Very bad idea to need a internet connection at all times to play the game! What if you like to play with your laptop on holliday for example? So what does people do? Find a crack to play the game offline!

Well I've seen 2-3 day lag in D2D patches compared to the GS lobby driven ones, not a big issue unless you happen to want to play MP in those days :-/

CS

[SpencerH]

I got to know those without the manual, could probably still do them today tbh.

Would take about 10 mins until someone put the questions and answers list online. No copy protection FTW.

As a brit, I would've thought you had an appreciation of sarcasm.

[Lord Avalon]

They could return to the 3 questions. That was a very effective anti-piracy method.

Perhaps if there were a Gorge of Eternal Peril.

STOP! He who would cross the Bridge of Death must answer me these questions three, ere the other side he see..

[dannubis]

As a brit, I would've thought you had an appreciation of sarcasm.

Brits are funny just because they don't have a clue what sarcasm is

[MikeH]

As a brit, I would've thought you had an appreciation of sarcasm.

We know Americans don't have a sense of sarcasm so filter you through that knowledge.

[SpencerH]

Born on the way to Hammersmith Hospital, so not an American.

[Jon Miller]

I like Steam.

I use to sometimes do a crack on games I bought, I hated having to find a CD/etc.

JM

[Gobeavs]

They could have a timer. You put the disk in and it touches base with Firaxis via the internet. Then you have (say) 100 hours of game time before it starts asking to see the disk again. 100 hours of game time will be enough for 5 or 6 days for most of us (assuming you have a job and don't have that many sick days saved up).

The whole idea is that you could touch up just before a vacation and know that you were good for the next 100 hours of down time. At home you wouldn't have to have the disk in the drive all the time.