Command & Conquer 4 DRM Even Giving EA Fits
Command & Conquer 4 DRM Even Giving EA Fits
Posted 03/24/2010 at 9:52pm
| by Nathan Grayson
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With colossal mega-publishers like EA and Activision, it’s rare to hear a less-than-positive peep from even the company janitor, so we have to applaud EA for keeping the first amendment alive with corporate blogger Jeff Green. But you won’t see any standing ovations from us, because while EA’s taken a big step forward in that regard, its Command & Conquer 4 DRM counts as a few hundred steps back. Don’t believe us? Then just ask EA blogger Jeff Green!
"Booted twice—and progress lost—on my single-player C&C4 game because my DSL connection blinked. DRM fail. We need new solutions," Green tweeted. “Welp. I've tried to be open-minded. But my 'net connection is finicky--and the constant disruption of my C&C4 SP game makes this unplayable."
“Yeah, Steam's ability to have off-line play is the clear, better model when talking about SP games," he added. "However, C&C4 experiments w/what a 'single-player game' is--given it's constantly uploading progress/stats for unlocks. It's complicated. I think if we think of C&C4 as an 'online-only' game--which it basically is--then maybe we'd adjust our expectations accordingly."
For the uninitiated, Command & Conquer 4’s DRM functions similarly to Ubisoft’s recent digital rights management disaster in that it requires a constant Internet connection to function.
So, videogame publishers of the world, do we have this “always-connected DRM” phase out of our systems yet? Because if you’re expecting our anger to cool while we warm up to your DRM over time, it’s not gonna happen. It’s like when little kids are playing, and one of them adds a series of increasingly ridiculous, self-serving rules to the game. You know what the other kids do? They find a new friend.
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HeartBurnKid
March 26, 2010 at 11:01am
The simple solution to the stats conundrum would be to cache the stats locally, and then upload them the next time there's web access. But that'd subvert the DRM's purpose.
I will not buy any single player game that requires a net connection. I may pirate them; I probably will not (most of them look like shit anyway, to be honest). But I will not buy them and subject myself to that; it's in the same category as SecuROM and StarForce.
hades_2100
March 25, 2010 at 5:43pm
The game is crap anyway. Loved all the previous C&C games, but this one bites.
PhoneyVirus
March 25, 2010 at 2:33pm
I was looking forward to buying this when it came out not now with the DRM and ontop of it all, this is NOT C&C I remember watch the video Review on Gamespot I couldn't believe it no BASE building and game play someing like Company of Heroes.
Caboose
March 25, 2010 at 3:38pm
CoH has a form of base building and resource management. C&C4 has none of that.
-= I don't want to be dead, I want to be alive! Or... a cowboy! =-
Caboose
March 25, 2010 at 1:37pm
Not just the DRM, but the gameplay is crap altogether! I wish I hadn't wasted my money... Such a sad way to see the Tiberium saga end...
-= I don't want to be dead, I want to be alive! Or... a cowboy! =-
bpstone
March 25, 2010 at 10:46am
EA's games just went to the trash dump today. I don't play bullshit games... sorry EA.
Baer
March 25, 2010 at 10:43am
It used to be that I would look at the game reviews, the equipt specs Etc. Now, before I even get to think about a game I want to know aboutthe DRM. If it is intrusive, cumbersome or adds something to my computer it is a no go right from the start.
fragonman
March 25, 2010 at 9:35am
I saw the game at wal-mart the other day and thought about buying it. (then i remembered that you could only be connected to the internet to play so i would just waste money since i dont have interwebs at home).
although it would probably not even work on my comp... (it barely plays C&C 3 on maximum ugly!)
in the end does it matter?
ErikTheGreat
March 25, 2010 at 8:48am
I'm going to play a new game called BeNo....Be no more of this DRM crap!!!!
pepper_roni
March 25, 2010 at 6:31am
to bad shit hit the fan at 1up.com, but he still does good writing at EA
jcollins
March 25, 2010 at 5:14am
I haven't been paying too much attention to the C&C4 game release. Did the DRM get announced? This is the first time I'm hearing about it. I swear, it's almost to the point that you need to wait a month or two after a game's released to find out how it screws people before you buy it.
Righteous Fury
March 25, 2010 at 12:05pm
all of my games for about the last year and a half. Why buy them right away? Look how many times a great looking/sounding game comes out and everybody rushes to get it and... OMG, the DRM is totally sux! Or, the damn this is totally buggy, or... etc, etc.
So, let your wallet speak for you. Let MaxPC and others review BEFORE you buy, thats why they get paid the big bucks, right? ;)
Mighty BOB!
March 25, 2010 at 12:18am
Interestingly, no one has mentioned the fact that the game serial gets permanently linked to your EA online account, meaning no resale (eBay always has a lot of C&C games on it which is useful for the people who didn't pick up the games when they were in stores) which is as bad as the always-online DRM. Of course all of that is not to mention that it's a terrible game and a terrible conclusion to the story arc.
Quinid
March 25, 2010 at 12:25am
Yeah, that too. But I've been told PC game resale is illegal now? Don't quote me, but thats what a GameStop dude told me when I asked why no used PC games.
TheZomb
March 25, 2010 at 10:56pm
Courts have always held that you could resell just about anything, but that doesn't stop the developer from designing it to be used only be the first person who bought it.
Quinid
March 25, 2010 at 12:07am
If you loved all the previous C&C's, your gonna be angry after buying this one.
I for one hate the DRM deal from the start. I'm on a wireless 3G isp with 5GB/month cap. N don't tell me to get a better ISP, the only other option is dialup or dish in this area. Not only is the losing progress due do a random D/C frustrating, but it also REQUIRES you to update the game everytime you want to play.
Besides all that crap, the game itself has no C&C feel at all. No economy, no bases, crap storyline, and buuuuuggy. Not crash buggy, but mission objectives don't update sometimes, resulting into having to restart the mission. I should have downloaded this on bittorrent n spent my $50 on another game.
One pro I will say, is the AI's in skirmish mode are very very fast at adapting to you and will rock your world.
retrac1324
March 25, 2010 at 12:03am
what makes it even worse is that the game has already been cracked with an authentication server emulator that only consists in overwriting a few files. People who download it for free are getting a more convientently playable game.
poppy211
March 24, 2010 at 11:19pm
i was looking forward to buy this when i herd about this drm crap i would never buy this
i bought evey one of c an c no more ea you lost my money for good
noobstix
March 24, 2010 at 10:53pm
Regardless of the DRM, it still can't save the fact that it was a dreadful conclusion to the C&C series. But kudos for an EA employee to see how retarded Ubi...err...their DRM is.
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