Battlefront.com DRM

[WYBaugh]

I purchased a physical copy of Normandy (granted from someone else) but managed to lose the reg code paper after installing on my old computer.  Went to re-install and couldn't find the code, contacted BF and was told "sorry, you're going to have to repurchase the game".

Physical copy but couldn't do a dang thing with it.

I'm not sure that I understand. Did you purchase the game or did someone else?

If you purchased the game as a physical disc purchase ONLY, then the key is on the CD case. If you purchased a copy of the physical disc with the download option, the key will always be in your account.

Also hope your daughter is doing well!

Elvis it was purchased from someone else.  I re-purchased it direct from BF after this so just me griping.

I can dig it. But, I hope you understand that when someone contacts you, who didn't purchase the game, and asks for an activation key that it raises obvious flags, right? So, I'm not sure what the beef would be with us. Sounds like the beef would be with the person that you purchased it from. I've told stories on this forum (maybe this thread even) of tickets that I have gotten from people demanding license keys from us that never purchased the game from us. My favorite (also posted before) was this one. It never gets old:

Well I definitely had the boxed game but I understand where you're coming from. 

[RyanE]

The last time I uninstalled CMSF I got the same error message.  BFC reset one license for me, but it took a couple days.

[Yskonyn]

I ran into trouble with CMSF a few years back too. But I got a reply within 24 hrs of posting my ticket.

Just last week I had to contact them about CMBN's licensing system preventing me to activate and again I got helped properly within 24 hrs of submitting my ticket.

Now, I agree we shouldn't have to contact them for this horseshit in the first place. And yes, I do find their licensing system cumbersome and annoying. But their support has always been top notch for me, when I needed it.

[Nefaro]

why spend my past-time being frustrated with their troublesome BS?

Hey Nef.

You having trouble with Black Sea?  :P

Just messing  :-*

;D


Black Sea came out after my Battlefront Cutoff Date™.

;)

[Jarhead0331]

I ran into trouble with CMSF a few years back too. But I got a reply within 24 hrs of posting my ticket.

Just last week I had to contact them about CMBN's licensing system preventing me to activate and again I got helped properly within 24 hrs of submitting my ticket.

Now, I agree we shouldn't have to contact them for this horseshit in the first place. And yes, I do find their licensing system cumbersome and annoying. But their support has always been top notch for me, when I needed it.

Elvis was very responsive and connected me with Steve who reset my licenses. My beef is definitely not with the customer service. I just wish they would change the drm system and policy.

[RyanE]

This has been my point from the get-go...

Great game - check
Good customer service - check
Crappiest DRM around - check

I am not against DRM per se.  I am against poorly designed DRM where the customer has to constantly be on the look out for the slightest issue forcing you to have to take the extra steps of contacting BFC, running some stupid reg cleaner, and hoping it works.  That doesn't even count that you'll never get your activations back.  I have no activations left for CMBN due to all the issues over the yeras.  I'll never get those activations back.  Every time I have to change PCs, I have to ask for a new activation.

I am not a huge fan of Steam, but if it get BFC to get rid of their asinine DRM system, I am all for it.  The funny thing is that there used to be two games I played with worse DRM or patchng process, SES's Jutland and Graviteam's Operation Star.  SES has basically ceased operation in any effective form.  Graviteam has moved to Steam.  That leaves BFC at the top.  And it seems like the more modules that come out for a game, the worse it gets.  CMBN is a nightmare to reinstall or fix if the DRM kicks off.

[Elvis]

My beef is definitely not with the customer service. I just wish they would change the drm system and policy.

We actually have....several times in the last 9 years since CMSF came out. :)

[RyanE]

...and in some ways, made it worse.  At least you could unlicense CMSF and move it.  Which I have done multiple times.  With CMBN+, we were supposed to have 5 activations and then one added each year you owned it.  Instead, once you have used up the 5 activations, for whatever reasons, you will always have to ask for one more when you change computers.  I have yet to see any activations given back beyond getting the one back that is requested.  There is no way to track how many activations you have.  The "One activation a year added into the pool" has never worked from what I can see.  It just seems like a waste of time for both customers and BFC.

[sandman2575]

@Elvis -- hope your daughter is recovering well -- one of my daughters has been through a couple of surgeries so I know what it's like and sympathize -- it's fun for nobody.

Also -- cover on that pirated CM is amazing.

[Jarhead0331]

My beef is definitely not with the customer service. I just wish they would change the drm system and policy.

We actually have....several times in the last 9 years since CMSF came out. :)

Yeah...I guess I mean, change it for the better.  O:-)

...and revise the system for the older games. Its one thing to improve it for current or future titles, but the older titles should be updated together with the new.

[Jarhead0331]

Also -- cover on that pirated CM is amazing.

That game looks quite good, actually. I wish someone would make it. lol

[undercovergeek]

because it has you on the front cover?  :P

[sandman2575]

That game looks quite good, actually. I wish someone would make it. lol

Seriously. Helicopter gunships for the assault on Omaha beach. Why didn't Ike think of that?

[RyanE]

Saw this post on the CMBN forum and thought it was appropriate for the topic...

http://community.battlefront.com/topic/122712-patches-a-real-dogs-breakfast/

[Nefaro]

I am not a huge fan of Steam, but if it get BFC to get rid of their asinine DRM system, I am all for it.  The funny thing is that there used to be two games I played with worse DRM or patchng process, SES's Jutland and Graviteam's Operation Star.  SES has basically ceased operation in any effective form.  Graviteam has moved to Steam.  That leaves BFC at the top.  And it seems like the more modules that come out for a game, the worse it gets.  CMBN is a nightmare to reinstall or fix if the DRM kicks off.

(my bold)

SES' Jutland changed from the limited activation DRM nonsense to their own Steam-like distro client. 

So even they listened to their customer's complaints and switched to something more user-friendly.  Unfortunately for them, they had stuck with their earlier DRM long enough that many users had already swore off them by the time they changed.