Battlefront.com DRM

Elvis · March 27, 2014, 02:30:24 PM

Quote from: SgtRock on March 27, 2014, 12:09:06 PM
Elvis do you know if there are any changes to the DRM for CMRT?

I believe it will be. It is right now. I suppose that could change but I doubt it.

SgtRock · March 27, 2014, 04:48:04 PM

Quote from: Elvis on March 27, 2014, 02:30:24 PM
Quote from: SgtRock on March 27, 2014, 12:09:06 PM
Elvis do you know if there are any changes to the DRM for CMRT?

I believe it will be. It is right now. I suppose that could change but I doubt it.

If it's the same as CMFI, someone is going to be very busy soon! Why the hell the DRM cares what USB devices I have plugged in or out is beyond me.

Elvis · March 27, 2014, 05:01:54 PM

Quote from: SgtRock on March 27, 2014, 04:48:04 PM
Quote from: Elvis on March 27, 2014, 02:30:24 PM
Quote from: SgtRock on March 27, 2014, 12:09:06 PM
Elvis do you know if there are any changes to the DRM for CMRT?

I believe it will be. It is right now. I suppose that could change but I doubt it.

If it's the same as CMFI, someone is going to be very busy soon! Why the hell the DRM cares what USB devices I have plugged in or out is beyond me.

I don't think that it cares what a system has. I think it just thinks it's a different system.

Busy? I'm ready, coach. Put me in the game. Some days I feel like the Maytag repairman.

Redwolf · March 29, 2014, 10:42:48 AM

I think BFC's current scheme is unacceptable, mainly because they do not publish a set of conditions that disable the DRM and need either re-activation or even the cleaner. I believe that nobody inside BFC knows precisely when that happens either because the DRM vendor doesn't tell them.

We know that things like plugging in a joystick or a USB soundcard (a headset counts) disable it, or did disable it, and we don't know which one it is. Unacceptable. And of course it keeps you from cleaning up your windows with e.g. a reinstall. And some windows patches killed the DRM, too, without a reinstall? Which ones? Well BFC for sure doesn't tell us.

Finally, the DRM does everything that malware does, it anchors itself in a hidden location and doesn't remove it on uninstall (only the secret cleaner does that). So security software correctly identifies CM as malware. People then disable malware checking on BFC games. That is really bad because at the same time BFC distributes their patches via insecure third-party websites and publishes no checksums (unless I poke them enough), so it is a REALLY BAD IDEA to disable malware checking on this game.

I have come to recognize that a large part of the player base wants offline playing. However, at this point the only solution I see is a dual activation system which is that it works both as an online only system (you are logged into your BFC account when starting the game and you have a Internet connection) and you can take it offline the way you currently can.

Doing that sounds like effort but really the online thing is very simple since you need no system hackery whatsoever. And if they finally published their games in Steam they'd get it as part of that package.

Redwolf · March 29, 2014, 10:45:15 AM

And don't get me started on what will happen if they run out of money to pay the DRM vendor to keep up the activation servers.

SgtRock · March 29, 2014, 02:44:20 PM

Quote from: Redwolf on March 29, 2014, 10:45:15 AM
And don't get me started on what will happen if they run out of money to pay the DRM vendor to keep up the activation servers.

Wonder what happens if the DRM vendor goes belly up?

Elvis · March 29, 2014, 05:08:12 PM

Quote from: SgtRock on March 29, 2014, 02:44:20 PM
Quote from: Redwolf on March 29, 2014, 10:45:15 AM
And don't get me started on what will happen if they run out of money to pay the DRM vendor to keep up the activation servers.

Wonder what happens if the DRM vendor goes belly up?

I believe a new DRM patch can be made.

RyanE · March 29, 2014, 06:02:21 PM

What I am a little befuddled about is that this isn't the absolute highest priority for BFC to fix. I am assuming its not because they keep releasing games. I think they take customer base a little for granted.

Elvis · March 29, 2014, 07:03:41 PM

Quote from: RyanE on March 29, 2014, 06:02:21 PM
What I am a little befuddled about is that this isn't the absolute highest priority for BFC to fix. I am assuming its not because they keep releasing games. I think they take customer base a little for granted.

I doubt it is that (based on multiple direct conversations). But I do believe it doesn't happen enough to be as high of priority as other things.

RyanE · March 29, 2014, 07:54:55 PM

It happens enough I can get a string of emails 20-24 emails long in my BFC folder over three years and two products. Again, its not common, but its not rare either. I can't even use the fan control on my CPU without tripping it. There are a half dozen or so posts on the forums with simple USB plug ins causing issues. I am at a point of preemptively submitting a ticket before updating drivers. Both sound and video has set it off.

Emphasizing what redwolf said...BFC doesn't even seem to know what is causing it. The solution to submit a help ticket for three years is not a best practice in the software industry for a top company. Not when its gone on for three years and several product releases. I don't mean to demonize BFC, but this is the first time I have seen a BFC employee minimize the issue. That does rub me the wrong way. Just do what Schullencraft does on the tech forum, fess up and and apologize for the issue and we can get back to playing the game...and hope that the new RAM I am about install doesn't kill my game.

RyanE · March 29, 2014, 08:32:08 PM

Redwolf · March 29, 2014, 10:05:36 PM

Quote from: SgtRock on March 29, 2014, 02:44:20 PM
Quote from: Redwolf on March 29, 2014, 10:45:15 AM
And don't get me started on what will happen if they run out of money to pay the DRM vendor to keep up the activation servers.

Wonder what happens if the DRM vendor goes belly up?

That's harmless as BFC can release their software with a different DRM. An involuntary bankruptcy on part of BFC would be very bad news for the game owners, though.

Elvis · March 30, 2014, 11:52:21 AM

Quote from: RyanE on March 29, 2014, 07:54:55 PM
I don't mean to demonize BFC, but this is the first time I have seen a BFC employee minimize the issue. That does rub me the wrong way. Just do what Schullencraft does on the tech forum, fess up and and apologize for the issue and we can get back to playing the game...and hope that the new RAM I am about install doesn't kill my game.

Quote from: Elvis on March 27, 2014, 09:11:22 AM
[That being said, eliminating this problem is on the programmers radar (that is saying something without compromising my NDA, right?)

I'm sorry if I came off as trying to minimize the issue. That wasn't my intend (one dimensional communication and weak writing skills can do that sometimes :) ). It certainly is an issue. And as I had said earlier in the thread, it is something that the programmers want to address.

Quote.and hope that the new RAM I am about install doesn't kill my game.

It sounds like you are one of the people that is affected by this. I would guess that you will need it after adding RAM. If you do run into a problem, and it's for a something that you've needed the tool for before...like CMFI with Gustav Line, you don't necessarily need to submit a new ticket. You can log into the Help Desk, view your old ticket and download the tool from there. It is specific to the type of computer you have (Windows or Mac) and the version of the game you have. If those things are the same as your old ticket you can just use the tool that you were sent before. Hopefully, if you have the problem after installing the RAM, that will only add a few minutes to the process rather than possible hours.

Boggit · March 30, 2014, 12:45:38 PM

Quote from: Nefaro on March 26, 2014, 06:37:22 PM
Quote from: Boggit on March 26, 2014, 06:29:22 PM
Quote from: RyanE on March 26, 2014, 05:10:04 PM
Noted there are two more DRM issues on CMBN and CMFI forums. One is someone upgraded their PC and can't run a module. The other will need gsclean for some reason. I know the error message well.

My rough estimate is about once a week someone has an issue with the DRM on one of the games.
That's a pain. I wonder if Elvis has an idea about what is causing all this.

Peanut butter-banana sandwiches and too many pills?

ROFL! ;D

Boggit · March 30, 2014, 12:55:30 PM

I put in a new R9 270 Radeon graphics card, and 750W Corsair psu yesterday. Had a quick look at CMBN/MG, CMSF/Mar/Brts/NATO, CMFI/GL, and CMA - all seem to be ok. Was a scary moment tho', after reading about the DRM sensitivity to changes. :o Phew.. :D