• 24Sep 07

  Halo 3 Special Edition Not So Special

  
  (click image to enlarge)

  From MAXCONSOLE:

  A friend just opened 3 copies of Halo 3 Limited Edition and with all three copies both disc were loose inside of the package and scratched to death.
  
  This Limited Edition has a Piss Poor Plastic Nub and Foam Pad disc holding design that is a major flaw and the disc's pop off with ease.
  
  Worst then the Prey Collectors Edition!!
  
  If mine is like this I will keep returning it until I get one that is perfect and I think this will be almost impossible.
  
  Both Disc's Loose and floating around inside.

  I had this same problem with the Best Buy limited edition of Death Proof that also came in a metal tin. Maybe these "special editions" are just not worth it anymore.

  • Posted Sep 24, 2007 1:30 am GMT
  • Category:
  • 1 Comment
  • Tag
  • Print
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Digg
• 11Sep 07

  Remember Alan Wake?

  

  About a year ago there was quite allot of buzz surrounding Alan Wake but then (as is so common in our hobby) it just sort of fell off the radar. Since it's not uncommon to get lost in the mountains in and around the Pacific Northwest I had forgotten about this promising title until I came across a few new screen-shots from the few (still) existing fan-sites. Hard to say if the game is still in the works but either way Remedy Games has created some nice art for us to look at and wonder about the mysteries going on in their ode to the land of Twin Peaks.

  
  
  
  • Posted Sep 11, 2007 1:17 am GMT
  • Category: Games
  • 0 Comments
  • Tag
  • Print
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Digg
• 5Sep 07

  DRM : Bioshock's Big Daddy

  
  "Look Mr. Bubbles, DRM"

  
  

  Things just seem to be getting worse and worse for the folks at 2K Games AND for gamers in general. Here is a FAIR USE copy of a discussion had on the 2K forums regarding the number of licenses a person has for Bioshock:

  So...here are a few posts from a thread that was deleted in the tech support forum. I find it a bit telling:

  Nemesisdesignz wrote:
  I installed Bioshock on my laptop under one admin user, Everything works fine, but I then tried to switch users on my computer and whenever I launch Bioshock it is asking me to enter my serial again for the game.... IS THIS GONNA CHARGE ME TWO OF MY 5 Activations???? IF SO THAT IS GAY I need to know this ASAP before I attempt to play this on my pc under the other user... THis is a bug if the case be....so get yo stuff fixed!
  

  Now, I agree that the poster was being a bit of a tool, but it's a good question.
  
  Here's the response from moderator 2k Tech JT:

  2k Tech JT writes:
  The other way to view this, is one USER has purchased the game. Not the whole family. So why should your brother play for free?
  

  My response:

  Jakester writes:
  If your spouse buys a book, do you go out and buy another copy if you want to read it, or do you read it when she's not or when she's done?
  
  If you purchase a DVD, do you buy one copy for each of your friends and family who are going to watch the movie with you? Do you ever lend or borrow movies?
  
  Why should my brother play for free? Because it's FAIR USE of a product I have purchased.
  
  I have been holding off on purchasing BioShock because of the DRM (and if you think it's necessary, check out this GalCiv2 thread). However, this mentality of blatant disrespect of people who purchased your game, and the no-longer-veiled attempts to deny basic fair use rights of legitimate purchasers is reprehensible.
  
  I'm sorry, Ken Levine -- based on the demo, you made a kick-ass game, but it's one I wont' be buying (nor will it be one I'm playing). Further, I'll not be buying any 2k/Take-two games on any platform. IF it means no GTA, so be it. If it means no Manhunt 2 (I was going to support them because I don't appreciate censorship, either, even though I only marginally enjoyed the first game), then so be it.
  
  We can talk on these forums until our fingers bleed, but what will make a difference is when we speak with our purchasing dollars and do not support a company that "permits" its customers to use their software at the publisher's whim. Now, I know 2k publishes good and popular games, but, really, if you don't like the taste of crap, stop eating filet mignon wrapped in crap!

  The thread on this subject continues but as of September 5th, there has not been any comment from 2K Games regarding their views on the FAIR USE of their products. This really is a shame since this company has been on the forefront of pushing the envelope of ratings and game content - Bioshock especially.

  I understand that there are many people out there who wait a week or two to torrent an illegal copy of the latest software and share music on-line for free. I also understand that the vast majority of people have to pay for the actions of a few - it's not fair but that's the way it is. Still, I feel there has to be a better way to deal with copyright issues because DRM and copy protected software is really a pain in the ass for regular folks like me. I also worry that because I take care of the things that I own and can make things last for a very long time that in a few years some of what I legally own and operate will be rendered inoperable and I will be forced to pay again for something I already own. Yes, companies like Steam and Apple (both of who I use frequently) claim this will never happen, but I don't trust anything a big corporation says - remember, Enron told it's employees they would have retirement funds but the CEO's stole it anyway so do you really think Apple and Steam actually care about me who isn't even an employee?

  Something needs to change, and change quick because more and more people are just going to start taking the easy route and pirate their software. There have been good strides made over the past few years to limit the pirating of music but if the industry pushes the consumer ever further they will drive people right back to the next Napster. There has to be a common ground and there has to be some trust too. Nobody who has ever sold anything creative (a book, painting, game or movie) has been paid by every single person who has enjoyed the product - it's impossible to assume you ever could. Yet everyday companies try harder and harder to squeeze the consumer for every penny in hopes that they can maximize profits for shareholders (who are customers too, by the way).

  Of course, like Jakester says above, the only way to fight back is to not by the product and that would be a shame because Bioskock is a great game and allot of people are going to miss out on how good it really is.

  • Posted Sep 5, 2007 10:58 pm GMT
  • Category:
  • 0 Comments
  • Tag
  • Print
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Digg

See Previous Blog Posts