STALKER: Clear Sky Features 5-Time Activation Limit

Rob Williams

Editor-in-Chief
Staff member
Moderator
From our front-page news:
I hate to post more about copy protection in games, but I can't help it. I've ranted about it a hundred times in the past, but ironically, I've never actually been the victim - until last night. Spore? Nope. Mass Effect? Nah. STALKER: Clear Sky? You guessed it.

Although Steam has its flaws, it's great for the fact that almost all of the games we use for benchmarking in our GPU reviews is on there. At current time, the only one not there is Need for Speed: ProStreet, and being an EA title, I wouldn't expect to see it there for quite a while - if ever. So when Clear Sky came out, it was a no-brainer to purchase it on Steam since it's nice to keep everything together. Plus, you usually can avoid copy protection, since Valve has their own. But as I found out, that alone doesn't please some publishers.

So, GSC decided to force even Steam users to put up with the TAGES copy protection system, which while I agree works well, it defeats the purpose of what Steam is all about. Since you have to be logged in at least once to activate the game through a Steam account, a secondary activation is redundant. The problem is not-so-much that though, as it is the fact that there is five-time activation limit...

stalker_clear_sky_screenshot_092408.jpg

... which I managed to exceed in one evening. As it turns out, even swapping a GPU will require another activation, and since I was performing a wide-variety of testing with different GPUs... I think the problem speaks for itself. So... I'm finally a victim of copy protection. Despite paying $40 for it just last week, it's effectively useless on my machine as it stands.

I've stressed this point before, but I'll do so again. The fact is... right now there are many gamers locked out of the game, who paid for it. I see it on both the Steam forums and the GSC forums, and it's needless. If it's in your Steam account, then you obviously paid for it, so the fact that any gamer is locked out at all is unbelievable. But, what's sad is that while many of these gamers are locked out of their legally-bought game, those who downloaded pirated copies are enjoying it hassle-free.

Oh, and I can neither confirm or deny that a crack that's floating around the web may or may not work with the Steam version of the game, but it's worth a try if you are desperate.
 

Kougar

Techgage Staff
Staff member
Wow. Thought about phoning them up and asking for a special benching version? Or at least filing a complaint, that someone somewhere might happen to take notice?

That is really absurd changing your GPU causes that, I have no idea why it would either. I wonder if it does the same for Spore?
 

Rob Williams

Editor-in-Chief
Staff member
Moderator
I'm sure GSC has a version like that internally, but the chances of them parting with it is unlikely... and it's just not worth the hassle of trying to get through to them.

I found a "fix" for it online regardless, but in the interim I'll figure out from Valve what benchmarkers are supposed to do with such ridiculous protections. What I could see happen is that GSC would increase the limit of activations allowed, but even then, I'm doubtful they'd go as high as 25, and even that is low.

Game developers need to get a clue and realize that the people they're hurting are the people who are helping pay their bills. I just cannot understand why they are so slow to figure it out!
 

Drew

E.M.I.
I totally agree, companies are complaining about profit loss due to piracy but it is almost like the companies are leading the legit consumers to the pirates market. Why go out and pay 50-90 dollars for more hassle in your life when Joe Blow down the street didn't pay a dime and gets to enjoy his software whenever he chooses and gets as many re-installs as he likes. WAKE UP!!!!! you in the industry and realize you are just hurting yourself and helping the pirates!!! /rant
 

Kougar

Techgage Staff
Staff member
That DRM is hurting their legit customers far more than any pirate is a completely alien concept for most game devs. DRM makes as much sense to game developers as several hundred trillion $ in credit default swaps made for AIG, and the rest of the financial banks. :D

That is to say it makes complete sense to them, but anyone with a little common sense and knowledge of the industry, the facts are plainly obvious. Considering EA is just now firing 600 people because of a bad quarter should be telling, despite selling some big sellers like Spore...
 
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