Bioshock - Issues Addressed

[Stanza]

Might be a possible reason Stanza can't see anything.

I usually chalk it up to horrible eyesight.

But that didn't stop me from spotting something over at Rock, Paper, Shotgun: To make up for the Moby tracks in the box, they've put the the real soundtrack up for download from 2K's site.

 

[txa1265]

I usually chalk it up to horrible eyesight.

But that didn't stop me from spotting something over at Rock, Paper, Shotgun: To make up for the Moby tracks in the box, they've put the the real soundtrack up for download from 2K's site.

Sweet - I saw that elsewhere but the URL was all messed up ... I loved that music.

 

[elikal]

I havent yet bought Bioshock, but as System Shock fan I wanted to. Now I hear you can install it only 2 or 5 times, is that true? I must say, if this were the case I would not buy this game. I tend to replay games, and I want to play them again, even after many years, and if the game company doesnt exist then? It does make online requests to install, right? Well, what about ppl who dont have online, does the package say it needs online connection even for normal play? I wonder.

This is a bad step in a bad direction.

 

[woges]

On the back of the box it says:

Important note: Game requires internet connection for activation.

So indeed, you have to have internet to play it at all.

 

[Sepulchrave]

I usually chalk it up to horrible eyesight.

Welp, that'll do it also.

 

[fatBastard()]

By the time anyone without technical issues would run into trouble regarding the limited installations there will be at the very least a dozen different hacks available on the net and quite possibly an official limitation remover utility to boot.

If anyone is refraining from buying BioShock due to philosophical reasons then that is your prerogative but don't miss out on BioShock because of actual concerns about the ability to reinstall that game at a later date because it will NOT be an issue in a few days/weeks.

 

[Dhruin]

I had a problem and couldn't get it to go without reinstalling Windows (which would point to a problem at my end) but from the limited play I've had so far (I'm in the medical centre), this is a superior piece of gaming that (so far) is worth the $50 for even one play through.

Everyone has their own expectations, of course, but don't miss out without serious thought as to whether the group intarweb consciousness has possibly overreacted to the situation.

 

[r3dshift]

Ken Levine is a highly sympathetic guy for me (a pity so few of such people are around, generally). An honest repsonse, as he isn't afraid to admit that they made mistakes, and even rewards the mod-maker. Sweetness.

 

[Badesumofu]

I've finished the game, and all I can really say (without spoiling the game) is that it's simply stunning.

The Securom thing was initially frustrating, mostly because my game just wouldn't activate. Once it did and I started playing all that was forgotten. This game is better value than 99% of what's out there. Now that they've lifted it to 5 activations and have a revoker forthcoming, it should really be a non-issue (as long as the activation servers stay up).

Buy the game, do it now.

 

[Tsukku-san]

Stunning how? Graphically? What if I can’t play a repetitive game and like diversity of action? What if I never have bought or enjoyed a FPS? Would the game be stunning to me? Compared to, say, the Northlands Trilogy is it stunning? Or just stunning compared to Doom? What if I played the demo and was not even a little impressed? Should I buy a game that failed to hook me in the demo? Isn’t the game like the demo but longer?

 

[Badesumofu]

I haven't played the demo. I'm running a 6800GS, Athlon 3800 XP Venice, 2 GB RAM. So the game runs acceptably well, but I have all the graphics turned down. It's not the oohh shiney ones that make the game stunning. I love using my environment to my advantage, setting up traps etc. I love the setting and its story.

The game is not repetitive. Each level is distinctly different to the last. New concepts are regularly introduced. The story advances, you character advances, your sense of place in the gameworld advances. The action is varied, you will fight in different ways, you can focus on different abilities or weapons. You only have so much ADAM to spend on new plasmid/tonic slots or abilities.

I've not played any DOOM game, ever. I'm not much of an FPSer, the only ones I've played through are both Deus Exs, both Max Paynes, and the first Half-Life. I suppose I should give HL2 a go.

My understanding is that the game is not just a longer version of the demo.

 

[ffbj]

Uninstalling the Malware.
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/98241-13-remove-securom-malware-uninstalling-bioshock-demo

 

[Corwin]

Interesting read ffbj, though far too technical for me. Perhaps you should re-post the link in our tech help forum as well.

 

[aries100]

Uninstalling the Malware.
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/98241-13-remove-securom-malware-uninstalling-bioshock-demo

This looks way to technical, even for me. It would be much better, if SecuROM would make a SecuROM removal tool like Starforce did. I installed Dreamfall which uses Starforce, I then un-installed Dreamfall some timer later. And downloaded the Starforce removal tool. Presto - no sign of Starforce of the computer. I'm not saying that SecuROM is a threat to the computer, butit could be used as a carrier of virus and trojans - sometime in the future.

Right now, I'm frustrated and mad since nowhere, not in the preview or in the demo release readme, that the demo would install SecuROM software on our computer or that the demo (maybe?) only allowed us 2 (or 5) installs all together.
Or that (perhaps) there would be a time limit on the demo so that it would be null&void after a week or so...

Anyway, I keep getting the error 'you don't have access to the appropriate rights' for this program, even after a fresh download from Gamespot, yes, even, after a fresh install from Steam, the demo will not play I'm not a happy camper right now, as you can tell. If I had known about this, I would have waited untill a PC Game Magazine had the Bioshock demo...

However, I might be tempted to use the advice from Tom's Hardware just to see if it is the SecuROM files on my system that makes it so that I can't play the demo.
(since I apparently installed it 2 times to many...) If I do, would system restore point then count as 'backup of the entire system' ??

 

[ffbj]

I am not sure that when people speak of backing up your entire system they are referring to a restore point. If so why not just say that?. Personally I am avoiding this, including the Demo until the questions are resolved. I know that does not help you in the least since you already tried to install and play the demo. I know that the game requires internet activation to play, that is a given. Not sure that this is also required just to play the demo. Posted link in the Tech Forum as suggested. The appropriate rights usually refers to admin privileges which you may have to enable. Yes installing multiple times would cause the game not too work.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/590/Changing-The-Administrative-Privileges-of-A-Windows-XP-User-Account

Also some info in the video describes the problem you are having as to the dismay of the announcers when they tried multiple installs:

http://www.twitchguru.com/site/flash_videos/second_take_the_bioshock_drm_problem.html

 

[ffbj]

The most complete synopsis of events thus-far also from twitchguru:

http://www.twitchguru.com/2007/08/27/bioshock_drm/

Part of the conclusion:
"There's no question, however, that the issues surrounding SecuROM have triggered a badly botched launch for an early contender for game of the year. In fact, this may go down as the worst fumble in PC game launch history. To its credit, 2K Games has made efforts to be accountable for the mess; rather than ignore the incensed PC gaming community, people like Levine and Tobey attempted to answer questions and resolve the issues (even though some statements proved to be false and misleading)."

Yes. I would call it a fiasco.

 

[txa1265]

In fact, this may go down as the worst fumble in PC game launch history.

That is just laughable - talk about (comparatively) much ado about nothing.

This game is polished, complete, installs correctly, works perfectly on most hardware and is one of the best freakin' games in recent years.

Because people are wearing tinfoil hats it has suddenly become 'teh w0rstest g4me launch EVAR'?!?!

Yeah, sure.

Again, I think that this method of copy protection is wrong-headed and anti-consumer, but seriously ...

 

[JDR13]

In fact, this may go down as the worst fumble in PC game launch history.

I think that honor still belongs to Gothic 3 for now.

 

[Alrik Fassbauer]

I believe this as well.

 

[txa1265]

In fact, this may go down as the worst fumble in PC game launch history.

I think that honor still belongs to Gothic 3 for now.

If Gothic 3 is a fumble, then Dungeon Lords is a mis-cast spell which renders you inside out before exploding you, guts flying everywhere ...