What is the DRM scheme on King's Bounty?

[Roman]

Hello,

I am new to these boards!

I have played the demo of King's Bounty: The Legend and the game seems to be outstanding, so I would like to purchase the full version. :)

Before, I do so, however, I would like to enquire about what DRM scheme King's Bounty: The Legend uses. I suspect it uses Securom, but that is not really what matters for my purchasing decision all that much. What I care about is the implementation, most notably: Does the game require online activation and does it have limited installs? Those two anti-features automatically put a game on my no-buy list, regardless of how good the game is otherwise.

I really hope the game does not require online activation and limit the number of installs. I would hate to have to pass on what seems like a truly great game!

Also, does anybody have any clue as to where I can actually buy this game (the English-language version)? If it helps, I currently live in the U.S.

And on a final note - you guys really need to advertise more. I have only heard about this game by chance and lots of potential customers will probably never hear about it and will miss out on an outright superb game, while you miss out on revenue! It's a loss-loss situation - more publicity could cure this! :)

[bman654]

I think it depends on how you buy it.

GamersGate - download as many times as you want. Requires online activation once you install it for the first time on a computer. Supposedly there is a limit after which you need to email GamersGate to reset the limit.

Atari Download - I believe they only give you 30 days to download it. I don't know much else about it.

D2D - I think they are selling it. I don't know anything about them, though I have learned to avoid them on principle.

Retail Disc - I'm not sure where you can buy it in a real store. I bet you can order it from places like gogamer or amazon. I don't know the DRM used for it though.

[Roman]

I think it depends on how you buy it.

GamersGate - download as many times as you want. Requires online activation once you install it for the first time on a computer. Supposedly there is a limit after which you need to email GamersGate to reset the limit.

My main problem with online activations is that I only buy great games that I will want to whip up even 10 or 15 years from now for nostalgia's sake... and the servers for their online activation may not exist anymore. I guess this rules out GamersGate as an option to buy it from.

Atari Download - I believe they only give you 30 days to download it. I don't know much else about it.

But once you donwload the game once... can you use the downloaded copy to install the game without an install limit and without the need for online activation?

D2D - I think they are selling it. I don't know anything about them, though I have learned to avoid them on principle.

Why? Bad DRM? Or simply unreliable?

Retail Disc - I'm not sure where you can buy it in a real store. I bet you can order it from places like gogamer or amazon. I don't know the DRM used for it though.

Thanks :) - it seems like the retail disc remains my best hope for a game free of online activations and limited installs. I hope somebody comes here and clears up whether that is actually the case or not.

[JudgeMan]

I got it from D2D, you got unlimited download after purchase. They give you an activation code. However, I don't thinks it's online activation, it's more like a Cd-key.

[Roman]

I got it from D2D, you got unlimited download after purchase. They give you an activation code. However, I don't thinks it's online activation, it's more like a Cd-key.

This would be acceptable to me if you are correct and there is a serial number, but no install limit of the downloaded game and no online activation. Can you in theory install the single download an unlimited number of times or do you have to redownload it or get a new serial number after a set number of installs?

[JudgeMan]

Just looked at the D2D faqs:


How many licenses or activations do I get?
All licensing has a limit to the number of simultaneous activation to protect the product. However our customer service will see to it that should you encounter a need for more licenses that you are accommodated.

So I guess you can't have millions of simultaneous installation but who really needs even 10 anyway. But I don't see anywhere a limit of total installation

[phoenixreborn]

I have the US retail version bought in a store.

It requires the cd to be in the drive to start.

I haven't tried installing it on a second machine...but why wouldn't it work?

[NatashaQuick]

I installed this game from the retail disc and it did not require a CD key, nor did it appear to require online activation, but in the readme there are some notes about needing certain firewall ports open when you install the game. So, if the game does contact a website when you install it, it must be doing it silently. Sorry I can't give you a definitive answer on that.

The only "DRM" that I know of for sure is that this game checks for virtual disc drive software running on your computer. If you do have one running, simply shutting it off will allow the game to work. Then if you need the software later, you can re-start it. This seems to be a very customer-friendly game in all.

[Roman]

I installed this game from the retail disc and it did not require a CD key, nor did it appear to require online activation, but in the readme there are some notes about needing certain firewall ports open when you install the game. So, if the game does contact a website when you install it, it must be doing it silently. Sorry I can't give you a definitive answer on that.

Hmm, thanks for trying anyway. The part where it does not obviously go online to do an activation is encouraging, but the bit about the firewall ports seems worrying - why ask to have them open unless it plans to go online? Hmm, I guess the only way to find out for sure, apart from an official word, would be to try to do an install while shutting down internet access (say, by disabling LAN on the computer if it is connected to the net over LAN).

The only "DRM" that I know of for sure is that this game checks for virtual disc drive software running on your computer. If you do have one running, simply shutting it off will allow the game to work. Then if you need the software later, you can re-start it.

That's fine by me - I don't have any virtual disc or emulation software, nor do I really plan on getting any, so that should not impact me.

This seems to be a very customer-friendly game in all.

Yeah, I guess the possibility of the need for online activation remains my only worry.

[Roman]

I am happy to say that the DVD version of King's Bounty: The Legend does not have online activation. I asked a retailer if it has it and he told me no, so I said that I will buy it, but will return it if it does require online activation. So I bought the game and installed it on a computer without an internet connection. It works like charm and is an excellent game! Hurray! :)

[NatashaQuick]

Hey, that's good to know! I didn't want to uninstall and re-install my game with my internet turned off, but I would have if we hadn't come to a resolution. Awesome!

[Roman]

Yes, it is awesome indeed! It means the game will not expire on us in the future. :)

[gamerboots]

@judgeman : did your copy from d2d activate and work ok ?


hi ronan , I have dealt with several sites that do digital downloads, here is the overview :
gamers gate :
at present the version @ gamers gate doesn't work - the securom preents the program from launching - dont get it there until they release a patch - (as of today I just ask for a refund because it constantly says that I have activated it on multilple computers when I haven't and wont activate - the manual unlock feature is also useless as it gives a different unlock request code with every press of a button on the app - USUALLY if it doesn't work from gg then it wont work at other places.

d2d : downloads usually work and activate here, however, they have bad support in that they have a very slow response about getting patches out to their products. -----addeded info--->>>at present its version is in the same boat as GG's, it wont get past the activation screen as well and also gives a different unlock code with each launch and then requests that the cd be inserted (screenshots available upon request)----<<

gamesstop : they use trymedia , havne't had any problems with their digital downloads yet except that sometimes antispyware programs will say its download files are trojans when they are not. they also offer standard cds but you have to wait until it gets there if you order the actual cd

steam : located at www.steampowered.com its not avialable here. their system is mainly centered around multi-player games and such and has multiple services for online gamers as well as some nice games.Games bought on steam update automatically through its steam console when you launch it.

[NatashaQuick]

Sounds like you may be better off just going to the store and buying the game, if that's available to you.