Another method of activating SOW.........
 

.......just guessing here,but it will probably go the RoF way,isn''t there any other activation method possible?
How about a "real" key,say an USB stick that you have to put in your pc to interact with the DVD to start up or something?
Wrap it all up in an attractive package and it's a whole different ballgame,not the idea being checked unwanted everytime online,NO.......
Instead your own personal start-up key!
Just a thought............

Too expensive, I guess.

I feel more uncomfortable for wasting another USB port than for having to be online while playing.

And by the way, for your information, Rise of Flight has dropped the online activation since quite a while ;)

The developers listened to the player's wishes and now everyone's happy.

I'd vote for either RoF or DCS/Flaming Cliffs 2 style activation. No drivers or anything like that, just activate once (i.e. type the code written inside the package) and you're free to go.

I can't see why it wouldn't work.

in the end, the best way to do it would be like Blizzard does with battle.net, the only way to log in to play online is with a valid CD key, and playing offline u can do whatever u want with a fake one... because this game will really shine online, i think most people will buy it, even if they could play it offline for free. also they could make any updates/expantions require a valid CD key that needs to be verified by logging into the online mode, so that way those that wanna play offline with a fake key still can, but those with the real key get their updates and expantions.

I could live with that, no problem, so long as the checking it does is confined to whether I have legitimate SoW software, and it isn't used as an excuse to nose around elsewhere on the PC.

I can't see much of an objection to requiring connection for initial activation either (preferably with another method if you can't avtually connect with the PC you've installed on - from what I remember, FSX did this). Requiring a check to play offline is not only intrusive, it is unlikely to help sales much though.

probably true for those living in modern western countries with good net connections available everywhere. this isnt true for large parts of russia, latin america, rural area's of western europe, new zeeland and australia, large parts of asia etc..

point being, you can have 4 or 5 players in those less-good-internet area play a coop over local phone lines, a lan meeting, or in their offices after hrs, wifi hot spots etc. having all these people dependent on a server check somewhere in the big modern world is just not realistic. i know oleg takes this in consideration, as he has in the past. good protections are also built into the game during development, not added on at the end as an afterthought (to easy to crack then). i have all confidence in oleg he wont just market his game for spoilt rich kids with uber net connections in the west, and he will have kept in mind lesser net access area's.

the "usb key" suggested by the OP is not a bad idea imho. a bulk purchase for small size usb keys probably brings their price down to less then 1$, its a realistic alternative. i doubt oleg would use it, but its an option

The problem with using a hardware dongle is that there is a cost involved and they are not a 100% secure.

Hacker can still crack the software and bypass the activation code just as easily as they would a software method.

At least with online verification a server can check if you've got a legitimate copy before it allows you to download any updates and patches etc.

I don't mind the ROF method myself and have only been stung once witht the server being down.

Cheers!

I'm sure the guys who would support such BS (= permanently online) would be the first to howl and scream murder once, a few years down the line, the publishers require club membership and monthly fees even for offline content. Have fun in that world ... :roll:

Your probably right! :)

One of my concerns would be how it would effect people like yourself and the rest of the TD people.

Considering how much you guys have added to IL2, I'ld hope any DRM would allow some scope for input from community goups such as yourselves.

I know it's not worth talking about modding even before a sim has been released, but my hopes are that SOW will be 'SO BIG' that there will be areas when you guys can have an input.

Cheers!

The fun thing is that the so called "BS" are the people themselves that surround each other with something they claim to be "their rights", when there is no such thing here..
The developers make the game and they themselves alone have every right in the world to protect their own game/property in any way they see fit no matter how much you twist and turn it.

BS is only the talk of "wannabe pirates" scared that their product would be generated useless 5 years later, but let me enlighten you, we live in 2010 a time when protection is necessary.

Why would you be so worried about whats gonna happen 5 years from now ? If you're really that paranoid maybe you're better off not investing in
any products at all since even your home electricity can't be guaranteed and hey.. that would render just about anything in your home useless remember?

As for methods i've no problem with whatever Oleg decides since its up to them, but most likely we'll see a master server for the online play
this time around which automatically will prevent hackers from playing online unless the server binaries gets released to the public and hacked.

The dongle (hardware to plug in) or usb thing won't work. Even software like Maya that costs $3-5K to buy and use, the very day of its new version release, the l33t hax0rz have cracked it by sundown.

Plus if you lose the dongle, then you have to go to support, they have physically mail you one. Overnighting . . . or two day, plus support staff can add up.


The online thing, well that doesn't really fly. One has to look to many grounded ROF fliers in the beginning and that they removed it to see how effective that is.

Also what if you have an intermittent connection *cough*DSL*cough*?


The blizzard idea works because blizzard games have an online component that opens up a whole new realm to the game. But there are hacks around it. And Oleg n crew would have to form a "battle.net" online connection portal to manage the online variant of BOB SOW, which is key to the blizzard idea.

And lots of people here would rather see them developing extras for BOB SOW and patching it versus spending time making a online battlenet portal.

Plus there are lots of people that don't play IL-2 online, they love flying with squad mates, or doing maps / campaigns . . . and since BOB SOW will improve the AI, some would just be content


Very strong securing software usually just locks out legitimate people, and irritates them, whilst the software pirates usually hack n slash their way to victory.


Then there's the unique serial just for that game, but that takes coding and double checking for each and every game shipped . . .


I think the serial in the box should be good enough. Besides given how large the flight sim community is and how good the representation of IL-2 for WW 2 enthusiasts, people will pay money, support the dev team, maybe even buy the game not just once, but twice or more.