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

[AndyJWest]

Originally Posted by AKA_Tenn

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.