Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints

Guru3D has a report about their experiences testing Battlefield Hardline, which leaves them complaining about how the DRM works in the military shooter sequel (thanks GameWatcher). Apparently at this point the game will decide your activation is no longer valid if you change hardware configurations more often than allowed. Here's word:
Here's what EAs DRM is doing, they don't just verify the number of PCs you work on slash use, nope .. they dare to monitor hardware changes now, which I am sure is a privacy breach on many levels. So once we insert new hardware (CPU / mobo or graphics cards) the hardware id # hash changes and if that happens a couple of times they are rendering your activation invalid.

What a bunch of rubbish ....

If this is the future for EA titles then you guys can forget about VGA performance reviews as EA is rendering that pretty much impossible now. I've now been waiting for like 3 or 4 hours and we are still locked out of the game. The only way to solve this would be purchasing another key and setup a secondary account. This means that if we'd like to make a VGA performance review on Battelfield Hardline with a card or 20 we'd need to purchase the game three times.
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59.
 
DRM ...
Mar 29, 2015, 17:05
Ant
 
59.
DRM ... Mar 29, 2015, 17:05
Mar 29, 2015, 17:05
 Ant
 
... sucks! That's all.
Avatar 1957
58.
 
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints
Mar 26, 2015, 10:19
58.
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints Mar 26, 2015, 10:19
Mar 26, 2015, 10:19
 
nin wrote on Mar 25, 2015, 11:25:
sauron wrote on Mar 25, 2015, 11:19:
I stopped buying from EA and Ubisoft years ago, for several reasons:

1. Restrictive DRM.

2. They market a game and then make you pay for 'DLC' which should have been part of the base package.

3. Above all, I don't see any title from either company which really makes me sit up and take notice.

Summary: Technically restrictive DRM, poor value for money, and lots of derivative sequels with no real evidence of innovation. No thanks.



EA: So bad, even The Dark Lord Sauron himself says "no". (tm)


Haha, I just saw this.

But yep. There's evil, and then there's EVIL.
Kittens!
Avatar 8692
57.
 
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints
Mar 26, 2015, 08:32
57.
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints Mar 26, 2015, 08:32
Mar 26, 2015, 08:32
 
Ea doesnt need to use DRM for games like hardline though, the game itself is pathetic, its almost like the fact how bad the game is, it makes it its own unique DRM because you dont even wanna bother try and pirate or crack it.
"On 2646.215 I myself attacked & destroyed TCS Tiger's Claw in my Jalthi heavy fighter"
Bakhtosh Redclaw Nar Kiranka
Avatar 7413
56.
 
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints
Mar 25, 2015, 23:59
56.
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints Mar 25, 2015, 23:59
Mar 25, 2015, 23:59
 
Tumbler wrote on Mar 25, 2015, 13:38:
Man you're stupid if you believe this, MMO's/F2P are online drm'd games. They are taking those big wins (see diablo 3) and further invading. Same goes for steam.

DRM has been invasive for a long time now, almost all AAA games come with steam drm.

...confirmed, someone is stupid. Hardware DRM schemes haven't been common for a while, it's a surprise that origin has these limits in place. I wonder why it took this long for someone to notice. I doubt it's only for this game.

I suppose steam does technically do this but their response isn't to lock you out, they just sent an email to your account to verify you are the account owner.

Uh.. Hardware DRM schemes are the default.. nearly every application for professional use abuses that + online DRM. Most big publisher games have it, latest one is Total War Atilla which uses hardware keyed DRM that is part of Steam's CEG.

Atilla, Hardline, Lords of the Fallen, Fifa 2015, Dragon Age: Inquisition all use hardware keyed DRM. Which I guess does prevent piracy to some extend: Though Atilla, Fifa and DA:I are supposedly cracked.
Avatar 54727
55.
 
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints
Mar 25, 2015, 18:48
55.
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints Mar 25, 2015, 18:48
Mar 25, 2015, 18:48
 
Flak wrote on Mar 25, 2015, 16:57:
Dacron wrote on Mar 25, 2015, 16:55:
Great customer service in the fact they're friendly and will bullshit about the game, but they're useless.

Personally I couldn't care less if customer service insults my mother as long as they can provide effective results. What's the point in 'nice' customer service reps if they're useless imbeciles that are pasted to a corporate EA-approved script?

It's entirely possible for a customer service rep to be both nice and effective.

In opposite world.
Avatar 57682
54.
 
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints
Mar 25, 2015, 17:23
54.
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints Mar 25, 2015, 17:23
Mar 25, 2015, 17:23
 
Just FYI, the same people that developed SecuROM are the ones behind the company that develops Denuvo, hence why it is one of the most hated DRMs right now, it inherits all the badness of SecuROM and adds even more on top of it.
53.
 
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints
Mar 25, 2015, 17:05
53.
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints Mar 25, 2015, 17:05
Mar 25, 2015, 17:05
 
EA sucks this been known and I been not buying any more EA titles for long time.

But I have seen reviews of this game and I have to say the game itself is a disgrace, but then you tack on this DRM and its disgusting.
"On 2646.215 I myself attacked & destroyed TCS Tiger's Claw in my Jalthi heavy fighter"
Bakhtosh Redclaw Nar Kiranka
Avatar 7413
52.
 
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints
Mar 25, 2015, 16:57
52.
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints Mar 25, 2015, 16:57
Mar 25, 2015, 16:57
 
Dacron wrote on Mar 25, 2015, 16:55:
Great customer service in the fact they're friendly and will bullshit about the game, but they're useless.

Personally I couldn't care less if customer service insults my mother as long as they can provide effective results. What's the point in 'nice' customer service reps if they're useless imbeciles that are pasted to a corporate EA-approved script?
Avatar 57481
51.
 
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints
Mar 25, 2015, 16:56
51.
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints Mar 25, 2015, 16:56
Mar 25, 2015, 16:56
 
Gib007 wrote on Mar 25, 2015, 16:36:
Doesn't this just PUSH people to pirate their games? It's pretty obvious. It's so easy to do these days as well. They're playing with fire.

*Ding ding ding* Not only does it force people to pirate it...it punishes legitimate consumers for something they never did wrong while allowing the pirated version to be the 'best' version since it's not loaded up with that garbage.

As if you needed another reason to avoid this or any other EA game, what a bunch of fucking clowns .
Avatar 57481
50.
 
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints
Mar 25, 2015, 16:55
50.
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints Mar 25, 2015, 16:55
Mar 25, 2015, 16:55
 
jdreyer wrote on Mar 25, 2015, 16:44:

EA supposedly has good customer service, but I doubt it's a 3 minute phone call.

I spent 20 minutes on the phone to EA trying to be able to play online friends in Battlefield (know bug since bf3...).

They did nothing, admitted it is an old bug (maybe they'll update origin this year and fix it they said!), and wished me well.

Great customer service in the fact they're friendly and will bullshit about the game, but they're useless.
Currently setting a record for most edited posts, 1 reply at a time.
49.
 
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints
Mar 25, 2015, 16:44
49.
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints Mar 25, 2015, 16:44
Mar 25, 2015, 16:44
 
descender wrote on Mar 25, 2015, 16:38:
This is pretty common licensing practice in the corporate world. usually you have to even generate the hash yourself, submit it to the company and then they generate a key for you based on it.

He could have just contacted EA and asked them to remove these limitations for them to do reviews (literally a 3 minute phone call), but he decided to cry about it on the internet instead.

This DRM is stupid, don't get me wrong... but it's not out of the ordinary in any way.

EA supposedly has good customer service, but I doubt it's a 3 minute phone call.
If Russia stops fighting, the war ends. If Ukraine stops fighting, Ukraine ends. Slava Ukraini!
Avatar 22024
48.
 
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints
Mar 25, 2015, 16:38
48.
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints Mar 25, 2015, 16:38
Mar 25, 2015, 16:38
 
This is pretty common licensing practice in the corporate world. usually you have to even generate the hash yourself, submit it to the company and then they generate a key for you based on it.

He could have just contacted EA and asked them to remove these limitations for them to do reviews (literally a 3 minute phone call), but he decided to cry about it on the internet instead.

This DRM is stupid, don't get me wrong... but it's not out of the ordinary in any way.
Avatar 56185
47.
 
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints
Mar 25, 2015, 16:36
47.
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints Mar 25, 2015, 16:36
Mar 25, 2015, 16:36
 
Doesn't this just PUSH people to pirate their games? It's pretty obvious. It's so easy to do these days as well. They're playing with fire.
46.
 
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints
Mar 25, 2015, 16:10
46.
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints Mar 25, 2015, 16:10
Mar 25, 2015, 16:10
 
DangerDog wrote on Mar 25, 2015, 15:03:
So no, EA isn't scanning your hard drive looking at what kind of porn you're into.

Too bad they're not doing market research for an AAA XXX game. The Frostbite engine would render that in exquisite detail.
If Russia stops fighting, the war ends. If Ukraine stops fighting, Ukraine ends. Slava Ukraini!
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45.
 
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints
Mar 25, 2015, 15:52
45.
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints Mar 25, 2015, 15:52
Mar 25, 2015, 15:52
 
I'm not sure why you're quoting me there but ok. I still don't see the purpose of a hardware hash when it is trivial to detect unique IP logins in X time period and restrict potential "account sharing" that way. That is what most online services related to gaming have transitioned to, having seen hardware hashes fail due to PR problems and the enthusiast market niche being loud.
Avatar 51617
44.
 
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints
Mar 25, 2015, 15:03
44.
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints Mar 25, 2015, 15:03
Mar 25, 2015, 15:03
 
Verno wrote on Mar 25, 2015, 14:47:
XP-Cagey wrote on Mar 25, 2015, 14:14:
The extra layer of DRM is stupid, but this is an attempt at allowing offline play after "always on" bit them in the ass for games like SimCity.

Offline play of what exactly? The single player campaign? I mean seriously, this is a lot of effort to protect the terrible singleplayer in Battlefield games. I don't have any problem understanding what EAs perspective is here, it just seems really dumb is all.

Once you've tied the product into your online service and a whole separate authentication layer you don't really need to do silly stuff like this for what is largely a MP experience.

It triggered an Account Sharing violation, it's right there in the message.

Too many computers have accessed this account's version Recently. Please try again later.

and also...

You acknowledge and agree that the Application may use information regarding your computer, hardware and operating system to create an anonymous machine identifier for purposes of validating your license rights and updating the Application. Information accessed for this purpose is not stored in retrievable form.

So no, EA isn't scanning your hard drive looking at what kind of porn you're into.
Avatar 6174
43.
 
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints
Mar 25, 2015, 14:47
43.
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints Mar 25, 2015, 14:47
Mar 25, 2015, 14:47
 
XP-Cagey wrote on Mar 25, 2015, 14:14:
The extra layer of DRM is stupid, but this is an attempt at allowing offline play after "always on" bit them in the ass for games like SimCity.

Offline play of what exactly? The single player campaign? I mean seriously, this is a lot of effort to protect the terrible singleplayer in Battlefield games. I don't have any problem understanding what EAs perspective is here, it just seems really dumb is all.

Once you've tied the product into your online service and a whole separate authentication layer you don't really need to do silly stuff like this for what is largely a MP experience.
Avatar 51617
42.
 
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints
Mar 25, 2015, 14:46
42.
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints Mar 25, 2015, 14:46
Mar 25, 2015, 14:46
 
Let's talk about actual good games.

Has anyone noticed someone made a god damn flightcim for Cities:Skylines? Holy shit this game is going far.
41.
 
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints
Mar 25, 2015, 14:18
41.
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints Mar 25, 2015, 14:18
Mar 25, 2015, 14:18
 
I know people "account share" and what they've triggered is it happening five times in close proximity. I doubt that the average user would change out their graphics card five times in the course of a few hours.

At any rate, see y'all in Star Wars Battlefront next winter!

Avatar 6174
40.
 
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints
Mar 25, 2015, 14:14
40.
Re: Battlefield Hardline DRM Complaints Mar 25, 2015, 14:14
Mar 25, 2015, 14:14
 
The extra layer of DRM is stupid, but this is an attempt at allowing offline play after "always on" bit them in the ass for games like SimCity. If they only used Origin accounts, they'd need to hold a connection. EA starts with the assumption that if their DRM goes uncracked for just 1-2 weeks they make millions of extra dollars--their opinion matters more than reality when setting policy, so you have to assume they're going to keep trying to lock down their games. After explosively bad publicity around always online DRM, they're trying something else.

I also think people are confusing cause and effect. EA is not purposely sniffing for hardware changes--they are trying to figure out what machine is running the game, and in the absence of a computer case having an unadjustable unique ID, they try to hash an identity together out of component IDs every time you run the program. If they used a single component ID people would be screaming that they are collecting user data without consent (Guru3D is already saying transmission of a lossy one-way hash is "a privacy breach on many levels").

The reality of the situation is that people think EA is a bad company, and EA is paranoid that they will feel justified taking the game without paying for it as a result. If you're a scrappy independent you can make no-DRM a selling point and rely on the goodwill of your customers; EA wouldn't have the same consumer relationship.
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