So who else got a refund?

Post here if you have given up after the activation problems and took the game back

Maybe SI will see how many legit customers they have lost and will maybe think twice before using such a system again (even after the fiasco we had last year)

Not only could I not activate the game - I object to having to use steam every time I wanted to play even if I could have got it activated.

Quite happy with the game myself so was no need for me to get one.

The game is great but the process of getting the game to work EPIC FAILED

worked fine for me, but i feel for all those having problems! good game though nice job

was huge pain at first but my two problems were:

1) not being able to read whether my key had o or 0 in places, but after 2 minutes on google i found SI's program for that.

2) steam servers were too busy to get the game working for a while, but that is hardly SI's fault admittedly they should have checked steam had enough server space to deal with this but again it held me up for 10 minutes tops.

OK its annoying but guys don't go totally ape at them they were trying out a new system and made a mistake SI is run by humans and im sure you all make mistakes too.

the better question is who took the game back in a petulant fit or e-rage, then felt a twat because the activation now works and went and bought it again

Why do people have to use steam every time they want to play? I downloaded through steam, activated etc, but Steam isn't running when I play, why do others have to have it running?

Cause I want something for my £30:

http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php?t=63191

Because they have thrown their toys out of the pram and are too thick to run an .exe from a folder.

Won't be getting a refund as I am not taking it back.

Had no problems installing or authenticating it and I DIDN'T USE STEAM so you have a choice to use steam or not.

Good answer - I work in IT so I am NOT thick

Even Muz didn't have a clue

BTW - Look in the Steam help section - It conflicts with almost every popular Anti-Virus and Firewall (NOD, Kaspersky, AVG, Avast etc) - they recommend uninstalling your security to make it work

I had absolutely no problems and didn't use Steam, I just don't get why everyone didn't just change to Uniloc so much easier.

i'm close to going for a refund because i cant get the game to work. sorry for being "thick" but all the instructions say is put in the disc and away you go. i have no idea how to not use steam, when i have used it the servers are too busy and the very few times it works i get a message saying i have a error with my graphics. if someone could tell me how to not use steam or point me in the direction of some instructions to that effect i would appreciate it.

thank you all for taking the game back, now i can pick it up cheaper as preowned

Good answer - I work in IT so I am NOT thick

Even Muz didn't have a clue

BTW - Look in the Steam help section - It conflicts with almost every popular Anti-Virus and Firewall (NOD, Kaspersky, AVG, Avast etc) - they recommend uninstalling your security to make it work

If a graphic card costs over $30 then yes

I'm on the verge of it. At the end of the day, you pay 30 quid for a computer game, you expect to put the disc in, install it and get going within ten minutes tops. You shouldn't have to footer about for hours on end trying to work out a system which comes with no explanations - at the very least, the user guide could have came witha little explanation on how to use Steam.

If that isn't bad enough, there is already a patch for the game available within a few days of release, although I suppose we should be used to that by now. SI have been treating their customers with contempt for years by releasing faulty games, but by releasing a game that takes hours to get going they've really excelled themselves this time.

i agree gmfc1874, with every bloody word.

I have no problem with the patch, this is commendable, the fact that a game that doesnt require internet access to play the base game requires you to jump through all these hoops and climb over all these obstacles just infuriates me.

The most problematic videp game release ever?

So seeing you dont HAVE to use steam, why are people bitching about having to use steam ?

Not just me then - found this on another site

"There were errors on the release of the game, Steam causing many people

aggrivation and pain. The effects on the franchise have been numerous, with

Steam at the heart of the problem. Due to high traffic levels, many people

were unable to activate the game, which had to be so via a product code

which was sent via the SI Games website, which was unavailable.

Compounding the problems with activation & installation, all lines of

communication with technical support have been in meltdown on launch day.

The official website of Sports Interactive has been crippled with disgruntled

users desperate to find out how to play the game. The only printed customer

services telephone number has been permanently engaged or ringing out.

An official petition to boycott the Football Manager series has been created

with over 12,000 signatures gathered by 3:30pm (GMT) on launch day. The nature

of the unrest has fell in line with similar issues with recently released

Command & Conquer 3."

So seeing you dont HAVE to use steam, why are people bitching about having to use steam ?

Well, seeing as there are only two options, the one that offers automatic updates for me would be the obvious one. I presumed that all this would do would be to authenticate the game, in the way that iTunes, for example does, and link you to some sort of live update system. I didn't think for a minute it would spark the debacle that it did. And besides, nowhere in the user guide, or indeed the selection screen, is there any sort of indication as to what either option entails.

There really can be no defence of SI on this one - like I say, even having the common sense to include a bit about the two options in the manual would have been a start.

Anyway, I seem to have some form of the game running now, after about 6 hours of trying to wonder what on earth was going on. This really better be something spectacularly good.

Is it really £30 the other versions I bought were around £17.99. I hardly buy games at all with my last games FM08. 07 etc and only BF2…..which is still playable with a great Mod.

But I did get a refund the other week for Red Alert 3, I thought fantastic I love the original Red Alert But it was rubbish…..guy in the shop had no problem when I said it’s not the game I expected or wanted, all I had to do was fill in a wee form with my address etc…

Where's this 12000 signature petition?

Where's this 12000 signature petition?

I wouldn't worry about it, 5 people probably had problems who signed it, the rest heard about it a day later and decided to take offense even though they don't play FM.

Where's this 12000 signature petition?

Its next to the petition i made calling for people needing an IQ test to use the internet, which incidentally got 12001 digital signatures

you can view it at

www.lolinternerpetitionsarefortards.com

I can understand why so many people got annoyed with this code stuff, but honestly it is so worth the trouble, my advice to people is do not take your game back for a refund, this game is brilliant!!

Might aswell start such a petition here... I have nothing against the game or SI but I never rated Steam and feel that using them is asking for trouble.

Why would you get a refund you missed one day of play time, no big deal.

the phone auth kept telling m my code was wrong on the 3rd 16 digit code 5 Times! strangly when i took muy whole computer to myy dads and did it by internet it was fine. implimentation of the system was complete failure.

hey i accidently selected steam when installin and i dont want tat due to i havent got a internet connection and also on my laptop so what should i do

ive tried uninstallin and installin agen but it skips the deleivery option and goes straiht to express or advanced section

help please x

implimentation of the system was complete failure.

No it wasn't, it was fine for the majority of people.

As I said yesterday, the furore on here has been the biggest over-reaction to a trivial matter since Diana died.

great game, had no problems at all, well done SI!

Post here if you have given up after the activation problems and took the game back

Maybe SI will see how many legit customers they have lost and will maybe think twice before using such a system again (even after the fiasco we had last year)

Not only could I not activate the game - I object to having to use steam every time I wanted to play even if I could have got it activated.

Don't activate with Steam then. I'm playing the game and haven't touched Steam. I used Uniloc.

Post here if you have given up after the activation problems and took the game back

2 days.

nothing

/

football manager live on steam would work....... as long as they dont have this stupid key activation.

the way it works is - you buy a game on steam - and STEAM IS THE ACTIVATION.

i dont see why they had to contract some FAIL company to run some pointless activation process to ruin their own game.

/

DRM breaks games and only hurts paying customers.

You will never 'stop' the pirates. You just have to make the pirates want to pay for the product.

Please can someone help me i cant play the game because it says i dont have an internet connection how do i not use steam

No it wasn't, it was fine for the majority of people.

As I said yesterday, the furore on here has been the biggest over-reaction to a trivial matter since Diana died.

I dispute that this is a trivial matter, though totally agree about Diana.

i couldnt get it working for 2 days cos of steam... but i have a life and just did other stuff while they sorted that out.

Yes, but form Amazon who are having it back because Royal Mail failed to deliver.

I spent the night out with friends, went and bought the game this afternoon, and have just seamlessly installed and begun to play via Uniloc activation.

It seems a good game so I'm going to keep it. Was really annoyed yesterday, but these things happen. Great game so far, started a game with QPR - Transfer budget £10m!

I dispute that this is a trivial matter, though totally agree about Diana.

Depends on perspective. There were words like "disaster" and "trauma" being bandied around yesterday... when all's said and done, it's a game.

No problems for me. Good game