Activation of Football Manager 2009

[pelicanstuff]

I reckon it'll hold out better than people think

Note that Fifa manager has been out nearly 2 wks and no-one has put out a working crack. But this is enough cracking-related discussion.

[Cleansation515]

Cracking the game wont take long lol i bet max 24h after release lol

Hmmm that is a weird statement, if the game has gone gold/started getting printed the crackers already got it... They have sources everywhere. You can never know when it will be out but i sure hope legal buyers will get it before.

[Deathcab for Cutie]

I was treating you like an adult by being honest with you, not a muppet, and I wasn't patronising you, sorry if you think I was. Usually we get to play games early that are published by us. That's even normally the case with FM, and would be with FMH09. However, the authentication servers are not on, I can't activate the copies I have of FM09 any more than anyone else as I have retail copies that need authenticating.

There are plenty of perks of the job, but playing FM09 this year early isn't one of them. However, that's not the point of my post and I hope whether you believe me or not doesn't derail the thread.

Thanks

Ben

i don't think you need to justify yourself. it is his problem if he choses not to believe. after all, we are not talking about the invasion of poland

btw...how does the activation work? surely it doesn't use the pc's internal clock?! (the disc version)

[Cleansation515]

i don't think you need to justify yourself. it is his problem if he choses not to believe. after all, we are not talking about the invasion of poland

btw...how does the activation work? surely it doesn't use the pc's internal clock?! (the disc version)

You have to connect to SI's servers.... How many bets the servers will go down ?

[Deathcab for Cutie]

You have to connect to SI's servers.... How many bets the servers will go down ?

there is an excellent chance of that. everyone on the planet will be waiting for the clock to tick over and then.....nothing,

except for a mushroom cloud over the si hq.

[LUFC_07]

I reckon it'll hold out better than people think

Note that Fifa manager has been out nearly 2 wks and no-one has put out a working crack. But this is enough cracking-related discussion.

Hmm i think you should check your facts mate because there is one out. Not that i've used it.

[wonderblue]

You have to connect to SI's servers.... How many bets the servers will go down ?

Or Steam servers which have nothing to do with SI

[pelicanstuff]

Hmm i think you should check your facts mate because there is one out. Not that i've used it.

it's broken

[Cleansation515]

Or Steam servers which have nothing to do with SI

I thought you didnt have to install steam with the normal copy ?

[jod123]

I thought you didnt have to install steam with the normal copy ?

You don't have to but you can still authenticate the game this way if you prefer.

[Cleansation515]

Ah well atleast that is good news, both spore and bioshock i had to wait hours before getting authed... Same thing with half life 2 over steam.

[ross21soccer]

Ok I just skimmed through this thread and another one like it. Can some one sum up the protection/activation process please (or direct me to a link) I know "Use the search etc" I have tried.

What is the 5 installations thing?

How will the phone/internet activation work?

I know SI/SEGA will defend this protection by pointing the finger at piracy but if a pirated version is more convenient wouldn't this encourage pirated software games? Im confused. From what I have read this whole protection process seems poo. I understand the whole early date argument and agree it should be released on release day and not earlier but this protection baffles me.

I have preordered my copy from a shop and will be picking it up on the 14th.

[ross21soccer]

Just found it http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php?t=53492

Dont really know what to make of it. We will notice the protection less????? Phone/internet to activate the game? Have 5 licenses?

Bah!

[saberhagen83]

Wrong. Try looking into the copyright laws, which dictate that you don't own the software (in this case FM), you just pay for the right to use the software - subjects to the conditions stipulated by the publisher/developer, usually in the EULA. Your argument is with the legislation, not with SI or Sega.

So what you are really saying is that we who buy a DVD, game, CD is really only renting it then? If I have a physical copy of something, do I not own it? And if I (or anyone) don't own it, how could I steal it if I were a pirate? You see this is the problem that I have with the anti-piracy propaganda, if you cannot own something how can it be stolen? Not even the companies know the law it seems as nothing has been stolen. It's copyright infringement, nothing else and that is something completely different.

So this would mean that when I buy a CD I have no right to extract the music on it to make backup copies (only for myself to use in the car etc) or put it on my portable player? I'm sure the law is different depending on country, but I know it's NOT illegal to make copies for yourself meaning you have every right to use the product as you see fit as long as you don't give/sell copies away. The people making these media own the right to it, yes. But that doesn't mean it should limit the buyer in anyway, or that he/she doesn't own it. The product is the buyers, the right to the movie or whatever is the companies but that's more or less a copyright thing like you write a book, noone else is suppose to take your characters to another book or your story without asking you first. That doesn't and shouldn't affect a buyer. Sorry but the day I start to think that I don't own something that I have bought and can use it the way I want, is the day I will stop buying media.

[GillsMan]

So what you are really saying is that we who buy a DVD, game, CD is really only renting it then? If I have a physical copy of something, do I not own it? And if I (or anyone) don't own it, how could I steal it if I were a pirate? You see this is the problem that I have with the anti-piracy propaganda, if you cannot own something how can it be stolen? Not even the companies know the law it seems as nothing has been stolen. It's copyright infringement, nothing else and that is something completely different.

So this would mean that when I buy a CD I have no right to extract the music on it to make backup copies (only for myself to use in the car etc) or put it on my portable player? I'm sure the law is different depending on country, but I know it's NOT illegal to make copies for yourself meaning you have every right to use the product as you see fit as long as you don't give/sell copies away. The people making these media own the right to it, yes. But that doesn't mean it should limit the buyer in anyway, or that he/she doesn't own it. The product is the buyers, the right to the movie or whatever is the companies but that's more or less a copyright thing like you write a book, noone else is suppose to take your characters to another book or your story without asking you first. That doesn't and shouldn't affect a buyer. Sorry but the day I start to think that I don't own something that I have bought and can use it the way I want, is the day I will stop buying media.

Hi Saber, I think you've got the hang of it, yes. Admittedly, the copyright laws aren't necessarily the most easy to understand, if only because they differ in some fundamental ways from the ownership values we have over other objects, such as cars, furniture, etc. When you buy, say, a computer game, you have bought the right to use the software (subject to the EULA) and you own the physical medium on which it is transferred (i.e. the DVD). You don't own the software. If you did own software, you'd have the source code and everything.

With regards to how you can steal something when pirating, that's an argument I've heard before that the anti-piracy ads saying that it's theft are misleading. I suppose, technically, piracy isn't "theft" in the normal sense of the word. However, it's a fair comparison. If you take something from a shop without paying it's theft. If you download a game without paying for it, they're describing it as theft. I don't necessarily agree it's theft - but it is copyright theft or copyright infringement. I don't see the problem with comparing it to theft? It's still a crime, and that's the important thing.

I can see why these ads are about. As witnesses on this very thread where there is a high number of people who have all but admitted to pirating material (discussion about various cracks, cracks for other games which do/don't work for example), people don't yet see pirating as antisocial in the same way they see pickpocketing or burgling as antisocial.

With regards to music, someone else might correct me here, but my understanding is that you can make a backup of a CD for PERSONAL USE only. But the same rules apply: you own the right to play the music, you own the physical backup disk. But you don't own the music itself, and you don't have the right to share the music. With downloaded music, it's a bit different, with different sorts of DRM, some which don't allow you to make backups.

Finally, I don't think any of this is particularly new. Am I right in thinking that it's technically copyright theft to photocopy a book?

[KUBI]

Am I right in thinking that it's technically copyright theft to photocopy a book?

It depends. Copyright laws are different in different countrys. Switzerland as an example does allow things for private use that is a crime in the UK. But all businesses, even the small ones have to pay copyright fees if they are using a photocopy printer. The main difference in most cases is still, does you copy something for personal use or not, while in the UK it doesn't make a difference - it's not allowed.

[KOP_007]

Fact is....copy protection like this actually turns people to piracy.

Whether it's down to simply being able to play the game without having to register with some nefarious company (that includes you now SI), being able to play the game without fear of 'something' being installed on your PC and destroying it, the unwillingness to jump through hoops to play a game you legally own whilst pirates can just play with ease.... or my personal favourite...sticking to fingers up the these companies who spew bile and filth about Piracy and treat me like a criminal for legally owning their product.

Take your pick; if your game is good enough...it sells. You only have to look at the most pirated game in recent history - Gears of War - to see that (it also sold the most). Whilst SI blame piracy for EHM being canned...JOKE.

[Schotsmannetje]

Am I right in thinking that it's technically copyright theft to photocopy a book?

I guess the same rules apply for books as for CD's. As far as I know it is allowed to copy a CD to be able to have a copy in your car for example.

Then, if I follow my own reasoning, if you e.g. have a book that's 2000 pages thick and you only need to read one chapter on your way to work in the train, surely you're allowed to copy that chapter for personal use?

[Schotsmannetje]

Fact is....copy protection like this actually turns people to piracy.

Whether it's down to simply being able to play the game without having to register with some nefarious company (that includes you now SI), being able to play the game without fear of 'something' being installed on your PC and destroying it, the unwillingness to jump through hoops to play a game you legally own whilst pirates can just play with ease.... or my personal favourite...sticking to fingers up the these companies who spew bile and filth about Piracy and treat me like a criminal for legally owning their product.

Take your pick; if your game is good enough...it sells. You only have to look at the most pirated game in recent history - Gears of War - to see that (it also sold the most). Whilst SI blame piracy for EHM being canned...JOKE.

Somebody posted a really nice interview on here a couple of weeks ago. It was an interview with a software company, and the CEO of the company literally said: The easier it is for people and businesses to use our software, the more we sell. Instead of putting copy protection systems on their products, they made them much easier to use, and they started a FREE hot line which you could call if the stuff didn't work properly. Suddenly their sales went sky high.

[Highor]

Shops wouldn't be allowed to sell FM09 before the 14th imo

[kleb]

Shops wouldn't be allowed to sell FM09 before the 14th imo

True, but every year it happens.

The only "problem" for me and all the others who have the game is that we have to wait till Friday..

[KOP_007]

Somebody posted a really nice interview on here a couple of weeks ago. It was an interview with a software company, and the CEO of the company literally said: The easier it is for people and businesses to use our software, the more we sell. Instead of putting copy protection systems on their products, they made them much easier to use, and they started a FREE hot line which you could call if the stuff didn't work properly. Suddenly their sales went sky high.

That's true. It was probably STARDOCK.

Edit: http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/858/858653p1.html

Take note "Rock Stars" of SI.

[projoe]

whats the point of it?

y cant we just install and play like every other game

[Eblees]

http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php?t=58966

[JonPaulWild]

I'll think carefully now on from buying a Sega published product.

[thnigelfc]

so many of these threads going around.I'm getting confused.Someone said authorisation is only needed if you want to play without the disc in and wouldn't be needed if you kept the disc in all the time.I always thought it was needed no matter what ?

So which is correct?

[KUBI]

For PC - you can't play the game without activation/authorisation

For macs: Youn need the disk in the dvd-dvice to startup the game.

[Cougar2010]

so many of these threads going around.I'm getting confused.Someone said authorisation is only needed if you want to play without the disc in and wouldn't be needed if you kept the disc in all the time.I always thought it was needed no matter what ?

So which is correct?

PC VERSION

Authorisation required the first time you use it via either Steam, net or phone. After that I don't think you need the disc in. You get five authorisations in total and you can recover the ones you use if you uninstall the game the way its designed to.

MAC VERSION

No authorisation, disc required each time you play.

[thnigelfc]

oh right..cheers guys

[Confused Clarity]

I'll think carefully now on from buying a Sega published product.

Why? because they want to ensure the integrity of their release date is upheld?

[JonPaulWild]

Why? because they want to ensure the integrity of their release date is upheld?

Why? Consumers who buy the game legally get punished.

This game will be cracked soon, it's out early and DRM is about to be rendered useless.

The companies that sell this will still get their money and I'm betting that not many know about the authentication process. I've only found out from being on this forum.

People talk about the respect for retailers to play evently, but do they play evenly with the consumer. Lets get off the lap of big business and SI. They will always screw the consumer every chance they get.

Si have screwed the consumer in the past with terrible products like CM4.

[qwerty2k]

So cougar if im on a mac and get my game early i can play as i don't have to activate it?

[VonBlade]

Yep.

Repeats my earlier post about the benjamins for the sake of 10 characters.

[Confused Clarity]

Why? Consumers who buy the game legally get punished.

This game will be cracked soon, it's out early and DRM is about to be rendered useless.

The companies that sell this will still get their money and I'm betting that not many know about the authentication process. I've only found out from being on this forum.

People talk about the respect for retailers to play evently, but do they play evenly with the consumer. Lets get off the lap of big business and SI. They will always screw the consumer every chance they get.

Si have screwed the consumer in the past with terrible products like CM4.

SI aren't screwing the consumers with this. The retailers looking to make money over their competitors by selling it early are. If people have a complaint, they need to complain to the retailer. It's not SI's problem at all.

Of course this problem is happening because the Retailers don't listen to release dates - something they're contractually obliged to do - so SI and SEGA have had to take drastic action to prevent this from happening.

It used to be, around 5 or 6 years ago, that if anything, release dates would be broken late on a Thursday afternoon, when it was very difficult to prevent it from happening. Even then, companies were threatened that in future they may not get their stock until the day of release. As the years have gone on, as competition has stepped up more and more, the contracts are being ignored more and more. If the retailers showed respect to the law, then SI would not need to take the action that they have had to take.

Of course, it's unfair on the consumer, but ultimately that is not SIs problem. They own the software, they can do with it what they like.

I do not like many forms of DRM for entertainment products, particularly the limiting of how many installs you are allowed, but that is not the argument in this case.

[Glyn]

Why? Consumers who buy the game legally get punished.

They're not 'punished'. They couldn't play the game before 14th before the retailer wrongly sold it, that's still the case. Nothing that SI/SEGA has any responsibility for has changed.

[VonBlade]

It was mindblowingly naive of SI/Sega to assume that retailers wouldn't break the date. After all, every other game in the known universe has had it's release date broken. Entire forums are set up solely to find a particular shop that is selling it early so people can buy it.

And whilst they might not have been able to play the game until the retailer sold it early, they have been able to for every previous version of FM, and almost every other game in existence.

So whilst it isn't SIs fault that the retailer broke the date it is their fault that the user has a game they can't play.

[mattbuck]

I have pre-ordered the game, it will arrive on wednesday/thursday from shopto. On monday i will be able to download a pirate version (not saying i will) without authentication (the crackers will remove it/bypass it) and be able to play it straight away, yet the people paying for the game will have to wait till friday, whilst the pirates get to play the game for free, and early.

Something is not right here, give me last years security protection any day.

[Glyn]

So whilst it isn't SIs fault that the retailer broke the date it is their fault that the user has a game they can't play.

That is utter rubbish.

[VonBlade]

They chose to have this crazy method of activation, nobody else did. They chose not to allow activation until the 14th, nobody else did. They even chose not to use this method of activation on the MAC versions so those users can play it after it's broken its street date, nobody else did.

So explain to me again how it's not their fault.

[ting2004]

What about the poor people who aren't online? When they ring the activation number is there a message saying they have to wait till Friday?

It's disappointing for the general gamer who goes into the shop picks it up and thinks he can play straight away. (why would he think otherwise?)

[aiston]

No one can complain that they cannot play the game BEFORE THE RELEASE DATE, if you get it before then, then its tough **** live with it, sega/si set a release date of 14th November so live with it, Stop moaning.

[JonPaulWild]

No one can complain that they cannot play the game BEFORE THE RELEASE DATE, if you get it before then, then its tough **** live with it, sega/si set a release date of 14th November so live with it, Stop moaning.

I just hope the servers can cope with the demand on the 14th. If not then there will be alot of ****ed off people on here.

[aiston]

I just hope the servers can cope with the demand on the 14th. If not then there will be alot of ****ed off people on here.

Yeh, steam will be taking a load off theres by letting people download 99% the day before...so i hear, so suprisingly for steam they might not mess something up !

Hopefully si/sega servers wont mess up, i doubt it, if they do then i hope they fixed by midday on the 14th when i run into town for my copy from game.

[picotto]

i think by adding DRM si will be looking at this game being pirated even more than ever, the gamers dont want it, pirates created an uproar about it, if anything i think FM 2009 could be a an easy target for pirates as they could release the game monday morning at 9am...

i dont like the fact i possibly could only install and uninstall the game a max number of times, i know for sure if my copy of FM got locked i wouldnt buy another one but i would use a so called pirated version.

do you know how many times ive had FM 2006/07/08 installed on differant machines, had to format those ect, i would also maybe like to play FM09 in 4-5 years time and i could have used my activations up..

i just dont like the method,

i feel you could be targeted even more by pirates as you have added DRM to FM09 and i wouldnt be surprised to see a pirate version appearing in 24 hours time, the problem then :

- Why would people wait till friday in order to play the game (some will but some wont)

- I have the game i bought early, pirates can play it, i cant, doesnt make sense, ill download the pirate version and send back my shop copy for a refund that doesnt work

- DRM games are being targetted massivley by pirates, take a look at spore..

yes i do have an offical copy, and i will keep it, but again i dont like the whole DRM thing, i ave 2 PC's and 2 laptops here, and im not sure i wanna risk locking up my copy of FM, so i might have to keep one "retail" copy installed on my main machine and "fix" the others, sure i could install it on all 4 but i dont like risking my installs.

ohh and as for selling it early how is it the gamers fault, sure if i went out looking for a game i knew i couldnt play then yes, but for someone walking around town and sees a game, buys it, then cant play it. hardly there fault...

ohh and its sort of going :

install it on my :

PC : yeh well DRM is ace, we did it so you dont have to use the CD, ( no you actually didnt do anything for us, you did it to try combat piracy. but nice try) if you have it early you cant play it for 7 days

MAC : well erm, yeh you can play it right away, 7 days early, DRM isnt on macs yet so we couldnt shaft you over, besides mac's will be less than %1 of sales so you wont care..

[T4RG4]

What about the poor people who aren't online? When they ring the activation number is there a message saying they have to wait till Friday?

It's disappointing for the general gamer who goes into the shop picks it up and thinks he can play straight away. (why would he think otherwise?)

Agreed. You can play 99% of most games if you get them early. I think of FM as more of a singleplayer experience, so its not as if they can just play singleplayer and accept that multiplayer isnt live until the 14th.

I would be really annoyed at getting my hands on a legit copy only to find out that I couldnt play it for a week. If SI/Sega were to include something in the phone/online authentication process such as 'You are trying to authenticate this game before the release date - it could be that a retailer has illegally sold you a copy prior to its official release - the game cannot be played until the 14th'. Consumers could then vent their anger at retailers rather than SI?

etc.

[picotto]

ohh and also i predict the game will be pirated sometime tomorow,

si will follow with an announcement that it will open server auth early ( sounding like heros, when they are only doing it again to combat the pirate version ) then we will proberbly be looking at a brought forward release like fm07, it will proberbly be brought forward to the 12th..

[thnigelfc]

my son was told at football this morning that pirate copies are already available,but the copy this guy was playing stop working after season 2011/12?

[Kriss]

I'd suggest people stop talking piracy and trying to justify it "under certain circumstance"

Piracy of FM is stealing from SI, you'll get short shrift on here whatever justification you make up in your head.

[picotto]

i wouldnt class it as theft if i myself have a retail version of FM09 and only install it 1/5 times, and install a pirated version on 3 other machines, making it 4/5

each to there own, i see it differantly as im not affiliated with SI...

if it didnt have DRM, i could install it on all 4 machines without a thought

[jod123]

i wouldnt class it as theft if i myself have a retail version of FM09 and only install it 1/5 times, and install a pirated version on 3 other machines, making it 4/5

each to there own, i see it differantly as im not affiliated with SI...

if it didnt have DRM, i could install it on all 4 machines without a thought

When you install and then uninstall the game you get one of your uses back. So if you installed it on 4 machines and then uninstalled it 1 then you would still have 2 installs left.

By the way, just a word of advice. It is not a good idea to say you use any kind of a pirated version on here.