Draconian Activation requirements

Just saw this:

 

Activation/Deactivaton

 

Using the serial number provided, you will be required to activate your LockOn Flaming Cliffs 2.0 purchase prior to playing. During the Activation process, the copy protection system will create a hardware profile of your system and compare that to your current system each time you start the game. If there has been a significant change to your computer like replacing significant hardware items or changing your Operating System, you may be required to reactivate your purchase. You are provided eight Activations. If you require more after using all the ones provided, you may contact customer service at support@lockon.ru

 

This is just as bad as MS. If by chance i am so unlucky and have my computer break i no longer own the legally bought software since they could refuse me activation. I paid nearly 60 pound sterling for the deluxe edition FC2 that came with the ring bound manual and map yet will be shoved away like a piece of trash if my computer breaks?

 

Cant say i want to spend any more money here if this continues with future versions.

 

Also, i am in need of more activations so how do i go about that now? Never knew i had to deactivate

Open a support ticket here http://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/support/

The support ticket system will work, but I think the entire activation/deactivation method needs a complete overhaul. As more and more modules are released, what happens if someone (like me, spring cleaning!) formats? I've been known to reformat machine up to a few times a year. That could be 5 - 10 modules I have to remember to deactivate. It's not a good system. It's the one we have right now, but it needs to be better.

There's no issues with using the software, I've rebuilt my OS and computer hardware and done reinstalls several times in the last few years.

 

Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt are misplaced here.

 

FWIW you never own software, merely the right to use it, this is the base for all commercial licenses and nothing to worry about.

This is indeed something that needs to change. Currently the pirates are enjoying trouble free* games they haven't bought, while legit customers are being punished for something that others do (pirating). Pirates are laughing with the legit paying customers. But as much as I hate the current system of protection, I am afraid as to what could be the replacement of it. History shows that when change happened it was for the worse. A temporary solution could be that on top of the one activation after a month (when all de/activations are used) they could make it renew ALL 10 and 10 activations/de-activation after six months. Six months is an acceptable amount of time for most users having 10 and 10 activations/de-activations totaling to 20 complete formats or even PC change in a period of half a year.

 

 

* I know they might contain viruses. But many cracks don't. And even if they do come with one, a pirate can format his/her PC without worrying about activations and losing the ability to use a product that they payed for.

As a matter of interest, do you know of anyone at all who has run out of activations?

 

Somehow I doubt it.

I am with Pikey on this one... I have rebuilt and or replaced my machine(s) multiple times and always have enough activations for all modules. Not one time did I have to go back to ED due to an activation discrepancy...

 

While I hate copy protection schemes I do understand the need for them and ED's is about the most forgiving I have seen..

 

To the OP, don't worry about it unless it actually becomes an issue..

And It won't..

But ED could improve the process for their customers: Have one utility to deactivate all modules.

I don't see the current system as draconian at all. The compant has a perfect right to protect it's investment, and let's be honest, how many times a month does your average PC user have to rebuild his hardware?

 

Let's put the question another way, which area of development has the higher priority? Rolling out a new aspect to the game such as Edge, or the L-39, or changing the number of activation issues we have to deal with once in a blue moon?

 

Yes, it is a pain in the ass, but it is a relatively rare pain in the ass, so I think it is just something we need to be philosophical about. Just put it down to the assholes who would like cheat us all out of our rights as consumers. The thieves, who want to force ED out of business by denying them an income stream.

I see it this way no protection, no sim companies, no complaints, so the op's problem is solved.

As a matter of interest, do you know of anyone at all who has run out of activations?

 

Somehow I doubt it.

 

Me. that Is why I am here.

 

Putting ties on hardware as far as software is concerned is ridiculous and too restrictive in nature. Could somebody please explain the reasons behind this? Why? What are the benefits? I cant see any.

 

While you may say they will never enforce this it I sin the rules and it could be enforced if they wanted too.

Me. that Is why I am here.

 

Putting ties on hardware as far as software is concerned is ridiculous and too restrictive in nature. Could somebody please explain the reasons behind this? Why? What are the benefits? I cant see any.

 

While you may say they will never enforce this it I sin the rules and it could be enforced if they wanted too.

 

how on earth have you used up all eight activations already? On your other thread you haven't even managed to install DCS world yet.

Putting ties on hardware as far as software is concerned is ridiculous and too restrictive in nature. Could somebody please explain the reasons behind this? Why? What are the benefits? I cant see any.

This prevents people from distributing pre-installed copies. For example, you could just zip your entire install folder with copies of the registry files and upload it to the internet. If 5000 people downloaded it to their computers it would say "Hey, I am on the wrong computer! Reactivate me!"

how on earth have you used up all eight activations already? On your other thread you haven't even managed to install DCS world yet.

 

 

I would like to see the answer to this question as well...

????

Activations regenerate one per month if you burn through them all, but as stated, you should be deactivating first.

 

 

Yep so still wondering how you could burn through eight of them in less than a month?

im wondering who bent him over for 96 USD for FC2

Why couldn't they lower the amount of activations you get to say five, but you regenerate activations to a cap of five. One regeneration per month? Seems like that could solve most of the issues unless I'm missing something.

Why couldn't they lower the amount of activations you get to say five, but you regenerate activations to a cap of five. One regeneration per month? Seems like that could solve most of the issues unless I'm missing something.

 

Activations are regained, just in a different way than you suggested.

 

You start of with 10 activations. Once you have 0 activations left, you will get one activation back after a month.

 

I don't really see how you can burn through 10 activations quickly. If you know you are going to change something, you have the possibility to deactivate it before, which won't cost you an activation later on.

And even if you are at 0 activations left, until you aren't upgrading your PC on a monthly basis, it should be more than sufficient to get one back every month.

I'm amazed too, how the hell do you get through 10 activations? Seems to me that something is amiss here.

 

I'm as eager as everyone else to learn how you managed it!

My A-10 key has been through a complete system change, followed by 4 video card changes, three hard drive changes and an OS change in there somewhere as well. I still have 7 activations left.

 

If it is an issue for someone, they need to run a separate machine for experiments.

I know that you already get one activation back once you run out. I'm proposing that we can regain the entire pool but it just won't be as many.

I'm proposing that we can regain the entire pool but it just won't be as many.

 

Question would be why exactly, keeping in mind that you can only use one at a time.

 

Yes, one could argue that you would need more than one a month but if you have managed to burn through all your activations and on top of that, all your deactivations and still need more than one activation for any 31-day period then sitting behind a keyboard is perhaps not the best choice of pastime.........Who knows, one just might do oneself a malady if one's activation/deactivation history is anything to go by.