@RagingBull: I'm sorry, but why shouldn't they? People have every right to be angry and express their very valid criticism's of EA's DRM.

...

That said, should this guy really be disemvoweled for giving an opinion? =/ It's an ignorant one, no doubt, but did he break any rules?

Ah well.

Đipic

Yeah, because if he'd worked for EA, he'd have banned them from ANYTHING EA.

sanctusmortis

Who gives a shit!

EnigmaNemesis

@mva5580: I've always got my pitchfork and torch in hand. You wanna meet in the parking lot after work and we can chase down some IP addresses.

QuasarSquirrel

queue the "we hate ea" bullshit.

Lombax

"These comments are absolutely not true or in-line with EA's moderation policy," an EA spokesperson told Kotaku. "They were made by an over-zealous community volunteer who does not work for EA."

Sure EA, I believe you...

MentalNote

So exactly what does everyone crying "censorship" want from EA to prove that they do think that mod was being dumb and saying things out of line? Crucify the guy publicly?

Turambar

@Maldron: Yeah, in all honesty the title is family friendly so banning swear words from creature names seems perfectly acceptable to me.

Nirolak

@Maldron: Actually, when this piece of news first surfaced people seemed to not read the part where EA stated this was an untrue statement by an irresponsible mod and McWhertor was actually pretty fast in pointing that out. Of course, people still failed to read past the first 3 sentences because hating on EA is just so much fun.

Turambar

I always find that even if you discuss a games problems on the official forums, its flat out ignored anyway, so its not like they need to ban or delete the topics because no high ups ever read it in the first place.

Walker

The day people stop stealing is the day things such as SecuROM will cease to exist.

Funny how people get infinitely more irritated at steps to stop theft than they do the actual thieves themselves. Maybe if some of you had the same passion for ridding the world of piracy things like SecuROM wouldn't be necessary?

mva5580

Nicely written. I like how you spend half the article writing up EA's forum moderation as monstrous, two sentences rescinding it, and then suggesting that free discourse will be halted because of a creature with the word "fuck" in its name got banned.

Because, as we all know, those bastards at EA won't have to answer for this DRM shit unless they no longer appear human. When this occurs, we can justly grab for our torches and pitchforks and have a good old-fashioned monster lynching.

Maldron

wow EA way to cover you asses

Allcars

Users ought to beg for mercy -- no one heeds the warnings of a polite moderator! Feel the wrath of the almighty banhammer, legitimate customers!

YHWHMystic

Good for the public to express their dissatisfaction with the DRM. Even though it's a mess the attention will certainly be a good lesson for EA for future games.

canchegundam

Tht's rght! Pwr t th ppl!

...ppl r stll btchng bt ths? Fckng mv n lrdy nd prt t, jss...

RagingBull

"Anyone who looks at the boards will clearly see that DRM and other issues are freely discussed on the Spore forums, alongside other topics about the game, [now]"

;)

Aex

Is this part of that new "image" the EA boss was referring to?

Leave it to them to find a whole new reason to hate EA.

Vesci

@Michael McWhertor: And perfectly appropriate. That fruit fucker thing shows that they aren't quite as reluctant to account-bans as they pretend. Maybe not the case, but it wasn't not unreasonable to think they might actually ban you for criticizing SecuROM.

lumpi

I don't really care about Spore - but even when that would have been an official EA declaration: Where is the problem ?

Sure, you have the freedom to express your anger and disappointment. But customers on a crusade tend to take down complete boards, espcially when kiddies are involved.
What's the point of putting the DRM topic in more than one thread directly related to this topic ?
If those who can't stop flaming and whining come into conflict with all other customers rights to use the board too, then hell yes - mute them, close and delete threads and in the worst case ban them.

Sometimes people behave as if companies would have to endure simply everything, just because they ain't 100% happy with their products. Just don't buy it then, give it back or don't buy their other products - fine. But trolls annoy me more than any DRM could.

Golwar

@mva5580:
SecuROM combats piracy? That's a new one. I thought it only stopped legitimate customers and people trying to sell a used PC game within their rights.

Silly me.

Kicken

@MentalNote: You don't believe that EA has volunteer moderators?

Michael McWhertor

It's a case of

"Look what you made me do! You made me so angry I hit the kids and it's your fault!"

lumpi

@Maldron: First paragraph is simply to provide background info on the situation, not make EA look "monstrous." Mentioning the Fruitfucker was an attempt to add some levity to the situation, not to put the fear into the hearts of anyone at the Spore forums. Yikes.

Michael McWhertor

It looks like to me that EA is now scapegoating this mess on the forum moderators. Which is pretty pathetic.

If they had proper control and oversight on their forums then this would not have happened. EA one of the world's largest game publishers, and they can't even control their own forums.

NullsRevenge

The saddest part of all this is, that, for a short period, the "We encourage creativity [after we saw that milking old franchises doesn't work]!" message really worked for me!

"Fine!", I thought, "EA isn't the cold, ruthless gaming monopoly I though it is! Looking forward to those new and innovative games they'll release! Maybe they listen to the community now."

A few weeks later they celebrate their brilliant idea to limit the amount of total installs and add crappy (yet even ineffective!?) big brother software on top of their games.

Basically, they slipped from a PR dream-position to a class action lawsuit ([kotaku.com] - probably won't loose that one, but the fact that it exists alone says a lot).

It's not exactly like there is much else to like about this company.

lumpi

@mva5580: Hehe. Banning comments criticising DRM is a step "to stop theft"? I think you might want to rethink your argument there. It also amuses me how you see as DRM is "necessary" too given it has zero effect on piracy either.

I'd like to see the piracy problem solved as well, but turning the other cheek to EA on issues like this doesn't help anyone.

MattB

@Turambar: Aww, got beaten to the punch.

Turambar

@lumpi: Except they only suspended Crecente's account for 7 days. And considering Crecente was in violation of terms of use (use of profanity in creature names), perfectly allowed. They're just following a rule existent in most games with an online component.

Turambar

@RagingBull:
omg wtf did you just type.

Rambonz

@lumpi: To be fair, it was an account *suspension* that Crecente got, likely as part of a TOS violation that he agreed to. :)

Michael McWhertor

@Đipic: Why? Because EA could give a shit less. People will still buy their game in droves. You think it matters that people are throwing a pissy fit over this? Sure, there are better methods for security, like Steam, but at the end of the day: no one matters. Spore is still selling like hot cakes and their wallets are just getting fatter.

RagingBull

In other news, Kotaku comment moderator Shiraz Malik today announced all negative comments regarding the recent change in commenting format shall be met with a permanent IP ban for the users.

While online editors were quick to make clear that the comment was incorrect and out of line along with a follow up statement by Brian Crecente saying the same things, an angry mob armed with torches, pitchforks, and cries of indignation continues to form outside Kotaku tower.

More on this story at 11.

(Obviously this is completely made up and is meant to be a pretty damn poor parody so don't ban me please ;_;)

Turambar

@Rambonz: [kotaku.com]

Roflcopter_Down: Wants you to follow HIM!

@MysidianMan: [elitistjerks.com]

tetracycloide

@Michael McWhertor: You know I'm crazy, Michael. It just feels a lot of heat is heading their way, understandably, but its strength is a little intimidating. And really, it was about placement: Immediately after saying they're not banning accounts so you should feel free to talk, you mention an instance of banning. It reads as a "watch what you do" statement more than humor, to me. But then, I'm of that idiotic school who insists the internet is serious business.

This is largely me trying to make light of the EA issues until after Mirror's Edge has come. >.>

Lemme know when we're gonna actually storm the Castle, McWhertor, I'll be right beside you with a Louisville Slugger. Gonna wreck me some candelabras. It seems like they'd probably have a few.

Maldron

@NullsRevenge: You do know how volunteer moderators work right? And if you're implying the larger the user base, the easier they are to control...

Turambar

I have never seen a community site that wouldn't benefit from more stringent moderation. Maybe I missed one, but the phenomenon seems pretty uniform.

MysidianMan

@mva5580: Perhaps maybe people wouldn't feel the urge to pirate if they felt that there was no need to do so. Most of this pirating started because software applications, music and movies are as expensive as they are. If all of these were being sold at the price that they should be, it would almost seem ridiculous to go through all the time and effort it takes to steal them. Remember when the CD was first introduced and they promised consumers that the price of them would be lower than what we were paying for cassettes because they were cheaper to produce? That never happened. Same for the DVD format. And look at the price of movie tickets these days.

Pirating video games is kind of an offshoot from all of that. Once the process becomes a habit, it's all too easy to do the same with any other file.

But hey, how would I know? I would never do such dastardly things.

RiceBandit

@RagingBull: Well, posts that pretty much amount to "you're stupid for talking about this" filled in with some profanity has always had a history of being disemvoweled.

Turambar

Oh, nice to see that my comment got screwed up. Sooo... in a post about censorship, I get censored? No, that's not hypocritical in any way >.>

RagingBull

@Maldron: I got no beef with EA. On the contrary, I'm pretty darn impressed with the publisher these days.

Michael McWhertor

Wait!

We're so used to complaints not helping that many commenters say it's useless to criticize them and they won't listen anyway.

Well, do you honestly believe this reaction ([kotaku.com]) has nothing to do with people complaining? Did EA drop the 10-day activation spans before Spore was even released for no reason?

I'd say the massive amounts of protest were surprisingly successful. And I think EA might have serious doubts about continuing their SecuROM policy- at least internally.

In other words: EA gives a shit. EA acted because people didn't shut up.

I don't enjoy hating EA.

They have their tentacles on some of the biggest games out there and some of them (Mass Effect) I'd even like to buy if it wasn't for SecuROM. Maybe I'm in the infamous "1%" group of people there, but I neither think it's just 1% of people who find SecuROM annoying, nor do I think EA enjoys sacrificing this very real minority of potential customers for a purely political and hugely ineffective stance on piracy.

lumpi

@Michael McWhertor: Ah. So I missed the message of your post, AND now I don't get to smash any candelabras.

Damn.

Maldron

@NullsRevenge: Yes, volunteer mods shouldn't act irresponsible. But some still do. That's a fact any large forum using volunteer mods probably know very well.

As for EA being responsible for clearing up this mess, what would you suggest they do? They already announced that everything said mod stated was false and out of line, and most likely stripped the mod of his powers privately. Any other suggestions?

Turambar

@EnigmaNemesis:

Seeing as you bothered to read, you do.

Unless, of course, you didn't bother to read. In that case, seems you are just vying for attention.

Not that you'd ever do that.

Mact

@RiceBandit:

Bullshit.

If it's too expensive, do without.
Neither video games, music, nor movies are necessities.

You think it takes time and effort to steal this things? Are you daft? Because thousands of people were downloading Spore before its release with no problem. Hey. It's almost like that took less time than going to a store and actually purchasing it!

Sounds like you just like to try to justify yourself, child.

Mact

People really need to get a life. Go find something else to play. Seriously. This is old. Grow up and take your dollars elsewhere.

ScottG13

@mva5580:

Hank! Billy! Grab yer guns.

Dem no good thieves been steal'n again.

Time fer us ta become dem vigiliantemacalits.

Mact

@RagingBull: You're not being censored. You're being warned. Censoring is next.

MikeKelley

@EnigmaNemesis: With witty comments like this, why do forums even need moderators? Well played, Enigma. Well played.

MikeKelley

@RagingBull:

Except they did give a shit, idiot.

At least twice since Spore's release have they announced that they are patching the game to allow more freedom for the buyer.

Either read up or shut up.

Mact

@Turambar: Just because they are volunteers doesn't give them an excuse to be irresponsible and oppressive.

This isn't a some fansite forum, this is the official EA forums, and EA should be held responsible for how they operate their website and the conduct of the people they put in charge of moderating their forums.

EA should have a paid employee to at least keep tabs on the volunteer moderators with the size of the forums they have. Or maybe they shouldn't cheap out and just have paid staff moderating the entire thing rather than trusting a bunch of fanboy moderators.

NullsRevenge

I've noticed something from title to title

EA puts out new, more draconian DRM

people rally the base

EA revises it to less draconian DRM that is slightly more draconian then the last game's DRM they made less draconian.

arstal

This debate actually saved me from a lot of addicting games I would have gotten and wasted many hours on otherwise.

So, maybe it IS a good thing after all. :D

lumpi

I've already used 14 regs on my copy of spore! I need more damn it more!

Oh wait no, I've only used one, belay my last.

Stockpile

Darn. I was hoping McWhertor would be like "Did anyone even read the article" again. Well at least some users wised up on that.

digipen89

Alienating your consumer base? Way to go EA!

OoBaSNoRk

My only concern with the DRM limiting installs is that it means if I upgrade five times and have to reinstall windows and spore five times; that's all my installs used up so I'll have to contact EA to get it activated or something next time I upgrade - sounds like a huge hassle to me.

munkah

@Mact:

No, I say who gives a shit, because this e-drama is a sad affair. Who really cares if one forum bans people or not over there. Shit happens all the time, and they can rightfully do what they want. But anywho ... we must rally around the e-drama as it so effects our everyday lives.

Funny how EA really has to explain themselves.

EnigmaNemesis

@lumpi: Yeah... their wrath is pretty misdirected considering pirates aren't actually harmed by any of this. In fact, I would even bet they enjoy the thrill of soundly defeating any feeble attempts at DRM.

So I guess mva5580 is right: we need to purge the world of all evil! Start with your sons and daughters! Your mothers and brothers! No one survives the cleansing fire!
And only once everyone's dead, we'll start making games again, and with no DRM necessary. This strategy cannot fail.

Or, we could just ditch DRM and deal with the fact that everything digital is only a simple click away from being stolen at all times. It's a simple fact of the medium.

Comatose Turtle

@EnigmaNemesis:

It's easy to say "Who gives a shit[?]" when you're not one of the people affected (I being one of those not affected as I have yet to purchase Spore and recent reviews making me wish there was a short demo of sort I could play as it sounds like a game I'd put a $30 price tag on), but for those actually affected by DRM in the form of failure to have the game run, it's actually an issue.

Yes, EA can rightfully do what they want with their forums, but the resulting detractors are also fully in their rights to complain.

Also, note, this isn't about forum banning, this is about account suspensions. That would not be something EA could do just willy-nilly without backlash as it actually affects a consumer's investments.

So these people have a cause? What matter of is it to you? Throwing in lines like "Who gives a shit[?]" only serves to add to the 'e-drama'. Granted, these people could be protesting real causes, but, ah well, Kotaku is a gaming information site and the average gamer's sole concern is his or herself.

Mact

Im not getting spore cause I dont use my PC for gaming but I really hope EA changes that DRM. I dont find it fair for all those PC gamers who had been waiting so long for the game.

HELLSRIDER

The sad thing is that I foresee this engaging the pirate community to do what they do best: "Take on challenges, one flaw at a time".

At the same time, the people who implemented SecuRom (*cough* EA *cough*) must've slept through "behavior modifications" and "operant conditioning", since it is only a matter of time till this discussion gets LOUDER, AND LOUDER, AND LOUDER.

When the masses DO use up their five DRM installs, what then EA AND OTHERS?

I foresee that this will kill physical sales; but maybe that is what is being pushed for, afterall... What do I mean, you ask? Very simple. As others on Kotaku's posting threads suggest, this is a means for overpriced rentals/limited ownership. For those of us who legitimately purchase games, we are less inclined to buy a game that will become a hassle in the overall scheme of things to come. Then an EA official suggests going straight to downloads, and mainstream rejoices.

But there is a problem. People tend to like physical copies more, and this will NOT stop piracy, as it now poses a newer challenge to the pirateers, who already are ALL TOO FAMILIAR with downloads.

So in that scenario, I'd say "way to through the interception and kill the scene that much more."

SecuROM and other DRMs like it IMHO are headed this way, and pirates will continue to take on these challenges.

Why? Because it's the lifeblood of their subculture. The challenge. There is a claim to pseudo-fame within all of this.

Just saying.

Soldier_CLE

I honestly don't care anymore. DRM is DRM, just live with it.

michaelleung

*waves like Vanna White at a shiny box on display atop a roman style pillar. On it the box reads, "Sins of a Solar Empire". Bellow the box hangs a sign that reads, "Sold 500,000 copies despite being a Niche Genre AND lacking copy protection."*

HappyWulf

What's scary to me is that this even seems plausible in the first place. Not that we would think that EA might stoop to that level, but that we don't know enough about SecuROM to know if it gives them this ability. Can they do it if you say something they don't like? Is it fair to charge $50+ for a game while giving them the ability to quietly kill your access to that if you say something they don't like?

That's why I still haven't bought it, and won't buy anything with it. I won't steal it either, as much as I want to play a game, I don't *need* to play a game.

Again, just in case EA is listening: I'm in the 25-35 age bracket, I make far more money than I should be allowed to, and I love video games. I won't buy your games, and I know a lot of other people who work with me in similar situations who feel the same way, until you ditch this scheme. Even in your latest press release you essentially said it was a necessary evil to prevent the game from being 0-day pirated. It didn't prevent that, it was on bittorrent days before release. So the only benefit to this necessary evil doesn't even exist. I have money I want to give you, but I won't do it until you stop treating me like a criminal.

Swervo

@Soldier_CLE: damn. I need more coffee or sleep. I meant to say "Way to THROW the interception and kill the scene that much more."

Soldier_CLE

@RagingBull: I love trying to read disemvoweled comments.

Americo

@sanctusmortis: "They were made by an over-zealous community volunteer who does not work for EA." ... anymore.

This is why I stopped trying for "Community Relations" type positions at various gaming companies. Too easy to loose your job.

Android8675

@RiceBandit: Piracy started because people wanted stuff for free. Price and everything is usually just a rationalization.

[machall.com]

Jonn

@canchegundam: A few thousand angry gamers are not the "public". Most of the game's target audience doesn't know DRM from a Dill, Rye, and Munster sandwich.

Jonn

I am the X SporeMasterRob who you are talking about. I only did what the Maxis team told me in response to DRM threads and the like.

Now they get negative feedback they remove me and put the blame on me. My thread is over on the official forums under my member name mysporpage [forum.spore.com]

Looks like EA screwed me over big time and I am one person not the Evil Empire!

Signing off

X SporeMasterRob

XSporeMaster

I am the X SporeMasterRob who you are talking about. I only did what the Maxis team told me in response to DRM threads and the like.

Now they get negative feedback they remove me and put the blame on me. My thread is over on the official forums under my member name mysporpage [forum.spore.com]

Looks like EA screwed me over big time and I am one person not the Evil Empire!

Signing off X SporeMasterRob

XSporeMaster

I am the X SporeMasterRob who you are talking about. I only did what the Maxis team told me in response to DRM threads and the like. Now they get negative feedback they remove me and put the blame on me. My thread is over on the official forums under my member name mysporpage http://forum.spore.com/jforum/posts/list/5168.page Looks like EA screwed me over big time and I am one person not the Evil Empire! Signing off X SporeMasterRob

VillePenthesilea

Business practices with which I don't agree.

Wrecks_

Freely discussed my ass. DRM topics in the MEPC forum were moved to the BW's Off Topic forum. How is something that is IN THE GAME (DRM/SecuROM) OFF TOPIC in the general forum FOR THAT VERY GAME (Mass Effect PC)?! Freely discussed...where nobody visiting the game's forums can see it. Yeah. Nice.

DrakeMedusa

I'm sorry, could you translate that into english? or are you using the really helpful iPhone interface to post comments?

GertrudeKapish

@EnigmaNemesis: Kotaku.

Postlapsaria