Bioshock

[TwistedBishop]

If this doesn't bother you, then fine, but it should.

Other than installation hassles, what are the longterm negative effects of SecuROM?

 

[Elephant]

It was confirmed a WHILE ago that Securon is NOT a rootkit. This info is nothing new.

However, it does get installed on your PC without telling you (including in the demo) and it is NOT removed if you uninstall the game. Regardless, this practice is just bad practice and certainly bad for the consumer.

If this doesn't bother you, then fine, but it should. If it does, do some research. This is a good place to start:

http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=19

I haven't read anything that confirms securom as not being a rootkit. I'm discounting the link posted earlier in this thread for two reasons:
1). It insulted the reader in its opening sentence. Tab closed, sorry, I don't care to read what you have to say if you're going to berate me before actually saying anything of substance.
2). That person's blog does not come remotely close to qualifying as a reliable source.

 

[Bront]

Try out the demo. Played it. Deleted it. No probs with my rig.

Yeah, I'll probably just wait a bit and see how the DRM stuff plays out, as I'm not likely to buy it in the next 2 weeks or so anyway.

 

[Bront]

I haven't read anything that confirms securom as not being a rootkit. I'm discounting the link posted earlier in this thread for two reasons:
1). It insulted the reader in its opening sentence. Tab closed, sorry, I don't care to read what you have to say if you're going to berate me before actually saying anything of substance.
2). That person's blog does not come remotely close to qualifying as a reliable source.

Tomshardware.com did an article on it, and they are sure it's not a root kit, it just detects like one, and uses rootkit like functionality to stick itself in your registry permanently. As of yesterday, they were unable to get the game working on several of their test machines due do DRM issues, and Take 2 has handled this poorly, particularly because the way the DRM currently works, it's violating their own licence agreement.

 

[Plane Sailing]

There was no rootkit installed on my machine with the demo. I went to start the process of deleting it the other day and it was no where to be found.

Others have reported the same thing.

I believe that the mechanism that it uses is setting some null registry keys in order for it to secrete stuff in the registry that you can't see or remove with regedit (which would be why it was nowhere to be found, and why it will have been flagged as a 'potential rootkit', since rootkits like to hide themselves where diagnostic stuff can't even spot them, let alone remove them.

Fortunately Microsoft have produced some software which allows you to remove the null keys (RegDelNull). Might be worth getting hold of that and giving your system a quick scan just in case, eh?

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/utilities/regdelnull.mspx

Cheers

 

[John Crichton]

I believe that the mechanism that it uses is setting some null registry keys in order for it to secrete stuff in the registry that you can't see or remove with regedit (which would be why it was nowhere to be found, and why it will have been flagged as a 'potential rootkit', since rootkits like to hide themselves where diagnostic stuff can't even spot them, let alone remove them.

Fortunately Microsoft have produced some software which allows you to remove the null keys (RegDelNull). Might be worth getting hold of that and giving your system a quick scan just in case, eh?

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/utilities/regdelnull.mspx

Cheers

That's what I used. It was a pain to figure out but it appears all is well. Honestly, folks, I've had more issues with AdAware than this Bioshock demo thing. It's also another reason I wipe my HD at least once a year and restore to new.

 

[Felon]

I'm playing it on the 360. Haven't had too much trouble aiming. If I'm feeling it correctly, there's some targeting assistance as well -- my camera followed somebody I was aiming at as they moved. Could have been my imagination, of course.

Must be your imagination because it sure ain't happening (and yes, I do have the aiming assstance option turned on, for whatever it's worth).

The various plasmids have neat environmental effects, but that's really the only redeeming element to a very frustating game IMO. I am really tired of all the enemies that zip around the screen far faster than they can tracked and targeted (like the spider slicers). As if it weren't hard enough, the game incorporates recoil so that aim is constantly thrown off.

I had a lot more fun playing The Darkness. It's a shame it hasn't received more ballyhoo.

 

[takyris]

Huh. Likely just me, then.

I was actually really jazzed last time I played. Hacked a turret and a helicopter drone, then led a Big Daddy on a merry little chase -- opened fire, ran while he killed my helicopter drone, then led him from corner to corner, taking a few shots with armor-piercing rounds each time. He caught up with me right as we reached the turret, and I dove around a corner while the turret blasted the snot out of him. I don't remember whether my turret was still standing at the end, but between it and me and my poor dead helicopter, I took down the Big Daddy without my usual "used 7 Health Packs" system of combat.

 

[ohGr]

Aim assist does work, it's just a little touchy (or poorly implemented, as the case may be). You will automatically follow the target you're aiming at, but i think the trick is that any kind of movement on your part overrides the autoaim; you have to stand still for it to kick in. Which, you know, isn't exactly your first instinct in a fire fight. :\

 

[Vocenoctum]

Huh. Likely just me, then.

I was actually really jazzed last time I played. Hacked a turret and a helicopter drone, then led a Big Daddy on a merry little chase -- opened fire, ran while he killed my helicopter drone, then led him from corner to corner, taking a few shots with armor-piercing rounds each time. He caught up with me right as we reached the turret, and I dove around a corner while the turret blasted the snot out of him. I don't remember whether my turret was still standing at the end, but between it and me and my poor dead helicopter, I took down the Big Daddy without my usual "used 7 Health Packs" system of combat.

I like to turn a camera, then bait them with some insects and flame and run around, hiding as I go.