How long will BFC stick to their eLicense system?

Elvis

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Yes, but I am speaking of the whole family doing the same thing. This would include the module(s). And I am talking about a family like CMBN or CMFI that has basically ended its module run.
Either I'm not understanding you or you're not understanding me. The Big Bundle does include all the modules.

There has been no official word but I would expect to see a Big Bundle down the road that includes 3.0 and the Vehicle Pack. Both are so new that I would think that they'll run them at "full list price" for a while. Maybe they'll call it the Bigger Big Bundle or somefink. But, in theory, it would never end. There is bound to be another Upgrade and another and another and.............

As far giving single installers for people who have purchased the titles one at a time, that sounds like more work then it is probably worth for BFC. I don't think their customer account system is able to connect the dots for individual purchases in a way that would make that possible. With a Bundle it is just a matter of changing what the link to download the Bundle goes to. For the individual ones, the system would have to determine what a customer does and doesn't have and then add a link to the customers account for an installer with that combination of items. You'd need an installer for every combination possible. Impossible? I doubt it. Although the current software operating the system might not be capable. Worth redoing? Probably not, no matter how nice it might be for the end user.
 

NUTTERNAME

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As an example, I would just want the CMFI Big Bundle to have one download and one activation. That is, Base game+Module+3.0+'Pack'. DL it and it installs and gets activated and da-da-da-deh dat's all folks!

Will there be more upgrades? I am thinking more patches are needed. I can't see an upgrade any time soon. Not from Black Sea or whatever the modern game is being called, back-ported to WWII. i would say WWII is at a technology level at this point. Again, patches are needed. And it seems like whatever bugs that were fixed in 'the pack' has not made much news lately.

Thinking about the 3.0 Upgrade for CMBN, I really think it should have included the infantry flamethrowers. If they can stick patches in packs, why not small infantry units in upgrades? Especially one whose feature is flamethrowing. If a feature is downloaded in the woods, and no one can use it, etc. etc. etc.
 

Talon_XbmcX

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With all the issues registering the new Vehicle Pack, I have to admit its deterring me from getting everything up to date. And now that I actually have time to play, I find that to be very discouraging.

The registration scheme is completely backwards. I know of no other game where you have to register the base game and previous modules to get the new DLC to work. The DRM seems to be being pushed beyond it's limits. Everything should be registered to the base game (updates, expansion modules, packs, etc.) and when done so, all features should be available to all registered components of that base game. The only time I should have to re-enter a registration key is if I am reinstalling the product.

If ever there was a real world example of how not to do a copy protection scheme, this would be at the top of my list. It's inconvenient, it overly complex, and it requires additional documentation to explain how to perform correctly. It's a real customer dis-satisfier.
 

Redwolf

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I want to puke just reading about all this nonsense that only the paying customers have to go through.
 

Elvis

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I want to puke just reading about all this nonsense that only the paying customers have to go through.

Don't move. Hold on for a moment while I grab your fainting chair.

As I said to Peng when I left the restaurant I was working at with him until recently "there aren't chains on the doors".


Sure it could be more streamlined and a better activation system. But hyperventilating is silly. I've team posts by a few people on various forums who say that they stopped buying the games because of it. That is what I would recommend to anyone for whom it causes vomiting.
 

NUTTERNAME

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Don't move. Hold on for a moment while I grab your fainting chair.

As I said to Peng when I left the restaurant I was working at with him until recently "there aren't chains on the doors".


Sure it could be more streamlined and a better activation system. But hyperventilating is silly. I've team posts by a few people on various forums who say that they stopped buying the games because of it. That is what I would recommend to anyone for whom it causes vomiting.
I find that hard to believe. Peng is the biggest quitter who has ever lived. I often had to cajole and humor him just to get him to get half way through a game.

But, more importantly, I think you have the employer/employee part of the analogy reversed. Redwoof is a customer. He can't eat the slop being slung at Battlefront's Backwoods Bistro. The sporks don't work because there is crud between the spork-tines. There are flies in the mayo and mayo on the flies. The bathrooms have rim high sewage swirling around precariously in the bowls. It looks very much like the food...

Hmmm. I should look up Battlefront on Yelp...
 

Elvis

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I find that hard to believe. Peng is the biggest quitter who has ever lived. I often had to cajole and humor him just to get him to get half way through a game.
He is a quitter. He put in his 2 weeks notice last weekend.

But, more importantly, I think you have the employer/employee part of the analogy reversed. Redwoof is a customer. He can't eat the slop being slung at Battlefront's Backwoods Bistro. The sporks don't work because there is crud between the spork-tines. There are flies in the mayo and mayo on the flies. The bathrooms have rim high sewage swirling around precariously in the bowls. It looks very much like the food...

Hmmm. I should look up Battlefront on Yelp...
You know what I do when I go to a Bistro that serves *****y food? I don't go anymore and forget about it.
 

NUTTERNAME

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The CMRT patch now has an activation involved. It was a pain finding the CMRT key and then it didn't work. They must have changed something and I tried again and it did work.
 

Redwolf

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The funny thing is, now that they made their DRM mess worse, not better, it is very unlikely I would ever notice whether I still have my keys.

So how may pirated copies did they prevent, specifically by this move or retroactively asking for old keys for already installed games, even though the top patch already required a key?

How many future sales did they prevent? Still do they prevent as more and more people who didn't read the forum fail to play the games they did pay full price for? How many people who come across a glitch and the key they have and they payed full price for doesn't work, on first try, or until contacting customer support? How many people who have to spend an evening searching through boxes or old emails searching for keys they did pay full price for, but thought they wouldn't have to use in the future (because BFC said they won't need them).
 

Michael Dorosh

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How many people who have to spend an evening searching through boxes or old emails searching for keys they did pay full price for, but thought they wouldn't have to use in the future (because BFC said they won't need them).
How many people will *have to* do this? Zero.

The keys are stored on the Battlefront site. Go to 'My Account', then "my orders", and you will find all your keys listed there for you permanently. Copy and paste as many times as you need.

How many people will *want to* do this because apparently they like complaining on the internet?

At least one.
 

phil395

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Yes, people can look up the keys on their account page (assuming they can get into it). But that's still more work for (some) people have bought the game legitimately. My overall impression of BFC has dropped considerably from when I bought TacOps4 many, many years ago.
 

NUTTERNAME

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The funny thing is, now that they made their DRM mess worse, not better, it is very unlikely I would ever notice whether I still have my keys.

So how may pirated copies did they prevent, specifically by this move or retroactively asking for old keys for already installed games, even though the top patch already required a key?

How many future sales did they prevent? Still do they prevent as more and more people who didn't read the forum fail to play the games they did pay full price for? How many people who come across a glitch and the key they have and they payed full price for doesn't work, on first try, or until contacting customer support? How many people who have to spend an evening searching through boxes or old emails searching for keys they did pay full price for, but thought they wouldn't have to use in the future (because BFC said they won't need them).
They must feel that there is some amount of piracy, IMO, to go through this. Elvis' post shows that there IS some amount of piracy. How big it is is about the same question as how big are their sales. One can only guess. But since they are in a niche business, they must feel that they need to control the market. Speaking of which, they could use this as a marketing tool since they can tally how many people are keeping current and how popular a title is. Since they often distribute patches through other websites, this is a way to close the loop. This is assuming they have the skills to use the information.

My take on them now is that they are overwhelmed. And arrogant. It would have taken just a small post by BF in the "Where the **** is the CMRT thread" cluing people (BEFORE patch release) in that there would be a change in the user agreement and that one would need to reactivate and it would not consume an activation 'point', etc. In the real world, this is called courtesy. One could also use a tactic whereby the customer is told that this will actually make the sharing of modules between players possible in the future. This is another marketing tool (called lying).

Communication, just like the forum at BF, or the "agreement", is just another control issue. And, since BF has a captive market, and there isn't really much the customers can do about it, things are the way they are. Given the amount of time needed to do the patch, and the fact that they did not even have the systems online at the time once the patch was released, I just have to snort and chuckle.

I suppose one could start a class action lawsuit if they felt there was a case. It would certainly be interesting since they would at some point have to reveal a mailing list of sorts. We all read those words above "I agree" when we install the software, right?
 

Redwolf

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Fact is, existing, working installations get disabled when installing the patch.

(paying customers only. Pirates who use the software with removed DRM would not be affected)
 

NUTTERNAME

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Fact is, existing, working installations get disabled when installing the patch.

(paying customers only. Pirates who use the software with removed DRM would not be affected)
What happened to your game? What is 'disabled' about your game? Do you still buy PC and Appler? Are they both disabled?
 

NUTTERNAME

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The latest free patch is unleashed for CMBN customers. I will hold off on the install till things get sorted out. BF outsources the servers to the etherwherevers and it ain't up.

Some music till the patches drop from the clouds...[video=youtube;gYaRlH82K2M]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYaRlH82K2M[/video]
 

NUTTERNAME

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CM Battle for Normandy v3.11 Patch (PC & Mac)
Tuesday, 18 November 2014
This information is for the v3.11 patch for CM Battle for Normandy. The v3.11 patch is available in two distinctive versions, one for the PC version of the game, the other for the Mac version of the game.

Please make sure to read the platform specific patch information and to select the correct download links below for the correct platform that you are using.

The patch is NOT compatible with the 1.0 or 2.0 branches of the game. You need to have the 3.0 Upgrade installed in order to be able to use this patch. The patch updates the base game and any modules or packs you may have installed automatically.
GENERAL PATCH INFORMATION

VERSION REQUIREMENT

This v3.11 patch of CM Battle for Normandy is all inclusive. It can be installed over any previous version of the 3.00 Upgrade, and it works for base-game only installs as well as any combination of modules or packs. Other non-Battlefront versions may not be compatible with this patch.

LICENSE ACTIVATION

After installing the patch correctly, you MAY be required to activate the game again. If you own the Vehicle Pack, you will NOT have to activate your game. If you don't own the Vehicle Pack, you WILL have to reactivate. Please follow the instructions below - IMPORTANT! THIS HAS CHANGED FROM PREVIOUS VERSIONS!

IMPORTANT! Unlike previous releases, this patch may require you to reactivate your base game (v3.0), and all other modules (if you have any) when you launch it for the first time.

Start by launching the game normally (e.g. doubleclick). You will be prompted to re-activate your game. No worries, this is not going to use up an activation.

a) Please find your CMBN Engine Upgrade v3.00 license key.
Repeat: you need the v3.00 Upgrade key. Keys from v1.00 or v2.00 won't work.

b) make sure the computer on which you have the game installed has
an active online connection to the internet

c) click "Enter Serial" in the product activation dialog window

d) enter your v3.0 license key into the correct field.

e) hit the "Activate" button and wait a few seconds while your license authorizes.

f) this activates your base game. If you launch the game now, it is going to show you the base v3.00 install without any modules and without the Vehicle Pack.

g) now you need to re-activate any other modules you may have. To do so, you need to use the "Activate Modules" shortcut link to bring up the activation interface again. If you opted to not have it created on your desktop or deleted it from there, then you can find the link in your Start menu under Start > Programs > Battlefront > Combat Mission Battle for Normandy.

h) repeat the above procedure for any module you may have. You will need the following license keys:
- for the Commonwealth Forces and Market Garden Modules, you need a license key from when you purchased said module, including as part of a bundle (for example, the Big Bundle, CMBN + Commonwealth Bundle, Comonwealth + 3.0 + Market Garden Bundle, and so on.)

For more details about this new activation procedure, please see the Knowledgebase at http://battlefront.mojohelpdesk.com, or the Vehicle Pack Manual.

PREVIOUS SAVE GAME COMPATIBILITY NOTE:

Save games from previous versions ARE COMPATIBLE with v3.11, provided that you save your turn-based games in the COMMAND phase (not the replay phase) before upgrading.

COMPATIBILITY WITH MODS:

Due to the potential of conflicts with pre v3.11 game Mods, we advise uninstalling any mods prior to installing this Game patch.

PLATFORM SPECIFIC PATCH INFORMATION & DOWNLOAD LINKS

PC (Windows XP/Vista/7/8)

INSTALLATION LOCATION
The v3.11 patch MUST be installed into the same directory where the full version of the game resides. The patch installer will attempt to select the correct default for you, and warn you if it thinks it's not where it should be, but if you moved the game files manually, or on certain systems, this automatic selection may not be 100% fail safe. Please doublecheck the installation location BEFORE installing the patch and make sure that you are installing into the correct directory.

PC DOWNLOAD LINKS
DOWNLOAD INSTRUCTIONS
Please make sure to download all preselected files. They will download as a zip file. Extract the zip file into a location of your choice, then launch the CMBN_Setup.exe file to start the installation.

Battlefront.com
MAC (SnowLeopard/Lion/Mountain Lion/Mavericks)

INSTALLATION LOCATION

The v3.11 patch will prompt you to select the correct location of your v3.00 game application. Make sure to select the correct subfolder, if any!

Note: if you purchased the game via the AppStore, do NOT use this patch.

MAC DOWNLOAD LINKS
Battlefront.com
New 3.11 Feature List

- Group moves and evade commands are no longer a workaround for weight-restricted movement speed.
- M1 Garand rifle-grenadiers carry more rifle ammo.
- Minor fixes to new German vehicle models to prevent crew from poking through the armor.
- ATG bunkers have a more realistic (limited) front arc for their guns.

v3.10 GAME FEATURES
- Quick Battle TO&E options have been improved
- Mouse text for targeting: too close or out of range
- Aircraft control returned to original method (observers have control)
- Towed guns look better as vehicle turns
- Corrected some TacAI problems with crewmen positioning themselves around a heavy weapon
- Better logic selecting the two men for scout teams
- Fixed a bug that sometimes caused buttoned-up tank crew to be suppressed by external explosions
- Artillery usually requires another spotting round or two before acquiring the target
- Off-map rockets generally cost more points in quick battles
- Improved TacAI logic for placing teams along walls (this is repeated/completed in v3.11 so maybe skip mention of it here)
- Improved coordination between tank hull and turret rotation
- Improved long-range optics for JPz IV, Jagdpanther
- Very heavily-laden soldiers cannot use Fast or sometimes even Quick moves

Last Updated ( Tuesday, 18 November 2014 )
 

NUTTERNAME

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Either I'm not understanding you or you're not understanding me. The Big Bundle does include all the modules.

There has been no official word but I would expect to see a Big Bundle down the road that includes 3.0 and the Vehicle Pack. Both are so new that I would think that they'll run them at "full list price" for a while. Maybe they'll call it the Bigger Big Bundle or somefink. But, in theory, it would never end. There is bound to be another Upgrade and another and another and.............

As far giving single installers for people who have purchased the titles one at a time, that sounds like more work then it is probably worth for BFC. I don't think their customer account system is able to connect the dots for individual purchases in a way that would make that possible. With a Bundle it is just a matter of changing what the link to download the Bundle goes to. For the individual ones, the system would have to determine what a customer does and doesn't have and then add a link to the customers account for an installer with that combination of items. You'd need an installer for every combination possible. Impossible? I doubt it. Although the current software operating the system might not be capable. Worth redoing? Probably not, no matter how nice it might be for the end user.
Moon seemed to allude to what I was actually suggesting. Then again, I think he is ESL and who knows what he is trying to say. Just smile and nod. We understand. Steve is busy cruising the internet reading Ukrainian news reports, drinking Belgium beers and looking to see what's on Netflix while everyone else is clunking along. I mean, has anyone proof read the patch details? Why are they calling out patch fixes as 'Features'? Isn't that a reserved word that means something else? Such as a Feature? Not a Fix? And the wording on the blurbs in the 'Feature List'..." Mouse text for targeting: too close or out of range"..."Improved TacAI logic for placing teams along walls (this is repeated/completed in v3.11 so maybe skip mention of it here)"...Talk about phoning it in...

I am sick of doing all the work around here. For free. I should get paid. Like Elvis.
 
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