Ken Levine says Bioshock Eventually Won't Need Online Activation

[Shadowstorm]

Joystiq got their hands on Ken Levine again to discuss the issues with (http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/24/joystiq-interviews-bioshocks-ken-levine-about-success-and-harve/)Bioshock (http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/24/joystiq-interviews-bioshocks-ken-levine-about-success-and-harve/), widescreen problems, copy protection, and gives a response to the people who call the game a "child murder simulator". One of the interesting things to note however is that Levine says the Bioshock activation is only temporary:

Given the internets and what they are -- with their tubes and all -- I want to sort of talk about the concerns people have. We take the concerns people have very seriously. There's been some concern like, "What happens if it's three years from now, or ten years from now, when I want to play this game. And, you know, Irrational Games has been hit by a meteor?" We will unset the online activation at some point in the future -- we're not talking about when. If people have concern about that they shouldn't be worried about that. This activation is for the early period of the game when it's really hot and there are people really trying to find ways to play the game without buying it. Of course, there are a lot of people who are legitimately trying to play it. We're not trying to be Draconian, we're trying to find a balance.

Very good interview. Worth the read.

[XxSATANxX]

Great news! I'll be first in line right after they ditch the DRM.

[jacktion]

Once Irrational works out the proper way to launch a good game I will pick this up. In the meantime I can wait until they get their shit in gear. I think that Irrational thought that just because they made a good game that they could try to get away with all this other crap. I don't appreciate that as a customer.

[Crowe]

Classic. No beating around the bush or making blatant excuses. Admits they fucked up in places and has/is working on solutions. Absolutely fantastic.

Did you read the full article Jacktion? What 'other' crap were they 'trying' to get away with?

[Johan]

This activation is for the early period of the game when it's really hot and there are people really trying to find ways to play the game without buying it.

That is highly understandable.

[Feltoar]

Thats good to hear. That was actually my number one concern.

I had faith Ken and Irrational knew it would be a problem, but I was worried thier hands were tied one way or another. Typically support for a game is dropped so suddenly that theres no time for a patch to fix any dependences on the publisher. I guess Bioshock is too fondly loved by its creators and too popular to meet that fate.

[Nura]

Pfft, it's already cracked anyway, so they might aswell remove it now.

[the Jack]

I would really like to know the profit breakdowns from publishing on PC vs. console.

I think such figures could put all the whining to rest if it turns out that console is a bigger earner. As a developer I'd have a lot less PR to worry about.

"Fuck the headaches, we're making this one console only."

[Xed]

Pfft, it's already cracked anyway, so they might aswell remove it now.

Exactly. It took a bit longer than usual, but I doubt that it was worth the bad publicity they received over this.

[Orz]

Huh, this is pretty much exactly what I said in the first thread about the DRM, I do believe.

Yay me!

[Baron Samedi]

In the future? Won't that require some sort of patch? Won't Irrational still have to be around to host a server with that patch?

[lockwoodx]

In the future? Won't that require some sort of patch? Won't Irrational still have to be around to host a server with that patch?

Yep, you win this thread. Personally I'm waiting for the version with online activation disabled, and no securom. I know I'll be waiting a long time.

[Varsity]

In the future? Won't that require some sort of patch? Won't Irrational still have to be around to host a server with that patch?

Have you heard of this thing called the internet?

[IagoTheHunted]

the patch will survive on the web

[Baron Samedi]

the patch will survive on the web

As will the crack :D

[Furious Wang]

I'm still not buying the "added extra pixels for fullscreen" argument. I don't think they would have designed the pov for widescreen with half a hand showing.

[screwtape]

I'm glad to hear they were surprised at the number of copies sold. Sounds like it's doing very well.

I'm also glad I don't do much PC gaming anymore. Activation, copy protection ... it's all so tiresome.

Bring on Bioshock 2, Ken!

[Beelzebud]

I'm still not buying the "added extra pixels for fullscreen" argument. I don't think they would have designed the pov for widescreen with half a hand showing.

Have you played the game beyond the demo? I ask this because weapons like the shotgun display a full arm for all you limb fetish enthusiasts.

[boratika]

The DRM issue is boring. Now this is a much more interesting point: Do you harvest the Little Sisters?

Honestly, I -- can't. [Laughs] That's what I liked about it. I had a journalist talk to me yesterday who said his fiancé saw him harvest a Little Sister and now he's sleeping on the couch. I'm glad that people take it seriously. They can immerse themselves in the experience. I'm not one of the people who does, I know there are people who do, but they have to live with that choice.

[Furious Wang]

not yet, but still, why only half a hand with any weapon configuration?

[Crenor]

yea... with all the crap they have, crack it and be done.

[Sir Kodiak]

not yet, but still, why only half a hand with any weapon configuration?

So as to block less of the view, possibly? I mean, I know if I had to chose between seeing more of the environment and more of the back of my character's hand, I'd take seeing more of the environment. You get to see plenty of the hand and arm when it animates.

Anyways, why would they lie about this? Pulling the camera back is an easy change to make so long as the framerate can be kept up. Maintaining framerate is the only explanation for why they would mess up the 16:9 version and then lie about it. If a modification for the 360 comes out and the framerate stays reasonable, then that's clearly not it. I just don't get what motivation they'd have to lie about this and I'm far from a trusting person, particularly when it comes to game companies.

[51|RandoM]

Oh god people are still whining about how it handles widescreen?

Seems kind of tired seeing as how a demo was available for each platform. Seems like the people whose life revolve around how a game does widescreen would've checked the demo to make sure the game wasn't anathema to their widescreen religion.

If you can't play bioshock without constantly thinking about the widescreen non-issue you need to just get out of gaming, you're in it for all the wrong reasons.

[InstaPete]

Man, forthcoming, honest, reasonable answers, and an admission that they screwed up? This guy knows nothing about being interviewed!

He should have denied all problems, said that activation is a "end-user value add proposition" and then ended the interview by flipping off the handle on how mean people on the internet are!

[Satertek]

Pfft, it's already cracked anyway, so they might aswell remove it now.

Actually, I'm pretty sure it hasn't been. There have been many claiming to have cracked it, but they've all been fake.

If this does indeed push some impatient pirates, who otherwise would have downloaded the game in the first days or weeks, to buy the game, then perhaps it has done some good (as long as they remove the protection a reasonable amount of time after it has been cracked)

[Chainblast]

Like the hype around Bioshock I think quite a few people have totally overreacted to some less than desired features, or lack there of. The game must be buzzing when people find small things to whine about.

Nice interview though!

[Buddha Lotus]

Does Ken Levine say that Bioshock wont have major crashes on the pC?

[MasterKwan]

I bought it Tuesday, Installed, activated it, played it till Friday when I finished it (in wide screen no less) and then uninstalled it and handed it to my kid. The experience was everything I expected from a good game. No crashing, no DRM issues just a good time.

I don't get the internet crying. Not one little bit. The people crying about the DRM are most likely the ones that wanted to Pirate it. That's the only thing I can guess.

It was really good. Not SS2 good but, it was worth playing. My one thought was that the experience felt "small" and linear. In medium mode, on the PC it was almost too easy. I'd suggest playing it in hard mode if you want any kind of challenge. I don't think it has any real replay value. There's nothing I really want to experience again. The skill splits was fairly minor.

[Furtive]

I don't get the internet crying. Not one little bit. The people crying about the DRM are most likely the ones that wanted to Pirate it. That's the only thing I can guess.

I haven't bought this yet and its only because of the DRM. I'm not "wanting to pirate it" and won't be at any point in the future. So this is good news. When the GOTY edition comes out sans SecuRom inconveniences I'll be first in line to buy it. I think it would be interesting to see if theres any sort of sales spike if/when they release a SecuRom-free version.