Star Wars: The Old Republic digital version only on Origin

[mjmacky]

One of only 2 games I've been excited about in the past 2 years (the other being Skyrim). Now I find myself in a little bit of dilemma. I don't like physical copies of games, thus I stick to digital copies exclusively if it's for the PC. However, the only digital copy of SWTOR is on Origin, EA's service. I fucking hate EA, and don't want to use their client. I am considering just forgetting about my desire to jump into the Star Wars MMO universe.

Is it possible to grab a pirated version of this, and just pay for the subscription?

[mr. nails]

I'd assume no. Unless you wanted to pirate a copy then play on private servers (if those even exist atm).

Why the hate for EA so much? Sure, I'm not using Origin either, but that's solely due to I only want one DD atm even though GFWL has snuck itself onto my HDD. : /

AFAIK, Origin will be required for all newly announced EA games.

I vote if you wanna play the game just to suck it up and drive on...

[mjmacky]

Why the hate for EA so much?

EA's DRM and anti-piracy practices (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_Arts#EULA_agreements_and_DRM) (and another article (http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2011/04/drm-run-amok-how-bioware-and-ea-are-screwing-users-right-now.ars)). If they want to cause so much trouble for their consumers, I don't want to be one of them. I only have Steam running, and don't want to invest a dime into their digital distribution, which would also require me to install another client to get the game going.

Oh well, if there's another solution down the road I may look into it.

[mr. nails]

Are you an MMO fan, Star Wars fan.. or maybe just both? I played WoW for almost 4 years (off/on) and I can't bring myself to play another MMO. Too much time sink that ends up in the missing of other games. You I'm sure have your own opinion, but for me this new Star Wars MMO just looks incredibly ugly/boring and yes I've seen my share of cut scenes, PvE gameplay and PvP gameplay. Speaking of PvP.. it looks like complete and utter dog shit.

[Quarterquack]

Are you an MMO fan, Star Wars fan.. or maybe just both? I played WoW for almost 4 years (off/on) and I can't bring myself to play another MMO. Too much time sink that ends up in the missing of other games. You I'm sure have your own opinion, but for me this new Star Wars MMO just looks incredibly ugly/boring and yes I've seen my share of cut scenes, PvE gameplay and PvP gameplay. Speaking of PvP.. it looks like complete and utter dog shit.

The problem is in the name. One can hardly make an MMO that lives up to the franchise. Part of the success of WoW is that aside from some tailor made lore, and a few sets of world books, it is largely a user fantasy driven world with a shitload of grinding and raiding.

There would be almost nothing wrong with this game if it were called "The Old Republic", regardless of how close that is to the franchise, it still makes no promises about the content within the title. Shot in the foot, that is.

[mjmacky]

Are you an MMO fan, Star Wars fan.. or maybe just both?

Primarily, I'm a huge Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic fan. I had always wanted to get into MMO gaming, but I just haven't found one that grabbed me and kept me in. If SWTOR is anything SW KOTOR, then I'm likely to be a fan, enough to break me into MMO gaming.

[mjmacky]

Another issue is that Origin tried to do this:
http://www.giantbomb.com/news/eas-origin-service-is-basically-spyware-according-to-origins-eula/3616/

The short version is that they were forcing you to agree to letting them snoop your hard drive, installed programs, hardware, etc., that they can sell to third parties. The kicker was that it has absolutely no opt-out option. Steam, on the other hand, lets you opt out. I see on the Reddit thread (http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/js51f/ea_origin_spyware_issue_silently_boycotting_will/t3_js51f) that they updated their EULA terms, but still no opt out.

Bottom line, don't trust EA's service. Something fishy is going on with them.

[hikaricore]

Who says you have to play that ripoff instead of World of Warcraft? You probably got pwned the first time you played and that's why you waited years for a different game. If you suck at WoW you'll suck at this too. Get used to it. But if you are really desperate you should just get it from Origin cause the company is going to get your money no matter where you buy it from. If you were ready to buy in the first place you shouldn't pirate, how else are they supposed to make money to keep making games that you want to play, huh?

[mjmacky]

Who says you have to play that ripoff instead of World of Warcraft? You probably got pwned the first time you played and that's why you waited years for a different game. If you suck at WoW you'll suck at this too. Get used to it. But if you are really desperate you should just get it from Origin cause the company is going to get your money no matter where you buy it from. If you were ready to buy in the first place you shouldn't pirate, how else are they supposed to make money to keep making games that you want to play, huh?

I pirate as a matter of principle rather than simply believing no company should ever acquire my funds. The problem with WoW for me was that I had played several high quality single player RPGs before I ever got around to WoW. So it felt kind of cheap, hence the reason for waiting for a newer MMORPG. Also, Bioware would still get my money through the subscription service, so it's not like I would be completely ripping them off.


Other DRM issues with the game
http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=162079

I accidentally fell into the trap of watching my favorite reviewers give their take on the game (http://revision3.com/trs/swtor-review) (making me want to sell out again). Haven't done it so far, I assume if I just stick to my usual procastination methods, an answer will eventually fall into my lap.

[mr. nails]

if you are really desperate you should just get it from Origin cause the company is going to get your money no matter where you buy it from.

worse advice evar. if you go to the Origin forums there are loads of pages going up hourly about buying this game and NOT receiving it even days later. hell, for a lot of ppl Origin even CANCELLED their orders, but kept the money.. so, i guess ur right on that part.. they gonna get ur monies no matter what!

i was talking with a guy @ work today and was gonna come home and buy it (this is how i know the above) just cause and play, but now this was icing on the cake to NOT play it. lol, don't care enough to drive to wal-mart and buy a copy tonight or any night for that matter.

[1000possibleclaws]

KOTOR 1 is probably my all time favorite game! I think I will wait a bit for a price drop, but will probably eventually pick this game up, despite my low interest in MMOs. Did you ever get this game mjmacky?

By the way, I think steam also has sketchy stuff in their TOS as well. I wouldn't worry too much about Origin, because if any publisher did anything remotely close to breaching privacy or anything or that sort, they'd get obliterated by the press and the community. And they know that PC gamers can be extremely vicious so I don't think there's much to be concerned about. Also, Bioware is owned by EA now so you can expect most future releases (including Mass Effect 3) to be Origin exclusive.

I believe Steam and EA could not come to terms with a dispute over DLC, and therefore all EA games with DLC will not be available on steamworks. Or something of that nature...

[mjmacky]

KOTOR 1 is probably my all time favorite game! I think I will wait a bit for a price drop, but will probably eventually pick this game up, despite my low interest in MMOs. Did you ever get this game mjmacky?

By the way, I think steam also has sketchy stuff in their TOS as well. I wouldn't worry too much about Origin, because if any publisher did anything remotely close to breaching privacy or anything or that sort, they'd get obliterated by the press and the community. And they know that PC gamers can be extremely vicious so I don't think there's much to be concerned about. Also, Bioware is owned by EA now so you can expect most future releases (including Mass Effect 3) to be Origin exclusive.

I believe Steam and EA could not come to terms with a dispute over DLC, and therefore all EA games with DLC will not be available on steamworks. Or something of that nature...

Buying the game would be the transfer of the cash; installing Origin on my computer would be the actual act of letting the old dirty man put it in my ass.

I have not let the old dirty man put it in my ass.

[MikeB]

drm is a pain in the butt, i remember when i got gtaiv and had to sign up to 2 or 3 different online gaming accounts to get access to my game. It was ridiculous.

the worst drm is the cd check, you have to look around for discs, especially if you play many different games, which inevitably means you leave disks lying around on your desk.