More Awesome Than You!

Just a quick question - the PC I have Sims installed on is not connected to the internet. If I get FT or BV, and it has securom attached, what will it do? Is it still a plague, or will it just not do anything?

I probably will Arr them anyway if I ever do get them, on a matter of principle, I was just wondering what the effect would be.

It can conflict with any CD burning software or virus protection you have on your computer. It can conflict with itself or other programs. It might not do anything - with or without a net connect. That's the BV and FT versions.

When the version of secuROM or DRM or whatever it is that's on Mass Effect now hits the sims, whether that's with Apartment Life or whatever comes next or not until sims3, you won't be able to activate the game on a computer without a net connect so you won't be able to play at all. The plastic wrapper for Mass Effect has a sticker on it that says 'requires a net connection to play' or some similar wording.

Ugh. How annoying. I will definitely be arring that, then. I can connect it momentarily if I still have to activate it online, I suppose.

Pirated versions have no activation. Don't let it phone home. It's clearly doing something nefarious, or else it would not INSIST that you connect from the Internet to it. No doubt it's farming personal information off your computer.

During non-internet installation of bought and pirated versions of EA products, a firewall connectiion is  made for EA Games. This has caused my pc to contact EA on next internet use with both outbound and inbound packets exchanged. I now know to block EA immediately after any EA product install. Each product installation creates an additional firewall openning by game and ep name. Knowing and seeing this, I would never buy an EA product that required an internet connection for use. I don't trust EA and I don't want to have them access my pc or any information.

But the PC is not connected to the internet. It has no wireless card, and no ethernet connection unless I plug one in, causing a major trip hazard and general annoyance. I can connect it, if I have to, but it won't be able to phone home without a phone line, so to speak.

Why fool about with it?  Just install game and run from no-cd crack as recommended standard practice.  Avoid securom.  It is known to phone home when connected to the intarwebz.  It is known to interfere with other virus protection and CD/DVD burning capabilities.  It breaks things.  Have it off and keep it off.  It takes 15-30 minutes to check your system for securom and remove any infection (following the steps in the stickied thread).  This saves you future problems which will use up more time, which could have been better wasted in other ways.

That said, I ran BV for several months with securom on the machine, but always offline, and experienced no problems, but every person seems to have a different experience.  Advice is still to remove and play from a no-cd (it's more convenient anyway), but you are the person who has to choose to take (or not) the advice.