Matthew on 8/6/2010 at 13:52
Hah, yes, that was from a GAME shop's sale. I keep an eye out for things like that, also using a couple of wonderful websites.
Sulphur on 5/4/2011 at 20:57
It seemed only appropriate because I'm a lazy bastard and couldn't take the time to create a brand new thread for no discernible reason except to give away a code to download a free game with some strings attached. So...
The Game: Mass Effect 2, which is now (
http://dragonage.bioware.com/me2offer) free to everyone who bought a copy of Dragon Age 2.
Strings Attached:
1)I'm not sure if the download code will work for you, so you'll have to be the first guinea pig test subject for the other people who own DA2 and want to similarly gift ME2 to someone.
2) The download code will only work with EA's Download Manager, which purports to be a Steam-alike of the lite sort. It's only slightly painful to use as long as you have a good internet connection and no sudden power outages (or else corrupted files, redownloading GBs worth of data, and all that good stuff tend to follow suit).
Whomever's interested can PM me for the code. First come, first served.
Edit: Claimed. Enjoy the game, BH!
Jason Moyer on 5/4/2011 at 22:00
EA Store is great because you can uninstall the EA Download Manager after you download the game and never have to use it again. You just have to find the folder it downloaded the setup files to, then in the future run those and re-activate the game using the serial #.
Also, assuming Bioware is ok with giving the code to a friend, I have a free ME2 serial to pass on too.
Edit: Serial # is claimed. Going to see if sharing works, because if it does that would be awesome.
Edit 2: It works. Dunno if it's against their "rules", but nothing's in the FAQ for the giveaway so fuck it.
Ostriig on 5/4/2011 at 22:30
Wow, EA's marketing division is really going balls-out to do damage control over BioWare's latest turd-in-a-box. I didn't really have an interest in Mass Effect 2, had never finished the first one, but I am content to see EA implicitly acknowledging the shitstorm around Dragon Age 2.
I mean, sure, I expect that their EA Accounts records may have indicated that a sizeable slice of the Dragon Age 2 install base already had Mass Effect 2, and with current prices as low as £10 the overwhelming majority of those who'd have wanted to go out and buy it already have, but at the end of the day it's still a just year-old high-profile AAA title that we're getting for free. It's pretty funny how they're trying to spin it as being a Thank You for DA2's commercial success, and naturally not as an attempt to placate a notable demographic of disgruntled customers, but all in all it still strikes me as a pretty big gesture on EA's part and it relieves some of the frustration over spending day-one retail price for DA2.
Quote Posted by Jason Moyer
EA Store is great because you can uninstall the EA Download Manager after you download the game and never have to use it again. You just have to find the folder it downloaded the setup files to, then in the future run those and re-activate the game using the serial #.
Oh, that's quite good to know, cheers!
Briareos H on 5/4/2011 at 22:35
So is there a code still available? I'd be interested in at least trying ME2.
Sulphur on 5/4/2011 at 22:37
Yup, I'll send it along to you.
I forgot to mention: EA's Download Manager isn't a DRM solution; the games come with whatever DRM's already packaged in their retail form, which these days tends to be SolidShield - some sort of SecuROM limited activation sort of thing. FYI, JM, there's a maximum of 5 different PCs it can be activated on at one time.
Also, like JM said, you can save the installer and reinstall and activate the game whenever you like, it's just the activation procedure that requires the internet connection at that particular moment. There is also a regular phone-home requirement with games like DA2; once every two weeks, was it? I don't think ME2 comes with that baggage though.
Quote Posted by Ostriig
Wow, EA's marketing division is really going balls-out to do damage control over BioWare's latest turd-in-a-box. I didn't really have an interest in Mass Effect 2, had never finished the first one, but I am content to see EA implicitly acknowledging the shitstorm around Dragon Age 2.
I mean, sure, I expect that their EA Accounts records may have indicated that a sizeable slice of the Dragon Age 2 install base already had Mass Effect 2, and with current prices as low as £10 the overwhelming majority of those who'd have wanted to go out and buy it already have, but at the end of the day it's still a just year-old high-profile AAA title that we're getting for free. It's pretty funny how they're trying to spin it as being a Thank You for DA2's commercial success, and naturally not as an attempt to placate a notable demographic of disgruntled customers, but all in all it still strikes me as a pretty big gesture on EA's part and it relieves some of the frustration over spending day-one retail price for DA2.
A million copies in two weeks isn't anything to sneeze at, however. Given the amount of cut corners and the shockingly short dev cycle for DA2, it's surprising it sold as well as it did. Part of the blame lies with all the amazing hyperbole I've seen from the gaming press: there aren't many that have called the game out for its failings, choosing to focus on the things it does well instead, even if those things need to be qualified.
For my part I find it an intriguing if downright trashy attempt at a hybridisation of the ME2/DA:O formula, and I'm even finding it mindlessly compelling to some extent, even though as a game it's got more warts than a witch's backside. There's still some good stuff in there apart from the trash mobs, the glaring awfulness of the copy-paste dungeons/areas and the game being tied down to the one city: even though the writing borders on lazy many times, the political strife is interesting even if hackneyed, and some of the characters have some great conversational banter/options.
Plus, it has Gwen Cooper from Torchwood playing an outcast elf. That's got to be worth something.
CCCToad on 5/4/2011 at 23:48
There was potential there, but it was squashed by the short dev time and low budget on the project. I mean, if the plot choices you could make were all as significant as the game promised them to be, it would be at least intriguing. That, and I'd like some fights that are more interesting than waves of cannon fodder rushing at me.
The free copy of Mass Effect 2 is definitely appreciated, though. I do have it on Xbox, but am getting both to play on my new PC while overseas. This saves me some cash.
Phatose on 6/4/2011 at 00:06
FYI, the free copy does not include Cerebus Network access. So no Zaeed, no Rover missions, and AFAIK you can't buy any other DLC unless you buy Cerebus Network first. It's equivalent to a used copy.
That said, I'm fairly certain CN is cross-platform, so if you've got a console version and are looking to try the PC version, it shouldn't be an issue.
CCCToad on 6/4/2011 at 01:57
on second thought, I actually think its a cool thing to do.
Most companies would just release the shitty game, and then either cling to the myth that it was an amazing game or lash out at the gamers who "just don't get it".
