Though I was curious about Crysis, only now -thanks to my new PC - could I finally hope to enjoy Crysis as "it's meant to be played."
As for Half-Life, I'va always been a fan... but when it was launched I didn't buy it immediately because I didn't agree with its anti-piracy security measures (as happens with most games.)
However, for the price I now found it, it was hard to resist... even if I never happen to install it and use some cracked version instead...
Which leads me to the reason why I'm writing this.
I installed Crysis a few days ago, bus wasn't able to actually play it until yesterday.
Facing my GTX275 SLI driven 26" new LCD screen, I anxiously double clicked the Crysis game icon to launch it... and what do I get in response? This:
A required security module cannot be activated.
This program cannot be executed (5024)
What the heck? Maybe it was the update patches I had recently installed... Some Googling around didn't help much... So... Uninstall and reinstall without the patches to try it out again - I had seen it launch before... so...
Installing... again...
Even without any patch or update, the game failed to start with that dreaded 5024 error!
What could it be???
At this moment I was seriously considering just forgetting about it and grab a cracked copy from the internet; once again the stupid security measures these gaming companies implement show what they really do: annoy the legitimate customers, while "pirates" with cracked copies just simply enjoy their games!
(Not to mention the fact that I have to insert the original DVD in drive everytime I want to play?? Come on!)
But then, just I was about to open a new tab and just grab a pirated copy of the game I legally bought so that I could finally play it - a post from another user caught my attention. He said he got this error because he was running ProcessExplorer.
Hold on... I also run that program!
ProcessExplorer is a task manager replacement which is now officially Microsoft. And as I find the regular task manager somewhat lacking, I've been using this improved version for years!
Now... WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO TERMINATE PROCESS EXPLORER IN ORDER TO PLAY CRYSIS???
It's inadmissable! I've paid for the game; and now I can't even run it while I keep my "always running" programs in the background?
Isn't it enough that I have to endure "punkbuster" services running in my PC all the time, even when I'm not playing games?
Isn't it enough that I have to keep the original DVDs in the drive while playing even though I have no option not to install gigabytes of data to my computer?
Not to mention the fact that, would it be that hard to show a more human-friendly message like: "Process Explorer was found running, please exit the program to run Crysis" instead???
All this nonsense has made me reconsider if these games are really worth this trouble, even if at a reduced price... or even if they were for free!
After decades of trying, it's clear that *nothing* they do will ever stop piracy/cracks/etc. So, why don't you please just focus on making great games, putting it on sale at decent prices, and stop treating all your legitimate customers like criminals!
Or, will I forever have to wait a couple of years to buy a game at a nice price - and then be forced to download a pirated copy just so I can actually play the game without placing a disc in the drive or having to terminate some programs I might be running?
crazy story
ReplyDeletethanks i was becoming mad. I have the same problem i just installing process exlorer now, but i never and ever match this. For the rest, u are totally right. Bye
ReplyDeleteThank you. I was thinked about money back before found this. And as it alredy said, you are totally right.
ReplyDeleteGlad to have helped. Though this kind of stuff should be completely unnecessary!
ReplyDeleteDRM should be criminalized. It only affects legal users.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, most of the time (always?) that's exactly what happens.
ReplyDeleteso true!
ReplyDeleteSame goes with Rail Simulator. I'm using Daemon Tools lite to legal stuff. RM does not accept Daemon Tools installed at all.
ReplyDeleteSame crap when your CD/DVD is scratched. It's not possible to buy a spare disc.
I too consider the pirate solution....
Thank you. As a Process Explorer (which is now OWNED BY MICROSOFT) user, I'm pretty furious, I paid money for a game that does thia.
ReplyDeleteI pirated Crysis for a while, and decided to legalise it when Steam did a sale, but even at the sale I regret the purchase, not only for the annoyance of having to close PE each time, but also for encouraging this awful business practise.
@nascent
ReplyDeletePlease do email them expressing that feeling/concern. I've been emailing them over and over, with each new game with intrusive DRM/anti-piracy practics that makes me *not buy* their games; although I would really like to, and would gladly do - at full price - if it didn't have that kind of stuff.
Hey, just now had this same error code with installing the "Bring Down The Sky" DLC for Mass Effect 1. Closed Process Explorer during installation and it worked like a charm.
ReplyDeleteI sent them a feedback email linking here and telling them how to fix it. Hopefully they'll take notice.
Have the same problem with "Bring Down The Sky" DLC for Mass Effect and didnt worked for me close explorer.exe procces druing installation :(
ReplyDeleteAny advice?
@Anonymous
ReplyDeleteNot "explorer", but "process explorer".