I'm Confused- EuroForces + Multiple Accounts/Same Computer

[8dalejr.fan]

I have one computer that me and my brother use to play Battlefield 2 on. He has his own account and I have my own account.

I have both BF2 and SF (hard copies, not through EA Downloader) and in the past, we only had to buy the one copy of each game because you were allowed to have multiple accounts with a single game on a single computer.

What happens with EuroForces? I read somewhere that you have to assign an account to EuroForces when you download it. I suppose that means you can only have one account with the booster pack.

Does that mean we would have to download and pay for TWO copies of the booster pack just to be able to have both accounts (same computer remember) with EuroForces on it.

Please help... This is really confusing!

[AFEDslayer]

Re: I'm Confused- EuroForces + Multiple Accounts/Same Computer

I beleive that as long as its installed you can play it on any account, it probobly binds it to the serial number not the account name. So you only need to buy 1.

[Shawn]

Re: I'm Confused- EuroForces + Multiple Accounts/Same Computer

Your answer depends on your tolerance for editing.

You can open the downloader and change the BF2 nick that EF is applied to before you play each time. If that is acceptable, then yes you can buy once. Up to you if that level of swapping is worth $10 or not.

[8dalejr.fan]

Re: I'm Confused- EuroForces + Multiple Accounts/Same Computer

Slayer,

Thanks for the quick reply. If I end up getting it, I'll point it to MY account and play it, then see if I can get my brother's account to play it too.

I know EA knows that people were exploiting this with SF by letting friends borrow their computer to get unlocks, but trust me this is not what I'm trying to do.

When you create accounts, can EA tell if they are both linked to one copy?

Shawn,

So you are from EA I guess? I do NOT want to have to swap thru the downloader every time I want to play. So I would need to buy a copy for each account then? It's the same computer, and I only needed one copy of SF and BF2 for both accounts, so why now?

[Shawn]

Re: I'm Confused- EuroForces + Multiple Accounts/Same Computer

The difference now is the type of authenication. EF is an entitlement, which means when you go to load an EF map the game checks if your account is EF entitled or not.

For most users it is an invisible difference. In your case though it does change your options. You will see more entitlement model games in the future as it is a more accurate system.

[8dalejr.fan]

Re: I'm Confused- EuroForces + Multiple Accounts/Same Computer

Thanks for your help Shawn. Couple more questions:

- I assume EF maps will be mixed into the rotation of most BF2 servers. I play on EA US Official server regularly. Say I joined one of those servers when it was playing Strike at Karkand, but an EF map was next in the rotation and I did NOT have EF. Would it kick me when it tried to load the map, would the game crash, what would happen?

- I play daily and my brother plays a couple times a week. Could I hook EF up to my account and then change it to his account when he wanted to play and then change it back to mine when he was done playing? Are you allowed to edit which account EF is hooked up to an infinite amount of times? We are of course unable to play at the same time, and therefore only one account would be in use at a time, making the "Edit Nickname" option one worth considering, as long as you could do it whenever you want (no limit).

- Is the EA Downloader a background task that is constantly running (ie. Explorer.exe) or do you open it manually like normal programs (ie. Word)? How much system resources does it use up? I normally end background tasks while gaming, so I'm wondering if this is something else I need to do to.

[Shawn]

Re: I'm Confused- EuroForces + Multiple Accounts/Same Computer

- I assume EF maps will be mixed into the rotation of most BF2 servers. I play on EA US Official server regularly. Say I joined one of those servers when it was playing Strike at Karkand, but an EF map was next in the rotation and I did NOT have EF. Would it kick me when it tried to load the map, would the game crash, what would happen?

When an EF map loads you get a window announcing you are not entitled to play the next map. Of course it links you to the purchase page. I will have around 1/3 of EA Official servers playing pure vanilla maps, unless they stop filling up.

- I play daily and my brother plays a couple times a week. Could I hook EF up to my account and then change it to his account when he wanted to play and then change it back to mine when he was done playing? Are you allowed to edit which account EF is hooked up to an infinite amount of times? We are of course unable to play at the same time, and therefore only one account would be in use at a time, making the "Edit Nickname" option one worth considering, as long as you could do it whenever you want (no limit).

I have done the change twice, just to see how it worked. I would assume infinite, but can't say from experience. Yes, you could enable yourself for days and then change to him for a few hours and then back for example.

- Is the EA Downloader a background task that is constantly running (ie. Explorer.exe) or do you open it manually like normal programs (ie. Word)? How much system resources does it use up? I normally end background tasks while gaming, so I'm wondering if this is something else I need to do to.

By default the downloader is set to run idle in the taskbar at startup. You can change that behavior in the options so it only runs when you run it. That is what I do personally. It does not need to be open or running to play EF. In your case youwould want it installed to make your edits, but it doesn't even need to be installed for average users.

I hope that helps some. You'll see much better what we're talking about on Wednesday when you can see the behaviour first hand.

[IntensivCareBear]

Re: I'm Confused- EuroForces + Multiple Accounts/Same Computer

hey Shawn, i was wondering, playing SF recently, that the server count clocked in at 112 servers, about half ghost town, and the other half warlord and the rest.

i think that i didnt get an opportunity to play neat night maps like leviathan, night flight and devils perch, playing each only a couple times compared to the many many ghost towns.

personally, i prefer warlord and both Spetsnaz maps to ghost town. in fact, i also prefer iron gator and basically ALL of the SF maps to ghost town, and cannot understand the popularity of it.

currently, it is difficult or nigh impossible to get a good SF game of a map that is not ghost town or warlord.

is it possible that perhaps with a patch, that SF may be integrated EF style?

as in, im playing mashtuur on a server, which then switches to mass destruction, etc.

unfortunately, without this, i very much doubt the lasting playability of SF online, at least maps other than ghost town....

also, i have never complained about a patch before, finding them to improve the game. however, 1.21 has 2 glaring flaws in particular. one is the claymores that still ruin every urban map, and cause an overabundance of bunny hopping snipers (more than one half of the players are claymore-snipers on most urban maps)

also, about 1 out of every 7 or so SRAWS disappears 10 feet away, which never happened before 1.2

i know that claymores were also not ideal pre 1.2, but i think i have a solution.

how about if a teammate runs in front of a claymore, the claymore explodes, but does not damage him.

this way, you cannot simply leave claymores all over your base crawling with teammates and get 2 free kills, which is what snipers do now.

also, the sniper receives no negative points, and the teammate is not damaged or killed. to me, it seems a perfect solution, and preferable to both 1.12 and 1.21.
thanks for being here to answer our questions.

[8dalejr.fan]

Re: I'm Confused- EuroForces + Multiple Accounts/Same Computer

Thanks Shawn!

With regards to the EA Downloader as a background task in the taskbar and switching accounts-

Could I disable the EA Downloader as a background task but just manually open the program up and then change the account privileges for EF there or must it be running constantly in the background to do that?

[Shawn]

Re: I'm Confused- EuroForces + Multiple Accounts/Same Computer

Could I disable the EA Downloader as a background task but just manually open the program up and then change the account privileges for EF there or must it be running constantly in the background to do that?

You can start it manually, make your change, then close it. When you make the change it is updated in your account and the downloader no longer needs to be involved.

is it possible that perhaps with a patch, that SF may be integrated EF style?

Popular question, but at this time there is no plan to do that.

[<EsP>Fury]

Re: I'm Confused- EuroForces + Multiple Accounts/Same Computer

Hello Shawn I had a question.
Can you tell us at what time Euro will be available EST on the 15th?
Also I already have the EA downloader installed from when I did SF it has updated once a while ago do I have to uninstall it and put in a newer version?
Or will Euro just pop up in my downloader so I can buy it?

Thanks

[imported_Sharp]

Re: I'm Confused- EuroForces + Multiple Accounts/Same Computer

Also I already have the EA downloader installed from when I did SF it has updated once a while ago do I have to uninstall it and put in a newer version?

No, for me it was the same version of the downloader I used to install SF.

[Zargon]

Re: I'm Confused- EuroForces + Multiple Accounts/Same Computer

it isnt working for me, i only have one account, but i cant get it to work.

i typ "Zargon"(which is my in-game-nick) in that GameSpy-ID thing, but it stills says that i have to purchase and install it whenever i try to start/join an EU-server

[Shawn]

Re: I'm Confused- EuroForces + Multiple Accounts/Same Computer

Some new info relevant to the original question here, "You can change your Gamespy nickname up to 3 times per week."

[MMad]

Re: I'm Confused- EuroForces + Multiple Accounts/Same Computer

Some new info relevant to the original question here, "You can change your Gamespy nickname up to 3 times per week."

Might be a good idea to edit your first post in this thread to contain that fact. :)