Worried about the SecuROM that will be used in Grand Theft Auto IV on the PC? There may not be much reason to complain as Rockstar tries to put some fears to bed.
Source
Does GTA IV include any version of SecuROM? If so, what kind? Is it like a rootkit?
Rockstar: GTA IV PC uses SecuROM for protecting our EXE until street date has passed, to ensure the retail disk is in the computer drive, and is used for Product Activation of the title. Product Activation is a one time only online authentication when installing the game. GTA IV has no install limits for the retail disc version of the game, and that version can be installed on an unlimited number of PCs by the retail disk owner.
How many times will I need to authenticate my retail disk? I've purchased the game… why do I need to constantly remind your company that I'm not a dirty pirate?
Rockstar: You will only need to authenticate the retail disk once per Windows account per machine. Even if you uninstall and re-install the game, it will not have to be re-authenticated.
There are some unique circumstances under which you may have to re-authenticate the software on a machine. For example, if you change any two 'major' components on your PC, i.e. CPU and video card, you will have to re-authenticate the title.
Also, if you install on a different PC or under a different Windows account on the same machine, you will have to authenticate that installation as well, but this is standard to any software needing a serial. (...)
I have several machines, including a large rig at home, in my office, and a laptop that I take on the road. Can I install the game on all of my machines at once, and if so, how many?
Rockstar: Yes. If you have the retail disc version you will just need to take the disc with you and you can play on an unlimited number of machines. For the digital download versions, each digital download vendor has its own policy on the number of installations that are allowed. Check the vendor's policy before you purchase.
If I install the digital download version on my multiple machines, will it be easy, like iTunes, to simply reset which computers I've authorized on my own?
Rockstar: Our authentication tool does not work quite the same as iTunes. Once the game is installed, if a user never goes online again, we cannot REVOKE a license from that computer. So a global 'reset' is not available for the digital distribution authentication.
There are tools on the local machine and support options to revoke a license on any particular machine, in just about any case, but they must be REVOKED one-at-a-time.
Hopefully this will push back some of those fears gamers had about the SecuROM issue with Grand Theft Auto IV. It's not nearly as "annoying" as it is with other titles.Rockstar: GTA IV PC uses SecuROM for protecting our EXE until street date has passed, to ensure the retail disk is in the computer drive, and is used for Product Activation of the title. Product Activation is a one time only online authentication when installing the game. GTA IV has no install limits for the retail disc version of the game, and that version can be installed on an unlimited number of PCs by the retail disk owner.
How many times will I need to authenticate my retail disk? I've purchased the game… why do I need to constantly remind your company that I'm not a dirty pirate?
Rockstar: You will only need to authenticate the retail disk once per Windows account per machine. Even if you uninstall and re-install the game, it will not have to be re-authenticated.
There are some unique circumstances under which you may have to re-authenticate the software on a machine. For example, if you change any two 'major' components on your PC, i.e. CPU and video card, you will have to re-authenticate the title.
Also, if you install on a different PC or under a different Windows account on the same machine, you will have to authenticate that installation as well, but this is standard to any software needing a serial. (...)
I have several machines, including a large rig at home, in my office, and a laptop that I take on the road. Can I install the game on all of my machines at once, and if so, how many?
Rockstar: Yes. If you have the retail disc version you will just need to take the disc with you and you can play on an unlimited number of machines. For the digital download versions, each digital download vendor has its own policy on the number of installations that are allowed. Check the vendor's policy before you purchase.
If I install the digital download version on my multiple machines, will it be easy, like iTunes, to simply reset which computers I've authorized on my own?
Rockstar: Our authentication tool does not work quite the same as iTunes. Once the game is installed, if a user never goes online again, we cannot REVOKE a license from that computer. So a global 'reset' is not available for the digital distribution authentication.
There are tools on the local machine and support options to revoke a license on any particular machine, in just about any case, but they must be REVOKED one-at-a-time.
Source
Comment