If you haven’t heard of it already, news is buzzing around about the yet-another-new-controversy with BioShock; this time pertaining to fact that it apparently carries SecuROM - a rootkit that installs itself onto your computer and is used as copy protection for the game. News articles pertaining to the full details can be read here, or any other of the major gaming sites - the entire Internet’s abuzz with it from the looks of it. Currently, SecuROM is confirmed to be in both Steam and retail versions of the game, as well as in the PC demo (both Steam and independent executables), so there’s really no escaping it for PC users.

To clarify: SecuROM itself is not entirely malware. From the company’s site one can gleam that it doesn’t snoop into your computer past the CD protection. However, considering that Sony’s the one really providing the technology, such claims are at best, ambiguous, considering they have already had their asses sued over this. However, due to its nature, SecuROM can be extremely difficult to remove - it’s nearly impossible to delete it from the registry using the Registry Editor, while anti-virus programs can’t remove it either. For a quick lesson in rootkits, one can go here. For those that may want to remove the rootkit, there’s a somewhat easy method here.

Although I have several negative opinions on this move, I’ll refrain from posting it in favor of putting up pertinent information. Regarding the install issues: it appears that each individual can have at most two installs of the game running simultaneously. To install BioShock on more than 2 PCs is apperantly not possible, since you’ll have to uninstall the game, and then reinstall on the new PC. However, there have been reports that uninstall ‘credits’ aren’t working properly, creating issues for many gamers. Even worse is the fact that many can’t even install, because the 2K servers that monitored the SecuROM installs (yes, you need to be ONLINE to install the game) went offline due to the heavy load and usage. Worse still, was 2K customer support directing those that would enquire on the issue to SecuROM, while SecuROM customer support is directing them back to 2K, which is just shitty, IMHO.

Thankfully, though, it looks like 2K is doing something about it. As mentioned in an interview here, they apparently intend to get rid of the online activation eventually (although when is another matter altogether) as well as up the number of installs from 2 to 5.

However, this still does not address the issue of the rootkits in use in the first place; to mention nothing of their lack of effectiveness and the number of people its driving away instead. When, or if they’ll issue at all is something that remains to be seen.

Capcom is on a roll these days with Lost Planet, with the PC versions tons of free content that Xbox 360 owners have had to pay through their noses for, and then some more. The new update and map pack, currently available through Gabe Newell’s personal mint, or Steam, includes four new multiplayer maps, a chat system and DirectX 10 enhancements and will be downloaded automatically the next time you launch the Steam client. Here’s the official word from Valve on the new content:

The update includes:

• Four new multiplayer maps. Map Pack #2 includes Battleground (an abandoned town scattered with rubble from ruined buildings), Lost Technology (a tribute to 8-bit games), Ruins, (ancient ruins set amidst a lush jungle), and Ice Drop (a glacier with plenty of peaks, nooks, and crannies)
• DirectX 10 enhancements. Specialized DirectX 10 Geometry Shaders improve overall visual quality through better depth of field effects and improved motion blurring and fur shading.
• Chat system. A new chat feature includes four default messages that can be sent to other players from the game lobby or while playing.

Have fun!

New Maps, Features for Lost Planet: Extreme Condition [SteamPowered News]

So you’re either pre-loading the full version of the game on Steam/Direct2Drive or like me, planning to go into hibernation until the Xbox 360 version comes along. In either case, if you’ve got the munchies for BioShock, here’s some more stuff to brighten (or ruin) your day.

1. Play the BioShock demo on Hard:
So the musical menu in the demo isn’t allowing you to play it on the highest difficulty possible? That’s easily remedied. Before starting the demo, head to your Gamer Profile and edit the default settings. Under General, select your default difficulty setting to Hard and when you start up the BioShock demo, the Hard difficulty should be automatically selected. Just hit A to (presumably) play the demo on this difficulty level. Be warned - if you move out of the selection, there is no way to get back to Hard without restarting the demo.

2. BioShock + IDCLIP = Insanity:
The power of physics compells you! Let BioShock’s awe-inspiring physics engine propel you outside the map, so you can take a stroll underwater, go around the entire area and have dead corpses wave you goodbye long after they’ve stopped breathing.

3. Worship Ken Levine:
Print out a picture of Irrational, oops, 2K Boston’s Creative Director, Ken Levine and worship the rise of a new gaming legend by offering his photo a burnt biscuit. Or you could just go over here and read about the rise of Ken to cult status, possibly among the ranks of Shiggy Miyamoto, Hideo Kojima and Warren Spector. And yes, you can eat the rest of the biscuits yourself.

4. Stare the countdown timer down:
If you don’t have Steam on your PC, get it now or just go here to watch the hypnotic countdown timer that they’ve got going for the BioShock launch. Tick, tock, 4 days, 22 hours, 14 minutes and 40 seconds to go. No wait, 4 days, 22 hours, 14 minutes and 35 seconds… no wait, 4 days, 22 hours, 14 minutes and 20 seconds….

5. Spoil it for others:
Nothing helps a bad mood like spreading it around. That’s one of the most important lessons in life I learnt from Calvin. With a ton of jerks running around playing BioShock, it’s inevitable that they are itching to spoil it all for the others. Some are considerate enough to put up videos on YouTube, where I can choose not to watch them, or mark their posts with a spoiler warning. Others just spill their guts out all over the floor and leave a bloody, shitty mess for you to slip on and crack your head. In a case of the latter, one guy has just posted the “Secret” achievements from BioShock at a forum, which another (so-called) “friend” saw and decided to ruin my life by conveniently posting them in an IM conversation, where I couldn’t do a damn thing about it. Since I’ve already seen them, it makes sense that I try to ruin more peoples’ lives by posting about it here. Hmph, with friends like these, who needs enemies…

There, that should keep you sane until the PC demo releases later today, or until you take a shotgun to the nearest store and demand that they hand over a copy of the game to you right the hell now (pump shotgun in hand, wearing dark glasses and say in a German accent: “I insist!”) or face eternal damnation.

Right, we knew this would happen, even if the folks at the Cult of Rapture kept denying it. With the release date SNAFU looming over their heads, 2K Games, Valve and IGN have confirmed that BioShock is now available for pre-load and pre-purchase on Steam and Direct2Drive right now! If you couldn’t manage to wrangle a copy of the Xbox 360 version from your local TRU store, then this is the fastest way for you to get to play the game. Although the game is selling for $49.95 on Steam and Direct2Drive, the latter is offering a $5 coupon that can be used for a later purchase. So, what are you waiting for? Start your preloads now… even as you wait for the demo to come out tomorrow on Steam, so that you don’t have to go through the agony of watching it fuck up on FileShack and FilePlanet at 99%.

Now since I don’t have a PC that can handle this game well enough, I am going to ask that none of you are kind enough to buy it for my PC friends with the Intel Core 2 Duos and the 8800 GTSs, just so they don’t lord it over me by playing the game before I do on my Xbox 360, thanks to Microsoft India that seems hell-bent on importing games a friggin’ MONTH after their US release dates, except for their own titles. Considering how long The Darkness took to release in India officially, I am guessing it will easily be another bloody month before I play the game, unless the folks at Microsoft India have pity on poor me. Thanks also go to the most honorable Vijay Sinha for smacking me upside the head with this news. There, happy now? Time to go and start unmaxing my credit card so that I can buy it for my lucky “friend” How do I hate the modded Xbox 360 owners, let me count the ways … ^%#*(@#&!%@^!@ Goodbye, you bastards. I hear they have a special circle in Hell reserved for you effin’ pirates. Gah!

Pre-Order from Steam
Pre-Order from Direct2Drive

Wow, I mean, WOW! One day Valve’s licensing the Quake engine to create their debut game, and now, they’re selling id titles on their flagship platform, Steam. We knew the rumors were running around for quite some time now, and yet it when it actually happens, it’s a shock. Don’t get me wrong, this is a very, very good kind of shock, the kind where you wake up to a huge pile of money and a naked goddess, or better yet, two of them. But YAY, now I don’t have to worry about what happens when my Quake II disc gets borked (sooner rather than later), or how the hell I am gonna get my hands on its mission packs.

And there’s that ability to play good old Doom II in co-op, or playing Quake’s DM3 online all over again - I don’t know how you guys feel, but for someone who grew up playing it on a 14.4k modem (yes, I are that old) that just sends a warm tingle all over my body - the kind I got last week when I loaded up Turok 2: Seeds of Evil on my Windows Vista PC and got all messy with OBLIVIONISOUTTHERE and the Cerebral Bore! Select packages will sell for 10% off until August 10 and there are some really cool dealios to sweeten the pot as well, like getting the entire collection for the awesomely low price of $62.95. Sure, you don’t get Quake IV or get to pre-order Rage, but what the hell, you get every other game in the id catalog! More details on the line-up after the jump, while I order a thousand “And Steam shall inherit the earth…” tees!

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Looks like Steam is all set to take over the world. Not only have they taken on a truckload of game publishers’ titles for distribution on Steam, but they are now dropping prices crazily as well. Starting from July 10 and running for one week only through July 16, Steam and Strategy First Inc. will allow Steam subscribers to save anywhere between 25% to 75% on their Steam game catalog including the Disciples, Jagged Alliance and Space Empires series of games as well as Dangerous Waters and the FlatOut games. Go get ‘em while they’re still hot!