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Ascaron sent out a German PR with details about the CP & DRM solution for their upcoming action-RPG Sacred 2 - Fallen Angel. A F […]
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Ascaron sent out a German PR with details about the CP & DRM solution for their upcoming action-RPG Sacred 2 - Fallen Angel. A FAQ explains further details. They have chosen SecuROM, but their implementation is clearly more customer friendly than the one a certain publishing giant used on a couple of recent games. Details:

* 1 box, 2 licenses
* 1 license can be used online at a time; implying you use either your PC or your notebook, but not both at the same time.
* 2 can be played via LAN
* 2 can be used for SP
* Unlimited installations, 2 activations parallel. Activations can be revoked through multiple channels (online-auto, online tools, offline). Revoke & re-activate can be done an unlimited number of times.
* One PC component can be replaced without problems. Beyond that revoke & re-activate is the recommended procedure.
* There will be an emergency hotline for DRM issues due to failed hardware, etc. The manual page with the key serves as proof of purchase.
* The hotline will be available 365 days a year, 24 hours per day. For standard phone rates. (This may apply for Germany only.; ed.)
* Internet connection is needed during installation. The FAQ explains you can use a friend's PC for manual activation though.
* You can play without the DVD. It´s not needed in the drive.
* No private data will be transfered during the activation process. You cannot even enter critical data.
* The activation servers will be available for the next couple of years. Should this no longer be the case, the DRM will be patched out.
* "A transfer to a third [party] is not part of the license." (transl.)
edit: It's not clear if this is just the standard phrase to prevent copying or if it's really meant to make sure the game cannot be sold. A sentence in the explanations on the activation server page (see below) hints that selling is possible.

I was quite surprised the FAQ told me that the customer buys a license, not a product, and that "Sacred2 allows" ("Sacred2 genehmigt" in German) him to play the game. While it's a relieve a paying customer is indeed allowed to play Sacred 2, it will be quite interesting to observe whether somebody will take the publisher to court to clarify the situation. Of course I'm not a lawyer, but as I understand it in Germany a game typically sold at retail is a product. The customer does not need anybody's permission to use a product he purchased. And especially can he transfer his property to a 3rd party.

Edit: Maybe it was not clear enough. The DRM stuff is only confirmed for Germany yet. The activation server page is available in 6 languages though ...

Edit2: A little bit of finetuning to intro and list. Especially to the last bullet point.