Elemental will be the last stardock game I ever buy.

Stardock has one of the most lenient DRM set ups on the planet, so you shouldn't complain.

**sorry for the double post**

[Removed--describing sources of pirated versions is not acceptable]

I'll be happy when Stardock decides to release updates in convenient .exe files instead of requiring to install Impulse. 

yeah, really what are you complaining about? Most companies don't really have patches worth mentioning, and I can't think of any recent non-indie games that doen't require at least your e-mail address (most of the indies require that these days too)

EA for example requires a very picky about their login (which also requires name and e-mail for games like Dragon Age or Mass Effect 2)

Blizzard requires full name and e-mail address (see starcraft 2.  They used to not require anything to get patches, but their newest game sure does.  WoW requires a credit card and everything else too unless you use only the store bought activation cards)

THQ doesn't really patch their games (I know somebody is going to show up and correct me, but I haven't really seen any THQ games with important patches)

Last Ubisoft game I bought retail didn't require an e-mail address, but instead ran DRM that has a tendency to cause DVD drives to break themselves physically. (see starForce)

2K games I needed an e-mail address, not for patches but to just install the game.

Valve needs a steam account, which usually involves a credit card (i.e. full name + address)

I can't think of any other major publishers who run their own patch systems (i.e. they all use steam or direct2drive or impulse... thus the same or more limiting than impulse)

Honestly, if you want to make up a fake name for your Elemental registration you can.   You can get a free e-mail address from hotmail under a fake name and use it only to get patches if you're so worried about your privacy or whatever your problem is.

EDIT:

me too, but what do you want.  Name a game that's come out for PC in the last 5 years that still does that without some other catch.   Obviously my post isn't directed at you as much as it is the OP, who while I support for not wanting to buy games with DRM and choosing not to buy products that contain DRM... I can't imagine he's planning on buying from any major publishers in the near future.

I find it annoying and intrusive. They already have my money, why throw unnecessary and rude obstacles between me and the game I've purchased?

So because it's possible to steal it, companies should give up any protection at all.  please.  SD doesn't even require a disc in the drive or impulse to be running to play.  You only need a serial for updates.  impulse is painless...the only people that complain about impulse are pirates that want easy updates for their stolen games...

So because some people steal it, those who don't should be forced to endure annoying software that obviously doesn't protect against anything(since it is being stolen) and only serves to annoy legitimate users.

I like my computer clean. free of third party garbage and clutter. i am impatient, and while on a good internet connection, i understand many aren't, and i like to keep my patches for games on my harddrive or other local media so that should i uninstall and later reinstall, i don't have to wait who knows how long to get my patches again (or should the game crap out and force such a reinstall). i also like to have them on my hard drive for when companies go belly up or decide that the game has been out for a year, and its past time to drop support for it, or when i feel compelled to revert to an older patch, because the newer one mucks it up worse than the last.

while i don't recall complaining before about impulse, i do despise it, this doesn't make me a pirate,  its pointless, its intrusive, its clutter. more than that, its disrespectful, insulting. it tells me the company thinks i will steal their product if they don't do this, despite the fact that i very easily could if i wanted to, even with their "protection". worse is that the companies are generally screwing their customers, false promises, buggy products, etc. and often selling all your personal information, and yet they have the gaul to force this on you because you might be dishonest. I'm sorry, thats infuriating to me.

yeah, i can live with this crappy little piece of software and the intrusiveness, but i can hardly find fault with someone who can't.

edit: i should probably make clear that i am lumping all such copy protection software and companies into one heap. i am not accusing stardock of all of this. the line "yet they have the gual to force this on you..." would imply that i am, that is not my intention.

I don't get people being so up in arms about the way SD does their anti piracy. It almost makes me think these people are ringers from other companies. I mean if you consider the incredible lengths that some DRMs make you go through just to play their games, I don't know why anyone would be so angry about making a customer simply register to simply get updates. Steam based games require you to be logged into steam to even play them, and EA was doing that thing where you can only install the game X times. Didn't Ubisoft recently release a game that requires that you constantly contact the internet during game play, only to have a significant connection bug which kicks you out of the game for a single timeout? SD is one of the nicest companies out there with respect to giving players non-intrusive methods of anti-piracy and all they get is crap about it. Unless I am mistaken, didn't one of the DRM manufacturers put a torrent of galciv 2 on their website just to spite SD?

That's your choice, and I choice I make for some games. I think it's kinda excessive, especially since Impulse can be uninstalled afterwards.

The policy you are getting for yourself pretty much limits you to GOG and Gamersgate. 

never say never

Wait, it didn't require my email address to install when I purchased a physical copy. Just to patch it through Impulse, which as mentioned, you can just get a free email address.

But if you bought the copy online to where you do have to log in to download/install it, then you gave your email address to _buy_ the game.

...

My opinion?

If you're buying the game off Impulse, you must provide payment and account information to complete the purchase. If you're buying at retail, you do not need to register or activate unless you want updates.

Nothing requires you to provide true information, and a free email will work fine, but if you give bogus details you can expect difficulties should you ever need to recover a lost account.

In any case, if you're using the forums, you've already given all the information you need to give.