Mass Effect (It's Not What You Think)

[BobJustBob]

OK, Mass Effect PC uses SecuROM's online authentication. But I also notice that the disc still has the usual "rings" associated with disc based SecuROM. I have used Alcohol to create the image and extracted the MDS for the disc. Sure enough, upon inspection it does have four SecuROM "rings" like any other normal SecuROM game.

Does anyone know if the online activation checks the disc ? (I know the disc is not needed after the initial online check.)

When it did the initial check it took a few seconds and I did not see the usual SecuROM "spinning disc" animation at all. So either they changed that method or it doesn't check the disc. But if they don't check the disc during the initial online authentication and still have the four rings, which cost money, that means they have prepared a backup plan for later on ?!?

[Terramex]

Maybe for possible problems with paul.dll or for people without internet who don't want to carry around their PC again
Related thread: http://masseffect.bioware.com/forums...2907&forum=127

So either they changed that method or it doesn't check the disc.

Looks like disc check is much shorter now since SecuROM 7.37. Also true for GRID and Lego Indiana Jones.
But i don't know whether disc has to be authenticated after some time at all.

[BobJustBob]

What I'd like to know is if the disc gets checked during the online check ?
Otherwise how do I know I made a good MDS for Mass Effect ??

[Novecento]

I'd say as long as the game works you MDS is good!

[BobJustBob]

I'd say as long as the game works you MDS is good!

OK, but I'd like real evidence.

[Kinlaadare]

Once the online check is done, you don't need the disc in your drive... you just need it to install the game, in fact

[Terramex]

From what i've read in the meantime there shouldn't be disc access needed anymore after activation.

OK, but I'd like real evidence.

A free tool to capture disc activities is TraceSPTI
Depending on Securom version you may have to capture with game-exe set to a compatibilitiy mode, otherwise you'll instantly get a Securom security modul error message - in case there is access.

But i think it would make sense to first insert the original disc and check the LED of your drive

[BobJustBob]

Ok that tools sounds promising.. I will investigate it later.

Is there a way to tell simply by inspecting an MDS if it's good or bad ? (And I mean this for any game not Mass Effect) Or that is Alcohol/DT secret ? I mean if development team looks at an MDS of a SecuROM game, can they tell if it will pass CD check or not ?

[BobJustBob]

mass effect needs a new dt
it reports emulation detected if game is not used with internet. so i can play it via the disc check i talked about but now dt fails..... how long before it's addressed ???

[Terramex]

it reports emulation detected if game is not used with internet.

What have you changed in your configuration to reinstate disc check.
Renaming paul.dll ? Disconnected internet ? Changed system time ?
What OS are you running ?

how long before it's addressed ???

As always no ETAs. But be assured emulation conflicts are addressed straight after they appeared - and 7.37.0007 appeared mid/end may.
Maybe this time it's gonna take up some more time as there where major changes in DT Pro - but that's just a personal guess.

[BobJustBob]

What have you changed in your configuration to reinstate disc check.
Renaming paul.dll ?
What OS are you running ?

Bingo. Rename it....
XP SP3

As always no ETAs. But be assured emulation conflicts are addressed straight after they appeared - and 7.37.0007 appeared mid/end may.
Maybe this time it's gonna take up some more time as there where major changes in DT Pro - but that's just a personal guess.

Yes, but there's many fronts open. Iron Man, LEGO Indiana Jones, Mass Effect etc.... It's not like there's only one game that blacklists it. It's all current and new SafeDisc and now seems SecuROM too. A new DT should be a matter of days not months.

[Terramex]

Missed your answer.

It's all current and new SafeDisc...

Let's keep that topic e.g. here

[BobJustBob]

Missed your answer.
Let's keep that topic e.g. here

What do you mean ? This is to do with Y.A.S.U. ?
I'd really like for a new DT to fix these blacklists itself - soon. Apart from that Y.A.S.U. is as good as dead - at least as we knew it.

[Terramex]

What do you mean ? This is to do with Y.A.S.U. ?

First and foremost this thread isn't about Safedisc' blacklisting methods.
There are other threads that deal with that topic, e.g. the linked one (particularly the spot i linked to).

[Xoote]

Thanks for all the tips